[A teensy time jump…]

Love can be a pain in the butt – Chapter sixteen

2 weeks later…

Rory examined herself in front of her mirror.

She admired how the silky white dress accentuated her curves and slightly flared to her knees. She quickly combed her hair, which she decided to leave out, adjusted the thin straps of her dress and put on the silver heart pendent Christopher gave her for Christmas when she was ten.

She stared at the mirror one more time; thinking of what she was forgetting…shoes!

She exited her room and headed to Lorelai's room. She knocked once and waited for her to open the door.

Last time she knocked, she had opened it to come across her mom and Luke making out on the bed. That was two weeks ago. Ever since, she knocked and waited for Lorelai to open the door.

"Don't worry honey, he's not here, so you can open the door."  Rory heard Lorelai shout from inside.

Rory slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Lorelai was on her bed, sprawled out in blue pj's with Elmo on it.

Lorelai sat up and she smiled.

"You look beautiful, an angel, just like me!"

"You an angel? I don't think God would be pleased with the exhibitions you've been displaying with a certain gentlemen around Star's Hollow."

 "Shut up! I know you're happy for me."

"I am happy for you."

"That's good. I'll be happy for you when you get with Tristan. I've been meaning to ask when that would happen, need to write it in my planner preferably this years one."

"I'll tell you when you tell me when you're getting married."

"Hey! We've only been a couple for 1 week, 6 days, 12 hours and two minutes."

"I had no idea my mother could be so precise!" Rory retorted.

"Where did you think you got precision from?"

"Must be you. Anyway, I was wondering if I could wear those nice strappy heels you got last week."

"If you can find it, then you can."

Rory walked over to her bed and went down on all fours to fish out a brown bag from under the bed.

"Found it! And can I also use your strawberry and cream lip gloss?"

"Ooh, do you plan on kissing a particular boy?"

"Which one?"

Lorelai laughed.

"Sure, use it, it's in that bag." Lorelai pointed to a small purple bag at her feet.

Lorelai stretched forward to grab the bag and started to dig through it. A few seconds later, she pulled out a small container.

"Taadaa!!!"

Rory took the lip-gloss from her and walked over to the mirror.

"Mom, aren't you coming to the party? Cuz I remember Tristan did invite you," she asked applying some lip-gloss.

"Full of Hartford socialites that I've known since a child, criticising my way of life which I happen to love? Geez hard question. I think I'll pass."

"Free food."

"Pink pates, weird salmon stuff. I'll stick to burgers and fries."

"Mom?" Rory pleaded.

"You have Tristan. I'll have no one."

"You really don't want to go, do you?"

"No offence but I'd rather stay home and watch Obi wan strut his stuff."

"…OK."

"So when's he picking you up?"

"At six."

"That's in ten minutes, you better hurry."

"Don't worry, he's probably going to be fifteen minutes late."

"Another reason, why I like him. He understands us Gilmore girls."

***********

The party was held at Tristan's grandfather's estate. The actual party was in a big hall, a ten-minute walk from the actual dwelling itself. The walls were made of glass as well as the roof. It was mostly fogged up, or covered with the fresh snow that was falling outside. Vines with white flowers were intricately woven through wooden mesh boards that were set up around the place and lanterns were purposely hung around the place, supplying the only light, they gave the place the feeling of an enchanted garden, indoors. To one side was a pool that resembled those nice mini lagoons you'd find in the middle of nowhere. The room smelt like jasmine and cigarette smoke.

Rory and Tristan stood by the dance floor watching couples dance on the dance floor to live jazz music.    

"My mom wanted a DJ but my dad got his way and got the," Tristan squinted to see the name on the drum, "Blue Bombs?"

"Jazz isn't necessarily bad. Has a swing to it."

"I know but trance, RnB, pop and lots of rock would have been better."

"The Vines, Christina Aguilera and Nelly. I think the old people would enjoy that. There'll be a mosh pit and people crowd surfing in their expensive Versace dresses and Armani suits. Tristan, retirement party, not a *party* party."

"Well, if you compare the DJ thing to a BBQ at a socialite party I think the BBQ thing when its snowing, outdoes everything else. I have to have such a crazy mother."

"Don't knock your mom, she's cool," she paused, "was there going to be fairy bread and chips? How about lollies?"

"If my mom had her way, then yes."

"I like lollies and chips. Not caviar."

"The guests love it. You always need to please the guests."

"You got a point but everybody loves chips and lollies. What kind of human wouldn't?"

"Humans with special made diets and personal trainers that earns more in a day then a Wall Street marketer earns in a year."

"Forgot about them. Hey, look at your mom, she seems sad." Rory motioned to Cathy.

"She's still upset that she didn't get her way." Tristan headed towards his mom, Rory towed behind.

"What's with the wounded puppy look?"

"No 'hi mom' or 'you need help?' just don't say the 'pate's are delightful!'" Cathy mocked in an old ladies voice. 

