Pairing - Tristan and Rory...
Disclaimer - I wish I owned them, but unfortunately I don't. They belong to Dorothy Parker Drank Here Productions and Hofflund/Polone in association with Warner Bros. Television. I'm merely borrowing them. Although I would love to steal Tristan away...
Feedback - Please?
A/N - So yeah... I realize that I'm the worse when it comes to updating... For the longest time, I didn't even know what direction I wanted to go with this story, which is part of the reason for the lack of updates. But I finally got an idea of where I want to go with this all, so expect updates much more frequently and I promise this story is going somewhere... This is kinda a filler chapter while I start the story going into the direction I want it to go in, so please bear with me.
"Evelyn Marie Summers! Get into my office now!" an angry voice boomed through the halls.
She had managed to avoid him all weekend, but she knew that her luck had just run out. She had just gotten home from her first day of school at the prestigious Harrison Academy for Girls, and the minute she stepped inside, her father's raging voice filled the mansion. She closed the door, and leaned back against it, her eyes closed. It was obvious from his tone of voice that he had found out about her and Tristan.
Evelyn made her way to her father's office, the echo of her heels clicking against the cool marble floor the only noise heard throughout the house. She tentatively cracked open the door, and found her father sitting behind his large mahogany desk.
"Have a seat," Donald Summers sneered, gesturing towards the chair in front of him. "Exactly what is the meaning of this?" he asked, thrusting a book towards Evelyn.
She looked down at the page the book was opened to. It was her yearbook from her and Tristan's Swiss boarding school, Wessex Academy. And on the open page was a picture of her and Tristan in each others arms, smiling.
"Where'd you get this?" she asked quietly.
"It came in the mail today," Mr. Summers coldly replied. "Care to explain?"
"We... We were dating," Evelyn admitted, although she neglected to admit that they still were seeing each other.
"Were. As in past tense?" Mr. Summers asked. Evelyn nodded. He leaned back in his chair, less enraged. "And exactly when did this end?"
"It was just a fling," Evelyn lied. "Before Christmas break. By New Year's it was over."
"So why would a picture of you two be featured in the yearbook?" he questioned.
"They needed to fill up space? And who better than two of the most prominent students of Wessex Academy?" Evelyn guessed. The scowl on Mr. Summers' face relaxed somewhat, as her answer seemed to satisfy him.
"You understand that you are to never get involved with him again," Mr. Summers said sternly. "Our family has been feuding with his for almost a century now, and we have barely even begun to get back what is rightfully ours," he paused, while Evelyn nodded. "The DuGreys are poison," he spat out.
"Yes father," Evelyn said obediently, her eyes downcast. "Besides, I hear he started dating Rory Gilmore..."
Tristan sighed as he opened his locker at the end of the school day. He didn't know whether to rate today as a complete success or an utter failure.
On one hand, people were really beginning to fall for his and Rory's act. His old "friends" gave him pats on the back for finally "making Mary a Magdalene", knowing that was his goal sophomore year. On the other hand, he knew that this was hurting everyone involved - him, Rory and Evelyn, even though neither of them would admit it.
He knew Rory was hurt after their talk at lunch. Tristan did something he swore he'd never do in front of Rory again - he let his guard down. The last time he did that, he was the one that got hurt. And it was a feeling that he never wanted to feel again. So instead, he hurt her by mentioning Evelyn's name. And it also served as a reminder to why he was doing this. Why he was subjecting himself to open up old wounds... And old feelings.
As he slammed his locker shut, a small piece of paper fluttered to the ground. He glanced at it and immediately noticed Rory's handwriting.
Tristan -
We need to talk. My meeting at the Franklin ends at 4:00... Could we meet afterwards? It's really important.
- Rory
He glanced down at his watch. Half an hour to go. He was dreading this talk. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that somehow knew that things weren't going to get easier.
"And that completes assignments," Paris concluded. "Anyone have any questions? No? Good. Now we need to talk about the layout. As editor, I want to keep the traditional layout intact, with a few minor changes. Minor change number one - the need for more space for advertisers. I worked on a sample layout last night... Which I left in my locker," she frowned. "My locker is exactly two minutes away from here, so we will continue in exactly five minutes time. So consider yourself lucky to receive a break. This will not happen often," Paris said sharply, as she set a timer on her watch before walking out of the Franklin.
