Author's Note: Thanks to my reviewers! :
Mandie,
Firegoddess,
Babyblugoddess,
Gohuskers8604,
Lildevil,
Casey: thanks for pointing out that grandmother thing to me! I fixed it! ,
indigo-chica,
Lizzie Bee: I am SO flattered from your praise I really don't deserve it!!
Princess-of-Tears: I'm glad you are hooked!
And my three anonymous reviewers you know whom you are.
Now please, keep on reviewing!!
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These Summer Days
Chapter Five: An invite and a party…
"I wish I had a love story like that," Rory said sighing as they drove back to the Hartford Post building.
"You want to have a story of you killing yourself over a guy," came Tristan's sarcastic comments causing Rory to roll her eyes.
"No, I just want someone to be in love with me," she whispered quietly.
"Oh," was the only response he could say, out loud at least. Inside his mind was screaming 'Tell her!' But, this was Rory Gilmore the girl he would hate to love. It burned in his soul he wanted to tell her so badly but luckily for him they pulled up to the building before there could be any more awkwardness. "This is going to be one hell of a summer huh?" she asked Tristan as they stood waiting for the elevator. "No kidding. We've only been on this job for one day and we already found out a ton of stuff," They stood for a moment in awkward silence and the elevator still hadn't come.
"Come on," Rory said suddenly grabbing him hand, while ignoring the tingling sensation the contact of skin had caused.
"Where are we going?" Tristan asked surprised at Rory's sudden movement of grabbing his hand.
"To a janitor's closet," she replied with a smirk.
"I'd like that," he replied with a wiggling of his eyebrows.
"I'm sure you would…but we're not going there," she responded rolling her eyes at Tristan. She saw out of the corner of her eyes Tristan's face fall in disappointment making her burst into a round of laughter.
"I haven't laughed this much for two days in a row since god knows when," she said softly, mostly to herself but Tristan couldn't help hearing her.
"Have you been depressed lately Mary?" Tristan asked concerned.
"Not depressed per say just lonely," Rory admitted sadly as they started up the stairs. "I mean everyone I know is in love with someone…and then they all head to the gazebo and eat each other's heads," Tristan snorted at this and Rory continued her ranting. "What kind of romance is that? Sure, it's a benefit but a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship needs substance,"
"Rory, what are you doing tonight?" Tristan asked suddenly causing her to stop talking. She always had a sparring comment rolling off her tongue. She was never caught off guard with Tristan in their battles of wit. "What. Are. You. Doing. Tonight?" he repeated slowly as if talking to a two-year-old. "I don't know. I mean my mom's out with Luke, Dean's with Madeline, Jess's with Paris and Lane's with Dave—," he cut her off.
"Rory, stop. All I wanted to know is your planes,"
"Oh. Right! Nothing, why?"
"There's a party tonight in Hartford. You can invite Lane and everyone if you want…I'll even send a limo," words were fumbling out of Tristan's mouth before he could realize what he was saying.
"Oh my god!" she squealed jumping up and down. "I'll take that as a yes," he said with a smile. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Yes," she whispered kissing him on the cheek, quickly.
"Finally!" they heard Paris's exclamation but they ignored it both wishing there were more to the moment then just a chaste kiss on the cheek...but neither realized they both wished the same.
"Did you two find anything?" Paris's voice finally forced Rory and Tristan to face reality and slowly let go of each other while sharing a glance, neither wanting to reveal their secret. "No," the two replied in unison.
"Actually, we found out that my family and Tristan's family used to be rivals but then Tristan's great, great grandfather decided the rivalry was stupid so they ended it," Rory said not revealing the whole truth but telling some. "Good," came Paris's satisfied answer.
"Hey Paris, you know that party that's being held on our street?"
"Yeah,"
"Wait a second! You guys live on the same street?"
"Unfortunately," mumbled Paris as Tristan grinned.
"We've had some fun times, haven't we Paris?"
"Whatever you say, DuGrey," she said smiling a little. "Well, I was thinking of bringing Rory and company to the party if your interested,"
"Sure, if Jess can come," Rory nodded in agreement. "Of course Paris, don't worry I'll take care of it," and so they said their good-byes and all headed home in separate directions…all to their respectable homes.
* * *
"Lane!" Rory called out staring at the mess on her bed that overflowed to the floor. Lane, along with Lorelai and Sookie trailing behind her. "Whoa," was all Lane could say staring at the mess of Rory's room. "Mom!" groaned Rory sitting on top of a pile of clothes.
"Okay, okay…let's see! It's not formal or anything so wear this jean skirt that says 'I'm hip and cute'…and that red top that says 'aren't I beautiful? And my shoes that say 'Rory's got the coolest mom in the world' and voila! A beautiful outfit!"
"I'm never going to get that good," Rory groans jumping up and taking the aforementioned items into the bathroom and along with her.
"Four more years of fashion brain freezes baby, I promise!" Lorelai called out.
