Chapter 6:

*********************** The following Monday ***********************

"Paris! Are you ready to go?" Rory yelled down the hallway.

"Be there in a sec." Paris called back.

Rory stood by the front door waiting for Paris to get ready. She took out her mobile and checked her message inbox. It was still empty, except for a message Loralei had sent to her a couple of days ago. Rory looked up from her phone and gazed down the hall searchingly.

Paris shut her bedroom door with a force, causing the hallway to echo with the sound. She ran up the hall with her bag on her back and a folder in her arms.

"Sorry." Paris apologised, " I couldn't find my library card."

"You wanna come with me or are you going to go by yourself?" Rory questioned Paris.

"Up to you. The only thing is, if you drive me, you'll have to drive me home again."

"I don't mind taking you home if you wanna come with me."

"Ok then."

Paris unlocked the door and together they walked out the front-door and down the path towards the front gates. Paris got out her huge bunch of keys, fumbling as she picked out the right key.

"Ah-ha!" Paris announced triumphantly "Here it is."

"My goodness!" said a surprised Rory. "How on earth did you end up with such a huge bunch of keys?"

"There are heaps of locks in my house." Paris explained. "Dad says he's heard of too many robberies taking place in our neighbourhood for him to be able to sleep at night, without the comfort of tight security. So that means everything of value, under lock and key."

"We don't even lock the front door when we go out, although that might just be because Mum can never be bothered to have it fixed. It's been brocken since I was in about the third grade or something."

Paris opened up the now unlocked gates and let Rory walk out ahead of her. Paris took one look at the car Rory had just gotten into and shook her head.

"What's wrong?" Rory questioned.

"I can't get in that."

"What do you mean?"

"I usually drive a BMW to school everyday."

"Whatever. I'll meet you at schol then." Rory replied, understanding what Paris meant.

Rory once again turned on the radio and drove through, the still Merc and BMW lined, streets of Hartford. She stared longingly (as long as safe driving allowed) at the elegant, looming mansions that were plentiful in the Hartford area. She would have loved to own many of the houses she saw. But there was one house that stood out from the rest - a gigantic, 4-story mansion, with prim, neat gardens and very stylish architecture. Funnily enough the house was up for sale.

"One day I'm gonna own that house." Rory thought to herself. "Well, maybe not own. I'll visit it anyway!"

Rory pulled into the school parking lot, to see a group of about 25 females gathered around a sports car, all in tears. Rory parked her car carefully beside Paris's BMW and walked over to Paris, who was standing oppposite the group of tearful girls. Her face held a disgusted expression.

"What's wrong?" Rory enquired.

"Those girls are need help." Paris spat out. "They're all crying because Tristan's in hospital with a broken ankle."

"Ok."

The two girls turned around and headed off to their designated lockers.

**************************** Lunch break *************************

"He's coming out on Thursday." Madeline informed Louise, with a smile clearly visable.

"Ooohh! Won't Riannan be pleased!" The two girls looked at each other and broke into their usual fit of giggles. Paris just rolled her eyes.

"Ugh! I'm sick of hearing about Tristan, Tristan, Tristan." Paris complained. "It's like the only thing on peoples minds today."

"Ooh I just remembered!" Louise squealed.

"What is it?" Madeline questioned.

"Look at the flier on the wall over there!" Louise pointed to a yellow flier pinned to the caferteria wall. "They're holding a get well party for Tristan on Friday! We have to go!"

The two girls both squealed in delight. Rory and Paris both rolled their eyes this time.

"You know what else I heard?" Louise questioned exitedly.

"What?" Rory answered in a monotone voice.

"Rumour has it that there might be a new kid coming to Chilton."

"Ooooh." Madeline remarked. "Jessica Nolland is moving out of Hartford, so her house is up for sale. Apparently there's a family that includes a male who is our age, is very intrested in the house and is expected to buy it very soon! Oh and they also have a girl in the grade below us." Louise added in.

"Is Jessica the girl who wore that horrid mini skirt to that party last week?" Madeline asked Louise.

"Uh-huh."

"I think I saw her house on the way to school this morning." Rory commented. "Is it that 4-story mansion near your house?" Rory questioned Paris.

"Hmm?" A confused Paris questioned, as she looked up from her enliglish class novel.

"I said, is Jessica Nolland's house that 4-storey mansion near your house?" Rory repeated.

"I have no idea to be honest Rory." Paris went straight back to reading her novel.

"So are you going to go see Tristan this afternoon Rory?" Madeline asked.

"No. Are you?" Rory returned.

"Maybe. Depends if other people are going or not. If there's too amny people going then I think I'll go later on tonight. I'd like some alone time."

A smile spread across Madeline and Louise's face.

"So why aren't you going?" Louise questioned, as she placed a sandwhich in her mouth.

"Because I don't like him and because he's a jerk."

"Well that was blunt." Louise remarked. "So did you end up asking Tristan to the dance the other day Paris?"

"No. I was never going to in the first place." Paris replied in defence. "Now stop disturbing me. I'm trying to concentrate."

"Well looks like we'll have to try again then Madeline." The two girls smirked and got up. They picked up their trays and wandered off on their own, chatting and gossiping.

Rory continued to eat ther lunch while Paris read her novel. Her eyes drifted around the room, scanning the crowds of people. Most people were seated at a table eating their lunch and chatting with their friends. There was always the occassional nigel with no one to sit with. Memories of her first days at Chilton flooded her mind. Rory pushed the thoughts to the back of her head and continued to observe those around her. As her eyes bagan to drift around the room again, her eyes came to rest on the bright yellow flier situated on the wall just above the empty table at the back of the room. A get well party. surley it wouldn't hurt to attend that would it? I mean it would only be polite seeing as she was so involved aleady. Well, she could think about this later on in the week. It was only Monday after all.

Rory looked down at her watch. It was most definitely time to head off to class. She got up off her seat and stood up, stretching her cramped legs. She slung her bag over her shoulder and leaned down to pat Paris on the shoulder.

"I said not to disturb me." Paris muttered.

"It's time for class."

Paris's head jerked up from her book and she came into eye contact with Rory.

"Already?" Paris asked in disbeleif.

"Yes! I'll ring you tonight and we can talk about the article again." Rory called out as she headed off to her next class.
So? What are you thinking? Please review. Oh and if you review, please give me advice if you have any and don't just write insults (as has happened once sofar). If you would like to point out an error in my writing then please do not be rude about it. Soz bout all this crud but I received a rather rude and 'hurtful' (lol) review the other day (which a removed of course) and I guess I'm a little pissed off about it and I don't want a repeat of it. Well neway, thanx 4 reading my story so far, I will update soon I hope.

P.s. Soz if I come across as a bit of a bad sport.

~ME~