Thanks for commenting and reviewing! I took one of my online summer midterms yesterday so I finally have a little time to write. Again I don't own this series or characters, all credit goes to the original writers of the series.
Thinking-Italics Another Language- underlined
Story begins:
Lorelai walked with haste to the kitchen, trying to find her purses that held her cellphone. Dumping out the contents of her bag on the nearest countertop surface. She plunged into the pile of odds and ends that had once been in her purse searching for her cell phone. Lorelai looked through the pile frantically for a few minutes only to realize that it wasn't there. Maybe she should just use the landline here at the Inn, except she didn't have the schools number on hand. Lorelai glanced at the kitchen clock, it was a few minutes earlier then when she usually left form work. However, this was an emergency. With that thought in mind Lorelai started throwing her things back in her purse.
"Are we going home?" Tris asked, sneaking up behind his mother causing Lorelai to jump.
"What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack" Lorelai asked, clutching her chest.
"You got me, my evil plan was to sneak up one you, give you a premature heart attack then take over the Inn and make Michel my second hand man…" Tris stated with a sleigh grin on his face, which his mother translated as him joking with her.
"Really, Michel?" Lorelai commented.
"He has his good points. Plus I find him amusing." Tris stated with a shrug then gave his mother a Cheshire cat like grin.
"Sometimes I worry about you kiddo. But yes, I'm planning to leave a bit early. I left my cell phone at home" Lorelai said, throwing the last remaining thing on the counter back into her purse.
"Right, better get home then" Tris grabbed his mother's arm trying to speed her along so that they could get home faster. It didn't take long to get home, at which Tris headed for his room upstairs and Lorelai searched around the house tearing it apart trying to find her cellphone. Eventually she found it, for some reason it was under the living room couch. How it ended up there Lorelai couldn't tell, but frankly that was not her main concerns at the moment. Quickly Lorelai looked through her contacts finding Chilton's number. She called them once then twice, then a third time. Nothing, why won't these people answer! Lorelai asked herself, while listening to the phone ring, a moment later a person on the other line asked how they could help her.
"I'm holding for Miss Bell. I've been trying to get a hold of her all day….Yes, my name is Lorelai Gilmore, yes I will wait….. Hi! Oh, hi, hi. Yeah, uh, my daughter Rory has just been accepted - yay…..Thank you, and, um, I got the invoice for your enrollment fee. Wow, that is a lot of zeros behind that five….. Uh huh. Okay, well, I guess what I'm wondering is if you couldn't take, say, part of it now, just to get her going? ….. Well, but she's supposed to start Monday….. It just doesn't give me a lot of time to pull a bank job….Well, never mind, I was just kidding…. No, a bank job is robbing a bank but - …. Uh-huh. Oh, no. No, no, no. I don't want you to give up her space. I'll just - I'll have to figure it out…..Okay. No, thank you. It's been a real treat talking to you…..Yeah. Bye-bye" Lorelai hung up the phone. What was she going to do, there was no way she would be able to get the money by Monday.
Lorelai wasn't paying attention to the prying ears belonging to her son that was sitting at the top of the stairs listening to her entire conversation. Tris's mind was made up, he was going to make sure that his sister would get into Chilton. Even if it meant giving up his scholarship to the school. Walking down the stair Tris called out to his mother.
"Hey Mom, my cellphones dead. Can I borrow yours real quick?"
"Sure, give it back to me when you're done" Lorelai handed her phone over to her son.
"Thanks" Tris grabbed his mother's phone and calmly walked up the stairs making sure to take his time like he usually did, knowing that if he didn't his mother would get suspicious and then would ask questions. Once in his room, he locked the door scrolled through his mother's contacts and called Chilton. They answered with only one ring.
