Title: A single rose can be my garden, a single friend, my world

Chapter Three

Rating: PG (precautionary, for language. This may change)

Disclaimer: Amy Sherman Palladino still owns Gilmore Girls, so don't sue! Also, the title of this story is written by Leo Buscaglia.

Post date: 28th September, 2002

A/N: Hey! I don't really have all that much to say for once! Just read and review with your comments please. Ta! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mom, I'm leaving now!" Rory called out.





"Hang on, hon! I gotta take some photos!" Lorelei called out.





"What!? Why?!" Rory protested.





"I know sweets, but I gotta finish this roll of film so I can get it developed, kay?" Lorelei said, pouting.





"Fine, Fine." Rory grumbled and posed for photos. She was wearing hip hugger blue denim jeans, a shoestring periwinkle blue top and black thongs.





Lorelei finished the roll just as Rory exclaimed "Mom! I'm gonna be late!"





"Okay, Okay! Fine! Go, have fun! Don't do anything I wouldn't do! On second thought." Lorelei pondered, but Rory was already out the door and in the jeep waving as she drove out of town and toward Hartford.

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Rory pulled up outside the DuGrey mansion and parked the car on the street. She could have driven in, but it was a beautiful night and she felt like walking.





Just then, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. Rory jumped back in surprise.





"It's all right Mary, it's just me."





"Tristan!? What are you doing out here?! Shouldn't you be inside enjoying yourself?"





"Waiting for you, actually. And yes, I should be inside, which is why we have to be quiet."





"Huh, what do you mean? Why?" Rory stammered, confused.





"Well, you know how I told you it was neat casual dress?" Tristan said tentatively.





"Yes," Rory replied hesitantly, predicting what was coming.





"Well.I was wrong. It's actually a pretty formal thing. Sorry." Tristan grinned lopsidedly, not sure how she'd react.





"Oh, great! What am I gonna do now?" Rory asked.





"It's okay Mary, just follow me, and be quiet!" Tristan hissed as he started to creep towards the house, keeping well into the bushes.

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"Tristan! Where are you taking me?" Rory whined. They had sneaked into the main house and were going up the servants' stairs to the second level.





"My sister's room," Tristan replied softly.





"I didn't know you had a sister." Rory smiled.





"I.I.don't." Tristan whispered, turning away so that Rory wouldn't see the tears welling up in his eyes.





Rory stood, perplexed and not quite knowing what to do. She laid her hand gently on Tristan's shoulder, but he shrugged it off abruptly. He wasn't ready to tell her yet.





As Rory and Tristan got to the top of the stairs, he did a quick check of the hallway.





There was no one in sight, so he led Rory over to a door that looked just like all the others.





Reaching down the neck of his shirt, he pulled out a fine chain necklace with a key and locket attached.





Taking the key and unlocking the door, he led Rory into the room. It was just like any other teenager's bedroom.





Except.there was something missing. It wasn't an object or something like that, it was a feeling.





Love was missing from this room.







Rory pondered this as Tristan walked over to the closet and began to sift through the clothes.







Rory was suddenly jerked back to reality and joined Tristan at the wardrobe.





"So just how dressy is this thing, anyway?" Rory asked, steering the subject well away from the loveless room and the mystery occupant.







"Why don't you look out the window and see for yourself." Tristan replied mildly, still trying to regain his composure.





Rory walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain to see outside.





It was beautiful. Almost everyone was out on the patio, the guys in dinner suits and the girls in dresses that weren't quite dressy enough to be formal dresses, but they sure weren't casual dresses.





Beyond the patio, a green lawn stretched out before gradually grading into trees to become a forest. To one side, a rose garden was lighted by tea candles.





"Okay, which one do you like?" Tristan asked suddenly.





Rory walked over to the closet once more. There were so many dresses.





Rory and Tristan finally narrowed it down to two dresses - a turquoise one and a black one.





"Okay, which one do you think?" Rory asked.





"I dunno. Try the black one on I guess," Tristan replied indifferently.





"Okay." Rory trailed off.





"Sorry. Be back in a minute." Tristan caught on.





"Thanks." Rory smiled gratefully.







Tristan closed the door behind him and Rory quickly changed into the black dress.





It was gorgeous. The bottom finished just above Rory's knees. The straps were double spaghetti straps and the back finished about halfway down her back. The neckline was just low enough to look dressy, but not revealing enough to look slutty.





Tristan knocked on the door.





"Come in," Rory called.





Tristan stood, awestruck. She was gorgeous. Absolutely stunning. And she didn't even have shoes or makeup on. Tristan's eyes roamed her body, trying to find a fault. But there was none. Rory looked perfect.





"Tristan? Are you okay?" Rory asked. He had been staring at her for a minute or so and she was beginning t o feel uncomfortable.







"You.you look. Beautiful." Tristan stammered, while he choked back tears and turned away once more. She reminded him so much of her.





Rory blushed a deep red. "Um, can I borrow these shoes?" She asked.





"Yeah, sure. There's a bathroom over there with makeup and stuff in it, just use what you want." Tristan said, regaining his composure.





"Thanks." Rory smiled as she walked into the bathroom.

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Do you like it? You have to read on to discover the mystery behind the sister! Please review. Oh, by the way, a formal dress is like a prom dress I think, because our formals are like the equivalent of your proms.

"A friend is one walks in when the rest of the world walks out." -Walter Mitchell