Title: Girl Like That
Authors: Mrs. Witter (Jamie) and ChristineCS (Chris, duh)
Disclaimer: Jamie and I, despite the harem we own (we know it creates mass confusion about the ownership thing), do not own Gilmore Girls, their characters, matchbox twenty, their songs or Rob's awesome writing talent so we don't own the lyrics in the chapter title. We also don't own Mark Paul Gosselaar or Emilie De Raven, but you'll have to think about why that is added. We do however claim ownership on our own writing. So consider yourself warned.
Rating: PG – 13
Pairing: Rory/Tristan
Chapter 13: I bet you need - more than you mindHe was beginning to think it was futile to look for Schuyler. What was he really going to say when he found her anyway? 'Hey Schuyler, do you want to hit me for letting the bitch loose on you?' Cole was pretty sure her answer would be a vehement yes. He crossed the street and entered the park located across the campus. Suddenly, he knew exactly where to look for her. He neared the playground and sure enough he saw Schuyler's solitary figure hunched over on a swing.
He approached cautiously. "Hey."
Vaughn kicked the dirt from underneath her, and looked over at him. "So, how'd you know where to find me?"
Good, no vicious threats. He lowered himself onto the swing next to her. "Because once upon a time, you and I used to be best friends."
"A long time ago, in a galaxy so very far away," she rested her head on the chain, and watched him from the corner of her eye. "Am I really that predictable?"
He gripped the chain with his hand and shrugged. "Not so much, anymore."
"Good, it'd be sad if I was just like I was at twelve," Vaughn sighed. She wished she was twelve again, at least the twelve she was before everything had happened. Those were good times, fun times.
"Well, we are sitting on swings in a playground."
She lifted her head up. "What's wrong with swings?"
"Nothing, I guess. I'm just more a slide person." He made designs in the sand with his foot and avoided looking at her. After a long pause, he asked, "What did she say that upset you so much?"
"Nothing specific," Vaughn paused to think about it. "She was just being Cecily. That and she made some comments about you that are better left unimagined."
Cole flinched and suppressed a shudder of disgust. Cecily Claymore caused so much trouble. He wondered if she was aware of it. He turned to Schuyler, studying her profile. Except from the hair and startling good looks, she had not inherited anything from her mother. "You shouldn't let her get to you like this."
"I try not to, but avoiding her doesn't work when she tracks me down," Vaughn pointed out. She felt twelve again. "I hate her." It was simply stated, she just wasn't sure that it was heartfelt. Maybe that's what she hated.
He sighed. He knew the feeling all too well, only his hate was directed towards his father. "Do you ever get the feeling that no matter what you do, you'll end up like her?"
"I believe there had been some nightmares about that," Vaughn replied. "But I hold onto the whole hope that I'm not being delusional when I think that I'm better to be around than my mother. And less creepy."
They didn't like each other; hadn't since they were twelve so his next words surprised him. "You're not. Being delusional, that is."
"Thanks." Right now she didn't care if he was saying the words so she wouldn't mope or because he meant them. It was just nice to hear someone say that. And if he was being nice… "You're not as similar to your father as I make you out to be."
He laughed and pushed back on the swing. "Well, I knew that much."
She rolled her eyes. "I was trying to be nice."
"And I was making a joke," he returned and pushed a little faster on the swing. "I do that once in awhile, Schuyler Vaughn, you're just going to have to get used to it. Looks like we'll be spending time together again."
Vaughn pushed her feet on the ground to get her own swing going. "I thought this was suppose to cheer me up, Montgomery."
"Whatever gave you that idea? I'm just here because DuGrey was too chicken to come look for you himself."
She laughed. "Thanks, to both of you. Just thanks." Vaughn stopped her swing abruptly. "Are you hungry?"
He thought of the tray of food he head left back in the dining hall. "Starving. You in the mood for fast food?"
"Not really, but it's better than nothing."
"We'll get you something fresh."
"How about slow food?"
