Scorned Once, Loved Twice

Chapter Two: A Dance, Milady?

Author's Notes: I'm BACKKKKKKKKKK! The idiot writer from h#ll is back. So rejoice and be happy. Um, okay now that I'm gotten the weird part of my author's reviews over and done with, usual disclaimers apply. I mean, do I sound smart enough to think up 'Gilmore Girls'? No, I didn't think so either. Anyway, writing is fun! I encourage anyone and everyone to pick up a pen (or start typing on the keyboard as the case may be) and write more 'Gilmore Girls' fics. So tune into my End Notes to see the actual answer to my little challenge. Um yeah so I'm sorry about the Paris-no slutty clothing part. I don't see her like that either, my report about the tight clothing and all was mostly a generalization.

Rory's POV:

The nerve of that guy! He disappeared out of life for seven years and then all of the sudden he tried to waltz right back in. And it was almost like seven years hadn't passed, like I hadn't discovered that I love him, like he hadn't broken my heart. Yeah, Tristan was back and teasing me as badly as ever. Seven years didn't seem to improve his excessive ego at all.

"Rory? Rory?!" called my grandmother with her hand waving in front of my face.

"What? Oh right sorry. I spaced out for a moment. What were you saying?"

"I asked you if you and Tristan had been acquainted, but you were so busy staring off into space that you didn't hear a single thing."

"Oh sorry Grandma, Mr. and Mrs. DuGrey. Yeah I did know Tristan at Chilton. He..."

"Was also dubbed the 'Evil One' at home," interjected my mom.

Apparently my mom was back with coffee. She handed me a mug while keeping the other for herself.

"Mmmm. Coffee. What was I saying? Oh right sorry. Your son spent his time at Chilton annoying me to death. Oh and he seemed to be really popular with the girls for some reason."

"You mean that all the girls except for you flocked towards him, including me. When he saw that you didn't want worship the ground he walked on, he immediately started hitting on you," reported Paris somewhat dryly.

"I had a boyfriend!"

"Exactly. Somewhere along the line, Tristan decided to fall in love and was heartbroken when you willingly chose what's-his-name over him. Then you confused him further by kissing him at Madeleine's party," she added to my absolute mortification.

"What? You kissed your worst enemy and you never told me? Now I definitely need to see what this Tristan guy looks like."

My mom decided to join the conversation. Tristan's parents and my grandmother just looked stunned and/or slightly interested. They had become friends over the years and I wasn't completely sure that they wouldn't try any matchmaking schemes. Not that I'd mind getting together with him but parental intervention was something I could do without. It would force Tristan to go out with me, even if he didn't want to.

"Mom! I don't need to tell you everything. Besides it was sort of an accident and he's still the 'Evil One'. Paris, he was never in love with me. I guess he just thought I was a challenge. You know, the whole 'I will not rest until I date every single girl in the school' issue."

"I think that we should go now. It was nice meeting you. Emily, are you coming with us? There's a couple that I want to introduce you to," taking advantage of the slight pause in conversation, Mrs. DuGrey dragged her husband and my grandmother off.

The crowd of female onlookers had dispersed to follow Tristan long ago, so it was just Paris, my mom and I now. Paris and I had formed a reluctant truce a long time ago. The truce had slowly turned into friendship. Once I had gotten past the tough outer shell, I found Paris to be the sort of girl that I really enjoyed being friends with. She was smart and she had depth. Both of these were two qualities that I really looked for in a friend. Paris was also now officially interested in coffee, a must for a Gilmore girl's friend.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll introduce you to Tristan later, Mom. Oh yeah, where do we trash the mugs? Or do we just go back for more coffee?"

"Hmm. Coffee, the true elixir of life. I know! I just had the most brilliant idea! Let's go get some coffee," chirped Mom.

"Very funny," Paris rolled her eyes, "But, I'm game."

"Yay! Coffee. Coffee. Must get a coffee-high. Come on Paris, Mini-Me. To the kitchen. (sings to 'We're off to see the Wizard') We're off to get the coffee. The wonderful coffee of life..."

"Mom!!!!" at the same time as, "Loralai!!!!"

"What you don't like that song?"

Tristan's POV:

I watched Rory laugh and talk with her little group over the shoulder of one girl as I danced. The annoying girl was whispering something in my ear so I couldn't hear what they were saying. They seemed to be having fun. I rarely ever did anything that even remotely resembled fun with my parents. I envied Rory that much at least.

"Tristan?! Tristan! Are you even listening to me?"

"Oh, sorry. You were saying something? Ah, no that's okay I've really got to go somewhere."

