Author's note 2004/05/09: Thank you for all the nice reviews, they're always appreciated.  Hope you also enjoy this chapter.

Author's note 2004/05/18: A special thanks to Mai-Anh for taking the time to beta this chapter

The Thin Line Between Love And Hate
Chapter 2: Back To School Beach Party

Switching between radio stations while waiting for light to change to red, Lorelai exclaims, "I can't believe that my mother is still making me go to dinner while she sends you partying with a bunch of drunken hormonal teenagers!"

As the light changes to green, Rory takes over the control of the radio, "Well, Louise can be really convincing when she wants to be."

"But how unfair is it?  I should also be able to have a Friday night off."

"To do what?"

"I could go to the party with you. That way I could insure myself that you get drunk for the first time but remained my little girl at the same time."

Sitting in the back seat, Lane sights deeply, "I wish you were my mom."

Lorelai gives an understanding smile to Lane through the mirror.  "How did you convince your mom to attend the party?"

Lane smiles brightly, "I told her that it was a highly supervised Chilton dance."

Lorelai frowns, "Let's just hope she never finds out the truth."

Parking the jeep in front of Louise's house, Lorelai reminds the girls, "Okay, if you get sick of the party, call me I'll come and pick you up.  If you don't call, I'll be back here at midnight."

Rory bends to kiss her mother goodbye before exiting the Jeep followed closely by Lane.  Both girls are mesmerised by the size of the house. "Wow."

Lane slowly starts to walk toward the massive mansion, "How many brothers and sisters does Louise have?"

"I never asked; I just assumed she was an only child."

Ringing the doorbell, Rory looks up trying to figure the number of levels there is when the door is opened.  The house cleaner, all dressed in black with a white apron, welcomes them with a bored smile.  "If you would follow me please, the reception is being held in the garden." The maid advances in the maze of corridor, to lead the two girls where the party is.  "Have a nice evening."

As the leaving maid is about to disappear from Rory's view, Rory says, "Thank you a…."

Surprised to be thanked to do her job, the maid smiles warmly at Rory, saying before disappearing, "You're welcome. I'm Agathe."

Lane walks outside to see a huge crowd of teenagers dancing, drinking, and talking; some are in the enormous pool. Rory joins Lane and watches her classmate partying, searching for someone she recognises.  "So, my little phone call made its effect.  I'm glad you came Rory."

Turning to face Louise, "Well, you didn't leave me a choice.  Here I am."

Madeline joins them and hugs Rory, "Rory!  You came!  Yeah!"

Returning the embrace, Rory exchanges a look with Lane.  "Glad to make you happy, Madeline."

At that moment, a tall blond boy with green eyes wraps his arm around Louise's shoulders whispering softly in her ear.  Louise gets closer to him, lust filling her eyes.  "Well, girls, enjoy yourself, help yourself with anything you want."  Louise passes the window doors to climb the stairs with the blond boy.

Lane looks at Rory, whispering, "Well, that was fast."

Madeline, eyeing the crowd responds, "Well, that's Louise.  He's her escort for tonight.  The one she really wanted made it clear that he's waiting for a special person.  Any of you wants a drink?"  Neither girl can answer properly as Madeline walks to the refreshment table.

Rory is sitting at a table near the pool, watching Lane dance with a boy that is in her math class but who she cannot remember the name.  As Rory is lost in her thoughts, Paris and Madeline sit in front of her, giving her a glass filled with a red liquid.  "What is it?"

Madeline smiles brightly, "Fruit punch. Where has your friend disappeared to?"

Rory points the area where many people are dancing.  Paris glares at Lane, "How does she do it?  Two parties and it takes her ten minutes to meet someone.  Why am I so invisible?"

Madeline still smiling, "Matt Davis, a very good choice.  His family comes from old money and has a lot of influence.  He is bound to go to Princeton since all the Davis men have graduated there for over the last six generations.  He was also in fifth position in the 'If you could choose anyone in Chilton to be your date for prom, who would it be?'"

Trying to hold her laugh back as she sees the fury in Paris eyes, Rory gulps down her punch as Paris begins rambling, "I hope you weren't expecting to post the results in the Franklin.  And why wasn't I asked to participate in the survey?"

"Because you and Rory were in Washington.  Plus I already know your answer."

"And who would it be?"

"Tristan DuGrey."  Rory chokes on her drink as Paris blushes. "Rory, who would you ask to go?"

"If I had to choose among Chilton's guys, I think I'd go solo."

Louise joins them, radiant and glowing from the sex she just had.  "What are you talking about?"

Madeline gets up and says, "The survey."

As Madeline walks away, Louise sits down in front of Rory.  "So Rory, has Madeline told you that you ranked sixth on the 'Which Chilton girl you would like as your date for the prom' survey?"

Chocking on her punch again, Rory blushes before exclaiming, "I what?  I didn't even know people knew my name."

Paris looks at her watch, standing up she excuses herself; "Well, I think my mother will approve that I socialized enough for tonight, Goodnight."

As Louise watches Paris leave, "And isn't she jealous again.  I hope things won't go back to the way they were two years ago."

Rory opens her mouth to say something but Madeline comes back with four plastic glass of punch.  "Where did Paris go?"

"I just told Rory she's sixth"

"Oh!  Jealousy."

Rory takes a glass of punch, not really understanding the conversation in front of her.  She drinks her punch then gets up to seek for a bathroom.

Walking pass the pool, Rory feels dizzy. "I didn't know punch could make me feel that way."

"That's probably because it was spiked."

Surprised to hear a husky voice behind her, Rory turns around swiftly.  As she looks at the person standing right in front of her, a smile creeps up onto her face upon recognition.  "And now I'm hallucinating because I know that Tristan is locked away in some military school in order to keep the whole community away from danger."

Tristan smirks as he approaches Rory, "What an idiot I can be!  I came back all the way here to insure that little Mary would stop missing me."

As Tristan continues to advance, Rory starts backing up.  "I think I missed you as much as one can miss having a root canal done."

"Never figured you to be the type to like it rough."

Blushing Rory takes another step back, "Don't you have anything else in that thick head of yours?"

"Not when I'm around you.  You see, I just can't stop thinking about that goodbye kiss you never gave me.  How about you give it to me now?"

"The whole purpose of a goodbye kiss is when someone is leaving."

"I could pretend to leave again."

Blushing Rory takes another step back, only to find her foot over empty air.  She loses her balance and screams, "Tristan!  Help me!" as she falls into the pool.  When her head comes out of the water, she screams, "Help me you…" and her face goes down under again.

The second time she re-emerges, Tristan is laughing, "I never had fantasies about you screaming my name under this circumstance."  Rory's head goes down inside the water again.  Tristan stops laughing, kicks his shoes off, and jumps under the water to retrieve Rory.  As he emerges, he sees a crowd blocking his way out.  "MOVE OUT!" As the crowd takes a few steps back, Tristan can finally come out of the pool with Rory unconscious in his arms.

Author's Note: Feel free to give feedback.
Siaram