Disclaimer~ I own nothing.
AN~ Thanks for the reviews on the first part. I'm still not sure where this is going, but I promise it is going somewhere.:)
Feedback~ Keep it coming, please.
Decisions- by Berry
Part 2- One Way or Another
Next Day~ Chilton
~~~
"For this project you will be working in pairs."
Rory listened intently as Mr. Medina gave an English Literature assignment.
"Each pair will select a novel off of the list I just handed out. You will read the novel together."
Expecting the obvious question he added, "No you don't have to read the book aloud. You just need to make sure you both read it. When you finish, you will watch the film version of the book. Together you will compose a compare/contrast essay. From this essay you will develop a class presentation."
Paris Gellar's hand shot up.
Mr. Medina half smiled, "Yes, Miss Gellar?"
"Do we have to do this in pairs? I would much rather complete the entire assignment on my own."
Squelching his need to roll his eyes, he answered, "Yes Miss Gellar, you must work in pairs. This is a cooperative learning assignment. However, I will be kind and allow you to choose your own partners. In the last 20 minutes of class, please find a partner and, at the very least, choose a novel."
Rory felt the dread begin to overtake her. She had no desire to try to pick a partner out. She hadn't exactly made a huge amount of friends at Chilton. At least she wasn't going to be forced to work with Paris again.
As she began to scan the room for possible candidates, Tristan plopped down on her desk.
Rory cut him off before he could speak, "Do not even think about it?"
"Come on Ma-- Rory, why not?"
"For so many reasons, it is not possible to articulate them all."
"I thought that we were going to try to be friends."
"I don't think that this is the best way to start out."
Tristan put on his best puppy dog face, "Please, I promise to be good. Besides, who else in this class would you want to be with?"
Rory looked around the room. He had a definite point. The only people she would even consider being partners with seemed to be spoken for already.
Rory let out a deep sigh,"Okay, but if I end up doing all the work, this little friendship experiment of ours is over."
Tristan grinned, "Deal. What book do you want to do?"
Rory looked over the list, "I have actually read most of these."
Tristan nodded, "Yeah, so have I."
Rory looked at him skeptically.
"Rory, I do know how to read. My parents' money only got me into this school. It, alone, can't keep me here."
Rory felt bad, "Sorry, you don't remind me of the book type."
Of course, neither had Jess.
"That's okay. Why don't you choose the book and get two copies? I'll come over to your house later and we can work strategy."
The thought of Tristan in her house made Rory uneasy, but she would rather he was at her house than her being at his.
"Okay, come over at 6:00."
Tristan nodded.
"And Tristan, don't screw this up."
~~~
After school ~ Luke's
~~~
"Coffee, please," Rory asked politely.
"Okay, " Luke answered and began to pour her a cup.
"What, no protest?"
"Too tired to protest."
"I'm sorry. Did you not sleep well last night?"
Luke yawned, "No. Jess had the light on all night."
"Why?"
"He was up reading some book."
Just as Rory was going to ask Luke what book, Jess walked in and sat down next to her at the bar.
"Okay, I reread it, and I suppose you might have some valid points."
Rory looked shocked, "You reread the entire book last night?"
Jess nodded, "It was easier the second time around. You were right about Edmund and Fanny. She did develop their relationship well, but the characters of Mary and Henry Crawford were still CHEESY."
Rory smiled, "Okay, I will give you that Mary and Henry were a little superficial, but aren't you glad I made you reread it?"
"I don't know that I am glad, but I did like it better the second time."
"You must have, if you read it in one night."
"That had nothing to with the book. I did that for you."
Jess locked eyes with Rory. She became extremely uncomfortable.
"Look Jess, about what happened yesterday..."
Jess cut her off, "Rory don't."
"It should not have happened."
"Why?"
"Because of Dean, that's why."
"If that is the only reason you've got, then I am more sure than ever that it should have happened."
"What should have happened?" Dean interrupted.
Rory had not even noticed him walk in, and she began to panic.
