Disclaimer: I don't own the series Gilmore Girls or any of the original characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.
A/N: Surprise, surprise. The Trory that I had intended to write is finally finished. It's amazing what a week off from school can make you do. :)
Blue on Blue
''Sometimes she says that she doesn't like me, and I tell her she's lying.''
It wasn't a good day to be at the mall, but Lorelai and Sookie had decided to go anyway, despite the rain that was falling outside and, once inside, clattered on the glass roof of the mall. Somehow the two had convinced Rory to make the trip as well, but she didn't wear the brightly colored raincoats that they had worn to the mall and had decided to keep on while shopping. She had been too vain to wear one of those, though she wasn't too vain to walk around the mall in a comfortable pair of jeans and one of her mom's many Disney shirts.
She had gotten separated from Sookie and her mom somewhere along the line, but that always happened; she preferred doing her shopping by herself, especially when shopping for something like a dress. She wanted to rely on her own taste and not that of her mom's. Tonight was going to be her first dinner date with Dean, the occasion being that he had made the basketball team earlier this week. The silly reason for their date made her smile, even though she thought that it was sweet that he wanted to celebrate with her when she knew nothing about basketball.
She went into what was her third store so far and began walking passed the many racks of dresses, letting her fingers glide over the different fabrics. It was something she always did, picking out the dresses that had the most pleasant feeling fabric. After having selected a few, she went over to the dressing rooms and changed into her first dress: it was a white strapless dress that was fitting at the top and flowing from the waist down.
Rory ran her hands over the dress and stepped out off the changing room, wanting to see how it looked in one of the bigger mirrors, though she didn't make it that far. A pair of too familiar blue eyes surprised her and made her disappear right back into the dressing room.
She heard him chuckle at her actions, her cheeks taking on the color of her lips. ''I already saw you, Rory.''
She thought about just ignoring him and staying in the changing room until he had left, but she eventually pulled back the curtains and came out again. Her eyes were big and blue as they found his, although Tristan could only keep his attention on her eyes for so long.
''I like the dress, Mare. What's the occasion?''
''A date,'' she answered.
His eyes lit up in amusement. ''I didn't know we had a date?''
She threw him a look and went to stand in front of the mirror, extremely self-conscious as she looked at herself. ''Does it really not look too bad?'' she asked while catching Tristan's stare in the mirror.
He smiled at her self-doubt. ''You look great.''
Rory bit down on her lip as she studied herself in the mirror once more. ''I don't know. I don't think I like it,'' she made up her mind while whirling around, her back now to the mirror.
''Ah, but it's not about what you like, but what Dean likes,'' Tristan pointed out. ''He's your boyfriend, Rory,'' he explained at the look in her eyes. ''Who else would you have a date with? It's a little too predictable for my taste, but whatever floats your boat, right?''
''Guess so,'' she replied with a shrug, having gotten used to Tristan's judgmental remarks concerning her relationship with Dean.
Tristan looked away and she went back into the fitting room to try on another dress. This one was red, falling just over her knees with straps that were a slightly darker shade of red, just like the two strips of fabric that had to be tied in the back into some kind of bow.
Tristan whistled when she came out in it. ''Red is definitely your color,'' he complimented her and walked up to her to tie the two loose strips into a neat bow in the back.
''How do you-''
''I've had some practice in taking girls' clothes off.''
Rory rolled her face. ''Of course you do.' She glanced at her own reflection and turned to the side to look at the bow on her back. ''I think I like it, too, but it's too expensive.''
She sighed and avoided Tristan's eyes as she went back into the dressing room to try on her last dress. When she came out, the girl across from her was also in a black dress, only she had the curves to fill it out properly. Tristan was standing right beside the girl with his hands in his pockets. ''You look stunning, baby.''
Her face fell and she instantly turned to go back into her fitting room. She quickly changed back into her own clothes and left the dressing room area, not even having to be swift about it because Tristan's eyes weren't even on her. And it got to her for some reason.
Rory walked back to the mall's entrance and sat down on one of the benches, unable to leave because she had to wait for Sookie and her mother, and she had forgotten her cell phone. Instead she was left to listen to the rain for a while, though Tristan came across her on his way out, the girl he was with earlier right by his side, both of them carrying several bags.
''Hey,'' he said.
Rory just nodded at him and watched as he said something to the girl he was with, let go of her hand, and came her way. ''You left.''
''I decided not to wear a dress at all.'' She shrugged.
''Who are you waiting for?''
''My mom. She's still in there somewhere,'' Rory said while nodding in the general direction of all the stores. ''And I didn't bring my cell phone, and I really want to go home.''
''Do you need a ride?'' Tristan offered. ''You can call your mom in the car.''
She nodded, just wanting to go home. ''Okay.''
