Hi, welcome to part 8… please give me 100+ reviews! =)
The Games People Play
8. Fairytale in the making
* Ring Ring *
"Waaah," Lorelai rolled over and found the phone lying beside her bed.
"Mmurrh, wwhhat emm?" she groaned into the phone.
"Lorelai don't speak to me like that," her mother said.
Lorelai got her vocal cords working, "anyone who calls this early does not deserve to be spoken to at all!"
"It's not that early," Emily insisted, "and you have work today."
"Yes but I could have had another 20 minutes sleep," Lorelai complained, "in fact, I still could if you tell me what you want and we can get this over with."
Emily ignored her grumpiness, "I wanted to know if you and Rory had your dresses for the ball sorted out yet?"
"Nope," Lorelai answered.
"But it's Thursday," Emily said.
"Yes it is."
"And the ball's on Saturday."
"Aware of that also."
"So that's not very much time. I'll take you both shopping tonight," stated Emily.
"I don't need a new dress mom, I can wear what I wore to Rory's coming out."
"And be seen in the same thing twice?"
"Gee, if I'd known it was disposable I wouldn't have spent so much money on it."
Emily let it go, "well what about Rory? She needs a dress too."
"I can afford to buy my own daughter a dress," Lorelai said impatiently.
"But I want to be involved," Emily explained.
Lorelai just wanted to go back to sleep, "fine, we'll go shopping. You and I can go halves on the cost of Rory's dress."
"A compromise?" Emily asked.
"Yes, miracles do happen. See you tonight, have a nice day." Lorelai hung up, threw the phone back on the floor and curled up in bed once more.
That afternoon Rory slumped at the counter at Luke's with a sigh.
"Rough day?" Jess greeted her.
"Do you know how many people asked if it was true that I was going to the ball with Tristan?" Rory asked.
"No, I don't know," Jess replied as if she was telling a joke, "how many?"
"I don't know either! I stopped counting once it reached double figures."
"You should just stick a big sign on your head that says 'yes'" Jess suggested.
"Yeah thanks for that," Rory rolled her eyes, "so where's my mom?" she asked, noticing Lorelai's purse on the counter.
"Oops, I knew there was evidence to dispose of after having her kidnapped."
"Well I hope she escapes soon, we're supposed to go dress shopping with Grandma."
"Don't worry, I think there's only so much her captor can take."
"LORELAI!" Luke's voice thundered from upstairs.
"See what I mean?" Jess said to Rory.
"Lorelai, give back my clothes!" Luke chased Lorelai downstairs back into the diner.
Rory raised her eyebrows at Jess, "and they wonder where the rumors come from."
"Hi Mom, hi Luke, what's going on?" she greeted them.
Both responded at once.
"He's abusing his power as the only decent coffee supplier in Stars Hollow."
"She's stealing my clothes."
Lorelai was holding a pair of jeans and a shirt that obviously belonged to Luke.
"Are you planning on starting a new fashion trend?" Rory asked.
"Yeah, I was thinking of a flannel miniskirt," Lorelai wrapped Luke's shirt around her waist, "what do you think?"
"I think I want my clothes back in one piece!" Luke barked.
"Well I'm doing you a favor so you can be quiet and bring me some coffee," Lorelai directed before finally explaining the situation to Rory, "Luke threatened to cut off the coffee supply if I didn't pick up a suit for him."
"You're going shopping, I hate shopping. Plus you conned me into going to this stupid ball in the first place, it's the least you could do," Luke said while shovelling coffee into the machine.
"He always threatens your coffee supply," Rory reminded her mother.
"But this time he went so far as to hide the beans. It was a scary experience."
"Okay, but why the clothes?" Rory asked.
Lorelai shrugged, "I don't know his size!"
"Now it makes sense," Rory nodded.
"Only to the Gilmores," said Jess.
"So Cinders," Lorelai asked Jess, "how does it feel being the only one not going to the ball?"
"He can take my place," Luke offered.
"Gee, that's a tempting offer Uncle Luke, but I think I'll just wait for my fairy godmother to show up."
"Make sure you get some cleaning done while you wait," Luke told him.