"Nothing, nothing should have happened."
Dean shrugged it off. "What, do you two have a running date here after school?"
Both Rory and Jess answered at the same time, "No."
"Rory, you were supposed to come over to my house today."
Rory felt sick, "Dean, I'm sorry I forgot."
Jess grinned, "Hmm, I wonder why?"
Dean glared at Jess, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Dude, nothing. I was just thinking aloud."
"No, you were JUST being an ass."
Jess sat back in his chair, "No, I was sitting here having a conversation that you interrupted. Don't get pissed off at me because your girlfriend stood you up."
"God, you are such a smug little..."
Before Dean could finish Rory got up, grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him outside.
Dean looked extremely irritated, "What the hell did you do that for?"
Rory was almost to her breaking point, "Do NOT talk to me like that. I did that so you would stop acting like a possessive jerk."
Dean looked shocked, "Sorry. I didn't realize I was acting that bad."
"Yeah, well you were. You have been for a while now."
Rory could almost feel the words "it's over" forming in her mouth.
Dean grabbed her hand, "I'm sorry. It's just I love you so much."
With that, Rory lost all nerve, "Just try to be nice to Jess, please."
~~~
Later~ Gilmore House
~~~
Rory heard the door bell ring and hurried to open it. Tristan stood there with his trademark smirk firmly in place.
"I hope I don't regret this."
"You and me both, babe."
Rory glared at him, "Do not call me babe."
Tristan put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay. Won't happen again."
Rory led him into the living room.
"I chose The Great Gatsby. I hope that's okay. I figured since there is a newer film version of it, it might be good to do."
Tristan nodded, "Fine with me. As long as you don't make me watch the older version, too. Mia Farrow as Daisy is like fingernails on a chalkboard."
Rory was suprised by his analysis of Farrow's performance. She could not have agreed more.
"I promise no Mia Farrow. Can you live with Mira Sorvino?"
"Can do."
Since they had both already read the book, they decided that they should start by skimming through it, taking notes. They had been at it for 45 minutes, when Tristan looked up and saw Rory staring off into space. He looked down at her notebook and found it empty.
"Hey Miss 4.0, aren't I supposed to be the one slacking off?"
Rory snapped herself out of her funk, "What?"
She looked down at her blank paper, "Oh sorry."
Tristan could tell something was on her mind, "Rory, what's up?'
"Nothing."
Tristan pointed to her notebook, "Obviously it is something."
"Fine, it's something. Something that I am NOT going to discuss with you."
Tristan smiled, "Ooooh boy trouble."
"Shut up."
"We decided to be friends. Why not tell me what's wrong?"
"That is SO not going to happen because we are SO not there as friends, yet."
"Come on Rory. I AM a guy. Maybe I can give you some advice. Plus if we are ever going to get this project done, you will need to focus eventually."
"Promise you won't make fun of me?"
"Scouts honor."
Although Rory doubted that Tristan had ever been a boy scout, she decided to confide in him. She explained the situation with Jess and Dean. She chose to ignore that Tristan visible flinched at Dean's name. After Rory finished the story, Tristan looked confused.
"What exactly is the problem?"
Rory glared at him, "I never should have told you."
Tristan could not believe he was about to give Rory advice on guys.
"Rory, I don't mean to be a jerk. It just seems like you think you have a huge difficult decision to make. To me, it sounds like you have already made it."
Rory looked at Tristan questioningly.
"I think you know who you want to be with."
"No, I don't. That is the problem."
"No, Rory. The problem is that you just can't admit it, but it doesn't really matter. You HAVE to choose, and you have to choose fast. You can't string them along."
"I am not stringing anyone along."
"You may not be meaning to, but you are. Choose, or you will lose them both."
"Who?"
Tristan looked Rory in the eye, "Don't act dumb, you know who."
AN~ Things will actually start picking up in the next chapter. This was all kind of set-up. Do you guys want a Jory or a Trory?
