"I have exactly twenty seven days until classes start" Rory stated, glancing up from her spot at the kitchen table where she was studiously making up a schedule for the new school year.
"Wow, you really are a geek" Lorelai shot back from her position at the stove were she was making popcorn.
"I am not, I'm just being organised" Rory replied slightly perturbed, before changing the subject, "Anyway the bigger question is why are using the stove?"
"To make popcorn" Lorelai replied, as if it was a stupid question.
"Yes, but why aren't you just using the microwave kind, I thought we had this conversation about you staying away from dangerous utensils"
"I know but it tastes better this way…and Luke bet me five bucks I wouldn't use my stove in the next week, therefore I must prove him wrong" Lorelai stated simply.
"Oh, I knew there was a hidden agenda behind this sudden domesticity" Rory replied, turning back to her work.
"There's no hidden agenda, I just want my five bucks" Lorelai finished. "So have you worked out what classes you're taking"?
"I'm torn, should I go for Greek Tragedy or Sociology of Middle Town America" Rory mused aloud.
"Defiantly the Tragedy, you my dear need some drama in your life" Lorelai informed her daughter.
Rory nodded in reply and marked in her choice, "There, all finished", she stated.
"And with only a month to go" Lorelai shot back from her position at the stove where the popcorn caught on fire and she was desperately trying to put out the flames.
Rory sat on her bed, as Lane twirled around in front of her trying to decide on the perfect outfit.
"Its fine" Rory stated exasperated, "We have to get going if we're going to make it in time" she added.
"I don't want it to be fine, it has to be perfect" Lane replied, heading back over to Rory's closet.
"Have you been talking to my Mom?"
"Yes, and she's right. I can feel it, tonight is the dawning of a new era"
"Tonight is a concert, not a life changing event" Rory informed her getting up to get her purse.
"Don't kill my buzz, Rory, my life is boring I don't go to a big fancy college were exiting things happen"
"Lane, your life's not boring, it's just different. And believe me nothing happens at my school. I study, I sleep, that's about it, oh and I argue with Paris, can't leave that of my list"
"But what about the guys, exiting mysterious smart guys from all over the country. Not tweedy, quite Adventist boys from the next county over"
"You'd think so wouldn't you, but they're pretty much like the guys at Chilton, weird, and even worse they drink. Believe me a drunk college guy is not a pretty sight. Particularly when they try to sound intelligent, they all come out sounding like Kirk"
"A college full of Kirks, now that is not a pretty image" Lane replied.
"They're not that bad" Rory acknowledged, "I just haven't really felt like doing the whole dating thing"
At that moment Lorelai stormed into the room, "Ok we're running late, so here you go" She stated handing Rory the keys to the jeep, "We're taking Sookie's car, have fun, try not to get arrested and that's it, bye" she finished leaving the way she had entered.
Rory and Lane made their way from the car to the entrance of the venue. It was packed apparently half of Hartford had turned up.
"This is so cool" Lane squealed, as they pushed through the glass doors, into the foyer.
Rory nodded in reply, looking around for the entrance to their section. As they made their way over to it, Rory tried to muster up some enthusiasm to match Lanes.
It wasn't that she didn't love the bands playing it was just a general feeling of nothingness. She stopped herself from fondly thinking about the half finished copy of Persuasion that sat on her bedside table.
"Look there's the guitar tech, the guitar tech!" Lane screamed excitedly, as a forty year old man with a pot belly, arrived on stage to tune instruments.
"You need to calm down" Rory informed her friend as they settled into their seats.
The concert started soon after and Rory began to enjoy herself. After the first band had finished their set, Rory excused herself to go to the bathroom. Lane nodded in reply as she was heavily engrossed in a conversation with the guy who was sitting next to them wearing a Hives t-shirt and had booed his way through the first bands set.
Rory searched for a bathroom were the line was less then a mile long. She made her way up, flight of stairs, after stairs until she had to sit down for a minute to catch her breath. She began to get up when she heard footsteps, but stopped when she heard her name called out;
"Rory Gilmore" someone stated with more then a hint of surprise in their voice.
Rory turned around to see who had called her name and took a minute to process the face.
"Tristan?" she asked apprehensively, staring up at a face she hadn't seen in more then three years.
"The one and only" Tristan replied cockily.
"I see you haven't changed" Rory shot back, standing up to face him.
"How are you?" he asked acting genuinely pleased to see her.
"Good, and yourself" she replied getting over the shock of seeing him.
"I'm fine, just got back into to town. I've been at Duke for the last two years" he informed her as if they were old friends, rather then old whatever they had been, "My parents thought it was best I stay in North Carolina until I sorted things out, but now I'm back in Connecticut and starting Yale in the fall" he continued.
"Needed a change of scenery" Rory replied slightly taken back with his candour.
"Actually my fathers not really that great, health wise, so the family thought it was better I be nearby" Tristan stated softly.
"I'm sorry" Rory said lost for words.
"He's going to be okay, it just…made people rethink their priorities" Tristan informed her before lightening the mood, "So are you home from Boston for the break?"
"Boston?" Rory replied, slightly confused.
"Yeah, Harvard right. Isn't that were you wanted to go"
"How did you…no…well I did want to go there but things changed. I'm actually at Yale"
"Really" Tristan replied, slightly taken back with the news.
"Uh huh, two whole years, Paris is there too, I've been rooming with her since we were freshman"
"You and Paris, roommates? Now that is something I have to see" Tristan stated trying not to laugh.
"I thought you two hated each other" he added.
"Things change" Rory replied back, "Anyway we're not rooming together this year, I'm actually going to be a RA, so I get a single".
"Why am I not surprised" Tristan smirked.
"What's that supposed to mean" Rory shot back defensively.
"Just…you always were an overachiever"
"As opposed to a slacker who couldn't even stay in school"
"Ouch" Tristan feigned hurt, "Maybe you have changed, and you've gotten mean"
"I'm a regular Susan Lucci" Rory informed him.
"So, enjoying the concert" he asked searching for something to say.
"Yeah, and you"
"Sure, I'm actually really want to see Longwave and they're starting up in a few minutes so I better get back to my seat" Tristan informed her looking, at his watch and heading to leave.
"Of course go" Rory replied, slightly taken back.
"It was good to see you" Tristan called back to her as he made hiis way up the stairs.
"You too" Rory stated softly, still reeling from their encounter. Tristan Dugray was absolutely the last person she had expected to see tonight. She thought to herself as she made her way back to her seat.
And he was going to Yale, now that was an interesting turn of events.
To be continued…