"Do you want to go?" Rory asked Jess seriously, "it might be fun to have you there."
"Nah, you'll be with Tristan."
"I could find you a date."
"No. No blind dates, no ball," Jess insisted.
"As you wish," Rory teased him.
Lorelai checked her watch, "better make that a coffee to go Luke."
Luke handed her the mug he'd just poured, "skull it," he instructed.
Lorelai obeyed and gulped down the coffee before she and Rory headed to Hartford.
"Be nice," Rory warned Lorelai as they met Emily in front of a large formal store.
"I was nice, I agreed to this joyous occasion," Lorelai replied.
"sshh," Rory hissed, "Hi Grandma."
"Hello girls," Emily replied, "So, Rory," she asked as they browsed through the store, "so you have any idea what you're looking for?"
"Something with a skirt that isn't too poufy," answered Rory.
"Hey, this isn't poofy," Lorelai held up a slinky cocktail dress.
"Lorelai! She's sixteen!" Emily scolded.
"Sorry! Point me in the direction of the rack with the right age limit."
A sales woman led them down the back, "these are popular prom dresses," she said.
"I'm not going to a prom," Rory looked at them doubtfully, "they're a little...much," she said diplomatically.
"You can say it sweetie, giant creamy puffball," Lorelai said.
Emily glared at Lorelai, "you're not helping."
"Believe me, sparing my daughter from wearing a dress like that is the best help I can give."
"I knew you were going to be like this, you ridicule everything," Emily complained.
"I'm gonna go help Rory," Lorelai made a quick escape, leaving Emily talking to the sales woman.
"Why don't you try something on honey," Lorelai suggested.
"Only if you do too," Rory replied.
"Okay!" They grabbed a couple of dresses off the rack and headed for the dressing rooms.
"Let me see!" Lorelai called to Rory.
They both emerged from the change rooms and burst out laughing at each other.
Rory was wearing a green dress with a strap over one shoulder and a diagonal hemline.
"You look like Tarzan's girlfriend," Lorelai told her.
"Well you look like Puff Daddy's girlfriend," Rory retorted.
Lorelai was wearing a hot pink gown with a neckline that plunged to her navel.
"She's not his girlfriend and that's not his name anymore," she corrected.
"And thank goodness I have more important things to worry about," Rory said.
"What are you wearing?" Emily screeched, interrupting them.
"Relax mom, these are not serious options," Lorelai told her.
Emily rolled her eyes, "get changed!"
"Yes mam." Lorelai pretended to look remorseful as she ducked back into the change rooms.
Back in her normal clothes, Rory was sifting through yet another rack of gowns when Lorelai joined her.
"You'd better find something soon, sweetie, I'm about to be kicked out," Lorelai pouted, "apparently I don't have enough respect for the process."
"What a ridiculous allegation," replied Rory.
"I know!"
"Look!" Rory cut her off and pulled a dress from the rack, "I've found it."
"Go try it on!"
"So what do you think?" Rory asked Lorelai and Emily when she emerged from the dressing room.
"Aw honey, it's gorgeous," Lorelai announced.
"It's lovely," Emily agreed.
The simple style suited Rory. It was a baby blue dress that flowed straight to her ankles with a cowl neckline, spaghetti straps and a low back (sorry, I suck at fashion descriptions)
Emily frowned slightly as Rory twirled around, "isn't it cut a bit low at the back?"
"It's fine," Lorelai insisted, "just don't bend over."
Rory checked the mirror anxiously, "it's not that bad is it?"
"It's perfect. We'll take it," Lorelai told the sales assistant.
Lorelai called for takeout as soon as they got home and Rory called Lane straight after that. She described her dress and asked Lane what she was wearing to the ball.
"I don't even know if I'm going yet," Lane said dejectedly, "my mother says if I want to socialize with a boy I can invite him for dinner with the family."
"I thought she'd be cool with Henry?"
"But I don't want to bring him to dinner! I want to go to the ball," Lane sulked before freezing, "did I really just sound like that?" she asked Rory.
"'Fraid so," Rory replied.
