A/N - Sorry that took so long just been enjoying a few days of my winter break. In other matters I might need a new beta for this story (as well as my other ones) since ChennaiChica is getting a little too busy and I really don't want to burden her with this.
Rory stood there dumfounded until her friends had the sense to come over and shake her out of her reverie. She told them of what happened since there group had a no secrets policy that everyone followed amazingly well. Daryll, the football player friend in Tristan's view offered to go and kill Tristan but Rory's eyes lit up and a mischievous smile spread across her face.
"What are you planning on doing?" questioned Lane, knowing full well the power of one of Rory's schemes. At that everyone began to worry and even start to feel pity for the new transfer student who would soon feel the wrath of the queen of the sophomore class.
Rory stopped smiling at looked innocently at Lane. "Actually I'm not going to do much. In fact, Daryll, Jess," she emphasized in particular, "TJ, Trey, and Brian I want you guys to leave him alone for that, actually...don't mess with him for the rest of the week."
Everyone looked at each other confused until Jess, breaking the silence, asked, "Why?"
"Because," she began the evil smile again in place, "it'll make him feel safe."
Now everyone was feeling sorry for the poor boy who dared to try and mess with Rory's mind. The first period bell had just rung and the group headed off in separate directions, Rory, specifically, not wanting to be late again and get in trouble in the first week of school. She slid into her seat over a minute before the late bell rang and duly noted that London Wiels had suddenly decided to sink her teeth into an unsuspecting victim.
Tristan motioned to Rory for some help but she pretended to not see and even Daryll had to feel sorry for him as he walked past Tristan's desk in an attempt to get to his own. Luckily for him the bell rang and the teacher thwarted any further advances from London.
The next class came to soon and Tristan feared that, although, Daryll didn't try to kill him, Jess would. But he spent the entire class doing homework from the last period, in the company of Paris and more importantly undisturbed by anyone.
Without any more classes with any of Rory's guy friends he spent the day at ease and Rory happily noted that his defense was slowly being let down. In the next passing period Jess had observed Tristan's unwanted nearness to Rory and was about to take him down when Rory shook her head 'no' and he changed his action to passing by infuriated. Rory's movement was meant to be seen by Tristan and he happily noticed that she was now sticking up for him.
Rory seemed even more upbeat after that event and even spoke to Tristan in a not so hostile tone when answering his question about the math homework. During the last period when Rory had student council Tristan explained his idea of trying out for the football team and she happily agreed with him. She even talked the usually violent coach into letting him practice with the team on a trial basis and suddenly understood the meaning of 'know thine enemy'.
Rory adjourned her meeting early and went out to watch the practice with Jess. "Do you think he's still surviving?" she asked Jess. The whole team was under the command of one captain who just happened to know Rory in other words Daryll. She studied Jess' face for a minute then noticed when he winced slightly. Quickly her gaze was averted to the field where a person she soon recognized as Tristan had just taken a hard hit from Daryll.
She scowled slightly because of her earlier warning to Daryll but her good mood soon reigned when Tristan was offered a helping hand by none other than that of his tackler.
"I have never seen you take so much joy out of scheming a person into thinking that you like them. Actually I have never seen you enjoy ruining a person like you are right now. Something you need to tell me about Rory?"
She gave him a short smile before nervously glancing around and finally caving. "All right so I don't really want to ruin his life," he looked at her funny and she was suddenly on the defense again, "I'm not that cruel and you know it." He shrugged in response. "But if you could do something about Summer or London...now that would really be deserved."
Jess smiled faintly and prompted her to continue, "And what else aren't you telling me that Lane and your mom are probably running a bet on?"
She wanted to hit him for being so perceptive and at the same time wanted to laugh because he was most likely right about her mom and Lane. "He shook me up, that's all. You know and everyone in this school knows that guys here wouldn't try what he did. So it caught me off guard especially without my big brother there to protect me from him." Rory smiled with the last comment and Jess scowled at being referred to so affectionately.
