A.N.: Okay, it's kind of rushed, and I know it's bad to make a conclusion
rushed, but I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer and I didn't
know when I'd have extra time or energy to complete it. Yes this is the
ending, and for those of you who were curious as to whether this is a trory
or not, the answer's here. Um, plz read the author's note after this (the
next "chapter") if you have time. Thanks a lot!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Flashback ~
A gust of wind surged by and Paris checked the urge to giggle uncontrollably. This was too black-and-white movie-ish. Ethereal, if you will. She, Paris Gellar, was about to be swept off her feet by the ever- charming Prince, aka Tristan Dugray. Wrapping her arms around herself, she was unprepared for the deep voice that boomed out.
"Is that you, Paris?" It seemed a little awkward-too deep, she concluded- but she shook it off as her senses going haywire.
"Tristan?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Where are you? I can't see anything here. " No surprise Paris was as practical as ever even during what was supposed to be a romantic scene.
"It's uh…better this way."
"Are you sure? I'm sure we could move this to the lounge or something."
"No, no. I like it here. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, I never realized how much I liked you until now. I brought you out here to tell you I care about you."
Paris just gaped at the blackness surrounding, groping for Tristan's figure.
"Don't move! Just stand there. Good. Now close your eyes."
Paris did as she was told, every hair on end with anticipation of what was going to happen next. She could hear something descending and she pursed her lips in preparation. Then…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well, what happened then?" Rory's fists were clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her skin. She ignored the wildfire-hot feeling coursing through her-jealousy.
Paris hid her head under the covers, and Rory could make out the faint outline of her head shaking vigorously.
"Come on! I can't help you if you won't tell me!" She pulled the covers off the sobbing girl's head.
With a sniffle, Paris sighed in resignation. "Well…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"RIBBIT!"
A stream of bright light burst out of nowhere and radiated around the scene. All at once the quiet by the lakeside had become a pandemonium of giggles and retreating backs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You can't possibly be serious."
Paris only groaned.
"They took pictures?"
"Must you rub it in?"
By now it was nearly dawn, and Rory hoisted herself up off the bed.
"Where are you going?" Paris managed to say.
"Out," was the curt reply.
Bam. Bam. BAM! Interrupted by the loud noise, Summer turned to see 105 pounds of pure fury. All the girls in the lounge turned to look at the petite figure in the doorway.
"Rory! You'll never believe what happened last night!" The girls around her giggled at the mention of the incident. Apparently they had all been there.
"Listen to me. I've had enough of your snotty attitude. What is wrong with you people?"
"What are you talking about, Rory? Oh, you mean Paris? We were just having a little fun with her. That's all."
"Well it wasn't funny! You seriously hurt her!"
"Geez, don't go all parental on me. It was a joke."
"You don't see how making a girl kiss a frog and then taking pictures of it is wrong? I don't know what people see in you!"
"Well I don't know why we even decided to let you hang with us. Obviously you aren't 'A' list material. Why don't you scurry on back to your bookish ways, now? You obviously don't know what's funny and what's not."
There were many 'oohs'. They were gathering a large crowd. Rory was about to respond when she caught sight of "it".
"EEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!"
Dribbling the last of the oatmeal onto Summer's head, Rory dusted her hands and looked up innocently. "Well I found THAT quite entertaining. Perhaps we can do this again some time?"
Sauntering out of the lounge to a standing ovation, Rory tossed her head in imitation of Summer. She could see Paris watching from outside the window but she ran off when Rory made to approach her. Sighing, Rory mentally pounded herself on the head for going off like that. She was supposed to be calm and collected. It was just that Summer had been so…and when you factored in all the other horrible things Rory had witnessed her do, she really did deserve it. Of their own will, her feet took her back to the lake and she was surprised to find someone already occupying her usual spot. Suddenly the 'bad Rory' took over again. He was in on this too.
"I'd think you'd be with your friends celebrating the humiliation of another of your peers. What's wrong, have you actually developed a conscience?"
The silhouette turned towards her. His eyes widened. "Rory?"
"Great deduction. Now all you need is the hat, and you'll be a regular Sherlock Holmes."
"Are you ok?"
"Of course I am. So care to tell me how it all went down. You know, in your rich-boy-just-looking-for-fun version."
"Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor or something?"
"Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about!"
"Well I would have to, because I don't!"
"Oh please, Tristan. Everyone knows you were in on the whole humiliate- Paris escapade."
"Are you kidding me? That was Austin!"
Rory stopped in mid-wild gesticulation and gazed at him awkwardly. "Wha-?"
