Chapter Twenty Seven: Not A Ms. Magdalene
"So Summer was suspended for the rest of the week and has to tell everyone that she lied about me and Tristin."
"What is he El Dulche going to do hold a press conference in which he tells the whole school Summer is a liar and that you are in fact not a Ms. Magdalene?" Lorelai asked jokingly
"No I doubt that." Rory said
"That would be far to crass for Chilton." Tristin added while sitting down next to Rory and handed her and Lorelai cups of coffee. "Luke said no more coffee for you two."
"Luke is delusional." Lorelai said smiling
"Obviously." Tristin said nodding, "So did Rory fill you in on our visit with Headmaster Charleston?"
"Yes, and I must say El Dulche lucky that he dealt with little Ms. Summer before I had to." Lorelai said
"Mom, Summer is a pain in the ass, but I can handle her. She's just jealous about Tristin. She'll get over it."
Tristin smiled at Lorelai who was looking at him funny. He knew that Summer was just upset because she had found out how Tristin really felt about Rory but still that was no excuse to try and ruin Rory's reputation. Then Tristin remembered what Lorelai had said and laughed. "El Dulche?"
"Long story, involves Mom yelling at Charleston for not letting me take that Shakespeare test last year." Rory said before Lorelai could go into all the references that she was sure were swimming around in Lorelai's head that connected El Dulche and the Headmaster.
"The one you were late for because you hit the deer?"
"I didn't hit the deer, the deer hit me." Rory reminded him
"Yeah Yeah." Tristin said smiling at her, "You say that, but I don't think I've ever seen a suicidal deer before."
"The damn deer rammed into the side of my mom's jeep. I didn't hit the deer. Why won't anyone believe me!" Rory yelled
"Let's move this back to the house before Luke gets testy." Lorelai said laughing when she saw the look Luke was giving her
The two teens laughed and got up to leave. Tristin pushed in his and Rory's chairs and yelled, "Bye Luke!"
xxxxxx
Lorelai walked into Rory's room a few hours later. Rory was being her studious self and typing feverishly on her computer. Lorelai smiled and threw herself onto Rory's bed. After ten minutes of just sitting there listening to Rory type she lost her ability to control herself and said, "So Summer's jealous of you huh?"
Rory who hadn't heard Lorelai come in jumped slightly before sighing. "Yes. She's mad. She approached Tristin and he turned her down. She thinks it's my fault so she's taking it out on me. It's no big deal she'll get over it."
Lorelai nodded. "Was it your fault?"
"Was what my fault?" Rory asked never looking up from her computer and continuing to type
"Tristin turning her down."
"Why would that be my fault?"
"Maybe there is something going on between you and Tristin…" Lorelai said in a tone that really meant she was asking
Rory stopped typing and turned around to look at Lorelai. "There is nothing going on between me and Tristin." She said through gritted teeth
Lorelai smiled. "No need to get huffy sweets."
"I'm just so tired of everybody asking me that."
"I'll let you get back to your paper or whatever ok."
"OK mom." Rory said turning back to the computer and resuming her typing.
Lorelai walked out her room and upstairs. She heard Tristin typing away on his computer and smiled. She knocked on his door and when he said "Come in" she opened the door.
"Heya Tristin." Lorelai said sitting down on his bed.
"Hi Lorelai." Tristin said unsure of why she was in his room
"You and Rory working on the same thing?" Lorelai asked
"Probably. We both have an English term paper due. Why do you ask?"
"You're both typing away on your computers. It was a little creepy." Lorelai said smiling. "So, did you want to go with us to Friday night dinners or not?"
Tristin looked at her pensively. "Will it take some of the attention off of you?"
"Probably. But Richard and Emily would be taking an active interest in your life too."
"I'll talk to Rory about it and see if she wants me there and if she doesn't say anything against the idea then yeah I'll be there."
Lorelai smiled. "Great. I'll let you get back to that paper."
"Goodnight."
"Night." Lorelai said closing his door behind her
xxxxxx
Rory had been working diligently on her term paper when she received an instant message. She sighed and saved her work before opening the new window.
LADIESMAN17: Hey Mary, working on your term paper?
COFFEELOVER16: How did you know?
LADIESMAN17: Your mom told me you were downstairs typing away on your computer, I assumed it was your term paper. Was I right?
COFFEELOVER16: Of course. It's due in three days. Are you almost done with yours?
LADIESMAN17: Almost I have like three more ages to write and then I'm done. You?
COFFEELOVER16: Three more paragraphs and then I'm done.
LADIESMAN17: Should have known, Rory Gilmore's done with her paper three days early. So…
COFFEELOVER16: So… what?
LADIESMAN17: So your mom asked me if I wanted to join you guys for Friday night dinners, and I was wondering what you thought about that.
COFFEELOVER16: I think that if you wanted to submit yourself to the scrutiny of Richard and Emily Gilmore than that's your problem.
LADIESMAN17: What I mean is, do you want me there?
Rory thought for a while before smiling and typing.
COFFEELOVER16: Yes, I want you there.
Tristin smiled and couldn't help the flutter in his stomach and the nervous feeling rising up in his chest.