Tristan held out his hand to her and pulled her up. ''Come on, I'll introduce you to the flavor of the week,'' he joked, causing Rory to shake her head, though somewhere she was glad that that was all the girl meant to him.
''Ror, this is Nikki, my girlfriend, and Nikki this is Rory. She's a friend and needs a ride home,'' he explained himself.
''Whatever,'' Nikki said. ''Let's just go.''
Tristan shot Rory an apologetic look and followed Nikki, Rory a few steps behind them, not wanting to intrude on anything.
At the car, Tristan opened Nikki's door first, though pleasantly surprised Rory when he did the same for her. He waited for her to get in before retrieving his cell phone from one of his pockets and handing it to her.
''Thanks.''
He nodded, smiling at her as he closed the door and got in the car himself.
Rory dialed her mom's number, disregarding the joke Nikki made about her having to call her mother. She talked to her mom in a somewhat hushed tone and wanted to hand it to Tristan when she was done, though Nikki was the one to take it from her.
Rory leaned back against her seat and stared out of the window, feeling bad because of Nikki's behavior towards her. She didn't like her, but had treated her as if she did, yet Nikki didn't seem to give her a chance.
Tristan eyed her in the mirror every now and then, at the same time keeping Nikki satisfied by placing his hand on her thigh.
When he dropped Nikki off, he removed his hand, though she pulled it back and made him lean towards her a little more, engaging him in a long kiss goodbye.
Rory looked away.
''Come to the front,'' Tristan demanded.
''I'm fine,'' Rory returned while crossing her arms over her chest.
''What's wrong?'' Tristan asked once they were on the road again.
''Nothing.''
''Come on, Rory. I may not know you that well, but I do know you well enough to know when something's bothering you.'' He locked eyes with her in the rearview mirror. ''Jealous?''
She shook her head. ''No, it's just…'' She shifted in her seat. ''You were all over her, Tristan.''
''And?''
''And you did it right in front of me.''
''So,'' Tristan began with a shrug, ''I've never been shy when it comes to public displays of affection. I do it at school all the time.''
''Yeah, but at school you don't only have eyes for one girl.''
''What's your problem, Mare?''
Rory sighed. ''My problem is that I was trying on dresses and you only had eyes for her. And I can't really blame you, I mean, she's gorgeous, but-''
''Insecure much?''
''You completely ignored me for the first time,'' Rory pointed out to him.
Tristan looked at her in the rearview mirror. ''Aren't you the one who's always telling me to leave you alone? Because, in case you haven't noticed, Mary, we haven't exactly been getting along.''
''I haven't seen you trying very hard to.''
''It has to come from both ways,'' Tristan countered her comment.
''Why should I bother with trying to be friends with you when you always push for more? I have a boyfriend, Tristan,'' she went on when he didn't say anything. ''And you have, well, girlfriends.''
''I haven't found the right one yet,'' he defended himself.
''One,'' Rory repeated questionably. ''Yeah, right.''
''I can be with just one girl.''
''Hah,'' Rory said.
Tristan's face hardened. ''Not everyone wants to be tied down at first pick.''
Rory stayed quiet during the rest of the ride, though she didn't get out when he parked in front of her driveway. ''Why are you always such a jerk to me? What have I ever done to you?''
Tristan turned in his seat to look at her. ''Nothing, and that's just the point. At school you ignore me, and you don't seem to care that I'm the most popular guy there.''
''Why do you care so much?''
Tristan shrugged and turned in his seat again. ''I just do. Besides, not everyone is as naturally likeable as you.''
''You like me?''
''I really do need to spell it out for you, don't I, Mary?'' He smiled at the offense she took. ''Yes, I like you. Are you going to get out or what?'' he asked when the silence between them drew on for too long, throwing her a smile to let her know that he meant well.
Rory nodded and wanted to get out, but he stopped her. ''Hold on just a second.'' He reached beneath the passenger's seat and pulled out a shopping bag. He gave it to her.
''What is it?''
''You'll find out once you open it.''
Rory nodded and got out of the car this time. ''Thanks for the ride.''
''Anytime.''
''And thanks for this,'' she said while holding up the bag.
Tristan smiled. ''I'll see you at school, Mary.''
Rory waited until he had driven off before looking in the bag. She smiled. Red had always been her color.
Please review? (: I know the plot isn't that original and the writing was a bit off, but I wrote this piece in somewhat of a hurry because I desperately just wanted it to be finished and out of my system. I hope it's still readable and that you found something to like about it. :) I'd really love to hear your opinions, especially since it is my first Trory piece in months, and maybe even a year. I've also written some other one parters, though not GG related, which I'd love for you to check out. They're listed on my profile page if you have the time and interest. Thanks. :)