Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Gilmore Girls.

Chapter Nine: Avoidance is the key

Rory peered around the corner of the bookshelf. What is he doing here? He isn't supposed to be here, this is my bookstore. Tristan was standing in one of the aisles browsing through a book, she couldn't tell what it was but it looked like a textbook. Rory hadn't seen Tristan in 22 days, not since his friend's party for July 4th. She hadn't called him and unlike the last time he hadn't called her either, she'd missed having someone to do things with besides Paris and Tanna but she knew it was dangerous to keep hanging around him. What am I going to do? What am I going to do? Ok calm down, don't panic I just have to leave before he spots me, Rory straightened returned the book that she had been looking at to the shelf and stepped from her aisle and quickly hurried past the aisle he was standing in.

Tristan looked up from the textbook he was studying when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye, past the end of the aisle he was standing in. Was that Rory? Tristan moved towards the end of the aisle and saw someone clothed in a pair of jeans and a baby blue top, with brown hair pulled into a loose ponytail who looked suspiciously like Rory moving towards the exit. Tristan hadn't talked to Rory since the party on the 2nd of August; he didn't know what to say to her after they kissed, quite passionately he might add for a second time. Oh god I hope she doesn't see me.

"Hey about my party" Jason said as he was climbing into his bed.

"Yeah?"

"You're going to invite Rory, right?"

"I was planning on it."

"Why not? Just because you kissed the poor girl, by the way what is wrong with the way you kiss Rory looked positively sick when she was running away from you?"

"I do not kiss badly! I'll have you know I am quite well known for my abilities in that particular area."

"Sure you are." Jason replied nodding his head.

"I am! She has a boyfriend; it was an accident that should never have happened."

"Whatever but just because you kissed her doesn't mean you shouldn't invite her to my party, I mean she's my friend too right, did you ever think that maybe I wanted her there."

Tristan glared across the room at him "fine I'll invite her tomorrow, happy?"

"Positively jumping for joy" Jason deadpanned as he turned over in his bed and shut off the light.

Rory rushed to answer her cell phone clad only in a towel, her hair dripping down her back "hello" she answered breathing heavily.

"Rory?"

"Yes" Rory replied shivering against the cold air.

"Um hi it's Tristan."

Rory swallowed "oh hi Tristan."

"Listen I know we haven't talked in a while and that things are kind of weird between us and you probably don't want to see me or anything but well it's Jason's birthday on the 27th and we're having a party for him at the dorm that night and he'd really like it if you could come, I mean you don't have to or anything but he I mean we'd really appreciate it. It starts at about seven."

Rory racked her brain for what time Dean was working that night, Dean's working until eight he won't be home until at least half past, I'll have time to make an appearance. "Sure Tristan tell Jason I'll come by for a little bit."

"Oh ok great, we'll see you then."

"Yeah you will, bye."

"Bye" Tristan replied and hung up the phone.

Well that wasn't too bad, you babbled on like an idiot but overall not too bad at all.

AN: Hey everyone! I know an unbearably short chapter, but I really didn't want to fuse the stuff from this chapter and the next into one chapter, I think they will work better separately. Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I appreciate it. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, all feedback and suggestions are welcome so feel free.