"Hello, my name is Christopher Gilmore, I was hoping to speak with headmaster Charleston about my scholarship acceptance letter… Oh, he's not there. Is there someone else I could speak with? Yes, I will hold for Miss Bell. Thank you….. Yes, hello my names Christopher Gilmore and I received a letter today saying that I had gotten a full scholarship to attend your preparatory school… yes, thank you for the congratulations…. Ah no, I'm actually calling for another reason. My mother actually just spoke with you pertaining to my sister Rory Gilmore, who is also supposed to start your school on Monday. My mother is trying to get all the money together to pay the complete school fee up front, but I was wondering if it would be possible for my scholarship to be transferred to my sister. My sister has the same grades as me and her dream is to attend your school…..Yes, I understand that scholarships are not transferable…. I see, well what if she took a test to get my scholarships place?... Oh, so if I dropped out the scholarship would not be given out for this year if any year afterwards…. No I didn't realize that you only give out scholarship on the rare occasion... Ah, No, I wasn't aware that one of the families that donate the school was paying for my scholarship due to my grade scores….. So there is no way I could somehow give my sister my scholarship?... Okay, thank you…. Yes, I will keep my scholarship…... .wait you've lost me, why do you need my clothing sizes?...So your telling me that the people that donated for my scholarship also made sure that I would get two sets of the male uniform included with no cost to myself? Is that normally how scholarships for preparatory schools go?...I see, yes those sizes should be fine... Thank you, see you Monday" Tris hung up the phone, what the hell was he going to do now. His sister wasn't going to be able to go to Chilton and she was going to hate him. Tris could just picture his sisters crushed face when his mother was going to have to tell her that she wouldn't be able to attend Chilton. Especially since by her attending Chilton it would make her dream of attending Harvard a more reachable goal. Maybe if his mother and him brained stormed some ideas they might be able to come up with something. Tris opened his bedroom door, took the stair two at a time, once reaching the bottom of the stairs he began to search for his mother, who found outside on the porch speaking with Sookie.
"What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?" Lorelai asked Sookie, while trying to wear a whole into the porch as she walked back and forth.
"You can have anything I own. My car! Sell my car"
"Oh, sweetie, No one wants your car" Lorelai stated with a pointed look.
"If you took your car to Gypsy's Auto-garage and told her you were giving her your car for free, she would tell you to keep it. That's how much no one wants your car." Tris stated, putting his two cents into the conversation.
"Yeah" Sookie sighed clearly disgruntled.
"There's something I haven't thought of, I know there is. There's something out there staring me right in the face. I just . . .I haven't seen it" Lorelai said, trying to rack her brain around an idea.
"You know, you might consider calling your par-" Sookie started, but ended up cut off by Lorelai.
"No"
"But I don't think you have a -" Sookie started again.
"Stop"
Tris took this time to cut in, "Mom, this really is the only way. Asking them is the only option we have. If it comes down to it I'll go to grandfathers and grandmothers place in your stead, if it means getting Rory into Chilton" Tris's features took on a whole different type of seriousness, leaving no room for argument. Lorelai was rather shocked at her son, he rarely ever took on his serious persona. Contrary to her sons beliefs Lorelai new that he wasn't always the happy, slightly sarcastic, and funny boy that he often showed to people. At times like these or moments when he perceived Rory and herself could possibly be threatened he got like this. It was funny how much in those moments seemed to be so like his name sake and yet also be nothing like his father.
"But I don't think you have a -" Sookie started again.
"Stop"
Tris took this time to cut in, "Mom, this really is the only way. Asking them is the only option we have. If it comes down to it I'll go to grandfathers and grandmothers place in your stead, if it means getting Rory into Chilton" Tris's features took on a whole different type of seriousness, leaving no room for argument. Lorelai was rather shocked at her son, he rarely ever took on his serious persona. Contrary to her sons beliefs Lorelai new that he wasn't always the happy, slightly sarcastic, and funny boy that he often showed to people. At times like these or moments when he perceived Rory and herself could possibly be threatened he got like this. It was funny how much in those moments seemed to be so like his name sake and yet also be nothing like his father.
