Author's note 2004-08-06: This story is still under revision,
this chapter is completed but I'll be honest and say that it's a lot harder to revise a
already written story than I thought. So, I would like to thank all the reviewers, for
their reviews are what makes this revision meaningful. Thank you to Raven who is
the most amazing person to work with and to Arlene who is always there to help me
and boost my morale.
Didi
Chapter 4: Chatting and Making Plans for Hell
Rory sat back in front of Dean and avoided his gaze by concentrating on her cold coffee. After a couple of minutes of uncomfortable silences, he asked, "When did you start dating Tristan?"
Rory took a sip of her coffee and stared intensely at the table, with a faint pink color on her cheeks she whispered, "I'm not dating him."
Dean looked at her with bewilderment, "Do you kiss guys you don't date often?"
She closed her fists around her coffee cup, uncomfortable about having this conversation with Dean and whispered, "No, just him."
Dean's temper quickly flared, his voice became louder than his usual calmer tone, "He's a jerk Rory. He's going to treat you just like Jess did."
Rory felt the others costumers glaring at them. She finally looked at Dean, anger in her eyes that he permitted himself to judge her and that he would make a scene. She replied with her voice filled with bitterness, "I don't think he is or that he would leave without saying goodbye, but even if he was to act that way, that wouldn't be any of your concerns."
His eyes pleaded with hers silently to understand, but as he realized it wasn't working, he tried to explain, "You're my friend and…"
Rory raised one hand to make him stop and cut him off, "I'm sure you know that I'm old enough to know what I want and don't want to do. I can do whatever I want, with whoever I want and you wouldn't have anything to say."
Dean made one last attempt to reason with Rory, "Calm down Rory. He's still got a thing for you, that is a good point in his favor but he's still a player."
Rory took a deep breath to regain control over her anger, sighed and replied, "Maybe, maybe not. It's been a while, he might have changed, I've changed, you've changed, why couldn't he? But right now he makes me feel special."
"Feel special how?"
Rory blushed and returned to observe the brown liquid of her coffee, "He makes me feel beautiful, alive and desirable."
Shocked, Dean asked in a low voice, "Are you sleeping with him?"
Rory's eyes fixed Dean and she exclaimed a little too loudly, "God no!" She heard the 'shushes' and exasperate sighs that came from nearby tables and lowered her tone, "Dean, where did that come from?"
An amused smiled on his lips, Dean decided to tease her a little, "I don't know, maybe because of what he makes you feel that just thinking about it made you turn red."
Tristan joined them before she could open her mouth, he sat down beside Rory, his eyes fixed on her, "I'm sorry to interrupt again but I won't be able to make it at three. I have a class from three to six. What would you say if we changed the coffee date into a dinner and coffee date?"
Rory glanced uncertainly at Dean before she shifted her attention back to Tristan, a smile on her lips, "That'd be great, pick me up at six?"
Tristan smiled in return, "Of course." He was about to stand up when another idea formed inside his head, "About tomorrow night, do you think maybe I could go with you?"
As soon as Tristan finished his sentence, Dean replied, "I know you like Rory but why would you go to her grandparent's house when you should know they would eat you alive."
Tristan feigned surprise that Dean was present, "That's not a problem." Tristan smirked, his eyes glinting, "Her grandfather has already approved of me. But thanks for the concern."
Dean watched Rory, hurt evident in his voice, "Rory, when did your grandfather meet him?"
Uncomfortable, Rory mumbled, "At my sixteenth birthday party."
Dean was stunned, "But… but… he never…" He sat back on his seat, dumfounded.
Tristan glanced at Dean, a smirk on his lips. He transferred his attention to Rory, voluntarily ignoring Dean in the process. With a husky voice meant to seduce, he asked her, "So Rory, what do you say? We could even catch a movie after dinner."
Rory smiled at his efforts, "I already have a movie night planned with my mom after dinner."
Tristan was tired of begging but since it seemed to get him somewhere, he asked, "Can I come?"
Rory pondered for a moment, admitting that he was doing a lot of effort to spend time with her. She gazed at his eyes, filled with hope and took a decision, "We'll have to go in separated cars since I'll be staying in Stars Hollow for the week-end."
Tristan answered, "No need, we take your car or mine, I'll was planning to go home this week-end anyway."
Finally giving in, Rory said with a shy smile, "Fine Tristan, you can come to Gilmore's Friday night hell."
Tristan took Rory's hand and tried to reassure her, "It won't be that bad."
Dean laughed forcing the couple to acknowledge his presence and exclaimed between fit of laughter, "Oh yes, it will be! Two interrogations in one night, you must have it bad to put yourself there willingly!"
Rory looked at Dean whispering angrily, "Dean!" Then she burst in laughs, directed her words to Tristan this time, "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."
Dean calmed down a bit from laughing, "I almost feel sorry for you, man." Tristan glanced between the Rory and Dean suddenly feeling uncomfortable. Dean glanced at him seriously and asked, "Have you met Lorelai?"
Tristan answered bluntly, "No."
Dean contained his hilarity just to say, "Then I REALLY feel sorry for you."
Tristan got up, not knowing what else to do, "I guess I'll go prepare myself for tomorrow then." Tristan pondered about kissing Rory or not, she looked at him while he bent down to level both of their faces, and whispered, "I'll see you tonight."
Rory turned her head slightly to glance at Dean but seeing that he's looking out the window, probably to give them some privacy, she shifted her head back to face Tristan, put her arms around his neck and whispered, "Don't be late!" Then she kissed him, a simple meeting of their lips for a fraction of second.
Tristan left the coffee shop thinking that she kissed him willingly, a smirk over his features; he tried to evaluate how much progress he had made that morning in his attempt to conquer her.
While Rory watched Tristan leave, Dean said, "I guess he's not as bad as I thought. Maybe we could go for lunch Sunday, make it a double date. Lindsay might stop feeling threatened by you if she knows you're seeing someone else." Dean chuckled, "But only if he survives the Gilmore wrath!"
Rory laughed also, not to keen on going on a double date with Dean and Lindsay, "I'll see about that, I'll get back to you on Saturday."
"You do that."