"I'm going to turn into one of those girls from a teen romance!" Lane panicked, "forbidden to go to the dance, our heroine sneaks out her bedroom window and effortlessly climbs down the tree in her stunning gown to meet her hero."
Rory joined in her dramatics, "but their romantic evening is cut short when she is torn from his arms by her frantic mother and grounded for life."
"Only in my case the grounding won't result in family bonding over shared chores on the weekend, I'll be on the first plane to Korea."
"But it's a fundraiser," Rory stressed, "that's good. And there'll be adults everywhere. Does she know my mom's helping to organize it?"
"That wouldn't inspire great confidence," Lane said glumly.
"You have to be there!" Rory insisted.
"I'll try to think of something, but short of my mother having a personality transplant I wouldn't get your hopes up. You'll have Tristan anyway."
"But who am I gonna talk to about how cute he looks?" Rory asked.
"Best friend number 2," Lane suggested.
"My Mom'll be busy mocking the other Chilton moms, irritating my grandmother or flirting with Luke. Or possibly all three simultaneously."
"Number 3?"
"Couldn't convince Jess to go. I even offered him a date."
"Who?"
"I thought of Paris?"
"You'd inflict that on him?"
"Well it would make my mom proud, besides, stranger pairings have worked."
"Like you and Tristan?"
* beep beep * Rory's call waiting beeped.
"I've got another call," she said to Lane.
"Okay, I'll go, talk to you later."
"Bye!" Rory switched lines.
"Hello?"
"Rory?"
"Hi Tristan," Rory tried to contain her excitement. She was not turning into another lovesick Tristan groupie, she told herself firmly.
"So how was dress shopping?" he asked.
"Did I tell you I was going shopping?"
"Ah, I know everything."
"I thought I warned you before about stalking," Rory teased.
Tristan just laughed, "so what's it like?"
"It's a secret," Rory looked at the blue dress hanging from her closet door
"Fine, in that case I won't tell you what I'm wearing," Tristan said as Lorelai appeared in Rory's doorway and motioned that dinner was ready, 'Tristan?' she mouthed, asking who her daughter was talking to. Rory nodded.
"I promise I'll act surprised when you show up in a tux," Rory made her was to the kitchen still chatting to Tristan.
He feigned surprise, "who told you?"
"And you don't have to come all the way to Stars Hollow to pick me up you know, I can get a lift with my mom and meet you there," Rory looked at Lorelai who nodded.
"No," Tristan insisted, "I can be a gentleman."
"I believe it," Rory responded, pulling out some cutlery.
"So I wanted to ask you about the after party. I know it's probably not really your thing, but it'll be more relaxed than a ball with our parents around."
"mm hmm," replied Rory.
"So do you want to go?" asked Tristan.
"Yeah, it'll be a problem for me to get home, that's all."
"You could stay at my place," Tristan offered.
"Your place?" Rory's eyes shot open and looked guiltily at Lorelai, who caught on quickly and silently simulated uproarious laughter.
"Don't!" Rory hit her mother with a spoon.
"Don't what?" Tristan asked.
"Sorry, not you. I'll have to call you back after dinner," Rory explained.
"Sure, talk to you soon." Rory hung up the phone and waited for her mother to stop laughing.
"Ah, that's a good one," Lorelai said, "does Romeo really think I'm gonna let my 16 year old daughter stay over at her new boyfriend's house after a very romantic evening and an alcohol filled after party?"
"Mom!" Rory blushed, "you know that's not me! And Tristan's not even my boyfriend."
"But does he know all of that?"
"Of course.... I think," Rory frowned, thinking of Tristan's reputation.
"You know I trust you, honey, although you are related to me…" Lorelai said, "but if you want to go to the after party we can sort something out."
"Maybe if I feel like it..."
"Sure, Luke and I can hang around Hartford a while – we could go clubbing!"
"Yeah, I can just picture Luke dancing to techno in a tux."
"You're right, even my vivid imagination doesn't stretch that far. I guess we'll just see what happens." Lorelai grinned, "I'm excited, are you excited?"
"I'm excited," Rory admitted.