"If I did decided to go to them, I certainly wouldn't allow my son to get into this mess" Lorelai stated to Tris, "and there is no way I would go to them begging to help me pay for Rory's schooling. In fact there are several chapters from a Stephen King novel I'd reenact before I'd resort to that option" Lorelai concluded.
"Fine we will drop it for now" Sookie replied and Tris nodded even though he didn't agree.
"Thank you"
Meer seconds later, Rory came out of her room and walked out onto the porch wearing her new Chilton uniform.
"Mom? So what do you think?" Rory asked, giving her audience a turn to see her from all angles.
"Wow, it makes you look smart!" Sookie enthusiastically commented.
Rory pointedly looked at Sookie before then turning to her mother, "Okay, no more wine for you. Mom?"
"You look like you were swallowed by a kilt" Lorelai and Tris said at the same time, causing Rory to frown and look down at her skirt once again.
"Fine, you can hem it. A little." Rory relented
"Okay. Or I could hem it a lot" Lorelai said with a smile. Tris gave his mother a look telling her she better not make his sister look like a hoe. Lorelai replied to his look by sticking out her tongue. All four of them moved back into the house since it was starting to get late in the evening and the air was becoming chilly.
A few days passed with Rory becoming increasingly more excited about attending Chilton and Tris & Lorelai becoming more concerned on the fact that they still didn't have the money to put Rory in Chilton.
"Mom, I know you don't want to but there is no choice. We're going even if I have to knock you out myself, drive to Hartford, and beg the grandparents to help with the tuition fees" Tris stated giving her that serious look again and these time he really look like he meant it.
"I know, grab your jacket it seems like we're going to hell that froze over when my parents became the rulers" Lorelai said trying to make a joke to forget what she was about to do.
Tris and Lorelai got into the jeep, drove their way up to Hartford in silence, eventually turning into the upper class home division and parked the car in front of a gorgeous and extravagant house. Both of them got out of the car and made their way up to the porch. Tris went ahead and rang the bell.
"Hi, Mom" Lorelai said, when Emily Gilmore came into view, from behind the door. "Hello, Grandmother" Tris politely smiled.
"Tris and Lorelai, my goodness, this is a surprise. Is it Easter already?" Mrs. Gilmore asked.
Lorelai laughed nervously, "No, I just, uh finished up my business class and I thought I would stop by"
"To see me?" Mrs. Gilmore sent her daughter a contemplating look, then turned to Tris "Did your mother also drag you to her business class?" Mrs. Gilmore asked him plainly.
"I just hitched up a ride to come see you and grandfather" There was no way he was going to lie to his grandmother, thereby hopefully being able to avoid having to dig himself a grave along sides his mothers, which was beginning to appear deeper and deeper.
"Well, isn't that nice. Come in" Mrs. Gilmore ushered them both into the house, well if you could call it a house more like a small mansion. Putting up their jackets they followed Mrs. Gilmore into the living room choosing to take adjacent seats from her.
"This place looks great" Lorelai said trying to compliment her mother.
"It hasn't changed"
"Well, there you go. How are the girls at the bridge club?" Lorelai tried once again to start up a conversation.
"Old" Emily took a sip of her drink which she had likely been drinking before they had arrived.
"Well...good"
Emily put her glass on the coaster that was on the table beside her, "You said you were taking a business class?"
"Yeah, mmhmm, yeah. I'm taking a business class at the college twice a week. I'm sure I told you" Tris kicked his mother shoe for the telling such an obvious lie. In turn Lorelai kicked backed making sure to not change the polite expression that she had put on her face.
"Well, if you're sure then you must have…." Silence filled the room "Would you like some tea?" Emily eventually asked.
"I would love some coffee"
"Emily? I'm home!" Richard Gilmore exclaimed as he made his way into the living room.
"Emily you won't believe…." Mr. Gilmore paused once he took notice of their guests.
