Something missing
Left behind
Search in circles
Every time I try
I've been here before
I've seen you before
Rory glanced at her mother across the table on Friday, all four Gilmores were silent. Forks scraping were the only sound in the otherwise tense silence. Emily looked up from her plate and set her fork down, "What in God's name has gotten into you two?" she asked.
Lorelai and Rory looked up, "What?"
"You two are completely silent. I've never seen you silent, Lorelai. I would have loved to have a little of it while you were growing up. But now we're grown woman and you have nothing to say to your parents and daughter."
"I have a cold." she said, sniffling for effect. She sniffed harder and looked at Rory for support.
"Yeah," Rory nodded, "It's really....bad?" she said uncertainly. Emily nodded, unconvinced, and looked back to her plate.
Lorelai looked at her daughter in disbelief, silently asking if that was the best she could do. Rory shrugged. "Yes. I even had to take a day off work." Lorelai added, trying to keep the conversation going.
Emily looked up at them lazily, "Oh, really?"
"Yes. I had to call her every two hours....from school.....to make sure she was okay."
"Yeah. And she got really annoying around the third time." Lorelai said, "I almost took my foot to the phone." she said, laughing slightly. Emily just looked up at her unamused, "You know, Elvis put his foot through the T.V.-"
"Yes, Lorelai, I'm very aware of where you got that comment from."
"Oh, yeah, okay. Just making sure."
"Well thank you for being so considerate."
She looked back down at her plate, "Yeah. You're welcome." Lorelai glanced up at Rory, who was grinning. She smiled as well, hitting Rory's feet with her own under the table. Emily just rolled her eyes.
I can't escape
Walking down these halls
Hard to find a place
Where there are no walls
And no lines begging me to cross
Only straight ahead
Better move along
CHILTON, MONDAY
Rory closed her eyes, looking away from Tristan's locker, where he was shamelessly flirting with Summer. Her eyes opened again, but they were still there. As if he could feel her eyes on him, he looked up, their eyes meeting. He looked back down after a moment, and she turned to Louise, who was standing beside her. "What?" Rory asked, missing what her friend had said.
"I said, I still can't believe he's back. And with Summer." her nose crinkled, "The girl is disgusting."
Rory laughed, "Tell me about it. She's totally throwing herself at him."
"Yeah. He has no taste if he goes for her. Of course he has to have some taste considering he was insanely in love with you before he got sent away."
"He was not."
"Yeah, he was. You're just blind."
Rory rolled her eyes, grinning, "Not blind. Just cautious."
Louise's jaw dropped, "You knew!"
Rory smiled and turned, walking away. Louise followed, "You knew he was in love with you the whole time!" she said, grinning.
Rory shrugged, "Not love. Like."
Louise smiled, "So if you knew he liked you and obviously still does, and you like him-"
Rory spun on her heel, "I never said that I liked him."
"You didn't have to. It's obvious from the way you were glaring at Summer. Anyway, if you two like each other then why are you letting all those girls hang all over him?"
"I don't LIKE Tristan." technically, that wasn't a lie. She was pretty much in love with him. "Besides, even if anything could happen, his parents have forbidden him from being around me."
Louise snorted, "I've known Tristan for a long time. And I've known you for years. Before he left you two were like, Bonnie and Clyde, or Kurt and Courtney, but not so drugged out all the time. You did things no one else would have been able to get away with, and even if you did get caught,
all evidence was gone. You were best friends, and you were totally obsessed with each other but neither of you ever made a move. And a few months can't have changed either of you that much. You never would have listened to his parents before. What's so different now?"
Like clockwork
I commit the crime
I pretend to be
Everything they like
I've been here before
I've seen you before
Rory smiled at her friend, "Louise, Tristan loves the game. Even if he'd been completely in love with me, he lives for being a bad ass. He won't change."
Louise looked at her friend sadly, "That doesn't upset you?"
Rory shook her head, "He's Tristan. I know him. I've always known him. I've always known that he'd stay the same."
"But-"
"No buts."
"You like him."
She shook her head, "I practically hate him, he's the same player he always was. Yeah, I did like him at one time, but then he decided to go and change all the rules. I don't feel the same anymore."
"But you could?"
Rory shook her head, "I don't think so."
"Why not?" she asked, exasperated.
"Because....he's Tristan. I just couldn't."
"Oh, I think you could."
"And why is that?"
"Because, like you said, he's Tristan."
