AN: I know, I know. It's been forever since I updated this. I posted new chapters for my other two stories a couple of days ago and finally got this one done. I have no excuses for it being so long so I won't give one. Okay, so for this chapter I borrowed a bit of dialogue from the episode "Bridesmaids Revisited." Also, I know it's short, but I wanted to end the chapter the way I did and I promise to post the next chapter soon. Enjoy!
Chapter 9: "You didn't say a word,"
"So how was the panel?" Tristan asked as Rory and Riley joined him and Stephanie at the pub.
"Amazing," Rory said, taking of sip of Tristan's drink as she sat down next to him.
"It was incredible, man," Riley said, "Rory really wiped the floor with Pompous Princeton Guy."
"Really, that's great Mare," Tristan said, kissing her cheek, "I wish I could have been there."
"Me, too," she said, "But you had to go and agree to be in Honor's wedding."
"Yeah and the rehearsal had to be today, though I don't know why I had to be there. I'm just an usher," he said, "Why did I have to rehearse walking people to their seats?"
"I don't know, tradition?" Rory suggested.
"At least you were able to get out of the dinner though," Riley said.
"True, now that would have been a barrel of laughs," Tristan said.
"Did your parents go?" Stephanie asked.
"No, they're not even in the country right now," he said.
"Your mom isn't going to her own niece's wedding?" Rory asked.
"Nope. Her and Shira don't get along, haven't for most of their lives so Mom is abstaining," he said, "And Dad just doesn't care. Grandpa is going though. Honor's not even related to him and he's going to the wedding."
"That's because he's a good man. I'm glad you take after him," Rory said, linking her fingers with his and kissing his cheek.
"Thank you," he said, giving her a soft kiss.
"You're welcome," she said, "So without your parents would going to dinner have been so bad? I mean, you love Honor and Logan is there."
"True, but Honor's friends are just too…" he began.
"What?" Rory asked.
"Shallow. They're too much like Summer, you know," Tristan said, "Blondie, dipsy...I had more than enough of that at Chilton."
"Very true. I'm glad you decided to skip it and spend the evening with us," Rory said.
The next morning they were all in New York for Honor and Josh's wedding. Since Tristan had to get his tux on, Riley joined him with Josh, Logan, and the other guys when Honor grabbed Rory and Stephanie, asking them to hang out with the girls while they finished getting ready. Rory liked Honor, but wasn't really interested in hanging out with her ditzy friends so she was grateful to have brought a book with her to read.
"I really like your dress, Rory," Honor said when they got into the dressing room.
"Thanks," Rory said, "And you look amazing. Josh is a very lucky guy."
"He is, isn't he," Honor said with a laugh, "Okay so everyone this is Rory and Stephanie."
"Hi," Rory said.
"Hey," Stephanie said.
"Okay, so you may have met at the shower, but that's Walker, Alexandria, Megan, and Claude," Honor said, introducing all of her friends to Rory and Stephanie.
"Welcome to the final hours of Honor's maidenhood," Walker said.
"Yeah right, Honor's maidenhood didn't make it to upper school," Alexandria said.
"Not true. Turks and Caicos, 1996," Honor said.
"Anyway," Megan said, "we're here to celebrate these last precious hours before we lose Honor to the dark side."
"And to celebrate we drink," Walker said, handing glasses to Rory and Stephanie to fill with champagne.
"Okay, a toast," Honor said, raising her glass to her friends, "To friends, old and new, borrowed and blue. You guys are awesome."
"To Honor!"
Half an hour later the girls were all dressed and ready. Their hair was done and they were just putting the final touches on their makeup when the wedding planner came in to steal Honor away for some photos. Rory and Stephanie looked on in silent laughter as Honor's bridesmaids began to frantically check and recheck their hair for loose curls and be sure their makeup was perfect.
"You know what I really want to do tonight," Walker said, "I want to hook up with someone."
"Yeah, like who?" Claude asked.
"I don't know, anybody," Walker said.
"I'm sure they'll be plenty of eligible bachelors here tonight," Claude said.
"Really, who?" Walker asked.
"The groomsmen for starters," Megan said.
"Yeah, Tripp is looking good," Alexandria said.
"You always think that," Megan said.
"Because he is and you're one to talk," Alexandria said.
"Alexandria and Megan have both slept with Tripp," Claude told Stephanie and Rory.