LADIESMAN17: Why?
Rory smiled.
COFFEELOVER16: Because you detract attention from me and my mother and that's always something that we welcome when in the Gilmore house.
LADIESMAN17: There's no other reason?
Tristin asked ignoring the brief feeling of sadness and disappointment that passed through him.
Rory ignored the fluttering in her chest and resisted the desire to tell him otherwise, that she really just enjoyed his company.
COFFEELOVER16: Well that and I really don't want you in my house alone, so you can go through my stuff and try to discover all my unmentionables.
Tristin laughed.
LADIESMAN17: I have no desire to look at your unmentionables… unless of course you want to show them to me :wink wink:
Rory blushed and then bushed harder when she realized that Tristin probably knew she was blushing.
COFFEELOVER16: Very funny
LADIESMAN17: I thought so too. Anyway… I wanted to ask you something else.
A confused look passed over Rory's face.
COFFEELOVER16: What's that?
LADIESMAN17: Everything that happened today… are you really as ok with it as you seem, because earlier today you were trapping me in a room and pacing around.
Rory sighed. She knew that she could lie and say she was fine, but she also knew that he knew she was going to lie and say she was fine. Rory got up from her computer and changed into pajamas that she wouldn't be mortified for Tristin to see her in. She then walked back over to the computer and typed:
COFFEELOVER16: Meet me in the living room.
And then she signed off.
Tristin smiled and signed off. He got up from the computer after saving his work on the term paper and started to walk downstairs. He stopped when he saw Rory digging through the linen closet. He got close to her ear and whispered so he didn't wake up Lorelai. "What are you doing Mary?"
Rory held up a finger to her lips and pulled a big blanket down from the top of the closet. She lost her footing for a second and Tristin reached out to stop her from toppling. She blushed slightly as she felt the electricity from his touch flow through her and mouthed thank you. The she walked downstairs and towards the front door with Tristin following right behind her. She quietly opened the door and let him out and then silently shut the door behind her. He took the blanket from her and she walked over to the porch swing. She sat down and motioned for him to sit down next to her, which he did. She shivered and he pulled the blanket around both of them to warm her up. She smiled and scooted closer to him. He then noticed that she had a book with her. "What's with the book?" he asked
"I thought I might read some of it at some point in time tonight." Rory replied smiling
"I see. I thought we were going to talk about today at school?"
"We are." Rory said putting it off for a few more seconds. "If I said I was fine, would you believe me?"
Tristin smiled slightly. "No, probably not. Should I believe you? If you told you were fine would you be telling me the truth or telling me what you think I want to hear?"
Rory inwardly groaned. "How is that we haven't really been friends that long and already you can read me like an open book?"
"Because Mary, I've been trying to read you since the first day I laid eyes on you." Tristin said seriously
Rory blushed. "Really, because I thought the only thing you were trying to do since you laid eyes on me was make my life at Chilton a living hell."
"If I wanted your life to be a living hell at Chilton, I never would have talked El Dulche into letting you go back to class today instead of listen to me and Paris argue with Summer. Nor would I be trying to find out if you really are ok with what happened today."
Rory sighed, knowing that he was right. "I know."
"So… are you really ok now?"
"Tomorrow is going to be hard. Everyone's talking about me Tristin."
"I know and I'm sorry. I didn't do this. I didn't tell anyone that we were sleeping together. I know better than to lie about something like that." Tristin babbled out
"Tristin stop babbling. I know you weren't the one that started this."
"It's just I chased you for so long and I was very clear about what I wanted from you. And me and you walking into classes together or eating lunch together, driving you to and from school; those are the things that made my friends say, hey he must have gotten what he wanted from her, and then me turning down Summer really didn't help."
"I know. And it's ok. I'm not one hundred percent ok with everything that happened today, but it will eventually blow over and then it will be like it never happened." Rory said earning a nod from Tristin. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Tristin said
"Why did you turn Summer down?"
Tristin looked at Rory for a long moment. She looked beautiful and he really wanted to tell her the truth, but he knew that neither one of them were ready for the truth to come into light. "I'm bored with Summer. She's not interesting, she doesn't have an original thought in her head, and she goes out of her way to hurt you. That's not what I want."
Rory nodded. "That's a good answer."
Tristin nodded and then took the book from her. "Whatcha got?"
"The Fountainhead."
"Ayn Rand. Never really finished the book. She's not really on my list of top ten authors."
"I love this book. I've read it a few dozen times." Rory admitted
"Well then I'll have to get it a second chance, won't I?" Tristin said smiling
"Of course." Rory said cuddling up next to him.
Tristin put his arm around her and opened the book. She laid there next to him on the swing and listened to him as he began to read aloud. About thirty pages into the book, Tristin noticed her breathing level out and realized that she was sleeping. He smiled and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then pulled the blanket around her tighter so that she didn't get cold and continued to read, this time silently.
AN: Ok so this chapter is over, and I'm trying to adjust the dynamic between Tristin and Rory so that it's easier and more believable when I finally make this story a true TRORY… and for those of you who are wondering where's Jess and Dean… I haven't forgotten about them…read and review…