Cole stood up and shook his head. "I don't think my stomach can wait. I gave up a barely-edible, hardly delectable meal for you, Schuyler Vaughn. The least you can do is eat some fast food. I promise, it'll be fun."
She groaned, "I've heard those words before." Her curls bounced as she shook her head, "and it never turns out pretty."
Without thinking, Cole grabbed her hand and led her away from the playground. "Anyone ever tell you, you're impossible, Claymore?"
"I recall you wasting your breath numerous times in our childhood saying those words," Vaughn clicked her tongue. "But other than you? No."
He tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow and patted it softly. "Probably because no one knows you like I do. That or the fact that you're only impossible with me."
She tilted her head and considered that. "That's not true. I annoyed many a nun at St. Helene's."
"How I would have loved to see that!" he remarked as they crossed the over to the campus parking lot.
"They almost expelled me once," she told him. "Except my father wields greater influence on the nuns than I would have thought. But I don't want to know how."
Cole nodded as he shuddered. He reached into his pockets and pulled out the keys to his Mercedes and unlocked the door. A beep resounded through the parking lot and he turned to Schuyler (who hadn't done anything to remove her hand from his elbow) with a grin. "This is my baby."
Vaughn's grip unwittingly tightened on his elbow as she looked over the car. "How very…you."
"Isn't it? No one is allowed to drive it."
She grinned at him, he should know better than to present such a challenge to her. "Can I drive it?"
"Did you not hear what I just said?" He was still admiring his car so he didn't realize that she was using that voice with him. The one that made people do whatever it was she wanted. He turned to her and then he saw the expression that usually accompanied that voice. "Schuyler Vaughn…"
"Cole Andrew," she countered, her full lips being puckered into a pout. "Please?"
His gazed down at her full, pouted lips and suddenly his mouth was very dry. Her hand had instinctively traveled down his arm and those stunning eyes of hers were wide and innocent. The sensible part of him knew what she was doing while the other part was completely falling for her charms. What in the world was a guy supposed to do when Schuyler Vaughn looked at him like that? The only thing he could…"Are you sure you know how to drive?"
"My BMW doesn't drive itself," Vaughn tilted her head to the side. "If that's what you're asking. And there are no accidents, and only one ticket on my record." She felt giddy about doing something Cole had never let any one else do. Of course, it was weird to trying to get him to allow her to drive his car, when she had to no plans on making him very angry.
He reluctantly held up the car keys in front of her face. He had a very bad feeling about this – and he wasn't sure if it was entirely because Schuyler had somehow managed to convince him to let her drive but more the fact that he was actually letting her drive his most prized possession. "I'm only doing this because you're mope-y."
Vaughn let out a little squeal and took the keys from him. "What's in your CD player?" She was pushing it a little too far, but who knew how far you could go before you had to stop unless you pushed? "Anything horrible?"
Cole sighed and walked over to the passenger side. There was only so much a guy could take. He gritted his teeth and answered, "If you consider Bon Jovi horrible."
She did. But it was definitely not the thing to push. "Where do I get to drive her?" Vaughn asked as she slipped into the driver's seat. Oh, this felt nice. No wonder Cole was so overprotective of the car.
"Vaughnie," he reprimanded condescendingly. "You're only going to spin her around the parking lot. You didn't actually think I'd let you drive all the way to a restaurant, did you?"
She adjusted the seat so she could actually reach the pedals. "Actually, I was thinking you wouldn't have much say in the matter since I would be in the driver's seat. And you, in the passenger's."
She had a point. The throbbing in his temple was signaling a headache. "I could always get out and stand in front of the car. Although, I'm pretty sure you have no qualms about running me over."
"I don't," Vaughn fastened her seat belt. "If you died, I'll say you were highly suicidal."
"Maniac," he mumbled under his breath and leaned back against his seat. Cole Montgomery always made the best of the worst situations and right now, all he could do was try and stay calm while Schuyler was behind the wheel of his car. One could never know what trouble a Claymore could get into.
