Title: American Beauty
Chapter: Three
Authors: Bent137 and ChristineCS
Disclaimer: Neither of us claims ownership on any of the Gilmore Girls' characters mentioned.
Summary: AU. Paris deals with the type of competition that comes tall, dark and handsome.
Author's Note: Yes, this is loosely based on the movie American Beauty.
From Bent: I hope you guys like this chapter. I had a hard time figuring out where to start, but once I did it became fun to write. It may seem slow, it even does to me, but we're setting up the rest of the story still. Chris? Anything to add?
Louise's pen dropped onto the table, the clattering causing everyone to look at her. "I can't stand it any more Paris," she brought her fingers to her temple, massaging in circles. "We've been at this for hours."
Hours? Paris glanced at her watch, "Louise, it's only been an hour and fifteen minutes since we got here, and five minutes of that was spent appeasing your stomach." More like 10, but I'm feeling generous.
Tristan looked back and forth between the two, "Actually Paris, I could use a break too. Maybe we could just take a ten minute break before we start working on out Literature work?" She wants a break, and he wants a break, and we all want a break. Boy, is the voice in my head getting snarkier or what?
Paris looked at him, "Fine. Ten minutes, no more, no less, beginning now."
"Fantastic," Madeline said jumping up, "Is it alright if I use your bathroom Paris?"
"Yeah, sure, go ahead."
Louise turned to Paris, "Could we just stop for the day, and do more tomorrow?"
Paris stared at her, "By tomorrow you will have forgotten our train of thought, besides, there will be more to think about after classes tomorrow."
"But isn't it safe to assume that if we'll have forgotten things by tomorrow that this is useless as there's no way we'll remember them for the test next week?"
"But the more we study the better the chances are that you will be able to retain some of the information."
"I'm sorry," Jess spoke up, "But I'm inclined to agree, besides I really need all the help I can get."
Paris studied him, torn between the habit of glaring, and the instinct to thank him. Her jaw twitched. He actually supported me, weird.
"Fine," Louise stood up, "Whatever, I better go find Mads before she gets lost." She stalked off. Madeline probably already is lost, Paris thought bitterly. She really needed to stop it with the attitude, even her inner voice sounded cynical.
"I'm going to go outside for a cigarette," Tristan said turning to Jess, "Want to come?"
"No thanks," Jess looked up at him, "If Chilton's as hard as you say then I probably won't be smoking as much, or maybe more due to stress. I'll have to get back to you on that."
"Okay man," Tristan said, turning to leave.
"Don't leave your butts all over the ground," Paris called after him. She waited for an innuendo, but none came. Apparently Paris was undeserving of that sort of attention.
When the front door slammed shut the room became quiet. Paris looked at Jess, and Jess looked at Paris, and for a moment they just looked at each other, but then each went to reading over their notes and books in a tense silence.
*
"Excuse me, uh, Paris?" Jess' voice broke the silence.
Paris looked up sharply, at first he thought she was angry, but soon realized she was simply shocked at the sudden noise. "Yes?"
"Something in my notes doesn't quite make sense and I was wondering if I could compare it to yours?" This is where she'll shoot me down and tell me I don't deserve it and if I messed something up then too bad.
"Oh, I guess so."
He tried not to look shocked as she passed her notebook to him. He smiled at her before quickly turning his eyes to the page. Why was she suddenly bearable? He spotted his mistake and quickly fixed it on his own notes. "Thanks," he handed the notebook back, "just a simple word mix-up. It's amazing the difference those little words make."
"Yeah," Paris agreed, "Sometimes all the difference."
There was a moment of silence while Jess debated with himself before finally deciding to bite the bullet. "It's amazing how well you do considering the people with whom you study."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Madeline isn't the brightest light bulb in the case, and Louise has the attention span of a flea."
For a moment he thought he'd really done it now but her face relaxed and a small grin graced her features. She was almost pretty when she relaxed. Whoa, where'd that thought come from. 'Who knows where thoughts come from? They just appear.' Rory Cochrane's voice rang through his head from it's residency in the pop culture area of his brain.
"Without me they wouldn't pass," Paris was saying, "they have no discipline. It is kind of nice to have someone else with a milligram of intelligence at the session."
Maybe it is time to extend the olive branch of friendship, after all, Paris is the type of person thats better a friend than an enemy.
"I know you don't like the whole coed studying thing, but if you ever feel the need for someone to debate the finer points of physic with, rather than which lip gloss goes better with whom at the school," he referred to an earlier conversation between Louise and Madeline. "I guess I'm trying to say that I'm up for it."
She smiled again. It was kind of creepy. "I'll keep it in mind," she said before her usual mask of annoyance settled on her face as the front door reopened and shut.
*
"Paris," her father said as he entered the room where they were studying. He stopped short at the sight of everyone. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were entertaining."
"We're just studying," Paris explained. "Is there something you needed."
His attention drifted away from the blonde girl whom was sitting on her left and back to his daughter, "I just wanted to remind you about dinner tonight. You need to be ready by 6."
She glanced at her watch, "Okay father, We'll finish up and I'll begin getting ready."
"Thanks Princess." He looked at the faces around the table again, all were familiar but one, a dark haired boy. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."
"Jess Mariano, sir," Jess said standing and offering his hand.
Paris' father took it, "Ah yes, you live next door correct?"
"Yes sir."
"Well it was nice to meet you," Paris' father turned to the other teenagers, "and it was nice to see you all again."
"Likewise Mr. Geller," Louise purred.
He nodded and began baking out of the room, he backed into the wall and looked embarrassed as he turned and hurried out.
