Disclaimer: I own nothing affiliated with Gilmore Girls.
Rating: PG
Paring: Trory
Summary: Rory and Tristan were friends in Hartford until Rory turned fifteen and she and Lorelai moved to England. Almost two years later, Tristan goes on an overseas exchange, and past and present collide.

American Players and British School Girls
Break Free
Tristan's POV

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"I saw my whole life as if I had already lived it. An
endless parade of coalitions, yachts and polo matches.
Always the same narrow people, the same mindless
chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice,
with no one to pull me back, no one who cared…
or even noticed."
-Titanic

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Thump, thump, thump my shoes sounded as they met with the cold floor. With each pace forward I find myself dreading that door on the right at the end of the corridor.
Behind that repulsive gray door sat twenty or so students. Each of them subconsciously waiting for my entrance. My secretive smirk, my smart comebacks and my shameless flirting.
Each of them waiting for the student who had now reached the door. The student who hated being this person; the person who everyone envied and admired, the person who detested every day spent inside this hell, having to pretend to be someone that they wanted me to be.

I should just leave now. Turn on my heel and retrace my steps back down that very corridor. Only at the end make a left instead of a right and walk away from the principal's office with the menacing red door.
And once outside the doors I would be free. Free from the life I never asked to be born into.

Shaking my head clearing away my ridiculous daydream, I readjust my bag on my shoulder, and then with a deep breath I shove open the door, and emerge on the other side as Tristan DuGrey. King of the school.

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I never used to be like this. I guess that when I really think about it, my family resentment started on the day my neighbor and best friend left. Rory Gilmore. We met through our grandparent when we were three, or so I was told. We became inseparable, doing every thing together.

We rarely fought, except of course during the summer before she turned fifteen. She had just gotten her first boyfriend; Mark or something I think. He was one of my enemies. One of the guys who went around acting like he was gods gift to women. He was the year above us and could have any girl he wanted. But no, he decided to call Rory his prey. He followed her around acting like a perfect gentleman, and her being as naïve and innocent as she was, completely fell for it all.

He finally got her to go out with him Just before the school year was ending. For a week he remained that charming boy, but after he had her trust, he lost interest and went in for a bit of fun.
If I hadn't been there the night of that party I'd hate to imagine what would have happened.
I wouldn't talk to her for about a month after that. She thought that I was angry with her, but the truth was that I was angry with myself. Angry that I saw it coming all along but never did anything about it.

The night we made up was the night of the annual DuGrey ball. My Parents threw the most elaborate balls in Hartford, and all of the most wealthy and influential families were there. I saw Richard and Emily Gilmore early on, and asked where Lorelai and Rory were. Emily pointed over in the direction of the bar. Laughing to myself as I walked over, I thought that I should have known. Arriving at the bar however I met with only Lorelai and Chris. No Rory in sight.

Chris and Lorelai had been going out again for the past year and a half, and I was almost positive that a wedding would be in the near future. I asked Lorelai where Rory was and she replied with a sympathetic face that she should be in soon. No doubt Rory had told her all about our falling out, though I have to admit that I was still a little surprised that she wasn't here yet.
We had a pact to protect each other at these events. If one of us got stuck talking to yet another boring millionaire, the other would create an excuse to get them out of there.

The night went on as they usually did at my parents parties; long and boring. About three hours into it however, Mr. and Mrs. Cumming, who worked for my parents, approached me. And I found my self in the midst of the most awfully boring conversations of my life. Just as I was about to pass out from the boredom I heard a feminine voice join our conversation. A voice I knew all too well. I looked to my right only to see none other than Lorelai Gilmore the third telling the Cumming's that sorry, but my Parents were looking for me, and could they please excuse us.

We turned and walked away not in the direction of my parents, but instead towards the kitchen where we snuck quietly out the back door. One outside we burst out laughing and ran hand in hand towards the garage, where like so many other times, we jumped into the porche and speed away into the night.
We drove to the place that we had claimed as ours. A small clearing overlooking many of Hartford's mansions.

While sitting up there that night we talked about everything, though we carefully veered the conversation away from anything Mark orientated. Things went back to the way they used to be that night. But something also changed. Several times I found myself studying her profile in the moonlight, and when caught she blushed a deep crimson.
When I dropped her home early in the morning I found myself wanting to kiss her goodnight. But instead like I always did, I just let her out of the car, and wished her sweet dreams before driving back to my house.

Something changed that night. And I know that the feeling was mutual, because when three weeks later I was at the airport hugging her good bye, she stood on her toes and gave me a quick kiss. She then whispered to me "don't be a stranger Tris" before getting on the plane and flying out of my life.

I got angry after that. Nothing was the same without her. School bored me, no one was there to save me from my parent's heavy expectations and life no longer excited me. After the anger came the change. I looked in the mirror one day and suddenly realized that I had a lot going on for me.
I was actually pretty good looking. So why shouldn't I use that to my advantage?
It started with Allison and Jessica, and then came Katie, Tiffany and after that so many that I forgot their names within a week.

I once realized with a sinking heart that I had become the one person that Rory had utterly detested: Mark.

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After school today I came home expecting to find it empty, but instead was greeted at the front door by my mother. She had a very excited look on her face.
I walked towards her with a dubious look upon my face, because she looked in a way… proud. And my parents had never been proud of me, so why would now be any different?

After coming to a stop directly in front of her I came out and just asked her what was going on. And she replied.

"Your principal just called" she said

Oh God I thought, what had happened now? I wasn't by any means a good student as far as attitude and attendance went, but grade wise, I was one of the best students. After Paris Gellar of course.
But back to the phone call in question.

"And" my mother continued, "He told me about a special exchange trip that three top students will be going on."

Byt his stage I had started to get some what of an idea where this was leading to, but no till she told me next that I was on of those students did it truly sink in.
I was leaving. Getting away from my family, my life and my school for three weeks.
Three whole weeks where I could be free.
However not until my mother and I were inside the house did I think to question her:

"By the way, did he say where we were going to?"
And her reply was "England".

END OF CHAPTER
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AN: Hey again. Thanks for all the great reviewers:
Solodancer, IloveJMAC, FleeXoXo, Lonnie, sooty7sweep, aphi72, Vivilp182, Beth and Sum41rocks.
-I really really appreciate it!

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I hope that you all liked this chapter. The next chapter should be written soon as long as I don't have too much homework.
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