Practice was already over since they had gotten to the field late and Rory ran down to greet Daryll but refused to hug him covered in mud and sweat. "Does the same go for me?" wondered Tristan out loud, who was in worse off than Daryll after that particularly nasty tackle.
"Damn, double for you. You even smell to top it off." Daryll made some passing comment about heading to the showers and Jess had to go back to the diner for work.
Tristan grinned at the opportunity of being left alone with Rory especially after her change of heart to not hate him. "You came down to watch me? I'm touched, Lori, most girls at least try to pretend that they don't like me."
Rory returned the evil grin but it faltered as she noticed something that she could've sworn wasn't there earlier. Summer Teal, London Wiels, and a couple of the Barron cronies were coming towards them in a determined fashion. "Figures, the Wicked Witch of the East would know enough to team up with the Wicked Witch of the West," she muttered under her breath and overhearing Tristan laughed out loud.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the prude princess. You know I was just telling London, here, all about your fascinating times in Hartford. Especially the times that had to deal with him." Summer gestured behind Rory to Tristan who was staring back confused.
London grinned sadistically, "That's right by tomorrow everyone will know how the Californian princess turned into the Hartford locker slut. In fact, certain people should have already heard about it. Why don't you try calling up Trey or Jenna? I'm sure they'll have some very interesting stories to tell you." She walked away with Summer at her sides and the other girls following behind.
"What did you say about me?" Rory turned around and immediately screamed at Tristan. Despite her initial feeling to not believe Summer she gave into the temptation of blaming the guy.
He put his hands up defensively and backed away slowly. "Nothing, damn. I thought you knew better than to believe anything that comes out of Summer's mouth and I just assumed the same went for London." She gave him an irritated look and he continued exasperated, "Look, she said something about a locker so someone must have seen me kiss you and reported back to Summer."
"Exactly saw you kiss me. Tomorrow you're going to explain this to everyone and tell them how I had no choice in the...situation and that the everything that happened was started by you. Do you understand me?" Without receiving a reply she stomped off the field already on her cell phone doing damage control.
Tristan shrugged at her demands and figured that if she were as powerful as she said he wouldn't need to say anything tomorrow.
Once in her car Rory had immediately called up Lane to find out the status of the rumor. "All right so based on a random survey, not even five percent of the school believes the rumor and thinks that London is just out to get you like always."
She sighed relieved, "Why is everything a big deal in high school? He kissed me once. It's not like we had sex or anything so how in hell would I be considered a slut? And by the way tomorrow? I'm having him admit that it was his fault entirely and that I had nothing to do with the problem."
Lane smiled over the phone, "You make everything a big deal, too, or else you wouldn't be so damn worried about what people think of you. And why are you so hard on this guy? It seems like he likes you and you're just giving him a hard time about taking a chance."
"Lane, when was the last time you took a chance that led to making out with someone in a school hallway? And I don't like Tristan because he's a jerk who needs to learn that women do not exist solely for his pleasure. Oh god, Jess is outside my house and I think he's ready to rip out someone's bowels."
"You talked so fast even I didn't understand half of that. Don't let him end up in jail." Were Lane's departing words as Rory jumped out of the car in an attempt to prevent a potential murder.
"Tell me. Who do I need to kill?" Jess asked through clenched teeth in an obvious attempt to restrain himself.
"You don't need to kill anyone. I just want you to. What I told you guys the first time was absolutely true. This is just another twisted attempt of London and her Hartford counterpart Summer to ruin my life. So find Daryll and the boys and don't let them kill Tristan cause none of this was his fault and he's even going to make a public apology tomorrow." She gently led him the general direction of their house phone and let out a breath when he called off the dogs.
Jess left her house in a somewhat calmer mood and even promised not to cause anyone bodily harm. Rory spent the rest of her day doing homework and sometime in between occasionally checking in with damage control otherwise known as her girls.
The next morning she arrived at school with hopes of a semi-normal day but all dreams were quickly dashed when she arrived at her locker. The small crowd gathered there quickly parted and her friends made their way over to her hoping to calm her down after she would see the cause of all outrage.