"Small world," Stephanie said, rolling her eyes as she turned back to Rory, trying to ignore the girls conversation.
"Well, I'm with Liam, officially, you can have Tripp," Alexandria said.
"Tripp's to short," Walker said.
"What about Josh's brother?" Claude asked.
"Poor man's Josh, no thanks," Walker said.
"There's always Logan," Alexandria said.
"Eh, been there, done that," Walker said.
"What about Tristan or the Hayden guy I saw him with at the party on the yacht?" Megan asked.
"I don't know anything about the Hayden guy, but Tristan could be fun to have a go at again," Walker said.
"Will you guys shush," Claude said.
"What shush. You should talk," Walker said.
"Rory is Tristan's girlfriend," Claude told her.
"Oh, whoops, sorry," Walker said.
"Yeah, we had no idea," Megan told her.
"You've both slept with Tristan?" Rory asked.
"Well, yeah, who hasn't. It wasn't the King of Chilton for nothing," Megan told her.
"Um, when was this?" Rory asked.
"Oh, ages ago," Claude told her, "Back in '99, I think."
"You slept with him, too?" Rory asked.
"Slept with, no, but we did all fool around with, right?" Claude asked.
"Yeah, the summer of '99," Alexandria said, "That was the American Pie year, right?"
"The American Pie, year. Yes, that was good," Walker said, "Hey does he still do that Tongue Tornado. That was amazing."
"The what?" Rory asked.
"You know, the Tongue Tornado from the movie. He saw it once and mastered it," Walker told her, "Definitely the best orgasm I've ever had."
"Ladies, time to line up," the wedding planner said, coming into the room, "Rory, Stephanie, you better head to your seats."
"See you ladies later," Megan said as the four of them headed out the door.
"Are you alright, Rory?" Stephanie asked.
"Um, I'm not sure, but you better get out there. Riley's going to wonder where you are," Rory said.
"I'm not leaving you here alone," Stephanie said.
"Please Steph, I just need time to process this," Rory said, "And besides, with those girls, you may need to mark your territory."
"Okay, I'll see you later," Stephanie said, giving Rory a hug before leaving her in the dressing room alone.
"Here you are," Tristan said, walking into the bridal suite to find Rory sitting on the couch staring at the wall.
"Here am I," Rory said, avoiding eye contact.
"Are you alright? Steph said you weren't feeling well," he asked, taking a step towards her to kneel in front of her, "Hey, look at me."
"You didn't say a word," Rory said, her tears streaming down her face.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, reaching up to touch her face and wipe away her tears, only to have her push his hand away.
"You didn't say a word. You just let me walk into a room full of women you've hooked up with," Rory said.
"Rory," he said, trying to take her hand in his.
"Don't. Blondie, dizzy, I love the cover. Acting as if these girl are worthless idiots you couldn't stand to be around," Rory said.
"They are worthless idiots, shooting their mouths of like that in front of you," Tristan said, "But that was long time ago. Other than the rehearsal yesterday and in passing at parties before I left for military school I haven't seen, spoken to, or even thought about those girls since I was with them."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Rory asked, "That you could just screw around with them and move on as if they don't matter."
"They don't. It was just sex, Rory. We were kids. It was just something to do, companionship," Tristan told her.
"No, it has to mean something. You can't just fool around or sleep with someone without some kind of feelings involved," Rory said.
"Rory…" Tristan began.
"I want a list," she said.
"A what?" he asked.
"A list, of everyone you've been with so crap like this doesn't happen again," she said.
"You can't be serious," he said.
"Very. I want a list. I don't want anymore surprises," Rory told him.
"I don't want to do this," Tristan said.
"Why? Too many to remember?" Rory asked, "Because I can give you mine in under a second, you."
"I know that and I love that I'm the only one you've ever been with," Tristan said, "And with any luck if our future goes as planned, I'll be the only one, but Rory...you don't know what it is you're asking for. This isn't going to make you feel any better."
"I don't know what's going to make me feel better," Rory said, "All I know is I don't like the feeling I had when those girls started talking about their experiences with you. And when Walker said…"
"Forget about what Walker said, okay. I love you. I am with you," Tristan said, "Shouldn't that be all that matters?"
"It should, but it doesn't," Rory said, standing up and grabbing her bag, "Write the list. I'm staying with Riley."
"Rory…" Tristan called as Rory walked out the door, slamming it shut behind her.