"OK… hi mom…great party." Tristan slowly replied.

"Bored? It wouldn't be if we had a DJ and a BBQ instead of the Blue Bombs and weird pate stuff. At least we'd be original."

"Stop being pessimistic. Look on the bright side. People are enjoying themselves."

"You do have a point. Dance a little, might make time go faster. I need to find your father and play hostess."

"Break a leg mom."

"Thanks, might actually need that."

After Cathy left, Tristan turned towards Rory who was watching an old couple dance in the centre, his grandparents.

'She looks amazing' Tristan happily thought.

After that awkward incident two weeks ago, they didn't hang out with each other that much, partially because he was helping his mother with errands for the party. And when they did hang out, the *tension* would be present, strong enough to provide electricity to the whole of Hartford.

Rory could feel Tristan watch her, she tried her hardest to stay focus and watch his grandparents dance. She smiled at the happy old couple. She'd be the luckiest person alive, if she could find love like that. And would be even better, if the feelings were reciprocated.

She turned to Tristan when Summer inconveniently interrupted.

'Haven't seen her in a while.' Rory rolled her eyes, as did Tristan.   

"Tristan."

The infamous brunette in a red strapless evening dress flung herself at him and clutched onto his arm.

"Rory," she glared at Rory before turning her attention to Tristan.

"So, how's life?"

"Fine." Tristan glanced at Rory to rescue him.

If Rory were not feeling so jealous and angry at Summer, she'd leave Tristan alone with her and from afar, watch him wheedle his way out of this situation.

She sighed inwardly. Coincidently, a song she liked began to play.

"Oh! Tristan I like this song. Dance with me?" Rory sweetly asked.

"Sure." Tristan quickly grabbed Rory and led her to the dance floor, leaving a fuming Summer.

"Thanks. Did I seem that obvious about Summer? She's not exactly my favourite person but I don't want to exactly hurt her."

"Since when did you become aware of other people's feelings? Don't worry, with the way she's looking, she's definitely the opposite of hurt." Rory replied looking at Summer.

Tristan quickly glanced back.

"You're right but why she so angry?"

'Cuz she still has the hots for you and she wants to kill me for wanting you too.'

Rory decided to change the subject.

"Tristan careful! You're going to dance us into the pool."

"Oh, sorry." Tristan lead her away from the poolside. "Forgot white goes see through when wet." He looked at the white ensemble Rory was wearing.

"It's OK." Rory ignored his last comment and smiled.

Tristan smiled back.

Hesitating, Rory rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes enjoying this moment. A lazy content smile rested on Rory's lips as the once unbearable tingles surged through her body making her feel a little light headed. She swore that if she stayed in this position for another few minutes, her knees would buckle. She looked up at Tristan; unafraid to stare into the beautiful blue that, willingly admitting, never failed to captivate her.

Oblivious to Rory, she was inching her lips closer to his. Rory closed her eyes, as her lips were microseconds from touching his.

'There's no going back'

Tristan was scared.

He was worried that Rory was going to run away, cry, tell him that it had meant nothing and she will ask him if he felt the same way. He would then lie and tell her that it didn't mean a thing when it really meant the world to him. Then following that he would tell her that they were still pals, buddies, friends, when the truth was he really wanted more.

'The truth sets you free. God I hope so. Because if it still keeps me locked up in that invisible cage then I might as well live my life in a sea full of lies, at least it won't hurt as much as the truth.'

Tristan was happy.

Finally on her own free will, well he didn't force her to kiss him the other times, she wanted to kiss him and it had nothing to do with breaking up with Dean. The moment was finally arriving.

But most importantly, Tristan was now confident, truly confident for once in his life.

He was sure that after this kiss, things would not blow up in his face. This kiss, will become the start of something…something special. For once in his life he would be able to love someone openly and finally know what everyone else was talking about, he could experience the joys of love.

Closing the distance between them, their lips lightly touched when all of a sudden some dark force took her away from him. More like grabbed.  

'This feels too real it can't be some dream that has turned into a nightmare.'

He opened his eyes. Rory was nowhere in sight.

'It feels too real, probably because it is Tristan.'

He looked at all the other guests, wondering where Rory had disappeared. The guest's faces were painted with worry and shock and a few of them were pointing to the pool. He slowly turned towards the pool and his eyes widened.

A/N: Ahhhhh! Cliffhangers! A big pisser offerrrr eh? This chapter was short [?], sweet and mildly confusing. But I guarantee that the next one would be even sweeter and it will undo the confusion. Oh, and it would be full of delicious Trory goodness. I sound like I'm describing chocolate. If I think about it, next chapter is actually the final chapter! The finale! And there may be chance I will finish this fic before the end of the year. Hopefully [fingers crossed]. Hmm, if you want you can submit a review telling me how much you dislike me for cliffhangers.