Friends?
Two updates in one day... WOW!
Rory arrived home from school just as the phone started to ring.
"Damn! Wait, I'm coming! Just. Hold. On." She shoved the door open, dropped her bag and grabbed the cordless off the couch. "Hello?"
"Rory?"
"Haley, hi, what's up?" Rory collapsed onto the couch to catch her breathe.
"I'm at work, on a break. I just wanted to see how you guys are doing."
"We're pretty good. Tristan went back to the house today."
"oh God, have you seen him yet? What happened?"
"No, he's not here, he probably just needed some space."
"Yeah." Rory waited for Haley to say something else, but she was silent.
"Are you ok Haley?"
"Lucas and I talked today, for the first time in three days. We have never gone that long without speaking."
"What did you say?"
"He broke up with Brooke. I told him how long I've had these feelings, and even though he's not in love with me, I'm ok."
"Are you really?" They had gotten really close since Rory's first day in Tree Hill, and could read each other easily.
"Yeah, I am. I thought I would need him to love me back, but I don't I just needed him to know."
"Well I'm happy for you then." Tristan entered through the front door, looking very tense, and Rory stood up. "Tristan's back, do you wanna talk to him?"
"Sure, I'll talk to you later."
"Ok, bye. It's Haley." Rory handed the phone over and Tristan kissed her. "What was that for?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to do it." He put down a box and lifted the phone to his ear. "Hey Hales, what's up?" Rory looked over at the box, it was filled with books, they looked like journals. She glanced at Tristan he seemed to have relaxed. Rory went to her room and changed before searching the kitchen for food.
"What are you doing here?" Luke asked, as Lorelai entered the diner and sat down.
"I'm pretty sure the sign on the door said open, so I'm here for food."
"Rory would've just gotten home from school."
"Probably."
"So you're ok with her being home alone with that kid?"
"That kid knows the rules. So does Rory. I trust her."
"Whatever you say. What do you want?"
"Such service. Don't you just love the kind, happy people who work here?" Lorelai asked a large man in a baseball cap sitting a few stools down. He grunted something and she gasped. "Oh my God, Luke is this your brother?"
"I don't have a brother."
"So this is Jess' mom? Hi Liz, it's so nice to meet you." Lorelai held out a hand to shake with the man, he just stared at her.
"Would you please not speak to my customer's? I'd like to be able to keep my business open."
"Coffee and a donut please."
"Which one?"
"Surprise me." Luke moved to get her order as Miss Patty entered and stood beside Lorelai.
"Oh! Honey, who was that beautiful young man I heard about fighting with the younger Luke Danes and Taylor Doosee?" Lorelai bit her lip and turned away. "Sweetheart?"
"Lorelai what are you doing?" Luke demanded as a wad of serviettes hit him in the back of the head.
"Can I please talk to Patty?"
"Since you said please." He put a cup of coffee in front of her next to a chocolate donut.
"His name is Tristan. Rory met him at Chilton. He just moved to North Carolina, permanently I think, but he's here for a visit. Thank you Luke." She replied in one breathe.
"So this is boyfriend number three?"
"I guess. But he wasn't fighting Jess. Dean came in, started yelling, Tristan was just about ready to smash his face in, when Jess came along and dragged Dean outside."
"Very interesting. I'm hoping to meet this young man myself before he disappears from our little town."
"I'm sure you will Patty." Lorelai replied
"Haley sounds good." Rory said joining Tristan in the couch. "Better than the last time we talked."
"Yeah, good." Tristan had taken one of the books out of the box and was staring at it. This one was cobalt blue.
"How did everything go today?
"I got what I went there for, told them I wasn't coming back. You know all this time I was imagining walking into the house and having all these memories. But when I got there, there was nothing. Except you."
"I've never been to your house." Rory pointed out.
"I thought about you a lot there though. So in my mind you have. And in here." He tapped the book in his hands.
"You wrote about me in your journal?"
"I wrote about a lot of people, but you did get a few special mentions."
"Wow."
"Do you want to read them?"
"No. I couldn't. They're your private thoughts."
"I've already spent too much time lying and playing games in my life. I don't want to do it anymore. I want to be completely honest with you. So, you don't have to read them, but you can if you want."
Rory nodded, and with a smile leaned over to kiss Tristan.
"Do you want to go for a walk? To the diner maybe?" Rory asked.
"Sure. Luke makes really good burgers and I'm starved."
"I know, I love them and we really need to shop," they stood and left the house.
When they arrived at the diner, Jess was just coming down the stairs.
"Hi."
"Hey." The three of them stood uncomfortably for a moment.
"Hey, listen, thanks for the other day man."
"No problem. I've wanted to do that since I met him."
"Well thanks anyway."
"Yeah, thank you Jess. Um, do you wanna find a table?" Rory asked, turning to Tristan.
"Sure." He moved away and Rory turned back to Jess.
"So, how are you?"
"How am I? You mean, since you broke up with me and left town two weeks ago?"
"Yeah."
"I'm great." He replied sarcastically
"Jess…" Rory was starting to regret having this conversation.
"No, really. I'm fine. I knew this relationship had a timer on it. We only had until graduation, at best. It hurt but I'll be ok. Don't worry."
"Ok... Well, um, I'd really like to be friends. I mean if you want to."
"Sure, we did it once before, why not give it another shot?"
"Good. I'm glad we got that sorted. But I should, probably…"
"Yeah, I've gotta get to work."
"Ok. See ya."
"Yep." He turned and headed for the kitchen as Rory moved to the table Tristan had occupied.
A.N: I don't know if I'll be very good at making Jess and Rory friends, but I'm going to try. Then again, I've succesfully (I think) made Rory and Tristan friends before, so it should work. Tristan'sjournal entries are going to suck, since i was never very good at writing in my own diary, but I am still going to attempt it, hopefully they'll improve eventually.
