A/N: This is my first ever fanfiction. Well, that's not entirely accurate. I dabbled in creative writing back in high school, but the only people that ever read those stories were my two best friends. I don't consider myself a creative writer, but I thought I'd give it a whirl. I write mean research papers on history, politics, and the sort and I'm hoping that even a slight amount of the penchant I display for writing those types of papers translates here. I am aware research papers require an entirely different sort of writing style. So, please be nice my first time around. I'm open to any constructive criticism. This story is just a quick oneshot inspired by "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield (Love that song!) and probably not the most original. My biggest concern is getting the voice of the characters, which I'm sure I need some work on. So, now that I've rambled on long enough...let me know if you think I should even bother writing out some of the other ideas floating around in my head!
He doesn't know how his parents talked him into coming to this insufferable party. Society events were excruciatingly boring and this one would be no different. His father would force him to talk business with his associates and his mother would spend the night introducing him to every eligible female in hopes that he would show even a modicum of interest. He never did, but maybe one would be bearable enough for a good lay. Probably the most he could hope for out of this evening.
If he was going to make it through this night, he needed a drink or two…or ten. His eyes scanned the ballroom searching for the bar. He spotted it on the far side of the rather impressively ostentatious room. Just his luck. He'd have to make his way through the all ready large crowd of societies richest, snobbiest, and dullest echelons.
As he made his way across the large expanse he chanted to himself. Stay the course. Do not make eye contact. Do not engage. Nearly to his target, he bumped into the back of a man and nearly knocked him over. Perhaps he should have paid more attention. He reached for the elbow of the man to help right him.
"I'm so sor—", he began.
"Really you couldn't see me there?!" The voice sounded vaguely familiar and quite irritated. He looked up.
"McRae!"
"DuGray." Colin reached out his hand for Tristan to shake. "Long time no see. How's it going man?"
"Good. Good. Sorry about nearly knocking you over. I was on a mission to get to the bar." Maybe this night wouldn't be so bad after all. If Colin was around that meant Logan and Finn were most likely around too.
"I'll forgive you…" Colin said shrugging it off and straightening his slightly askew suit jacket and tie. "I was just on my way to meet Finn at the bar as well." He gestured to the bar and they started walking the rest of the short distance.
"Where's Huntz?"
"Pleasing mommy and daddy dearest. He'll be around in a bit." Colin said as they arrived at the bar where Finn was waiting for them. Colin slapped his hand on Finn's shoulder to get his attention and gestured to his side at Tristan. "Look who the cat dragged in."
"Well, well, well…if it isn't Princeton's biggest playboy. Hey, DuGray!" Finn grinned and shook his hand. Colin raised two fingers at the bartender and pointed to the glass in Finn's hand. "What finds you so far away from your playground this fine Saturday evening?"
"The usual…Son, it's time for you grow up and take some responsibility for your life…yada, yada, yada." Tristan explained grimacing.
"So, the threat of the loss of your American Express Black Card?" Colin asked cheekily.
"What else?" Tristan smirked.
The bartender set their drinks on the bar and Colin and Tristan picked them up, both taking a sip of the scotch from their glasses. The three men stood near the bar scanning the ever growing crowd. Tristan's eyes landed on a woman that looked vaguely familiar and if her backside was any indication, very hot. She had cascading brunette hair and was wearing a strapless floor length wine red gown. The top of the gown hugged her curves in all the right places—emphasizing her tiny waist. At her waist the dress flowed into what looked like a silky material and swished around her feet as she shifted her body. She gestured animatedly to whoever she was speaking with and he caught the sparkle of diamonds around her right wrist.
"Nice ass." Tristan muttered to himself.
"What?" Colin asked looking at Tristan.
"I said she has a nice ass." He pointed off into the crowd at the woman in red.
"Who?" Finn and Colin both asked.
"Over there…in the red." Tristan said pointing again. Finn and Colin both looked over to where he was pointing and started to chuckle.
"You better not let Huntz catch you checking out his woman." Colin grinned and then grimaced slightly.
"His woman?" Tristan looked quizzically over at Colin and Finn.
"Going on almost a year now." Finn stated.
