**Part 10**
"I warned you," Paris growled at Tristan, "I am not going to fail this because of you. I will replace you with Brad in a second.
"Oh, dear God, no" Brad gulped air turning for his water bottle.
"Can we take five?" Louise played with her nails, "I'm in serious need of a tall caramel macchiato…"
"I'd like the grandey…" Madeline added
"You can't say Grande." Paris barked, "Fine. Take five; make it twenty, but somebody better bring me a double espresso!"
Everybody went out in different directions. Rory felt the beginnings of a headache lurking behind her eyes. Behind her she could hear Louise,
"Where is there a Starbucks here?"
Followed by the exasperated sounds of Paris giving someone hell… again… and for the hundredth time. Rory closed her eyes and tried to make everybody disappear. It worked for a moment, but as soon as she opened her eyes all the sounds in the studio blared back to life. Rory brought her thumb and forefinger to her temples and walked backstage, there had to be some aspirin in her book bag.
"Rory…" Tristan appeared from behind the curtain, "it's been days, we need to talk."
"There is nothing for us to talk about," Rory rummaged through her book bag, the paperback lay among her other books, "we were just playing a game. That's all"
"Rory…"
"I am trying to forget it happened," Rory refused to look up, "you should too"
"I can't do that Rory"
"Well you're not trying hard enough"
"Rory"
"No Tristan, It was obvious that it was all about the dare. I took it too far, my fault. I have a boyfriend! It should not have happened. I regret it"
"I don't" Tristan tried to meet her eyes, but she refused to look up.
"You should" Rory pushed back feeling a pout on her lips. Tristan tried to make light of the situation,
"but I don't want a boyfriend…"
"You know," Rory snapped her head to face him, "That is exactly what you need!"
"A boyfriend? I don't know how much of that night you remember but-"
"You need a girlfriend, a new girl to keep you busy and away from me… work on that"
"I don't want to forget"
"Well I need you to!" Rory half-shouted, then looked around nervous to see if anybody had heard her. Dean would be there any minute. She dug into her book bag again frustrated that she could not find anything for her headache. She found the book instead, "I dare you."
"What?" Tristan asked surprised
"I dare you…" Rory repeated firmly, resolutely.
"You want me to sleep with another woman?" Tristan looked on in disbelief
"Yes" Rory answered bluntly
"Who?" Tristan tested; there was no way she had thought this through. Sure enough, her eyes widened a little as they looked away. Then,
"What's an apothecary anyway?" Madeline's voice reached their ears.
"Her" Rory answered without thinking
"Madeline?"
"She as good as any, right?"
Rory's words were like little jabs at his chest. Eventually, he'd have to push back.
"You don't really want me to do this"
"Is that your way of saying that you can't?" Rory taunted on.
"You'll regret this Rory" Tristan tried to sound thoughtful and caring, but that really wasn't in him. He was upset now, and that is how the words came out.
"Don't you threaten me!" Rory hissed, "This is your game remember? If you are not enough of a tyrant to follow through-"
"This changes things you know" Tristan took a step towards the curtain before he said something out of anger.
"It's meant to" Rory locked her eyes with his to make sure there was no confusing her words.
"Okay…" Tristan nodded, "be prepared to give the book back before opening night… do you want proof?"
"Don't be gross" Rory scrunched her nose
"I'm just playing the game, Mary." Tristan said coldly before he pushed past the curtain leaving Rory to wonder what she had done.
Truth was, Rory never thought he'd go through with it. There was no way he'd be that cold-hearted. The game wasn't that important… surely she was more important than bragging rights.
That night had meant something, hadn't it?
**End of Part 10**
A/N - Uh oh...