She turned the key, and the engine purred. Very nice, she grinned at Cole before putting the car into drive. "You're going to damage something looking that tense, Montgomery."
"Who said I was tense? The only thing I'm worried about is you damaging my car."
"The only thing that's going to be damaged is my concentration if you don't start masking your tension," she warned him. He really was too easy. It was…cute. Not cute, fun. Yeah, it was fun.
"Just drive, Claymore." He could tell she was having a ball egging him on. If he didn't know better he'd say she was doing it just to see how far she would go to push him over the edge. Actually, he thought as he glanced at her profile. I'm not sure I do know better.
"As you wish."
"Don't quote Cary Elwes."
Vaughn glanced over at him. "Technically I'm quoting William Goldman."
"God, I had forgotten how nitpicky you are," he commented. She was such a smart-alec. He was going to kill DuGrey for sending him after her.
"Can I drive to the restaurant?" she asked. Not that it mattered, since there wasn't much he could do if she pulled out into the road.
She wasn't really giving him much of a choice, was she? "Yeah, you can."
"What restaurant are we going to?" She could at least give him that.
"I'm in the mood for burgers," he stated, starting to relax a little when she merged onto the main street with ease. "Which do you prefer, the golden arches or the…well, king?"
"Have you been reading Freud?" Vaughn asked, "And um, I don't know?"
He rethought his words and then grinned, realizing what said. "Burger King it is. I thought we had this conversation, I don't like Freud."
"No body likes Freud, in fact, I don't think even Anna liked Freud." Well if Vaughn was Anna she wouldn't. Especially considering Freud's views on women. "And where is Burger King?"
"On Main Street, Skye, where else?"
"Don't call me that- I'll drive your car into oncoming traffic," she warned. She really did hate that name, even more so since her mother showed up and reminded her why. "And it's not like New Haven only has one street. It could be on a different one."
"Where do you think a big franchise like BK would open a restaurant if not on the busiest street, Schuyler?" He knew not to take her threat lightly. She was awful troublesome for someone so tiny.
"They have eyes."
Vaughn stole a look at his tight-lipped expression. Really, he was just too easy. "What if they just caught it at an off hour? Like it was a freak one time thing?"
He caught on to what she was doing and he had to admit - she was good. He rolled his eyes and suppressed a grin. "Just get us there, Claymore."
She put her directional light on. "Do you trust me to go across traffic in this car?"
"I trust you as far as I can throw you. But it's not like I have an alternative, right?" he asked and then wagged his finger at her. "You're sneaky, Schuyler Vaughn."
"You can't throw very good," Vaughn pulled into the parking lot of Burger King. "And whatever do you mean by that?"
"That innocent act you put on. Rory and Tristan seem to think you're this wonderful girl with strawberry blonde hair and beautiful violet eyes. I know better." He hadn't realized that he told her she had beautiful eyes until he hear his own voice. He undid his seatbelt and looked away, in hopefully playing it cool.
"What do you mean by that? That I secretly wear contacts or something?" There was nobody more confusing to her than Cole Montgomery. She undid her own seat beat and got out of the car. "You're not making a lot of sense today."
"Never mind," he grumbled, closing the door of his car. "Forget I said anything. Shall we?"
"No, I'm too confused to eat."
"You're the one who wanted dinner!" he exclaimed. God, she was stubborn.
Vaughn was getting agitated, one way she could tell because her arms sort of waved wildly for a moment. "You're the one that did the confusing, which made me temporarily lose my appetite."
"And I told you to forget it." He ran a hand through his hair. So much for having a good time with an old friend. DuGrey was going to suffer for this. "Schuyler, we've lasted this long in each other's company for a reason. Let's remember that."
"Fine, Montgomery," she sighed. Whatever, she was tired of this. In fact, she may even go as far to say she was glad her parents sent her away to Catholic school, just because she hadn't had to deal with him for six years. "Lead me into the…building."
Cole sighed and stalked over to the entrance, not bothering to check if she was following. He could so do without her for another six years.