"Rory, who else is coming?" Lane called out. "Uhh…Jess, Dean and Dave," she called back brushing her hair. "What about Madeline and Paris?" Lorelai asked leaning on the wall across from the bathroom door. "They're coming too with Tristan and the limo!" she called out. The doorbell rang and Rory could faintly hear Lorelai greeting them all. "Rory!" she called out. Rory grinned at herself in the reflection tonight was going to be fun.
* * *
The party was in full swing by the time Rory and company showed up at the party. "Do you want some punch?" some guy asked Rory. "I'd love some," she replied grinning at the guy in front of her. He grabbed her arm and Rory mouthed to the three other girls 'What a hottie!' the girls suppressed their giggles as Tristan watched the two warily. "I'm Ben," he introduced himself to Rory as he poured himself and Rory a cup of punch. "Rory," she replied taking one of the cups from Ben's hands and taking a sip. "This tastes weird," she commented. "But good, huh?" came Ben's response.
"Yeah," Rory said grinning at Ben, again.
"So do you want to dance?"
"Sure," she agreed readily as the two went onto the dance floor.
Five Cups or so later…
Rory swaggered over to the punch table and nearly fell in the process, giggling all the while. She tripped again and someone's steady hand guided her to the table. "Thank You," she slurred looking up to see Tristan's concerned gaze. "How many cups have you had?" Tristan asked and she rolled her eyes.
"I don't know five or six, maybe?" she giggled again as Tristan watched her down another cup. She let go of the table and almost fell again but in a last ditch effort to keep herself balanced she flung her arms around Tristan's neck.
"You smell really good," she murmured lazily.
"Rory?" Tristan asked again, concerned for Rory.
"I never told you this Tristan but I've been in love with you ever since you left for military school,"
"What—," Tristan was suddenly cut off with Rory crushing her lips to his. She pulled back mumbling something about not feeling very well and then suddenly leaned over and barfed onto the floor. "That's it, come on," Tristan said picking her up easily and carrying her out of the party. He smelled her breath to see if his assumption was correct and it was, Rory Gilmore was drunk.
Tristan sighed remembering the kiss—wishing it hadn't been a result of her drunkenness but it had been and that's what hurt the most. He wished it were because she really liked him but there was no way in hell that would happen with him and Rory Gilmore, his Mary. He slipped into his house hoping that his parents weren't in yet. He climbed up the stairs still holding Rory in his arms as he passed his sister's room.
"Tristan?" Emma called from her room. He paused in the hall backing up a few steps to his sister's room. "Yeah?" Tristan responded softly not wanting to wake Rory up.
"Please don't tell me your going to your room to 'do it' with her,"
"I'm not!" came his bewildered reply not knowing how in the world his sister would get an idea like that. "Don't use her Tris," Emma said softly.
Tristan sighed. "This isn't a girl I'd use, Emma. This IS Rory Gilmore,"
"You mean the girl who you're in…"
"Yeah…the one and only Mary," he said smiling a little looking down at Rory in his arms.
"Sorry, I thought…"
"It's okay," he replied shrugging in response.
"How come she's here Tristan?"
"She got drunk at the party,"
"Oh," was Emma's only response. Rory groaned and her eyes fluttered open for a moment.
"Tristan?" Rory mumbled still half-asleep.
"Yeah?" Tristan responded looking down at Rory worry could be seen on his face.
"I don't feel good,"
"Okay, okay we're going," he said softly as she moaned a little. "Shh…Rory it's going to be okay,"
"Night Tristan," Emma whispered.
"Night," Tristan replied bringing Rory to his bathroom. She leaned over the toilet as he pulled back Rory's hair as she barfed—again.
"It hurts," she moaned lightly as she started to cry.
"It's going to be okay, Ror," he soothed as she crawled into his lap. "Your such a good friend," Rory mumbled as she drifted off to sleep. Tristan soon pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called the Gilmore house.
"Hey, it's the Gilmore's. Leave a message or the oompah loompahs will get you! * Cackle * BEEP,"
"Hey Lorelai this is Tristan…just wanted to tell you that Rory wasn't feeling to well at the party so she's at my house. Don't worry though I'll sleep on the couch and Rory will sleep on the bed. See you tomorrow, whenever you can pick her up," Tristan hung up and wondered how the hell he wound up with Rory Gilmore sleeping in his room, on his bed and he sleeping on the couch. Sighing he placed Rory on the bed gently and then headed over to the closet while grabbing a blanket and a pillow. He undressed quickly to his boxers as he climbed onto the couch. Before he drifted off to sleep the memory of their first kiss along with the one at the party that they had shared. He glanced over at her, one more time wishing he could kiss her, be allowed to kiss her, the one she was in love with but he wasn't and that was the worst part of all.
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To be continued…Chapter Six: 'Awkward Moments': Rory thinks she's slept with him…. and she meets Emma all in one morning.