"Where is it? Where is it?" Rory absently picked up a pillow from the
couch, knowing her text book wasn't under there; she had already checked
three times. "Why am I even bothering? Today sucks."
Lorelai walked into the living room with an amused look on her face. "Rory, Hon, what's wrong?"
"What's not wrong?" Rory closed her eyes, flinging herself on the cushions dramatically. Lorelai laughed. "You deserve an Oscar for that performance. You're a regular Angelina Jolie --- Romeo, Romeo!"
"Mom, Angelina Jolie is not Oscar deserving. And she never did Shakespeare either. I can't find my Lit text book. I have to write a comparison and I need my text book, it's crucial, but no. Of course I wouldn't be able to find it today. Today is the day from hell, and I've only had three cups of coffee."
Lorelai gasped. "Devil child! Three cups of coffee?" She glanced at her watch. "It's almost eight! Come on, let's go!" She grabbed Rory's arm, lifting her up from her wallowing, singing, "Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Luke's we go."
Rory pulled her arm back, rubbing it. "Mom, I'm serious! I don't have time for coffee, I need that textbook. Do you want me to fail in life and not go to Harvard? Oh my god, I'm not going to get into Harvard! They aren't going to accept a girl that can't even manage to keep her textbook! I'm going to be a bum on the streets with no money, and I'll have to sing show tunes and hold a Styrofoam cup, begging for donations. Oh my god, I'm going to have a gold tooth---,"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Rory, calm down, you are not going to be a bum." She laughed as she pictured it. "You are the most talented girl I have ever known, and I'm not only saying that because I'm your mother and it's my job. I'm saying it because if I don't, I'll be reported to child services." Lorelai gently put her hands on Rory's shoulders, guiding her into the kitchen. "I'll put on a nice, big pot of coffee, and you sit there, take a couple deep breaths, and calm down."
Rory followed her instructions, and sat down at the table, resting her head on her arms. "I'm just so stressed. This day has been horrible; I never want to have a day like this ever again. I just want to go to bed, but I can't because I have so much homework to do."
"Well why don't you just play hooky tomorrow? I'll take the day off work and we'll go to the mall. We can make fun of the guy in the hot dog suit, buy some new shoes.we'll make a day of it." Lorelai sat down across from her daughter, smiling sympathetically. It wasn't often Rory had a break down, but she had good reason. "I just don't want you to wear yourself out with too much on the go."
"No, I can't do that. I have to go to school; I want to go to school. I just want today to be over so I can have a fresh start tomorrow. I want to want up on the right side of the bed, and this time by choice." Rory smiled a little, remembering her conversation with Tristan.
"Huh?" Lorelai got up and poured two mugs of coffee, setting one down in front of Rory. She drank it quickly, and let out a satisfied sigh. "Never mind."
There was a knock at the door, and Rory raised her head a little, her eyes pleading with Lorelai. "It's your turn."
"How do you figure?"
"Because when the phone rang last time, I answered it, therefore making it your turn to answer the door." Rory smiled smugly.
"Hey, that's not fair. You answered the phone, not the door. You had no face-to-face confrontation! What if it's Kirk, trying to sell me clocks again? I already bought one and when I set it on the table, it made some sort of growling noise, and just stopped working! I don't want to be forced to buy another clock, Rory, please don't make me but another clock!"
"Well, if by some fluke, it is Kirk trying to sell you a clock.. here's a concept; say 'No thank-you Kirk, I have no need for another clock.'" Rory's eyes grew wide and innocent. "Please mommy, I've had a bad day. I just want to sit here, drink my coffee, and not be bothered by anyone else."
Lorelai sighed, and dramatically lifted her body from her chair. "Fine, but you can't use the 'I've had a bad day' card for at least another four months."
Rory grinned. "Deal."
Lorelai patted her head as she walked past her, grabbed a cookie from the counter, and proceeded to shove it in her mouth. She ran to the door shouting "No more clocks!" Swinging open the door, she smiled in surprise. "Hello.. How may I help you?"
"Hello Ma'am, my name is Tristan DuGray. I'm here to see Rory, is she home?" Tristan extended his hand towards Lorelai, and she gave him a high five. He looked at her momentarily before cautiously stepping into the house.
Lorelai grinned. "Sorry, I don't like formal introductions."
Tristan nodded. "I'll remember that."
"Oh Rorrrrry," Lorelai sang. "You have a visitorrrr!"
She heard Rory groan, and then after a few moments, she heard slow footsteps dragging their way to the main entrance, stopping short when she saw him. "Hey Mar---uh, Rory." Tristan smiled, and stepped towards her.
"What do you want?" Rory looked down at her pig slippers and pajamas with coffee mugs on them and blushed slightly. "Um, it's sort of late."
"Nice to see you, too. I know it's late, but I have something of yours and I just thought I would return it." Tristan pulled a book out of the bag he was carrying, and handed it to her. "You left it in the library, and when I tried to find you to give it back, you were gone."
Rory took the book from his hand, a small smile forming on her lips. "You drove all the way to Stars Hollow just to give me my book?"
