Title: Believe in Me
Rating: T
Pairing: Tristan/Rory
Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I own nothing as usual.
Summary: A boy finally realizes his mistake, but is it too late to fix it?
Setting: Sophomore year: Yale
I sit alone and watch the clock
Trying to collect my thoughts
All I think about is you
And so I cry myself to sleep
And hope the devil I don't meet
In the dreams that I live through
Believe in me
I know you've waited for so long
Believe in me
Sometimes the weak become the strong
Believe in me
This life's not
always what it seems
Believe in me
Cause I was made for chasing dreams
He fought so hard to try and focus on his task at hand. He just couldn't seem to get his mind to work the complex mathematic problem that was printed on his midterm exam. His calculus exam was his last midterm before he can get his packed bags and get in his car and drive back to Hartford where he can empty his mind during winter break. He had a month to do so.
Lately for some reason things in his life were just piling up and they were wearing him down; they were getting too complicated to handle. What he doesn't know is why. Why is life becoming too much to handle? Each time he asked himself that question, he ignored his answer: He made the wrong decision.
Shaking any irrelevant thoughts out of his head, he brought his attention back to the calculus problem. He wasn't sure if he had to distribute the variable first or rationalize the denominator, and honestly he didn't care. He knew that he had worked too hard all semester long to just fail this exam, but he didn't care.
As the time was ticking away, he ignored the pointless problem and thought back. He thought back to his sick grandfather and how he was at his side taking care of him. Janlen was the one person that Tristan could actually count on. He was always there for him and in return, Tristan was always there for him, until Janlen couldn't hold on any longer. The sickness had been too much to handle; he wasn't as young as he use to be.
When Janlen died, a part of Tristan died also. But as Tristan's father wisely told him, life continues, so after the funeral, Tristan was back at Yale. He was back to studying. He was back to partying. And he was back to having meaningless relations.
"Alright, times up," the professor announces, "Hand in your exams and enjoy your break."
How can you enjoy your break when you know that you've failed your exam?
"So you're actually heading home?" Tristan's roommate, Eric, asked after seeing Tristan's packed bags.
"Of course, too many socialite parties to attend," Tristan replied feigning excitement.
"Can't you just not go?" Eric didn't come from money so he didn't know the consequences of not attending one of those parties.
"So innocent, so naïve," Tristan teased his friend.
"I take that as a 'no'?"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"No."
"Man, you're confusing me!"
Tristan chuckled, "Not attending one of those stuffy parties means being the center of rumor and gossip; you're lucky you're not rich."
"Oh yeah, so lucky," he replied with a roll of his eyes.
Grabbing his duffle bag Tristan stood in front of his friend, "Have a good break, man, and stay out of trouble."
"Same goes to you."
After saying goodbye to his friend, Tristan was out of their dorm room and heading to his car.
Stepping outside, the harsh December cold hit his face, but he kept his features strong and continued on his way to his car, until…
"Tristan," he heard someone call his name.
Turning to face the person he groans; he should have pretended he didn't hear her and continue on his way.
Instead of listening to his gut, which was telling him to walk away, he stayed put. It's as if he was stuck or maybe deep down, he really did want to talk to her.
"Hey," she started shyly, "how have you been?"
"Not bad, my grandfather's dead, I just failed my Calc exam, I'm going back to Hartford for break and you're keeping me out here in the cold with small talk," he answered with a cruel attitude.
She was so taken aback, that she didn't even know what to say. She knew that he was hurting, but she never imagined that he would take it out on her.
"Are we done here?" he asked impatiently after seeing that she had nothing to say.
She have him a small, sad nod.
"It was nice talking to you, Mary," he threw her a cruel smirk before turning and walking away from her.
He left her standing in the cold, watching as he finally reached his car and drove away.
This wouldn't be the last encounter that Rory and Tristan had.
"Rory! Hurry up, we're going to be late!" Lorelai belted from her position in the living room.
"We're already late," Rory said nonchalantly as she emerged from her childhood room dressed in a little black dress and strappy heels.
"Yes, but if we're really, really, really late I don't even want to imagine what my mother would have up her rich sleeve for us," Lorelai told her daughter, "Wait a minute, did we pull a Freaky Friday or something?"