"Austin came in late last night after the dance and told us how they'd played Paris."
Rory strained to remember the observation Paris had made. His voice was deeper…Austin DID have a slightly deeper voice than Tristan. God, how could she be such a dunce!
"Oh…I feel like such a complete idiot."
"Don't. It's alright, really."
Rory blushed and hesitantly sat down beside him on the rock. "So, uh…how about that 49er's game?"
He looked at her as if she was insane. "Football season's over, Rory. It's been over for quite a while now."
"I knew that," she snapped quickly, turning scarlet.
"Sure you did. Your innate ability of deduction was wonderfully exhibited in your outburst just seconds ago."
"Anyone else would've made the same mistake! Paris never caught sight of any actual faces. We had to ASSUME that…"
"And since when do you ASSUME? I thought Rory Gilmore always based things on pure factoids."
"Since-since…forever."
"Even away from Chilton I'm learning such life-changing information. I'll bet you they'll add that to the SATs. Question # 554 Since when as Rory Gilmore began 'assuming'?"
She nudged him lightly, glad they had dropped back into familiar territory. She still felt a pang of guilt for accusing him so wrongly. Heaving a sigh, she stared at the rising sun. "Can you believe we're leaving today?"
"Oh well, back to the incessant beheadings ongoing at Chilton. Who you you think will be next? I hear Lila Forster didn't punctuate the last sentence of her essay with a period."
"Oooh, scandalous!"
Silence ensued once again.
"So did I win the bet?" She finally asked, basking inwardly. Rory knew full well that she had.
"No, actually."
She nearly fell of her perch in surprise. "And why not? I hung out with Summer and her possy, I cracked jokes about plaid skirts, I strip-teased for god's sake! I even…"
She was silenced by a warm hand clapped over her mouth. "Well technically, to be considered Queen of Chilton, you must be dating the KING of Chilton."
He released her and she grinned widely.
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
"And who might that be?"
"Oh, well I myself don't entertain a notion of who it might be, but I've heard many mention a certain someone who might fit that role."
She pulled away from him and sprung up, looking around eagerly. Checking her watch quickly, she spoke, "Oooh where? I've still got three hours to make him mine!"
Tristan grabbed her arm and pulled her down, growling into her ear, "He's sitting right next to you, and let me tell you, hun, he's already yours."
She shivered slightly against him, and knew what was coming this time. But no, this time she wouldn't run. This time, she was ready and waiting.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Flashback ~
A gust of wind surged by and Paris checked the urge to giggle uncontrollably. This was too black-and-white movie-ish. Ethereal, if you will. She, Paris Gellar, was about to be swept off her feet by the ever- charming Prince, aka Tristan Dugray. Wrapping her arms around herself, she was unprepared for the deep voice that boomed out.
"Is that you, Paris?" It seemed a little awkward-too deep, she concluded- but she shook it off as her senses going haywire.
"Tristan?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"Where are you? I can't see anything here. " No surprise Paris was as practical as ever even during what was supposed to be a romantic scene.
"It's uh…better this way."
"Are you sure? I'm sure we could move this to the lounge or something."
"No, no. I like it here. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, I never realized how much I liked you until now. I brought you out here to tell you I care about you."
Paris just gaped at the blackness surrounding, groping for Tristan's figure.
"Don't move! Just stand there. Good. Now close your eyes."
Paris did as she was told, every hair on end with anticipation of what was going to happen next. She could hear something descending and she pursed her lips in preparation. Then…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well, what happened then?" Rory's fists were clenched at her sides, her nails digging into her skin. She ignored the wildfire-hot feeling coursing through her-jealousy.
Paris hid her head under the covers, and Rory could make out the faint outline of her head shaking vigorously.
"Come on! I can't help you if you won't tell me!" She pulled the covers off the sobbing girl's head.
With a sniffle, Paris sighed in resignation. "Well…"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"RIBBIT!"
A stream of bright light burst out of nowhere and radiated around the scene. All at once the quiet by the lakeside had become a pandemonium of giggles and retreating backs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You can't possibly be serious."
Paris only groaned.
"They took pictures?"
"Must you rub it in?"
By now it was nearly dawn, and Rory hoisted herself up off the bed.
"Where are you going?" Paris managed to say.
"Out," was the curt reply.
Bam. Bam. BAM! Interrupted by the loud noise, Summer turned to see 105 pounds of pure fury. All the girls in the lounge turned to look at the petite figure in the doorway.
"Rory! You'll never believe what happened last night!" The girls around her giggled at the mention of the incident. Apparently they had all been there.
