Author's Note: The kiss and Madeline's party did happen, and the PJ Harvey fiasco hadn't occurred. Dean never made up with Rory and it's now the beginning of their junior year.

A Start of Something

Summary: For Improv Seventeen. Tristan makes a bet with Rory on their essay grade. When he gets a better grade than Rory…what will he make her do?

Improv #17
December 29 - January 14
magic ~ ravel ~ secret ~ capture

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"Well…I was wondering if you would like to go out with me?" the words rang in Rory Gilmore's ears. They were standing in the middle of a Chilton hall when he had asked her. Awkward silence ensued and before Rory Gilmore knew what she was doing she was accepting to go on a date with Tristan DuGrey.

*          *            *

It had started out as something simple. A bet on an essay…she had been eating lunch alone as usual when he sat down across from her.

"What do you want, Tristan?" she asked the bitterness towards his name obvious. "Nice to see you too Mary," he teased and she rolled her eyes. "Can I help you with something?" she asked wondering why Tristan was even talking to her. "What are you going to write on that essay for Medina?" she shrugged. "I don't know, what about you?"

"I haven't decided yet…but I was wondering if we could make a deal of some sort?" Tristan asked nervously.

"I guess," Rory replied looking warily at him.

"If I get a higher grade than you I can make you do whatever I say and vice versa,"

"What? Tristan that's stupid," she replied rolling her eyes at the teenage boy.

"Come on, Mary,"

"It's Rory," she said haughtily.

"Yeah it is so you could ask me to learn your name," he said with a smirk. It was tempting and so she had agreed. She stuck her hand out and shook on it.

She worked her ass off on the paper, she knew that much. She worked harder than she ever had on any Chilton paper because she knew she couldn't be beat by Tristan DuGrey.

And then the papers were returned…Rory opened it to find A and she grinned. "What did you get Mary?" he asked sitting on her desk in front of her. "A" she said proudly holding it up to confirm it. "Well, I got an A+," he said smiling.

"What?"

"See? A+," he said showing her the paper. "What do you want me to do Tristan?" she said softly hoping it wasn't some embarrassing feat for her to do. "Let's talk about it in the hall, shall we?" he asked grinning all the while. "Fine," she responded dragging her backpack along with her. They stood in the hall where they had first met…and had shared more banter sessions than either cared to remember.

*          *            *

And now here they were both standing there uncomfortably. He had asked her out and much to her surprise and his own she had said yes. "So I'll see you tonight?" she was vaguely aware of herself nodding and then walking out of Chilton, heading towards the bus stop. She took the bus home somewhat mechanically and managed to get to the diner in one piece, amazingly enough.

"Rory!" Lorelai called out grinning as she took a seat across from her daughter. Luke plunked a cup of coffee in front of her but Rory didn't seem to react to it, at all. "Babe, are you feeling okay?" she asked concerned placing a hand on her forehead. "I'm fine, mom," she replied swatting Lorelai's hand away from her forehead. "Babe…what happened?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'll see you at home okay?" she said leaving her mother in total bewilderment. She walked home from the diner nearly killing herself in the process…it was all Tristan's fault he had made everything so raveled…did he like her or was she just another conquest? She entered the house to hear the phone ringing. "I'll just hear the message," she mumbled not in the mood to find it.

"Hey Rory…this is Tristan. Look, I know you might find it odd that I asked you out on a date…after this bet we set up. So, I'm not going to have it be fancy…unless you want it to be of course…but after a day of Chilton I don't think you want to, I'll be over at about six I guess…so see you then," Rory had to smile at his nervous voice as if he actually wanted to impress her. It was funny, really.

Six came and Rory stood waiting outside on the porch waiting for him. He pulled up to see her dressed down letting him breathe a sigh of relief. "Hey DuGrey," she said smiling a little as she hopped into his car. "Hey Rory," he replied grinning at her.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously.

"To see a magic show,"

"Oh my god!" Rory squealed excited. Tristan laughed and Rory sighed tonight was going to be surprisingly, fun.

*                      *                      *

"I can't believe you took me to that!" Rory said laughing again.

"It'll be our little secret right?" he asked, pleading. "Of course, Tristan," and they continued their date with a stop for Ice Cream and then they were back to Rory's house. "Thanks for tonight, Rory," he said softly as they stood outside awkwardly.

"No problem, anything for free Coffee Ice Cream," she said rubbing her arms and looking around.

"Rory…" Tristan said softly.

"Yeah?" Rory responded quietly looking up at him. "I'm going to kiss you and I don't want it to mean nothing,"

"O…okay," she stuttered as he leaned down and captured her lips with his own. He pulled away from her gently and she pulled him close again.

"Tristan, look…I know before when we kissed that first time, I lied. I felt something…and I guess I was just scared falling for someone like you but I guess you're different from what you're like at school. But, I'm not going to be a flavor of the week,"

"Rory, believe me, you're not. I like you. A lot. Just give me a chance?"

"I gave you one already didn't you?" Rory replied smiling at him.

"Yeah and I think it's working out pretty well don't you?"

"Just kiss me again already, DuGrey," and so he captured her lips once again in a long, romantic kiss.

It was the start of something new and different.  

Finis.