AN~ Thanks for the reviews on the first part. I'm still not sure where this is going, but I promise it is going somewhere.:)
Feedback~ Keep it coming, please.
Decisions- by Berry
Part 2- One Way or Another
Next Day~ Chilton
~~~
"For this project you will be working in pairs."
Rory listened intently as Mr. Medina gave an English Literature assignment.
"Each pair will select a novel off of the list I just handed out. You will read the novel together."
Expecting the obvious question he added, "No you don't have to read the book aloud. You just need to make sure you both read it. When you finish, you will watch the film version of the book. Together you will compose a compare/contrast essay. From this essay you will develop a class presentation."
Paris Gellar's hand shot up.
Mr. Medina half smiled, "Yes, Miss Gellar?"
"Do we have to do this in pairs? I would much rather complete the entire assignment on my own."
Squelching his need to roll his eyes, he answered, "Yes Miss Gellar, you must work in pairs. This is a cooperative learning assignment. However, I will be kind and allow you to choose your own partners. In the last 20 minutes of class, please find a partner and, at the very least, choose a novel."
Rory felt the dread begin to overtake her. She had no desire to try to pick a partner out. She hadn't exactly made a huge amount of friends at Chilton. At least she wasn't going to be forced to work with Paris again.
As she began to scan the room for possible candidates, Tristan plopped down on her desk.
Rory cut him off before he could speak, "Do not even think about it?"
"Come on Ma-- Rory, why not?"
"For so many reasons, it is not possible to articulate them all."
"I thought that we were going to try to be friends."
"I don't think that this is the best way to start out."
Tristan put on his best puppy dog face, "Please, I promise to be good. Besides, who else in this class would you want to be with?"
Rory looked around the room. He had a definite point. The only people she would even consider being partners with seemed to be spoken for already.
Rory let out a deep sigh,"Okay, but if I end up doing all the work, this little friendship experiment of ours is over."
Tristan grinned, "Deal. What book do you want to do?"
Rory looked over the list, "I have actually read most of these."
Tristan nodded, "Yeah, so have I."
Rory looked at him skeptically.
"Rory, I do know how to read. My parents' money only got me into this school. It, alone, can't keep me here."
Rory felt bad, "Sorry, you don't remind me of the book type."
Of course, neither had Jess.
"That's okay. Why don't you choose the book and get two copies? I'll come over to your house later and we can work strategy."
The thought of Tristan in her house made Rory uneasy, but she would rather he was at her house than her being at his.
"Okay, come over at 6:00."
Tristan nodded.
"And Tristan, don't screw this up."
~~~
After school ~ Luke's
~~~
"Coffee, please," Rory asked politely.
"Okay, " Luke answered and began to pour her a cup.
"What, no protest?"
"Too tired to protest."
"I'm sorry. Did you not sleep well last night?"
Luke yawned, "No. Jess had the light on all night."
"Why?"
"He was up reading some book."
Just as Rory was going to ask Luke what book, Jess walked in and sat down next to her at the bar.
"Okay, I reread it, and I suppose you might have some valid points."
Rory looked shocked, "You reread the entire book last night?"
Jess nodded, "It was easier the second time around. You were right about Edmund and Fanny. She did develop their relationship well, but the characters of Mary and Henry Crawford were still CHEESY."
Rory smiled, "Okay, I will give you that Mary and Henry were a little superficial, but aren't you glad I made you reread it?"
"I don't know that I am glad, but I did like it better the second time."
"You must have, if you read it in one night."
"That had nothing to with the book. I did that for you."
Jess locked eyes with Rory. She became extremely uncomfortable.
"Look Jess, about what happened yesterday..."
Jess cut her off, "Rory don't."
"It should not have happened."
"Why?"
"Because of Dean, that's why."
"If that is the only reason you've got, then I am more sure than ever that it should have happened."
"What should have happened?" Dean interrupted.
Rory had not even noticed him walk in, and she began to panic.