"You mean to tell me, Logan Huntzberger, biggest playboy and most eligible bachelor on the Eastern seaboard has a girlfriend?" Tristan asked incredulously.
"Yep." They both nodded.
"And he doesn't have anyone on the side?"
"Nope." They both agreed.
"He's a one woman man? And no one forced him to do it?" Tristan asked in disbelief, glancing at the woman in red.
"Yes, to the first. And, no the second. He's in love." Finn grinned.
"She must be fantastic in bed." Tristan looked once again to the woman in red. What woman could possibly make Logan Huntzberger want to give up his playboy ways?
"Speak of the devil." Finn grinned and gestured to the man walking up to the bar.
"Logan, where's reporter girl?" Colin asked. Logan gestured at the bartender, raising a finger, and then pointing to the drink in Colin's hand. The bartender quickly prepared the glass of scotch and handed it Logan.
"Reporter girl?" Tristan mumbled to Finn.
"Girlfriend." Finn whispered back.
"With her grandparents."
"You left her alone with them?" Finn spoke up.
"She said she'd be fine. I told her I'd come rescue her if she doesn't find me in thirty minutes." Logan grinned at Finn and Colin and then turned to Tristan. "DuGray, what are you doing in our neck of the woods?"
"Keeping my trust fund." Tristan stated bluntly and then offered his hand to Logan. "So, did I hear right? You have a girlfriend?"
"Yeah." Logan nodded.
"How did she manage that?"
Logan shrugged. "By not being one of the many."
Tristan glanced at Colin and Finn with a questioning look. "Reporter girl hated him at first. Reamed him a new one when we hurt one of her friends. And then they spent months playing cat and mouse. Made us all crazy!"
"Why do you call her reporter girl?" Tristan asked Colin.
"She wants to be journalist. Writes for the Yale Daily News and Stamford-Eagle Gazette. She got a hell of a scoop on a group that we're all in and managed to talk Logan into letting her come to one of our events. She's pretty damn good too." Colin explained.
"How convenient for her, Huntzberger. You sure, she's just not after your connections?"
"Definitely not. She's got more than enough money and connections of her own. Not to mention, she doesn't need my help or my father's help to get her a job. She's a brilliant writer. She'll get one all on her own." Logan declared proudly.
"So, she's society then?"
"Technically, but she wasn't raised in it. She's definitely a part of it now though." Hmm, sounds familiar.
Logan finished off his drink, looked at the glasses of the other three, and then motioned to the bartender for four more and also pointed at a bottle of champagne and asked for one glass. Logan handed out the glasses of scotch, which the boys all gladly accepted and then grabbed his glass of scotch and the glass of champagne off the bar. Logan glanced at his watch and then spoke to Colin and Finn. "I'm going to go rescue Ace from the clutches of her grandparents and then we'll meet you in the room next to the ballroom for our sub-party." Ace?
"Ask love to find me a red head." Finn called after Logan. Love? How nicknames did this girl have?
"Somehow, I don't think Ace is going to be picking up women for you tonight, Finn." Logan said as he backed toward the crowd of people in the room.
"But she always helps me pick." Finn whined.
"Well, tonight you'll have to do it on your own, Finn." Logan said and then turned around being engulfed by the sea of people.
"Let's get the alcohol and then round up Stephanie, Rosemary, and Juliet." Colin said turning to the bar. "They should be around here somewhere…"
"Rosemary?" Finn perked up. "She's going home with me tonight."
"What makes tonight different that the hundreds of the others, Finn?" Colin laughed.
"It's snowing." Finn stated.
"It's snowing?" Tristan asked confused.
"Yes, good things happen when it snows."
"Finn, that's reporter girl's thing. It doesn't apply to you." Colin said collecting several bottles of liquor and couple of bottles of champagne off the bar and handing them to Finn.
"Love, says it can and it will…tonight with Rosemary!" Finn cried.
"Whatever, Finn. Let's go."
Finn and Tristan trailed behind Colin who was searching the room for the other ladies. Colin was making for the entrance of the ballroom when he suddenly veered off to the right walking straight towards a group of younger people.
