King of Fools By Lexy (since I can type this time and realize the difference between the z and the x keys)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything besides Jessi (my secret other half). If I did I wouldn't be sitting around writing fanfiction and stuff.
AN: Knees, 'nough said.
Rory Gilmore stood staring at the gargoyles. Summer had been too short and here she was standing in front of Chilton again, not wanting to take the first steps into the buildings. Her summer had been a little slice of heaven, hanging out with Lane and Dean at the lake, drinking coffee with her mother at Luke's and most of all not thinking about what awaited her here. Pairs, Mr. Medina and him… She hadn't wanted to get out of bed this morning. She just lay there looking at her plaid skirt and blazer on the chair across the room until her mother came in and asked her if her alarm clock forgot to purr. So now here she stood, dreading each minute that brought her closer to having to start the school year. Rory sighed with resignation, adjusted her bag and prepared to take that first fateful step when she heard her name.
"Rory!!!!!"
She spun around in surprise to find Paris walking up behind her, followed closely by a striking young man that Rory hadn't seen before.
"Rory…" Paris repeated. "I well.. ummm… I just wanted to… I heard that you were telling the truth about the tickets. You didn't want to go with Tristan after all. And I just wanted to say, I am sorry and here…" Paris pulled out a black mini skirt out of her bag and gave it to Rory. "But don't get used to apologizes, I don't make mistakes often."
The boy behind Paris chuckled.
"Ohh, Rory, this is Nathan. He moved here this summer from Wisconsin."
"Ahh, Dairyland. How are you enjoying Hartford?" Rory asked.
"It's all right. Paris has been kind enough to show me all the right places…" replied Nathan, gazing intently at Paris. Paris meet his gaze, and quickly blushed and dropped her eyes.
"Well we have to be going. Rory, just remember, I still own this place."
"It was nice to meet you Rory."
"You too, Nathan."
Nathan took Paris's hand and the two started to walk away. "Paris wait. I know that we aren't exactly friends, but I would like to try. I am having Lane, Henry and Dean over on Friday to watch some movies. Would you two like to come?"
Paris looked at Nathan and raised and eyebrow. He nodded his assent. "Sure," Paris finally responded.
"Great, about 7? We will stuff ourselves silly and quote movie lines…"
"Hold your proverbial horses Rory. Don't get all Brady Bunch on me."
Rory laughed. "Sorry Paris. I look forward to enjoying your company at 7. There, high tea enough for you?"
"Much better. I wouldn't want it to get around that we might actually become friends, " laughed Paris
She and Nathan glided off, with Nathan's arm sitting comfortably around Paris's waist.
*Will wonders never cease* thought Rory as she turned and walked into the building feeling much more at ease.
Her ease ended abruptly as soon as she opened her locker. She spotted a familiar head of blond hair coming towards her. Rory turned quickly turned back towards her locker, bracing herself for the impending confrontation.
It never came.
Rory looked up, amazed as Tristan walked right passed her, seemingly oblivious to her existence. He was completely absorbed in a book and the faint sound of music floating from him told Rory that his headphones were on loud enough to block out the rest of the world. She watched him as he deftly made his way down the hallway, somehow avoiding people in his way without breaking his concentration on the book.
Rory shook herself out of her startled state. Of all the scenarios that she had run through in her head about her first confrontation with Tristan this situation had not been one of them. *Get a hold of yourself Rory. Why do you care if he completely ignores you? I don't! * Rory shut her locker a little harder than necessary and headed to her first class.
Both Paris and Nathan were already sitting down when she entered the classroom. He was there too, still absorbed in his reading. *Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon? * thought Rory as she passed by him to take a seat next to Paris. *Why is he reading that? What aliens could stand Tristan long enough to kidnap him and replace him with this literate-Tristan-double?* She sat quietly and smiled at Paris who broke off her eyelock with Nathan long enough to manage a smile back.
Ms. Hanson walked into the class as the bell rang. She looked over her class list and then to her class. She picked up a ruler from the chalkboard and began to pace the aisles.
"As you all know by now the standards at Chilton are high and they are even higher in my class. Each week you will have a problem set of a hundred questions due. You will have a quiz each Thursday followed by a cumulative test every third Friday. I do not tolerate slackers or any misbehavior. I demand your utmost attention." WHAP! The ruler came flying down onto Tristan's desk, jarring Tristan from his book. He quickly pulled the headphones from his head and shut off the CD player.
"Nice of you to join us Mr. DuGrey. As I was saying. Utmost attention. If I don't have it, you won't pass. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Calculus."
Rory practically flew off the bus to where Dean was waiting for her. She was so happy from her first successful day at Chilton she failed to notice the worried expression on Dean's face.
"You will never guess what happened to me today. It started off by Paris actually apologizing to me. Seems she got a boyfriend over the summer and it has really loosened her up. I mean she wasn't all Bette Davis- All About Eve…"
"Rory-"
"Anyway, I invited them to movie night on Friday. And then I saw Tristan and he didn't try to pick a fight…"
"Rory-"
"He was like some weird Tristan-bot. Actually reading a book that wasn't assigned and a good book. Very alien abduction like. And all of my cla-"
"RORY!!!!"
Rory looked up startled. "What is it Dean?"
Dean guided her over to a bench and sat her down. "My dad got a call from his company today. They are transferring him back to Chicago. We have two weeks to get packed and moved."
Rory looked at him blankly.
"Rory, I'm leaving."
She burst into tears.