In the middle of the dance I cut her short and walked off after Rory who seemed to be heading towards the kitchen holding a mug. The mug probably had coffee in it. I had never seen anyone who drank as much coffee as Rory did. Snickering softly I approached her, dimly noting that the girl I had just left on the dance floor was sputtering. Realizing that I had just been really rude, I took a glance backwards. The girl was surrounded by her friends but also by people who were laughing at her. Oh well. She probably deserved it for mentioning something that was probably pretty gross, although I didn't hear a word she said.

"Hey, Mary!"

"Mary!"

"What? Oh, Tristan. Sorry I didn't know you were talking to me."

"This is Tristan?" asked somebody to Rory.

"Yes, Mom this is Tristan."

"Wow. Well you never told me that the 'Evil One' was that hot! Why would you willingly hate such a hot guy? Oh wait sorry that was past tense wasn't it? After all Paris did say that you kissed him," Rory's mom babbled.

"She didn't kiss me, I kissed her. Moving on from that, Paris, how did you know that I kissed her?"

"Um, well Rory told me. See after you left, we became friends and she was seriously drunk one day sometime after Harvard accepted her and babbled everything out. I was long over you by that time, especially considering that I was going out with the guy that is now my fiancé."

"Oh. Okay, but Rory doesn't drink does she? I mean she doesn't seem like that kind of a person."

"Hello?! Rory standing right here. I still exist, thank you very much. If you want to talk about me while I'm here, say so and I'll just leave. And no I do not drink. I didn't touch any kind of alcohol after that, considering that I managed to get drunk on three glasses of champagne."

"A dance, milady?"

"Wow! That boy is definitely a keeper, Mini-Me. He had manners."

"Well he must of developed them after he left Chilton. Sure Tristan."

I led her away to the dance floor, then carefully put my arms around her.

Rory's POV:

He actually asked me to dance! It was times like those that I really wished that I hadn't been so mean to him and actually tried to be friends at Chilton. Tristan led me to the dance floor and put his arms around me as a slow song started. I smiled up at him and gently wrapped my arms around his neck.

'Everybody's got something
They had to leave behind
One regret from yesterday
That seems to grow with time
There's no use looking back or wondering
How it could be now or might have been
All this, I know, but still I can't find ways to let you go'

It was that S Club 7 song. I could really relate to some of the lyrics. I remember how I felt when Tristan left me. I had loved him from that day that we kissed. I never told him that and continued my relationship with Dean because I thought that he had only chased after me because he wanted another flavor of the week. It had felt horrible knowing that he was walking out of my life and I had no way of stopping him. I always kept him in my heart, no matter what had happened. I had thought that I would never have a second chance, but there we were.

'I never had a dream come true
'Til the day that I found you
Even though, I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I've never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where love takes me to
A part of me will always be with you'

Tristan's POV:

'Somewhere in my memory I've lost all sense of time
And tomorrow could never be
Cos yesterday is all that fills my mind
There's no use looking back or wondering
How it should be now or might have been
All this, I know, but still I cant find ways to let you go'

This song had hit so close to home. Rory had been the only thing that was pure and untouched in my life at Chilton. I remembered her even through University at Oxford. I dated other girls, but not one touched me the way that Rory had or even came close. Coming back here, I had thought that Rory would have been married to the bagboy, Dean, by now. It broke my heart to know that if that had happened, I would have had to move on. She was here now, and I would never let her go. I had been given a second chance.

'Somewhere in my memory I've lost all sense of time
And tomorrow could never be
Cause yesterday is all that fills my mind
There's no use looking back or wondering
How it should be now or might have been
All this, I know, but still I cant find ways to let you go'

All knowing author's POV:

'You'll always be the dream that fills my head
Yes, you will, say you will, you know you will, oh baby
You'll always be the one I know I'll never forget
There's no use looking back or wondering'

Their eyes met, both reflecting all of the love each had for one another.

'Because love is a strange and funny thing
No matter how I try and try I just can't say goodbye'
No, no, no, no
I never had a dream come true'

Both secretly resolved to get to know the other better.

'Til the day that I found you
Even though, I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I've never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where love takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
A part of me will always be with you'

They had been given a second chance, and there was no way that either of them would miss it for the world.


End Notes: Aww. The song was by S Club 7. I thought that it was very reflective of them in various ways. You guys were really good in giving reviews although none of you even tried to get the answer right. The answer was really repetition. I repeated some of the words in the first sentence of each paragraph twice in the paragraph. Review and I'll update more often. Ten reviews by December 25, 2001, and I'll update that day. If you give me more review sooner then I'll update sooner. I really just want to know if people actually read it and comments to improve are always good. Constructive criticism welcome as always.