"Yay, told you so!"
TBC….
The Games People Play
8. Fairytale in the making
* Ring Ring *
"Waaah," Lorelai rolled over and found the phone lying beside her bed.
"Mmurrh, wwhhat emm?" she groaned into the phone.
"Lorelai don't speak to me like that," her mother said.
Lorelai got her vocal cords working, "anyone who calls this early does not deserve to be spoken to at all!"
"It's not that early," Emily insisted, "and you have work today."
"Yes but I could have had another 20 minutes sleep," Lorelai complained, "in fact, I still could if you tell me what you want and we can get this over with."
Emily ignored her grumpiness, "I wanted to know if you and Rory had your dresses for the ball sorted out yet?"
"Nope," Lorelai answered.
"But it's Thursday," Emily said.
"Yes it is."
"And the ball's on Saturday."
"Aware of that also."
"So that's not very much time. I'll take you both shopping tonight," stated Emily.
"I don't need a new dress mom, I can wear what I wore to Rory's coming out."
"And be seen in the same thing twice?"
"Gee, if I'd known it was disposable I wouldn't have spent so much money on it."
Emily let it go, "well what about Rory? She needs a dress too."
"I can afford to buy my own daughter a dress," Lorelai said impatiently.
"But I want to be involved," Emily explained.
Lorelai just wanted to go back to sleep, "fine, we'll go shopping. You and I can go halves on the cost of Rory's dress."
"A compromise?" Emily asked.
"Yes, miracles do happen. See you tonight, have a nice day." Lorelai hung up, threw the phone back on the floor and curled up in bed once more.
That afternoon Rory slumped at the counter at Luke's with a sigh.
"Rough day?" Jess greeted her.
"Do you know how many people asked if it was true that I was going to the ball with Tristan?" Rory asked.
"No, I don't know," Jess replied as if she was telling a joke, "how many?"
"I don't know either! I stopped counting once it reached double figures."
"You should just stick a big sign on your head that says 'yes'" Jess suggested.
"Yeah thanks for that," Rory rolled her eyes, "so where's my mom?" she asked, noticing Lorelai's purse on the counter.
"Oops, I knew there was evidence to dispose of after having her kidnapped."
"Well I hope she escapes soon, we're supposed to go dress shopping with Grandma."
"Don't worry, I think there's only so much her captor can take."
"LORELAI!" Luke's voice thundered from upstairs.
"See what I mean?" Jess said to Rory.
"Lorelai, give back my clothes!" Luke chased Lorelai downstairs back into the diner.
Rory raised her eyebrows at Jess, "and they wonder where the rumors come from."
"Hi Mom, hi Luke, what's going on?" she greeted them.
Both responded at once.
"He's abusing his power as the only decent coffee supplier in Stars Hollow."
"She's stealing my clothes."
Lorelai was holding a pair of jeans and a shirt that obviously belonged to Luke.
"Are you planning on starting a new fashion trend?" Rory asked.
"Yeah, I was thinking of a flannel miniskirt," Lorelai wrapped Luke's shirt around her waist, "what do you think?"
"I think I want my clothes back in one piece!" Luke barked.
"Well I'm doing you a favor so you can be quiet and bring me some coffee," Lorelai directed before finally explaining the situation to Rory, "Luke threatened to cut off the coffee supply if I didn't pick up a suit for him."
"You're going shopping, I hate shopping. Plus you conned me into going to this stupid ball in the first place, it's the least you could do," Luke said while shovelling coffee into the machine.
"He always threatens your coffee supply," Rory reminded her mother.
"But this time he went so far as to hide the beans. It was a scary experience."
"Okay, but why the clothes?" Rory asked.
Lorelai shrugged, "I don't know his size!"
"Now it makes sense," Rory nodded.
"Only to the Gilmores," said Jess.
"So Cinders," Lorelai asked Jess, "how does it feel being the only one not going to the ball?"
"He can take my place," Luke offered.
"Gee, that's a tempting offer Uncle Luke, but I think I'll just wait for my fairy godmother to show up."
"Make sure you get some cleaning done while you wait," Luke told him.