"Hi, Dad"
"What is it, Christmas already?" Richard asked coming around the couch.
"Lorelai was taking a business class at the college today and decided to drop in to see us" Mrs. Gilmore repeated the excuse that Lorelai had come up with earlier. Tris couldn't help but grimace, he knew that her words would come back to bit her in the ass. Tris choose not to step in, with any luck they would forget about him due to his unique ability to apparently act like air. He would only step in if absolutely needed, he decided.
"What business class?" Mr. Gilmore asked clearly confused due to never having been told that she was taking a business class.
Mrs. Gilmore gave him a Cheshire cat grin, "Well, she told us about it, dear, remember?"
"No" was Mr. Gilmore's automatic reply.
"Well, actually, I came here for a reason. Dad, would you mind sitting down for a minute?"
Mr. Richard looked at his daughter, "You need money"
"I have a situation"
"You need money"
"Dad, will you just please let me get this out, okay? Um, Rory has been accepted to Chilton"
"Chilton? Oh, that's a wonderful school. It's only five minutes from here" Emily commented, thinking about the possibilities that would pronounce themselves if her grandchildren were to attend Chilton.
"That's right, it is. She can start as early as Monday. Um, the problem is that they want me to put down an enrollment fee plus the first semester's tuition, and I have to do that immediately or she loses her spot" Lorelai gave them all the information clear and to the point.
"So, you need money" Mr. Gilmore once again replied.
"Yeah. But it's not for me, it's for Rory. And I fully intend to pay you back every cent. I don't ask for favors, you know that" Lorelai insisted.
"Oh, yes, we know" was Mrs. Gilmore's response.
"What about Christopher? Wouldn't he want to go to Chilton as well? After all, if I remember last Christmas he was grilling one of our guests about the necessary requirement for a pre-med degree and the different medical professions that are available…" Richard said, looking at Tris. All eyes in the room shifted in his direction. So much for acting like air and staying out of it, Tris said to himself. Tris contemplated how this conversation was going to go, in the end choosing to be honest and straight forward due to it being the easiest path to take.
"I would like to go the Chilton. My grades are nearly as high as Rory's and I imagine that it wouldn't be as hard to catch up with her. Plus it would allow Rory and me to go to the same school…"
"Aright let me get my check-" Richard tried to but in, however Tris was not done.
"Not to mention that I was awarded a full scholarship to attend there."
"…" the entire room was in shock, the grandparents were in shock due to their grandson getting a full ride to the pickiest school around, which never accepted scholarship students. His mother was in a state of shock because her son hadn't confided in her that he wanted to attend medical school to become a doctor not a trainer or general health physician like she had thought.
"You got a full scholarship to Chilton" the words weren't a question. The proud smile that was filling Richard Gilmore's face said all. "Gilmore's always work hard and when there is a will there is a way. To get into a school that never accepts scholarship students, your test score must have been extremely high. What areas did they test you in?" Mr. Gilmore asked curiously.
Tris had already spilled out one of his biggest secrets, frankly the ones pertaining to the test weren't as major as the one he had already told. "They gave me a generalized test and then asked me if I wished to take any of the tests for their extra-curricular activities, such as languages or more advanced topic in certain class. I ended up getting a perfect score on the generalized test and took the exams for German, French, Spanish, and Korean. I then took some separate more advanced test in the science categories: such as chemistry, biology, human anatomy, and physics." Tris listed off the tests he took, causing his family member's to again be in a state of shock.
"When did you learn all those languages? You've only been taking German at school." Lorelai asked once she was able to get out of stupor.
"I learned Korean from Lane and Mrs. Kim. And the others I learned from school, all I had to do was ask the professors to allow me to do the assignment outside of class for both French and Spanish classes and the written and verbal exams I took after school." Tris explained.