"Yeah, well, we have that big essay due and I thought you would probably need it. You must have been driving yourself crazy looking for it," he said knowingly.
"Oh, uh, well you know, I looked for a couple of minutes, it's not like I was frantically tearing the house apart for it," she lied, her eyes shifting.
Lorelai glanced back and fourth between the two teenagers, and decided they might want some time alone. "Uh, I'm going to go to Luke's.you know, for some, uh, coffee. You two have fun, but not too much fun, if you know what I mean." She nudged Rory, and winked in Tristan's direction. Leaning closer to Rory, she whispered, "Try to stop the lying. You're eyes are doing that shifty thing, and it's really obvious."
Rory laughed nervously. "Thanks for the tip. Bye."
Lorelai walked towards the door, slapping Tristan a high five on the way out. "Nice meeting you Tristan, and Rory, remember, ex-nay on the shift- aye."
The door closed, and Tristan let out a laugh. "You're mom is something. I mean, I thought you were different, but now I definitely see where you get it from."
Rory glanced up at him, her eyes never fully meeting his. "You don't even know me."
Tristan shrugged. "I know enough. But I would like to know more."
"You know, I don't understand you.. One minute you are making fun of me, calling me Mary, and the next minute you are so nice to me. I don't know which I like more, because I can't tell whether you are being sincere or not." Rory set the book down on the table in the hall, and crossed her arms, avoiding eye contact.
Tristan walked over to her slowly, putting one finger under her chin, forcing her gaze to rise. "I'm being sincere. Trust me, why would I drive from Hartford to Stars Hollow just to give you a book? If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have done that. I just want to be your friend, Rory. I know we got off to a bad start, and then there was the whole PJ Harvey - book stealing incident.. But I really didn't mean to frustrate you or make you hate me in any way."
"Well, you have a funny way of showing it," Rory sighed, but her tone softened slightly. "And I don't hate you. I didn't mean that, I'm sorry. I was just so angry and upset that Dean wouldn't listen to me. Not that it matters anyway," she said, bitterness creeping into her voice.
"Why, what happened?"
"Nothing," she replied quickly, stepping back from his intense stare.
Tristan glanced at her questioningly, but decided not to press the issue. She would talk when she was ready. He stuck his hand out towards her, and raised his eyebrows. "Friends?"
Rory smiled gently, and slapped him a high five. "Friends."
He laughed. "Like mother, like daughter. Well, I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow."
Rory nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow," she echoed.
He walked towards the door, and before closing it, he said, "This is the beginning to a beautiful friendship."
Lorelai walked into the living room with an amused look on her face. "Rory, Hon, what's wrong?"
"What's not wrong?" Rory closed her eyes, flinging herself on the cushions dramatically. Lorelai laughed. "You deserve an Oscar for that performance. You're a regular Angelina Jolie --- Romeo, Romeo!"
"Mom, Angelina Jolie is not Oscar deserving. And she never did Shakespeare either. I can't find my Lit text book. I have to write a comparison and I need my text book, it's crucial, but no. Of course I wouldn't be able to find it today. Today is the day from hell, and I've only had three cups of coffee."
Lorelai gasped. "Devil child! Three cups of coffee?" She glanced at her watch. "It's almost eight! Come on, let's go!" She grabbed Rory's arm, lifting her up from her wallowing, singing, "Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Luke's we go."
Rory pulled her arm back, rubbing it. "Mom, I'm serious! I don't have time for coffee, I need that textbook. Do you want me to fail in life and not go to Harvard? Oh my god, I'm not going to get into Harvard! They aren't going to accept a girl that can't even manage to keep her textbook! I'm going to be a bum on the streets with no money, and I'll have to sing show tunes and hold a Styrofoam cup, begging for donations. Oh my god, I'm going to have a gold tooth---,"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Rory, calm down, you are not going to be a bum." She laughed as she pictured it. "You are the most talented girl I have ever known, and I'm not only saying that because I'm your mother and it's my job. I'm saying it because if I don't, I'll be reported to child services." Lorelai gently put her hands on Rory's shoulders, guiding her into the kitchen. "I'll put on a nice, big pot of coffee, and you sit there, take a couple deep breaths, and calm down."
Rory followed her instructions, and sat down at the table, resting her head on her arms. "I'm just so stressed. This day has been horrible; I never want to have a day like this ever again. I just want to go to bed, but I can't because I have so much homework to do."
"Well why don't you just play hooky tomorrow? I'll take the day off work and we'll go to the mall. We can make fun of the guy in the hot dog suit, buy some new shoes.we'll make a day of it." Lorelai sat down across from her daughter, smiling sympathetically. It wasn't often Rory had a break down, but she had good reason. "I just don't want you to wear yourself out with too much on the go."
"No, I can't do that. I have to go to school; I want to go to school. I just want today to be over so I can have a fresh start tomorrow. I want to want up on the right side of the bed, and this time by choice." Rory smiled a little, remembering her conversation with Tristan.