"So?" Rory asked.
"So, he likes you and you like him. Eventually, it will work out."
She just rolled her eyes, "Whatever."
I can't escape
Walking down these halls
Hard to find a place
Where there are no walls
And no lines
Begging me to cross
Only straight ahead
Better move along
LUNCH
Rory sat down at the only available seat, right next to Tristan. She rolled her eyes, turning away from him. "Aw, Mary doesn't want to talk to me?" he said playfully.
"No, I don't." she turned around to look at him, "And the name is Rory."
He smirked, leaning in, "Oh yeah, I remember. I've screamed it enough."
"In your dreams."
"Every night and day."
"Well carry on, because it's never going to happen."
"Thanks for your permission." She rolled her eyes, turning back to Paris, who was on her other side. Tristan sighed, "Fine don't talk to me." he turned to Madeline, who was in front of him, and smiled charmingly, "Hey Maddy."
She laughed, "Hey Tris."
"Rory doesn't want to talk to me."
"I'm sorry."
"She's hurting my self esteem."
"I'm sure you'll feel better."
He shook his head, "I feel so sad and unloved."
Rory turned, "If you're trying to make me feel bad then it's not working."
"Then why did you turn around?" he asked smugly.
"Because, while you aren't making me feel bad, you ARE annoying."
"Then my task in life is complete. I can die in peace now."
"So go do it, and I hope you have fun."
"Ha, good thing I don't give into peer pressure."
"We all just wish you did."
"Ouch, how can someone so pretty be so mean?"
"Well, if I'm around you long enough, I just pick up on it."
He grinned, "Damn skippy."
Rory laughed, rolling her eyes, "You're such a loser."
And I'd trade
Everything for this
And I'd trade
Everything for this
Why do I read
The writing on the wall
Why do I read
The writing on the wall
In the halls after lunch, Rory was walking with Paris, trying to figure out what they'd do that weekend. She felt her breath catch in her throat when they passed Summer's locker, and Tristan was pressing her against it. He glanced over at them and turned back to Summer, his face millimeters away, not kissing her, but making it seem as if he would at any moment, and it was obvious Summer thought he would. Rory got a disgusted look on her face, and Tristan could tell she wasn't just acting.
She turned away, and he felt a burning in his stomach, hating that he was doing this to her, but if he didn't act like this, people would know something was wrong. But, damn. What he'd give to make it so that Rory was in front of him and not Summer. That was what he really wanted, and he hoped that she knew it. But later he'd make it perfectly clear to her that she was the one he wanted, the only one.
Rory looked back at Paris, "You know what? I don't care."
"What?" Paris asked, stopping what she was saying.
"I don't care anymore. I can't handle this."
Paris glanced over at Tristan and nodded, pulling Rory into a bathroom and, seeing that there were two Sophomores in it, shooed them out. She leaned against the counter, "Now, tell me what's wrong."
"I can't watch him maul other girls in the hall. I can't, Paris, sorry."
She shrugged, "You don't have to apologize to me. But he might be a little harder to convince that it won't work."
Rory looked out the window, "Yeah, I know. I just wish it wasn't so hard."
Paris looked down, "Yeah. This sucks for both of you."
I won't loose my place in line
I've been here too long
And I've spent too much time
Something missing
Left behind
Search in circles every time I try
I've been here before
I've seen you before
AFTER SCHOOL
Rory walked out of the 'Franklin' staff room with Paris after their meeting, "So I'm covering music and that teacher from Princeton that's coming to do a class on Mark Twain, right?"
"Yeah. And they're do in like, two weeks."
She nodded, "Sure. I can do that."
"So, am I giving you a ride home?" her friend asked as they made their way in the direction of the deserted parking lot. They were the last two people left.
"I'll love you fore-" she was cut off mid sentence as someone grabbed her around the waist and pulled her to him tightly. She looked up to see Tristan had been leaning against the wall, blocked from view by the double doorway. She smiled lightly, "Hey."
Tristan grinned, "Hey." he turned to Paris, "I can give her a ride home."
She rolled her eyes, "I swear, you two are just begging to get caught." although she knew they wouldn't listen as she stormed off.
Rory turned back to Tristan, opening her mouth to say something, but before she could start, he captured her lips in a slow kiss.
I can't escape
Walking down these halls
Hard to find a place
Where there are no walls
And no lines begging me to cross
Only straight ahead better move along
And I'd trade everything for this
Why do I read the writing on the wall