"Do you want to go?" Rory asked Jess seriously, "it might be fun to have you there."
"Nah, you'll be with Tristan."
"I could find you a date."
"No. No blind dates, no ball," Jess insisted.
"As you wish," Rory teased him.
Lorelai checked her watch, "better make that a coffee to go Luke."
Luke handed her the mug he'd just poured, "skull it," he instructed.
Lorelai obeyed and gulped down the coffee before she and Rory headed to Hartford.
"Be nice," Rory warned Lorelai as they met Emily in front of a large formal store.
"I was nice, I agreed to this joyous occasion," Lorelai replied.
"sshh," Rory hissed, "Hi Grandma."
"Hello girls," Emily replied, "So, Rory," she asked as they browsed through the store, "so you have any idea what you're looking for?"
"Something with a skirt that isn't too poufy," answered Rory.
"Hey, this isn't poofy," Lorelai held up a slinky cocktail dress.
"Lorelai! She's sixteen!" Emily scolded.
"Sorry! Point me in the direction of the rack with the right age limit."
A sales woman led them down the back, "these are popular prom dresses," she said.
"I'm not going to a prom," Rory looked at them doubtfully, "they're a little...much," she said diplomatically.
"You can say it sweetie, giant creamy puffball," Lorelai said.
Emily glared at Lorelai, "you're not helping."
"Believe me, sparing my daughter from wearing a dress like that is the best help I can give."
"I knew you were going to be like this, you ridicule everything," Emily complained.
"I'm gonna go help Rory," Lorelai made a quick escape, leaving Emily talking to the sales woman.
"Why don't you try something on honey," Lorelai suggested.
"Only if you do too," Rory replied.
"Okay!" They grabbed a couple of dresses off the rack and headed for the dressing rooms.
"Let me see!" Lorelai called to Rory.
They both emerged from the change rooms and burst out laughing at each other.
Rory was wearing a green dress with a strap over one shoulder and a diagonal hemline.
"You look like Tarzan's girlfriend," Lorelai told her.
"Well you look like Puff Daddy's girlfriend," Rory retorted.
Lorelai was wearing a hot pink gown with a neckline that plunged to her navel.
"She's not his girlfriend and that's not his name anymore," she corrected.
"And thank goodness I have more important things to worry about," Rory said.
"What are you wearing?" Emily screeched, interrupting them.
"Relax mom, these are not serious options," Lorelai told her.
Emily rolled her eyes, "get changed!"
"Yes mam." Lorelai pretended to look remorseful as she ducked back into the change rooms.
Back in her normal clothes, Rory was sifting through yet another rack of gowns when Lorelai joined her.
"You'd better find something soon, sweetie, I'm about to be kicked out," Lorelai pouted, "apparently I don't have enough respect for the process."
"What a ridiculous allegation," replied Rory.
"I know!"
"Look!" Rory cut her off and pulled a dress from the rack, "I've found it."
"Go try it on!"
"So what do you think?" Rory asked Lorelai and Emily when she emerged from the dressing room.
"Aw honey, it's gorgeous," Lorelai announced.
"It's lovely," Emily agreed.
The simple style suited Rory. It was a baby blue dress that flowed straight to her ankles with a cowl neckline, spaghetti straps and a low back (sorry, I suck at fashion descriptions)
Emily frowned slightly as Rory twirled around, "isn't it cut a bit low at the back?"
"It's fine," Lorelai insisted, "just don't bend over."
Rory checked the mirror anxiously, "it's not that bad is it?"
"It's perfect. We'll take it," Lorelai told the sales assistant.
Lorelai called for takeout as soon as they got home and Rory called Lane straight after that. She described her dress and asked Lane what she was wearing to the ball.
"I don't even know if I'm going yet," Lane said dejectedly, "my mother says if I want to socialize with a boy I can invite him for dinner with the family."
"I thought she'd be cool with Henry?"
"But I don't want to bring him to dinner! I want to go to the ball," Lane sulked before freezing, "did I really just sound like that?" she asked Rory.
"'Fraid so," Rory replied.