"Huh?" Lorelai got up and poured two mugs of coffee, setting one down in front of Rory. She drank it quickly, and let out a satisfied sigh. "Never mind."
There was a knock at the door, and Rory raised her head a little, her eyes pleading with Lorelai. "It's your turn."
"How do you figure?"
"Because when the phone rang last time, I answered it, therefore making it your turn to answer the door." Rory smiled smugly.
"Hey, that's not fair. You answered the phone, not the door. You had no face-to-face confrontation! What if it's Kirk, trying to sell me clocks again? I already bought one and when I set it on the table, it made some sort of growling noise, and just stopped working! I don't want to be forced to buy another clock, Rory, please don't make me but another clock!"
"Well, if by some fluke, it is Kirk trying to sell you a clock.. here's a concept; say 'No thank-you Kirk, I have no need for another clock.'" Rory's eyes grew wide and innocent. "Please mommy, I've had a bad day. I just want to sit here, drink my coffee, and not be bothered by anyone else."
Lorelai sighed, and dramatically lifted her body from her chair. "Fine, but you can't use the 'I've had a bad day' card for at least another four months."
Rory grinned. "Deal."
Lorelai patted her head as she walked past her, grabbed a cookie from the counter, and proceeded to shove it in her mouth. She ran to the door shouting "No more clocks!" Swinging open the door, she smiled in surprise. "Hello.. How may I help you?"
"Hello Ma'am, my name is Tristan DuGray. I'm here to see Rory, is she home?" Tristan extended his hand towards Lorelai, and she gave him a high five. He looked at her momentarily before cautiously stepping into the house.
Lorelai grinned. "Sorry, I don't like formal introductions."
Tristan nodded. "I'll remember that."
"Oh Rorrrrry," Lorelai sang. "You have a visitorrrr!"
She heard Rory groan, and then after a few moments, she heard slow footsteps dragging their way to the main entrance, stopping short when she saw him. "Hey Mar---uh, Rory." Tristan smiled, and stepped towards her.
"What do you want?" Rory looked down at her pig slippers and pajamas with coffee mugs on them and blushed slightly. "Um, it's sort of late."
"Nice to see you, too. I know it's late, but I have something of yours and I just thought I would return it." Tristan pulled a book out of the bag he was carrying, and handed it to her. "You left it in the library, and when I tried to find you to give it back, you were gone."
Rory took the book from his hand, a small smile forming on her lips. "You drove all the way to Stars Hollow just to give me my book?"
"Yeah, well, we have that big essay due and I thought you would probably need it. You must have been driving yourself crazy looking for it," he said knowingly.
"Oh, uh, well you know, I looked for a couple of minutes, it's not like I was frantically tearing the house apart for it," she lied, her eyes shifting.
Lorelai glanced back and fourth between the two teenagers, and decided they might want some time alone. "Uh, I'm going to go to Luke's.you know, for some, uh, coffee. You two have fun, but not too much fun, if you know what I mean." She nudged Rory, and winked in Tristan's direction. Leaning closer to Rory, she whispered, "Try to stop the lying. You're eyes are doing that shifty thing, and it's really obvious."
Rory laughed nervously. "Thanks for the tip. Bye."
Lorelai walked towards the door, slapping Tristan a high five on the way out. "Nice meeting you Tristan, and Rory, remember, ex-nay on the shift- aye."
The door closed, and Tristan let out a laugh. "You're mom is something. I mean, I thought you were different, but now I definitely see where you get it from."
Rory glanced up at him, her eyes never fully meeting his. "You don't even know me."
Tristan shrugged. "I know enough. But I would like to know more."
"You know, I don't understand you.. One minute you are making fun of me, calling me Mary, and the next minute you are so nice to me. I don't know which I like more, because I can't tell whether you are being sincere or not." Rory set the book down on the table in the hall, and crossed her arms, avoiding eye contact.
Tristan walked over to her slowly, putting one finger under her chin, forcing her gaze to rise. "I'm being sincere. Trust me, why would I drive from Hartford to Stars Hollow just to give you a book? If I didn't like you, I wouldn't have done that. I just want to be your friend, Rory. I know we got off to a bad start, and then there was the whole PJ Harvey - book stealing incident.. But I really didn't mean to frustrate you or make you hate me in any way."
"Well, you have a funny way of showing it," Rory sighed, but her tone softened slightly. "And I don't hate you. I didn't mean that, I'm sorry. I was just so angry and upset that Dean wouldn't listen to me. Not that it matters anyway," she said, bitterness creeping into her voice.
"Why, what happened?"
"Nothing," she replied quickly, stepping back from his intense stare.
Tristan glanced at her questioningly, but decided not to press the issue. She would talk when she was ready. He stuck his hand out towards her, and raised his eyebrows. "Friends?"
Rory smiled gently, and slapped him a high five. "Friends."
He laughed. "Like mother, like daughter. Well, I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow."
Rory nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow," she echoed.
He walked towards the door, and before closing it, he said, "This is the beginning to a beautiful friendship."
