A/N: Let me apologize in advance for the overall cheesiness and melodrama of this chapter. I was in a funky mood when I wrote this. If you really hate it or think that it just doesn't fit with the rest of the story, let me know and I'll replace it with something else. I just figured that I had to move things on a little bit, so this is the result.
Rory and Lane were sprawled across Rory's bed. A stack of magazines and bags of candy were arranged between them. The stereo blared the new Better Than Ezra CD, Closer. It was a lazy summer afternoon late in August. It had been declared a girls only day, due to the fact that Tristin was working and the topic of conversation that Lane planned to spring on Rory. Not that she had the slightest clue. Yet. For the moment, both girls were content to kick back and talk about nothing. Until Rory unknowingly sealed her fate by mentioning Tristin.
"Tristin told me the greatest joke yesterday..." Rory started cracking up in anticipation of the joke she was about to tell Lane.
Lane smiled widely. That had been way too easy. Rory could barely make it through an afternoon without talking about him. "So you've been hanging with Tristin a lot lately, I see."
Rory's eyes narrowed good naturedly. "Stop right there. I know where you're going. And it's not what you think."
"How do you know what I think?"
Rory just stared.
"Okay, dumb question."
"We're just friends."
"I'm not disputing the friends part, I'm just doubtful about the four letter word you stuck in front of it."
Rory blew a stray piece of hair off her forehead in exasperation. "How many times do I have to tell you people? Tristin and I are just friends!"
"'You people?' So I'm not the only one who's mentioned it."
"Well, no..."
"Who else?"
"My mom, Miss Patty, Taylor, Kirk, Babette..." Rory ticked off name after name from the imaginary list in her head.
Lane stared at her in amazement. "And you don't find it strange that everyone is asking you the same question?"
"Small town."
"Rory, be honest with yourself!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied stubbornly. She crossed her arms across her chest and pouted a little. The epitome of the defiant five year old.
"Alright, alright. I surrender. We'll leave this particular battle for another day." She smiled at her friend, letting her know that she wasn't purposely trying to start a disagreement.
Rory relaxed, happy that the matter had been dropped.
"Well, I've got to get home. My mother is in one of her moods."
"Say no more. I'll see you later!"
"Oh, before I forget. I stumbled across this poem. You might want to read it." Lane handed her a folded up sheet of paper. "I'll talk to you later!" Lane smirked to herself as she let herself out of the Gilmore house. She really had resolved to not get involved, but Rory needed a little push. And Lane was positive that the poem would be just the right amount of nudging that Rory needed.
Rory slowly unfolded the paper and read the title of the poem. She rolled her eyes, but continued to skim the lines of the poem. Then went back and read it a bit more carefully. Her eyes widening with understanding, she read it for a third and final time aloud.
"I Do Not Love Thee, by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton." There's a mouthful, she thought to herself.
"I do not love thee!-no! I do not love thee!
And yet when thou art absent I am sad;
And envy even the bright blue sky above thee,
Whose quiet stars may see thee and be glad.
I do not love thee!-yet, I know not why,
Whate'er thou dost seems still well done, to me;
And often in my solitude I sigh
That those I do love are not more like thee!
I do not love thee!-yet, when thou art gone,
I hate the sound (though those who speak be dear)
Which breaks the lingering echo of the tone
Thy voice leaves upon my ear.
I do not love thee!-yet thy speaking eyes,
With their deep, bright, and most expressive blue,
Between me and the midnight heaven arise,
Oftener than any eyes I ever knew.
I know I do not love thee! yet, alas!
Others will scarcely trust my candid heart;
And oft I catch them smiling as they pass,
Because they see me gazing where thou art."
Rory gazed at the paper thoughtfully for a second, before tucking it into the pages of her journal for safekeeping. It was obvious what Lane was trying to tell her. Lane thought that she had feelings for Tristin. But that's silly, Rory thought to herself. Tristin is my friend. Nothing more, nothing less. And so, Rory pushed those difficult thoughts out of her head for another day. As she always did whenever Tristin was concerned. When all else fails, deny all knowledge. Wasn't that her motto?
Later on, when she met up with Tristin, Rory had an air of discomfort around her. She studied him more carefully than she would have on a normal day. She really looked at him and was surprised by what she saw. She saw a friendly yet sexy smile. She saw electrifying blue eyes. She saw her best friend, yet she also saw someone different. Things were changing...
"Rory...hello?" Tristin snapped his fingers in front of her face.
Her gaze slowly dragged itself to his.
"Are you okay? You seem a little off today."
She tilted her head to the side and studied him. Tristin could have sworn that he briefly saw...something...flash in her eyes. But in the next instant the thoughtful look had been replaced with the cheerful one he was so accustomed to.
"Did you make the coffee today?" she accused.
"I might have..." He was purposely noncommittal.
"There's the answer to your question. I'm off today because the coffee was off. I am the coffee."