There was a grumbling among students in the Franklin office. It was only the first meeting of the year, and Paris had already begun playing to the role of slave driver.
"Unbelievable," Madeline declared, as she leaned back in her chair.
"And it's only been half an hour into the job," Rory pointed out.
"So Rory, I've been meaning to talk to you," Louise said, as she took a seat beside Rory. "You and Tristan, huh?"
"Yeah, dish the dirt," Madeline said eagerly.
"How'd it happen?" Louise asked.
"When did it happen?" Madeline added.
"How far have you gone with him?" Louise asked suggestively, raising an eyebrow.
Rory began to squirm in her seat. She had purposely avoided Madeline and Louise for the majority of the day because she knew that they'd ask her the questions she didn't have an answer to.
"It happened yesterday," Rory admitted. Well yesterday was when we did decide to begin this charade, Rory reasoned in her mind.
"That quickly, huh?" Louise asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"No, not that," Rory replied hastily. "That hasn't happened."
"For now," Madeline added, as she inspected her nails. Rory shot her a look.
"What makes you think that?" she questioned.
"Because it's Tristan," Madeline replied, as if the answer were so obvious.
"What she means is that Tristan has this amazing power over women," Louise elaborated. "He's always been charming when it comes to getting what he wants. And he's always had a knack for givng Marys a new rep."
"Summer used to be a Mary, believe it or not," Madeline supplied. Rory raised her eyebrows.
"You're kidding," Rory replied, bewildered.
"Oh it's true. She moved here at the beginning of ninth grade," Louise explained. "One date with Tristan and she was a goner. And what happened sophomore year was just her trying to get revenge on him. The operative word here was trying because it didn't hurt him one bit... Her on the other hand... The Mary Magdalene rep is going to stick with her for a long time to come."
"We were all proud that by the end of sophomore year, you didn't pull a Summer," Madeline said proudly.
"I will definitely not pull a Summer," Rory stated.
"That's what they all say," Louise murmured under her breath.
"Ooh Louise you've got to see this darling dress," Madeline squealed as she thrust the magazine in Louise's direction. With their attention focused to the latest fashions, while Rory took a moment to lean back into her chair and digest all the information she just received.
She closed her eyes, her mind in shambles. She still didn't know who the real Tristan DuGrey was. First he's the vulnerable guy who never had a chance to open up to anyone. Then she learns about his past - that he was the cocky playboy that she pegged him for the second she met him.
He's changed, Rory realized. He's not the same guy he was when he left. And deep down I wish I could say that I was the one who brought about the change in him. But it wasn't me. A knot formed in her stomach as the moment of clarity settled upon her. It was Evelyn.
Paris glanced down at her watch. She'd be back at the Franklin office with a minute to spare. She raised her arm in triumph, and as she did, the papers she was holding slipped out of her grasp.
"Damn," she muttered as she bent down to pick them up. As she did, a set of footsteps started wandering down the hall. She was concealed by the row of lockers, and she immediately recognized his voice as he talked on his cell phone.
"Wish I could've been there for you when you talked to him," he sympathized. There was a pause as he listened to what whoever he was talking to on the phone was saying. "No. No real plans tonight. Just waiting for Rory to finish her meeting so we could have a talk," he sighed.
Paris stood up, but kept herself hidden from Tristan's view.
"Yeah sure, that sounds good," he said. "Yeah so I'll call you tonight then. Yeah. Ok. I love you too."
Paris let out a bitter laugh as she walked to the middle of the hallway.
"You know, as angry as I was at Rory, I really thought that you had changed, that you were ready to settle down. But my God, it's only been a day, and already you're cheating on Rory? That's got to be a new record DuGrey," she said.
Tristan whipped around, surprised to see Paris standing there.
"Paris, it's not what you think," he muttered.
"Doesn't matter what I think," Paris said angrily. "But it does matter what Rory thinks." With that, Paris turned on her heel and walked off.
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Once again, so sorry for the long delay. But since I have nothing to do with my time now, updates should be more frequent.