"For both our grandchildren to be accepted at Chilton…." Mr. Gilmore stated to himself clearly please. "Wait here Lorelai, I'll get the check book"
Lorelai took this chance with both grandparents being distracted to whisper to her son, "Is there by any chance that Rory could get a scholarship too?" Tris shock his head, telling her that there wasn't. Lorelai resigned herself.
"Thank you. You have no idea. Thank you" Lorelai said to her father as he started to get up from the couch.
"On one condition" Mrs. Gilmore
"So close" Lorelai sighed.
"Since we are now financially involved in your life, I want to be actively involved in your life"
"What does that mean, Mother?"
"I want a weekly dinner" Mrs. Gilmore stated plainly to her daughter leaving no room for disagreement.
"What?"
"Friday nights, you, Tris, and Rory will have dinner here"
"Mom…" Lorelai said in a tone that was a cross between a sigh and a beg of please don't.
"And you have to call us once a week to give us an update on both of the twins schooling and your life. That's it. That's the condition. If you agree, you'll come to dinner tomorrow night and leave here with a check. Otherwise, I'm sorry, we can't help you" Mrs. Gilmore stated plainly to her daughter leaving no room for disagreement.
"I don't want her to know that I borrowed money from you. Can that just be between us?" Lorelai asked getting up from couch and started towards the nearest exit with Tris following behind her.
Mrs. Gilmore smiled opening the entrance door to let Lorelai and Tris leave, knowing full well t that she had won this round with her daughter, "Does seven o'clock work for you?"
Lorelai forced a smile, "Perfect"
Tris and Lorelai proceeded towards their green jeep and got in. Lorelai pulled out the drive way moments later with Tris in the passenger seat. The road in silence with Tris waiting for his mother to bring up the topic on why he didn't tell her about the scholarship earlier. Was she trying to torture him until he cracked? Tris pondered to himself. Unfortunately, it was working. Moments later he finally broke, and everything he wanted to say just came bursting free.
"I didn't tell you about it because everything got so hectic. When the teachers approached me about taking a test to get a scholarship, I thought sure why not and humored them. I never thought that I would actually be able to do it. Sure, I took some extra language classes because I thought it would help with my future medical degree goals, but I never thought that I would be able to get a perfect score on their exams. Rory after all has always been the one for scholastic and A+ grades, while I've always been rather average in comparison. I was going to tell you that I took the exam after school, but you seemed so busy trying to plan this wedding at the Inn that I thought I could tell you afterwards. Then Rory got expected in Chilton and you were so happy, and that's when I got the results back telling me that I got a scholarship to the same school. I was planning to tell you after I read the letter, but then you got the letter that said you needed to pay all of Rory's tuition up front. I held back because I knew you wouldn't be able to afford Rory's tuition. I called them and asked them if Rory could take the test as well and get a scholarship, but it was a no go, that when I asked them to see if they would give my scholarship to her instead. Which they also said wasn't possible. I'm sorry, I really am…" Tris ended his rant
"Did you really try to give your scholarship away for your sister?" Lorelai asked glancing briefly from the road to look a son. Who nodded his reply. Lorelai looking back at the road to make sure that she was still in her lane.
"Oh, honey I really haven't been spending enough time with you, have I? For what it's worth I'm sorry too, in that I haven't been able to listen to you lately. Please remember that I'm always willing to listen to you and if I'm wrong in thinking something like you how you wanted to be a medical doctor not a trainer or sports health physician then correct me. Promise me that you will talk to me about what's important in your life" Lorelai told him.
"I'll try mom, I promise" Tris replied.
So, I've already started on the next chapter. I'm going to hopefully skipping around a bit and cutting out a lot of scenes that only have Rory in them. I want to focus more on Tris's side of the story and hopefully that will make it faster to when Tris meets Logan. But I promise not to skip too much. I'm not a Dean or Jess fan sorry, so Tris likely won't be either so heads up (Tris is a rather protective of his twin sister in the following chapters to come). I'll try to update as soon as possible but I have another summer midterm this week, so I might not end up posting till next Monday.