"Huh?" Rory asked completely confused.
"You're usually the one who is rushing me to get out of the house to attend one of my mother's shindigs, yet here I am rushing you," Lorelai explained.
"Huh, I guess we did," she told he mother as she slipped on her coat.
"Oh my God," Lorelai said, "If I'm you and you're me that means that Emily Gilmore is your mother!"
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yuh-huh!"
"Switch back, switch back!"
"No way…I like having you as a mother instead of having my mother as my mother."
"This sucks."
"Yes it does; it sucks being you, Lorelai Victoria Gilmore not Lorelai Leigh Gilmore."
"Yeah, yeah, let's go," Rory muttered as she walked through her front door with her mother right behind her.
"Now that we've made an appearance, I think it's only logical that we can blow this Popsicle stand," Lorelai said in a hush tone after taking a long sip from her martini glass.
"Are you planning we blow up Grandma and Grandpa's house?" Rory asked feigning to be shocked.
"Rory, you're a genius!" Lorelai stated amazed, "If we blow this place up, we're never gonna have to attend one of these stuffy parties ever again, and better yet, we never have to go to Friday night dinners!"
"Mom, stop getting your hopes up," Rory said, bursting her mother's bubble.
"Lorelai, Rory, are you two enjoying yourselves?" Emily Gilmore asked as she quietly approached from behind the two younger Gilmore girls.
"Jeez, mom! Wear a bell!" Lorelai exclaimed clutching her chest.
Emily rolled her eyes, "Seriously Lorelai, must you be so dramatic?"
"Yes," Lorelai answered with a serious expression.
"Oh excuse me girls, I have to go greet the guests who just walked in; the Dugreys," Emily said their name as if it were to draw something from Rory, "You and Tristan looked absolutely perfect together," she said addressing Rory, "I never did find out what happened with the two of you, but I guess it's none of my business."
Without another word, Emily quickly made her way over to the Dugreys laving Rory to reminisce about what happened between her and Tristan.
FLASHBACK
Chilton: Junior Year
Tristan was making his way down the hall to his fourth period class. Along the way he would casually greet his friends. Before he knew it, someone had grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the nearby empty classroom. He was quickly pushed up against the now shut door.
"Hey sexy," Rory smiles as she looks up at her boyfriend and presses her body against his.
"Hello beautiful," he looks down at her and notes how happy she looks and how beautiful she truly is; he was lucky to have her.
She gets on her tippy toes and meets his tender lips in a sensual kiss that they both melt into.
When they pulled away, they remained in each other's arms, "Are we still having Willy Wonka Night?" Rory asked him.
"Of course," he chuckled, "All the Willy Wonka candy and chocolates that you dropped off yesterday are screaming to be devoured."
His hands rested on her hips, his thumbs absentmindedly drawing circles on exposed skin.
"You were a good boy and didn't eat any, right?"
"Right," he said avoiding her playful eyes.
"Tristan," she sang his name in an accusing tone.
"The 'Nerds' were calling my name!" he defended.
"How many boxes?" she asked.
"Three," he admitted.
"I'm so proud of you," she broadly smiled.
"You're odd, you know that right?"
"Yeah, you've told me before," she said with a wave of her hand.
"I love you," he said out of nowhere. This wasn't his first time saying it, but the way he said it held so much meaning and feeling. It was as if he was never going to see her again.
He was scaring, but she didn't show it, "I love you too," she replied with a small smile. Something was wrong; she could feel it.
"So tonight at seven?" he asked.
"Tonight at seven," she confirmed.
That Night…
"Miss Gilmore," the maid greeted Rory at the door, "I see that your Willy Wonka Night has finally arrived."
"Yes it has," Rory replied excitedly, "Is Tristan in his room?"
"I believe so, but I'm not certain."
"I'll just go check."
"Alright then," the maid said before disappearing into the kitchen.
Rory began to make her way up the staircase and to Tristan's room. She made her way into his room without bothering to knock.
The sight before her nearly killed her.
Tristan was shirtless on his bed with some girl straddling him. Her hands were all over his body as her lips were fused to his.