Both went about their usual bantering conversation, while their thoughts were elsewhere. Something had changed somehow, without them noticing it. Both didn't know what to make of it. So they did what they were best at. They ignored it.
Rory and Lane were sprawled across Rory's bed. A stack of magazines and bags of candy were arranged between them. The stereo blared the new Better Than Ezra CD, Closer. It was a lazy summer afternoon late in August. It had been declared a girls only day, due to the fact that Tristin was working and the topic of conversation that Lane planned to spring on Rory. Not that she had the slightest clue. Yet. For the moment, both girls were content to kick back and talk about nothing. Until Rory unknowingly sealed her fate by mentioning Tristin.
"Tristin told me the greatest joke yesterday..." Rory started cracking up in anticipation of the joke she was about to tell Lane.
Lane smiled widely. That had been way too easy. Rory could barely make it through an afternoon without talking about him. "So you've been hanging with Tristin a lot lately, I see."
Rory's eyes narrowed good naturedly. "Stop right there. I know where you're going. And it's not what you think."
"How do you know what I think?"
Rory just stared.
"Okay, dumb question."
"We're just friends."
"I'm not disputing the friends part, I'm just doubtful about the four letter word you stuck in front of it."
Rory blew a stray piece of hair off her forehead in exasperation. "How many times do I have to tell you people? Tristin and I are just friends!"
"'You people?' So I'm not the only one who's mentioned it."
"Well, no..."
"Who else?"
"My mom, Miss Patty, Taylor, Kirk, Babette..." Rory ticked off name after name from the imaginary list in her head.
Lane stared at her in amazement. "And you don't find it strange that everyone is asking you the same question?"
"Small town."
"Rory, be honest with yourself!"
"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied stubbornly. She crossed her arms across her chest and pouted a little. The epitome of the defiant five year old.
"Alright, alright. I surrender. We'll leave this particular battle for another day." She smiled at her friend, letting her know that she wasn't purposely trying to start a disagreement.
Rory relaxed, happy that the matter had been dropped.
"Well, I've got to get home. My mother is in one of her moods."
"Say no more. I'll see you later!"
"Oh, before I forget. I stumbled across this poem. You might want to read it." Lane handed her a folded up sheet of paper. "I'll talk to you later!" Lane smirked to herself as she let herself out of the Gilmore house. She really had resolved to not get involved, but Rory needed a little push. And Lane was positive that the poem would be just the right amount of nudging that Rory needed.
Rory slowly unfolded the paper and read the title of the poem. She rolled her eyes, but continued to skim the lines of the poem. Then went back and read it a bit more carefully. Her eyes widening with understanding, she read it for a third and final time aloud.
"I Do Not Love Thee, by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton." There's a mouthful, she thought to herself.
"I do not love thee!-no! I do not love thee!
And yet when thou art absent I am sad;
And envy even the bright blue sky above thee,
Whose quiet stars may see thee and be glad.
I do not love thee!-yet, I know not why,
Whate'er thou dost seems still well done, to me;
And often in my solitude I sigh
That those I do love are not more like thee!
I do not love thee!-yet, when thou art gone,
I hate the sound (though those who speak be dear)
Which breaks the lingering echo of the tone
Thy voice leaves upon my ear.
I do not love thee!-yet thy speaking eyes,
With their deep, bright, and most expressive blue,
Between me and the midnight heaven arise,
Oftener than any eyes I ever knew.
I know I do not love thee! yet, alas!
Others will scarcely trust my candid heart;
And oft I catch them smiling as they pass,
Because they see me gazing where thou art."
Rory gazed at the paper thoughtfully for a second, before tucking it into the pages of her journal for safekeeping. It was obvious what Lane was trying to tell her. Lane thought that she had feelings for Tristin. But that's silly, Rory thought to herself. Tristin is my friend. Nothing more, nothing less. And so, Rory pushed those difficult thoughts out of her head for another day. As she always did whenever Tristin was concerned. When all else fails, deny all knowledge. Wasn't that her motto?
Later on, when she met up with Tristin, Rory had an air of discomfort around her. She studied him more carefully than she would have on a normal day. She really looked at him and was surprised by what she saw. She saw a friendly yet sexy smile. She saw electrifying blue eyes. She saw her best friend, yet she also saw someone different. Things were changing...
"Rory...hello?" Tristin snapped his fingers in front of her face.
Her gaze slowly dragged itself to his.
"Are you okay? You seem a little off today."
She tilted her head to the side and studied him. Tristin could have sworn that he briefly saw...something...flash in her eyes. But in the next instant the thoughtful look had been replaced with the cheerful one he was so accustomed to.
"Did you make the coffee today?" she accused.
"I might have..." He was purposely noncommittal.
"There's the answer to your question. I'm off today because the coffee was off. I am the coffee."
Both went about their usual bantering conversation, while their thoughts were elsewhere. Something had changed somehow, without them noticing it. Both didn't know what to make of it. So they did what they were best at. They ignored it.