Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore girls or the characters or places associated with the show. I also don't own the rights to the song "I've Just Seen a Face."
Quote references: The song "I've Just Seen a Face" is sung by the Beatles and written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. It can be found on their album Help!
A/N: I love all of you more than you will ever know. Your reviews mean a lot to me. I hope you like this story, I'm really trying to make Rory and Tristan true to their characters. I love your feedback!
Chapter Three: Starting Over
Had it been another day
I might have looked the other way
And I'd have never been aware
But as it is I'll dream of her tonight…"
-The Beatles
Rory sat back down in her seat, completely agitated.
"Rory darling, are you alright?" Emily asked.
"I'm fine," Rory answered.
"You look upset."
"I just ran into an old classmate that I never really got along with. He's walking proof that some people never mature."
She took a sip of water and allowed her eyes to wander the room. They settled on the table in front of her. She noticed the empty seat and wondered what happened to the man that had been sitting there. She had spent a good ten minutes admiring his hair; blonde and soft and incredibly tempting to run her fingers through. And all at once it hit her- the blonde man was Tristan. She hadn't seen his face because his back was turned to her. But it was just like Tristan to have tempting hair.
Rory noticed that her head was pounding. Her grandmother's voice sounded far away as Rory focused back in on the conversation.
"She won't sign a pre-nup, I have no idea why. So now she is just living with this man. It's been seven years and they have four children together. She knows that if they marry, he'll run away with all of her money. Dreadful isn't it?"
Rory sat there, completely uninterested in the idle gossip. She took another sip of water. The ice had all melted and her glass had begun to drip from the condensation.
Her grandmother turned to her once more, this time speaking quietly so that only Rory could hear her. "Are you sure you're alright dear? You look pale."
Rory nodded. "I think I'm going to go get some fresh air, it's really hot in here."
Once again she stood and crossed the hall, scanning the room for doors that might lead to the garden. She felt light-headed, but brushed it off to the notion that she stood too quickly. The smell of perfume suddenly was overwhelming, the different scents permeating the room made it seem even more imperative to find the exit.
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Tristan made his way towards the garden. He didn't feel like going back to his table and sitting through dinner with his family and Shelly. It would be too much of a challenge, going back there and pretending nothing was wrong. Instead he chose the solitude of the garden where he could sit in the quiet, cool breeze and let his mind mull over the ridiculous conversation he had just held with Rory Gilmore.
Outside he saw her, standing alone, her back to him looking out at the night. He crossed the patio to her, ignoring the voice telling him that going to her now would only make things worse.
"So listen," he said, leaning against a low wall close to where Rory stood. "I'm sorry that I pissed you off earlier."
"You should be," she said, turning around quickly. "I don't like being called a redneck."
"I guess that was uncalled for."
"You guess?"
"I was thrown off guard. I didn't exactly expect for you to snap at me without even a hello."
"I was surprised to see you."
"Well, I was surprised to see you too."
They stood in silence for a minute, not knowing what to say to each other. The tension was thick between them, but each silently took a breath to calm down and attempt to make the best of things.
"So," Tristan said, trying to break their strained silence and prove that he could make appropriate small talk. "What are you doing here anyway? You don't usually roll with my crowd."
"I hate to break it to you, but your crowd has to be the most boring group of people I've ever met."
"Well you left before brandy. That's when they really loosen up. The party isn't started until they start debating politics."
Rory laughed.
"You never answered my question. What are you doing here?"
Rory sighed, trying to think of the reason she was here. To run away? She couldn't tell Tristan that without giving him the whole explanation. And the whole truth about Dean was something she wanted to keep Tristan from knowing at all costs.
"My grandmother wanted me to see Europe 'the right way' this summer. Apparently my backpacking trip last summer doesn't qualify as seeing Europe."
"You went backpacking through Europe?" Tristan asked, in awe. "That is so awesome. I've always wanted to do that. Did you stay in hostels and everything?"
Rory nodded. "I have to say, it was a lot better than this. What about you? What are you doing here?"
"Family vacation. Well, semi family vacation. My brother Mason isn't here, but then again, he never comes. And then there's Shelly. She's not exactly family. Well, my parents already consider her as their daughter-in-law, but that's another story."
Rory listened to him in surprise. A brother and a fiancée? The fiancée she understood, even though it was definitely news, but a brother? In their years at Chilton no one had ever mentioned a Mason Dugrey. Rory was extremely curious about both of these people, but she couldn't decide whom to ask about first.
"Fiancée?" she finally settled. "Are you engaged to… Shelly?"
Tristan rolled his eyes. "Technically, no."
"What do you mean," Rory pushed.
"Listen, I don't want to talk about it."
"You brought it up," she said.
"Please Rory, I asked you to drop it."
"It can't be all that horrible."
"Horrible? If I could, I would end it with her tonight."
"Why don't you?" Rory asked, ignoring the anger growing in Tristan.
"Things aren't that simple."
"Why not? Just tell her she's a great person but you can't make her happy."
"And our fathers?"
"You can't live in fear of your father for the rest of your life."
"I'm not scared of him."
"Then why won't you do what you want to do?"
"Like I said, things aren't that simple."
"Why not?" Rory repeated.
"This is a pointless argument," Tristan said. "We're going in circles."
"Whatever," she answered. "Listen, Tristan. I'm tired."
"And pissed," he added.
"Well yah. I just fail to follow your logic, and I feel like you're not giving me the whole truth, because your story doesn't make any sense."
"I'm the one failing to give you the truth?" he asked, the anger mounting again. "You didn't come to London just to 'see it the right way.' There's another reason. The Mary I know doesn't just enter high society to please her grandmother."
"First of all, you don't know me. And second, I'm not your Mary."
"Fine, maybe that's true. But that's not for the lack of trying." He turned and walked back inside. Rory watched him walk away and shook her head. They couldn't even make small talk without getting in a fight. She couldn't believe how badly he pissed her off.
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"I've been waiting for this all day," Shelly said, pushing him up against the wall. Her hair brushed against his shoulder as she did so.
Her brown, silky hair. So much like Rory's.
Except that Rory's was more beautiful. In fact, everything about Rory was more beautiful.
He pulled away from Shelly.
"What?"
"I'm really tired," Tristan said, walking towards the bed.
"Too tired for me?" she asked.
"Tonight I am."
She looked hurt, but Tristan ignored it. He undressed and got in bed. All he could think about was the fact that Rory Gilmore was somewhere in the hotel. He completely forgot about the girl lying right next to him.