Rory remained silent. She didn't say anything as she watched him push the girl off of him. She didn't say anything as he came to stand in front of her. She just looked at his swollen lips, his eyes that were filled with hurt, guilt, pain and sorrow.
"Get out," Rory told the girl as she came and draped herself onto Tristan.
"Excuse me?" she questioned, as she looked Rory up and down.
"I said, get out," Rory repeated herself, but this time her voice took on a more dangerously low tone.
The girl was about to say something, but Tristan cut her off, "You need to leave."
She looked at him with a disgusted look, "Whatever."
After the girl made her way out, the room fell silent.
"How long?" Rory asked breaking the silence.
"Rory I--"
"How long, Tristan?"
"I never meant to hurt you," he voided answering her question.
"Sorry to break it to you, but you failed," sarcasm filled her voice as tears filled her eyes.
He took a step forward to grab her hand, "Mary, I'm--"
"Don't you touch me," she told him as if that piece of information was obvious as she snatched her hand out of his grasp.
It killed him to see her like this. He hated that he had to do this to her. He couldn't be with her; he wasn't good enough. He needed to end it now before he fell to deep, but maybe he was too late.
"Tell me what's going on," Rory demanded, "Something's been bothering you, I've noticed."
On one hand, his heart soared that he had found someone who knew him so well, but on the other hand, he hated that she was making this so hard.
"Nothing is wrong," he lied.
"You're lying."
"You're so sure of yourself," he stated a bit rudely. She was suppose to find him cheating on her, she was suppose to say that it was over and then she was suppose to leave.
It seemed as if the reporter in her was getting the best of her.
"What aren't you telling me?" she looked at him with those blue eyes that were pleading with him.
But he remained silent; this was for the best.
"I can't believe you," was the last thing Rory said before giving him one final look and turning her back on him.
That night their hearts were broken for the first time.
END FLASHBACK
"Hello? Anyone home? Earth to Rory!" Lorelai waved a hand in front of her daughter's face.
"Sorry," she snapped out of it, "I guess I zoned out."
"Obviously."
Keeping her eyes on Tristan, she spoke to her mother, "I'll, um, be right back."
"Alright," Lorelai said knowing exactly what she was going to do, "Hey Rory," she called her who was already making her way towards the boy, "Don't shut him out, actually listen," was the only piece of advice that she gave to her daughter.
Nodding her head, she turned and continued to make her way towards him.
She stood behind him and contemplated on whether or not if what she was doing was the right thing. If she interrupted the conversation that he and his family were having with her grandparents, what exactly would she say?
Inhaling deeply, she threw caution to the wind.
Resting a gentle hand on his arm, she got his attention, "Hey, can we talk?"
"I think we've done enough talking for one day," he said not turning to face her.
"Tristan, please," she pleaded.
"Excuse us," Tristan politely excused himself from the group and made his way outside to the garden where Rory followed.
They arrived outside into the cold night and Rory wished she had had her coat.
Once Tristan stopped walking he turned and faced Rory. He stuck his hands in his pants pockets and spoke to her as if he didn't want to be bothered by her, "Talk."
Rory was a very patient person, but Tristan was wearing her patience thin, how can he be so cruel, "What is your problem?"
Tristan smirked cruelly, "Like you don't know."
"What the hell happened to us?"
All the smiles you've had to fake
And all the shit you've had to take
Just to lead us here again
I never have the things to say
To make it all just go away
To make it all just disappear
Believe in me
I know you've waited for so long
Believe in me
Sometimes the weak become the strong
Believe in me
This life's not
always what it seems
Believe in me
Cause I was made for chasing dreams
AN: Alright, I know that I shouldn't be starting a new fic seeing that I have two unfinished ones that are waiting to be updated, but this was swimming around my head for some time now and I needed to put it out here for you guys to let me know what you think.
Anyways, what really is Tristan's problem? And why isn't Rory the one upset with him seeing as how he is the one who cheated on her? I guess you're gonna have to wait and see what happened and what will happen between these two.
As usual don't forget to review!!
P.S. The song in this fic is "Believe" by Staind. The title was taken from the lyrics.