"I'm going to turn into one of those girls from a teen romance!" Lane panicked, "forbidden to go to the dance, our heroine sneaks out her bedroom window and effortlessly climbs down the tree in her stunning gown to meet her hero."
Rory joined in her dramatics, "but their romantic evening is cut short when she is torn from his arms by her frantic mother and grounded for life."
"Only in my case the grounding won't result in family bonding over shared chores on the weekend, I'll be on the first plane to Korea."
"But it's a fundraiser," Rory stressed, "that's good. And there'll be adults everywhere. Does she know my mom's helping to organize it?"
"That wouldn't inspire great confidence," Lane said glumly.
"You have to be there!" Rory insisted.
"I'll try to think of something, but short of my mother having a personality transplant I wouldn't get your hopes up. You'll have Tristan anyway."
"But who am I gonna talk to about how cute he looks?" Rory asked.
"Best friend number 2," Lane suggested.
"My Mom'll be busy mocking the other Chilton moms, irritating my grandmother or flirting with Luke. Or possibly all three simultaneously."
"Number 3?"
"Couldn't convince Jess to go. I even offered him a date."
"Who?"
"I thought of Paris?"
"You'd inflict that on him?"
"Well it would make my mom proud, besides, stranger pairings have worked."
"Like you and Tristan?"
* beep beep * Rory's call waiting beeped.
"I've got another call," she said to Lane.
"Okay, I'll go, talk to you later."
"Bye!" Rory switched lines.
"Hello?"
"Rory?"
"Hi Tristan," Rory tried to contain her excitement. She was not turning into another lovesick Tristan groupie, she told herself firmly.
"So how was dress shopping?" he asked.
"Did I tell you I was going shopping?"
"Ah, I know everything."
"I thought I warned you before about stalking," Rory teased.
Tristan just laughed, "so what's it like?"
"It's a secret," Rory looked at the blue dress hanging from her closet door
"Fine, in that case I won't tell you what I'm wearing," Tristan said as Lorelai appeared in Rory's doorway and motioned that dinner was ready, 'Tristan?' she mouthed, asking who her daughter was talking to. Rory nodded.
"I promise I'll act surprised when you show up in a tux," Rory made her was to the kitchen still chatting to Tristan.
He feigned surprise, "who told you?"
"And you don't have to come all the way to Stars Hollow to pick me up you know, I can get a lift with my mom and meet you there," Rory looked at Lorelai who nodded.
"No," Tristan insisted, "I can be a gentleman."
"I believe it," Rory responded, pulling out some cutlery.
"So I wanted to ask you about the after party. I know it's probably not really your thing, but it'll be more relaxed than a ball with our parents around."
"mm hmm," replied Rory.
"So do you want to go?" asked Tristan.
"Yeah, it'll be a problem for me to get home, that's all."
"You could stay at my place," Tristan offered.
"Your place?" Rory's eyes shot open and looked guiltily at Lorelai, who caught on quickly and silently simulated uproarious laughter.
"Don't!" Rory hit her mother with a spoon.
"Don't what?" Tristan asked.
"Sorry, not you. I'll have to call you back after dinner," Rory explained.
"Sure, talk to you soon." Rory hung up the phone and waited for her mother to stop laughing.
"Ah, that's a good one," Lorelai said, "does Romeo really think I'm gonna let my 16 year old daughter stay over at her new boyfriend's house after a very romantic evening and an alcohol filled after party?"
"Mom!" Rory blushed, "you know that's not me! And Tristan's not even my boyfriend."
"But does he know all of that?"
"Of course.... I think," Rory frowned, thinking of Tristan's reputation.
"You know I trust you, honey, although you are related to me…" Lorelai said, "but if you want to go to the after party we can sort something out."
"Maybe if I feel like it..."
"Sure, Luke and I can hang around Hartford a while – we could go clubbing!"
"Yeah, I can just picture Luke dancing to techno in a tux."
"You're right, even my vivid imagination doesn't stretch that far. I guess we'll just see what happens." Lorelai grinned, "I'm excited, are you excited?"
"I'm excited," Rory admitted.
"Yay, told you so!"
TBC….