"Nothing, nothing should have happened."
Dean shrugged it off. "What, do you two have a running date here after school?"
Both Rory and Jess answered at the same time, "No."
"Rory, you were supposed to come over to my house today."
Rory felt sick, "Dean, I'm sorry I forgot."
Jess grinned, "Hmm, I wonder why?"
Dean glared at Jess, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Dude, nothing. I was just thinking aloud."
"No, you were JUST being an ass."
Jess sat back in his chair, "No, I was sitting here having a conversation that you interrupted. Don't get pissed off at me because your girlfriend stood you up."
"God, you are such a smug little..."
Before Dean could finish Rory got up, grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him outside.
Dean looked extremely irritated, "What the hell did you do that for?"
Rory was almost to her breaking point, "Do NOT talk to me like that. I did that so you would stop acting like a possessive jerk."
Dean looked shocked, "Sorry. I didn't realize I was acting that bad."
"Yeah, well you were. You have been for a while now."
Rory could almost feel the words "it's over" forming in her mouth.
Dean grabbed her hand, "I'm sorry. It's just I love you so much."
With that, Rory lost all nerve, "Just try to be nice to Jess, please."
~~~
Later~ Gilmore House
~~~
Rory heard the door bell ring and hurried to open it. Tristan stood there with his trademark smirk firmly in place.
"I hope I don't regret this."
"You and me both, babe."
Rory glared at him, "Do not call me babe."
Tristan put his hands up in surrender, "Okay, okay. Won't happen again."
Rory led him into the living room.
"I chose The Great Gatsby. I hope that's okay. I figured since there is a newer film version of it, it might be good to do."
Tristan nodded, "Fine with me. As long as you don't make me watch the older version, too. Mia Farrow as Daisy is like fingernails on a chalkboard."
Rory was suprised by his analysis of Farrow's performance. She could not have agreed more.
"I promise no Mia Farrow. Can you live with Mira Sorvino?"
"Can do."
Since they had both already read the book, they decided that they should start by skimming through it, taking notes. They had been at it for 45 minutes, when Tristan looked up and saw Rory staring off into space. He looked down at her notebook and found it empty.
"Hey Miss 4.0, aren't I supposed to be the one slacking off?"
Rory snapped herself out of her funk, "What?"
She looked down at her blank paper, "Oh sorry."
Tristan could tell something was on her mind, "Rory, what's up?'
"Nothing."
Tristan pointed to her notebook, "Obviously it is something."
"Fine, it's something. Something that I am NOT going to discuss with you."
Tristan smiled, "Ooooh boy trouble."
"Shut up."
"We decided to be friends. Why not tell me what's wrong?"
"That is SO not going to happen because we are SO not there as friends, yet."
"Come on Rory. I AM a guy. Maybe I can give you some advice. Plus if we are ever going to get this project done, you will need to focus eventually."
"Promise you won't make fun of me?"
"Scouts honor."
Although Rory doubted that Tristan had ever been a boy scout, she decided to confide in him. She explained the situation with Jess and Dean. She chose to ignore that Tristan visible flinched at Dean's name. After Rory finished the story, Tristan looked confused.
"What exactly is the problem?"
Rory glared at him, "I never should have told you."
Tristan could not believe he was about to give Rory advice on guys.
"Rory, I don't mean to be a jerk. It just seems like you think you have a huge difficult decision to make. To me, it sounds like you have already made it."
Rory looked at Tristan questioningly.
"I think you know who you want to be with."
"No, I don't. That is the problem."
"No, Rory. The problem is that you just can't admit it, but it doesn't really matter. You HAVE to choose, and you have to choose fast. You can't string them along."
"I am not stringing anyone along."
"You may not be meaning to, but you are. Choose, or you will lose them both."
"Who?"
Tristan looked Rory in the eye, "Don't act dumb, you know who."
AN~ Things will actually start picking up in the next chapter. This was all kind of set-up. Do you guys want a Jory or a Trory?