"Steph." Colin said walking up to a blonde haired girl standing with the group.
"Colin, it's about time you showed up to start the sub-party. Or at least that better be what you're coming here to get me for. I need a drink and I need it now."
"Your chariot to the rescue, my lady." Colin said and then gestured to Finn and Tristan. "You remember Tristan DuGray."
"Tristan, nice to see you." Stephanie then turned to the red head standing next to her who was all ready trying to fend off Finn's advances. "The girl Finn is making a fool of himself over is Rosemary; next to her with the blonde hair is Juliet." She introduced. "This is Tristan DuGray, as you've heard."
Tristan nodded to them both. "Nice to meet you."
"We're supposed to meet Huntz and reporter girl in the room next to the ballroom." Colin motioned to the doors and everyone turned to follow. They walked out of the ballroom and then stopped. "Were we supposed to go left or right?"
"Logan, didn't say." Finn stated. "Let's go right. I don't think there are any rooms to the left."
They walked down the hall and peeked into a few empty rooms. "Huntzberger, really needs to give better directions." Colin muttered.
"I'm not nearly drunk enough for this." Finn grumbled and the rest snickered. Finn cracked open one of the bottles of liquor in his arms and took a long pull. "Much better." And took another sip and started running down the hall to the next door.
"Finn," Colin cried, "Slow down!"
Suddenly Finn stopped and threw open the door he was standing in front of. He peeked in and then turned and looked at the group behind him. "I found them!" And then walked in grinning evilly. The others stumbled in behind Finn and stopped short, eyes glued to the couch in the room. Tristan could just make out the blonde head of Huntzberger sitting on the couch with the brunette in the red dress straddling his lap. The pair on the couch obviously hadn't noticed the group's presence in the room yet. Their lips were fused together and her hands were starting to unbutton his shirt. Tristan glanced at Colin, Finn, Stephanie, Rosemary, and Juliet. By the expressions of amusement on their faces he could tell this was a common occurrence.
"Get a room, Huntzberger!" Colin exclaimed and the others chuckled.
The two on the couch snapped apart. Logan turned to look at the doorway and the girl buried her head in Logan's neck, clearly embarrassed. "We had a room, Colin. You're standing in it."
Colin rolled his eyes. "Gilmore, stop acting like we haven't caught you in this same position before!"
Wait, Gilmore? Tristan's gaze snapped to the woman still straddling Huntzberger's lap. She turned her head about to retort, when her undeniably blue eyes locked on his. Her eyes widened in shock and he smirked. She blushed even more.
"Mary! Or should I being adding Magdalene to that now?"
"Can it, Bible Boy!" Rory said as she rose gracefully from Logan's lap, straightened her dress and turned to fully face him for the first time. Her face was flushed, her hair slightly mussed, her eyes were glittering mischievously and she was wrapped in red silk and diamonds. She was breathtakingly beautiful. Even more so than the last time he saw her. And suddenly it all made sense.
Rory walked over to him and engulfed him in a hug, while the others looked on. "I didn't think you had it in you Mary!"
"Love, I take it you two know each other?"
Rory turned from Tristan's embrace and grabbed one of the bottles of champagne from Finn's arms. "Yeah."
"How?" Logan asked curiously, rising from the couch as he buttoned his shirt up and shrugged back into his suit jacket.
"We went to Chilton together." Rory answered as she poured champagne into a glass sitting on the end table next to the couch. She picked up the glass and took a sip.
"We were great friends." Tristan smirked.
"More like the bane of my entire existence." Rory retorted.
"I know you wanted me Mary!" Tristan said as he moved to sit on the couch next to Rosemary and Juliet. Stephanie and Colin settled together on a chair across from him. Finn was handing out drinks and Logan was standing next to Rory.
"Yeah, like I wanted a thousand needles stuck in my eye while I walked over burning coals."
"You wound me, Mary!" Tristan said clutching his chest.
"You'll live."
"Only if you kiss it and make it better."
"In your dreams, DuGray!"
"Only every night, Mare!" Rory scoffed.
"Please, spare me the theatrics." Logan wrapped his arm around Rory's waist and guided her to another chair directly across from Tristan. Logan sat down then pulled Rory on top of his lap. Staking his claim.