"Listen to me. I've had enough of your snotty attitude. What is wrong with you people?"
"What are you talking about, Rory? Oh, you mean Paris? We were just having a little fun with her. That's all."
"Well it wasn't funny! You seriously hurt her!"
"Geez, don't go all parental on me. It was a joke."
"You don't see how making a girl kiss a frog and then taking pictures of it is wrong? I don't know what people see in you!"
"Well I don't know why we even decided to let you hang with us. Obviously you aren't 'A' list material. Why don't you scurry on back to your bookish ways, now? You obviously don't know what's funny and what's not."
There were many 'oohs'. They were gathering a large crowd. Rory was about to respond when she caught sight of "it".
"EEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK!"
Dribbling the last of the oatmeal onto Summer's head, Rory dusted her hands and looked up innocently. "Well I found THAT quite entertaining. Perhaps we can do this again some time?"
Sauntering out of the lounge to a standing ovation, Rory tossed her head in imitation of Summer. She could see Paris watching from outside the window but she ran off when Rory made to approach her. Sighing, Rory mentally pounded herself on the head for going off like that. She was supposed to be calm and collected. It was just that Summer had been so…and when you factored in all the other horrible things Rory had witnessed her do, she really did deserve it. Of their own will, her feet took her back to the lake and she was surprised to find someone already occupying her usual spot. Suddenly the 'bad Rory' took over again. He was in on this too.
"I'd think you'd be with your friends celebrating the humiliation of another of your peers. What's wrong, have you actually developed a conscience?"
The silhouette turned towards her. His eyes widened. "Rory?"
"Great deduction. Now all you need is the hat, and you'll be a regular Sherlock Holmes."
"Are you ok?"
"Of course I am. So care to tell me how it all went down. You know, in your rich-boy-just-looking-for-fun version."
"Are you sure you don't want to see a doctor or something?"
"Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about!"
"Well I would have to, because I don't!"
"Oh please, Tristan. Everyone knows you were in on the whole humiliate- Paris escapade."
"Are you kidding me? That was Austin!"
Rory stopped in mid-wild gesticulation and gazed at him awkwardly. "Wha-?"
"Austin came in late last night after the dance and told us how they'd played Paris."
Rory strained to remember the observation Paris had made. His voice was deeper…Austin DID have a slightly deeper voice than Tristan. God, how could she be such a dunce!
"Oh…I feel like such a complete idiot."
"Don't. It's alright, really."
Rory blushed and hesitantly sat down beside him on the rock. "So, uh…how about that 49er's game?"
He looked at her as if she was insane. "Football season's over, Rory. It's been over for quite a while now."
"I knew that," she snapped quickly, turning scarlet.
"Sure you did. Your innate ability of deduction was wonderfully exhibited in your outburst just seconds ago."
"Anyone else would've made the same mistake! Paris never caught sight of any actual faces. We had to ASSUME that…"
"And since when do you ASSUME? I thought Rory Gilmore always based things on pure factoids."
"Since-since…forever."
"Even away from Chilton I'm learning such life-changing information. I'll bet you they'll add that to the SATs. Question # 554 Since when as Rory Gilmore began 'assuming'?"
She nudged him lightly, glad they had dropped back into familiar territory. She still felt a pang of guilt for accusing him so wrongly. Heaving a sigh, she stared at the rising sun. "Can you believe we're leaving today?"
"Oh well, back to the incessant beheadings ongoing at Chilton. Who you you think will be next? I hear Lila Forster didn't punctuate the last sentence of her essay with a period."
"Oooh, scandalous!"
Silence ensued once again.
"So did I win the bet?" She finally asked, basking inwardly. Rory knew full well that she had.
"No, actually."
She nearly fell of her perch in surprise. "And why not? I hung out with Summer and her possy, I cracked jokes about plaid skirts, I strip-teased for god's sake! I even…"
She was silenced by a warm hand clapped over her mouth. "Well technically, to be considered Queen of Chilton, you must be dating the KING of Chilton."
He released her and she grinned widely.
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
"And who might that be?"
"Oh, well I myself don't entertain a notion of who it might be, but I've heard many mention a certain someone who might fit that role."
She pulled away from him and sprung up, looking around eagerly. Checking her watch quickly, she spoke, "Oooh where? I've still got three hours to make him mine!"
Tristan grabbed her arm and pulled her down, growling into her ear, "He's sitting right next to you, and let me tell you, hun, he's already yours."
She shivered slightly against him, and knew what was coming this time. But no, this time she wouldn't run. This time, she was ready and waiting.