I don't have any rights in Gilmore girls… I'm living in my own fantasy world

Spoilers: Might contain spoilers 'till the end of second three.

Author note: Remember English is my second language, sorry for any of the mistakes, I want to improve but I need people to tell me about my mistakes and explain them.

To all the people who reviewed, thank you very much! If you read, take a minute of your time to review, it makes me happy and motivates me a lot plus I really like to know what people think about my story, good or bad as long as the bad reviews are constructive.

Chapter 9: How much confused can I be?

The way back to New Haven was very quiet.  Rory didn't know how to feel about Tristan.  She needed time to think things through.  Tristan on the other hand wanted to talk to Rory about the previous night but it was obvious that he couldn't do that in front of Jeff and she hadn't left his side for one second.  It was as if she was shutting him out.  Tristan closed his eyes to think about the previous night.

They had kissed for a while.  Then he had simply sat behind her and he had held her close against his chest for a while.  They had looked at the lake watching ducks swimming on it.  They hadn't said a word they didn't want to break the magical moment.  Then, he felt her shiver and he had gotten up and had helped her on her feet.  He had given her a hug, holding her close to him.  He had given her a quick kiss before letting her go to take her hand and he had started to walk back to her place.  They hadn't talk; she was looking at the ground instead of his eyes, as if she was ashamed of their kisses.  They hadn't talk.  He figured he could do it another time, that there was no hurry, it's when they entered the Gilmore House that he realized it was his first mistake.  He had forgotten all about Jeff during the event of the night.

"Tristan, do you want us to drop you off at your place or you're going to walk?" Rory asks without having eye contact with him.

"I'll walk, that's fine." Tristan answered with sorrow in his voice.  Jeff turns around to look at Tristan and asks:

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired.  I can't wait to get home that's it." Tristan replied avoiding Jeff inquisitive look.  Jeff looked at Rory, asking a silent question with his eyes and she mouthed him "Not now Jeff". They arrived at the apartment and Rory jumped out of the car, said goodbye to Tristan and entered the building without looking back.  Jeff got out of the car and waited for Tristan to do the same.

"What happened?  If I had a sharp knife, I could've cut tension into pieces." Jeff asks Tristan when they were face to face.  Tristan looks at his shoes as if they are one of the seven wonders.  "Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Then why are you avoiding looking at me?" Looking up, Tristan locks his eyes to Jeff's and says:

"I'm not the one you should be talking to right now.  I got to go. Bye Jeff" and before Jeff can say a single word, Tristan ran to his place.

Inside the apartment

"Rory! Where are you?"

"Kitchen!"

"I should have guessed!" Walking to the kitchen he asks:

"That was kind of rude, have you forgotten about asking if Tristan would have liked a cup of coffee or something, or even to say that you had a great time."

"Jeff, I need to think.  I can't with Tristan here."

"What happened?" Jeff asks while sitting at the table.  Rory brings two steaming cups of coffee to the table and sits down.

"We kissed."

"Don't you like him?"

"I do, but what can I do? He's never been a one woman man.  I don't want him to break my heart."

"He's not seeing anyone and he hasn't for a while."

"How do you know?"

"Well, he told me, between June and October he had only three dates. And for the last month, he had zero."

"Why do you tell me that?"

"Maybe you should give him a chance."

"I don't know, what if I'm just another of his conquests?"

"He has a thing for you!"

"Somehow I find it hard to believe."

"Believe it."

"What would I do with you?"

"We can always break up.  No harm done."

"It's out of the question, do you really think that if he has a thing for me, that we start dating, he would still want me to live with my ex-boyfriend?"

"Not really, we'll figure it out.  Don't worry!"

Monday night

After an exhausting day of classes and avoiding Tristan, she finally got to her apartment.  She had thought about going to Stars Hollow to be with her mom but she was too tired to drive all the way there.  She was also kind of hurt that her mom hadn't called her today.  The only people that had though about her birthday were her grandparents and Tristan.  Nobody else called.  She opens the door and she hears: "Happy Birthday!" and then her mom's arms are all around her.  She starts to cry.  All she wanted was a good night to wallow over Tristan in the arms of her mom.  When Lorelai let go of her crying daughter, Paris come to give her a quick hug and wishes her a happy birthday.  Then she realized that all of her friends are there.  Well, practically everybody she knows is there.  It's like if her mom brought Stars Hollow to her.  Before she was crying over confusion and Tristan, now she cries because she is stunned that so many people love her.  Everybody wants to hug her and kiss her.  When suddenly, she is hug by Tristan.  She wants to get away from that hug but he's stronger and all he says is:

"Let me hold you for a minute, everybody else did it.  You don't have to be ashamed."

Tristan holds her for a while and before letting go of him she whispers:

"Thank you, I needed that." And the next person hugs her.

After talking and playing games for a while, Lorelai goes to Rory and gives her a gift.  Rory happily opens it and she founds a brand new coffee maker.  Gifts come one after the other, Rory feels like she is being spoiled but enjoy every moment of it.  Then Jeff comes and gives her his gift.  It's a golden ring, the exact replicate that he wears on his middle finger of the left hand.  He slips the ring on her finger and they share a platonic kiss on the lips.  Around the crowd, she hears WOOO and AHHH but it's all lost in her mind.  Jeff just promises her his friendship forever.  Then Tristan gives his gift.  Before she opens the box, she says:

"But you already gave me my…"

"I know, just open this one, please" and after reading the pleading request from his eyes, she opens it.  Inside, she finds a smaller chain than the one he had already given her.  The coffee cup amulet is also there but this one goes around her wrist.  Instead of the usual thank you and hug, she says:

"Excuse us for a minute; we'll be right back." She then takes Tristan's hand and go to her room.

Once they are in her room and he resumed closing the door, she says:

"I can't accept it Tristan."

"We will have to talk about it."

"I'm not ready to."

"Take it Rory, I bought it for you!"

"I can't! You already gave me my gift!"

"You're so beautiful tonight"

"But I can't accept this it's too…" He shut her up by kissing her.  Within seconds they are letting the passion flow and nothing else matters.  A knock on the door interrupts them and they hear Jeff's voice:

"Can I come in?"

"Yes Jeff, come in" Rory says while getting away from Tristan.

"Tristan, can I talk to Rory alone for a second?"

"Sure, I'll just be with everybody else." Tristan leaves the room feeling guilty and closes the door.  Once the door is shut, Jeff tells Rory:

"I don't mind you having an affair with him but as long as we haven't figured out a way out, can you try to be discrete.  I have my pride."

"Sure Jeff, sorry." And she comes close to him and gives him a huge hug.

They exit Rory's room holding hands and rejoined the rest of the crowd.  Rory finishes opening gifts but feels sorry for the sadness she reads in Tristan's eyes.

Author note: Reviews are always good motivators.