"Wait," Logan looked at Tristan, "is she the Mary, you were always telling us about?"
Tristan looked slightly embarrassed and nodded. Everyone laughed. "You talked about me?" Tristan nodded again.
"Only girl to ever turn me down. Never would have guessed you'd be the one to wear her down, Huntzberger." Tristan said laughing.
"Hey, he didn't wear me down. I wore him down." She smirked. That was new. She must have got that from Logan.
"Is that so?"
"It's true." Logan agreed. "Ace, here left me begging for more." He turned to her and kissed her on the lips and then whispered in ear. She blushed and whispered something back to him. They look so comfortable together.
"Hey, cut it out you two." Stephanie said shaking her head. "It's ridiculous how sickening you are."
"Love, I feel left out." Finn slurred. It seemed he'd made his way through a whole bottle of scotch since they stepped into the room.
"Oh, Finn…come join us." Rory patted her lap.
"What? Ace, no!" Logan exclaimed.
"Really?" Finn said excitedly and made his way over to the chair Logan and Rory were sitting on. He plopped down on Rory's lap, wrapped his arms around both Logan and Rory and then planted a sloppy kiss on Rory's check. "Thanks, love!"
"Ace, you so owe me for this!" Logan grumbled and she laughed merrily.
"Gilmore, you're crazy!" Colin laughed. "Only you would invite Finn to sit anywhere close to you while he's drunk."
"And my mother!" She exclaimed.
"Yeah, well you're cut from the same cloth."
"Oh hush you, you know you love me." She said impertinently and pushed Finn onto the floor. Everyone burst out laughing. And Colin did. It was clear that all the men in the room loved her, Logan obviously more so than Colin and Finn. But Colin and Finn clearly doted on her and he wasn't surprised. That had been him, or was him still. And he now understood completely why Logan had given up his playboy ways. Rory Gilmore was special. What man in his right mind wouldn't give it all up for her?
"Love, what was that for?! That hurt!" Finn lay on the floor gripping his head.
"You were heavy!" She said simply.
"Give a drunken guy some warning next time." Finn said, picking himself up off the floor and sitting back in the chair he was previously in. "Love, Rosemary's going home with me tonight."
"She is?" Rory asked glancing over to the couch at Rosemary.
"No, I'm not Finn. You're clearly delusional again."
"But it's snowing!" Finn exclaimed. "Love, you promised! "
"I did?" Rory asked confused.
"Yes, you promised good things happen when it snows."
"Finn, she promised you good things happen when it snows, not that Rosemary would go home with you." Juliet piped into the conversation. Crazy Australian.
"But that's a good thing." Finn whined.
"For you, maybe." Rosemary mumbled.
"Finn, I….never mind. Rosemary's not going home with you tonight, but maybe something else good will happen to you." Rory sighed and Finn pouted.
"So, Mare, what happened to Harvard?" Tristan asked changing the subject.
"Yale had the better Pro/Con list."
"It also had me." Logan smirked at her.
"I didn't know that at the time. And if I'd known it had you, the two stooges and Paris, I would have run in the opposite direction."
"That hurts, Ace!"
"Paris Gellar?" Tristan asked surprised.
"The one and only." Rory grinned.
"How is she?"
"The same as always, but we're friends now."
"You're friends with Paris?" Tristan asked incredulously.
"Roommates actually…or we were roommates for awhile. Until she kicked me out for usurping her editorship of the Yale Daily News." Rory laughed.
Sure sounded like Paris. "I can't believe you roomed with Paris. Where do you live now?" Tristan asked curiously.
"With Logan."
What? Wow, they were serious. "You live together?"
"You sound surprised?" Logan smirked.
"No…well, yes. Sorry, I'm still trying to catch up on the whole girlfriend thing, with Mary no less, and then you tell me you're living together."
"Paris says I landed the whale and calls me Annette Benning." Rory giggled.
"You sure did." Logan says to her, clearly finding it amusing. She laughed and pecked him on the lips. She is happy. And so is he.
"I've also jumped off a seven story scaffold with only an umbrella, stole a yacht, dropped out of Yale for awhile, moved in with my grandparents, joined the DAR and stopped talking to my mother for five months. I think that about covers the last few years of my life. Does that sufficiently impress you?" Rory rambled.
"Wow, umm…okay. You stole a yacht?" Tristan asked trying to process everything she said. Everyone laughed. Huntzberger must have had something to do with that.
"Yep." Huh. "Well, I had some help." She said nodding her head towards Huntzberger.
"Hey! I was only along for the ride." Logan exclaimed.
"Yes, because I knew how to steer a yacht."
"It was your idea!"
"And you went along with it!" Logan grinned at her and she smiled back, her eyes twinkling.
"Well, I sense there is more of a story behind that, but I won't ask." Tristan shook his head.
"How's Princeton? Still trying to woo the ladies with that smirk? Still a delinquent?" Rory asked and leaned her head on Logan's shoulder visibly tired. She stifled a yawn. Logan ran a hand through her hair, smoothing it.
"I didn't know you cared, Mary." Tristan raised an eyebrow. "But to answer your questions. Princeton's great. The ladies still fall at my feet. And I still have my delinquent days."
"Nice to know some things change." Rory said sarcastically.
"Ace, do you want me to call Frank?" Logan nudged her shoulder. She turned slightly toward him and bit her lip in thought.
"Sure, but I need to say goodbye to my grandparents and you need to say goodbye to your parents." She grimaced rising up off Logan's lap.
"Do I have to?" Logan whined.
"Yes, you do."
"Why?"
"Logan, just do it. You'll be glad you did. I'll…" Rory whispered the rest of whatever she was going to say in his ear. Logan raised an eyebrow and looked at her appreciatively.
"Well, if you insist." Logan said smugly.
"I do." Rory answered just as smugly.
"Okay, Ace. I'll call Frank and you go find Richard and Emily and I'll meet you in the lobby in twenty minutes." Logan kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"Your parents, Logan." Rory reminded him as she turned to Tristan.
"I remember, Ace." Logan stepped back and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, evidently to call Frank.
Rory approached Tristan, put a hand on his arm and leaned into kiss his check. "It was nice to see you, Bible Boy."
"You too, Mary."
"Don't be a stranger." She smiled and then turned to walk to the door.
"I knew you liked me, Mare." Tristan couldn't resist. Rory turned back to look at him. She smiled, winked and then walked out the door.
"Hey, Rory wait! Rosemary, Juliet and I will come with you." Stephanie called out to her and she paused briefly waiting for the three to catch up. Tristan watched her walk away until he couldn't see her anymore. She really did have a nice ass.
He then turned to Logan who was just finishing up his call. Finn and Colin had risen to stand next to Logan.
"Gentleman, always a pleasure." Tristan reached out to shake first Colin's, then Finn's, and finally Logan's hand. They all nodded. Colin and Finn turned and walked out the door, leaving Tristan alone with Logan.
Tristan looked at Logan appraisingly. "You seem happy."
"I am." Logan stated straightforwardly and smiled genuinely.
"Lucky bastard." Logan just laughed and turned to walk out the door.
"See you around, DuGray."
Tristan just stood there for a moment and then turned at looked at the empty room. He picked up the half empty bottle of scotch he found on the end table and took a drink. He felt a slight pang. What did Logan have that he didn't? He took another swig of the scotch, setting it down, and then turned to leave the room.
He walked slowly back to the ballroom. He really didn't feel like going back in there. When he reached the main lobby, he stopped and stood silently for a few moments. His gaze landed on the couple standing by the doors. Logan had his arm draped across Rory's shoulders. They were obviously involved in an animated conversation, oblivious to the world around them. Logan glanced up out the doors and started pulling Rory forward through the doors. She laughed at something he said and then they both disappeared. He was jealous. Rory Gilmore was one in a million and Huntzberger had her.
He heard a laugh from behind him and turned to see who it was. A girl with shoulder length brunette hair and pale blue-gray eyes stumbled through the doors. She wasn't as stunningly beautiful as his Mary, but she was pretty.
She'd do, at least for the night.