Author's note: WOW!!!!! I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved the reviews I got!!! I'm so happy that you liked the last chapter and that you found it to be quite funny!! Yay!! People actually think that what I write is good... who would've thought!?!?... hehe... Anyways, I need to give a HUGE shout out to the people responsible for putting a smile on my face, and for inspiring me to write more chapters....
Callista NicTeryn, In-need-of-coffee, OTHlover04, mar0506, cecilia, sooty7sweep, smile1, queenmischa, mz.sammiz, megliz716, lilyLOVESwb, babs08, amrig... and to the rest of the people who've reviewed in the past
Thank you so much for your thoughts & comments.
Summary: A school newspaper. Two different opinions. A book. Mixed in with some confusion, misguidance and attraction. A perfect recipe for a good old fashioned fairy tale story, so to speak. (Trory)
Askepott
Chapter eleven
Wednesday morning, Chilton
"So tell me all the juicy details!", Madeline almost burst out of excitement the following morning.
It was twenty minutes before first period and the halls were slowly being filled by arriving students. The three girls were standing by their lockers, sorting out their stuff, while at the same time gossiping about last night's events.
"It was everything I thought it would be.", Louise said dreamily.
"Really?"
"He picked me up and took me out to dinner at this totally cool restaurant. And we just sat there talking about everything. We were practically finishing each other's sentences by the end of the evening."
"Oh, give me a break, Louise! Not unless Tristan DuGray suddenly acquired the interest for reading Cosmo girl, Jane or any other preteen magazines, I find it hard to believe that you had anything to talk about at all.", Paris countered.
"Fine, believe, or in this case, don't believe whatever you want. It doesn't really matter cause at the end of the day I was the one who had a date with Tristan, and not you!"
"Yeah, as if that's going to make me toss and turn at night."
"Come on, Paris! Everyone knows that you've had the hots for Tristan since grade school. No need to deny it.", Louise spat back. "And much as you don't want to admit it, seeing me date the guy of your dreams makes you green with envy."
"Wait a minute! Isn't it a bit too premature to refer to the two of you as dating? You've only been on one date."
"Yeah, so when are you going out again?", Madeline asked curiously.
Casting her eye down the hall, Louise gave a smirk before answering her two friends. "We're about to find out."
Tristan walked through doors of Chilton and said hello to the random passer-bys. His air of confidence and charm illuminated from him, which made him simply irresistible to everyone. He saw Louise with Madeline and Paris, and thought it was too late to dodge a greeting. He was quite disappointed to find out that Louise wasn't the person he thought she was and even more disappointed when he realized that he was back at where he started when it came to his book debacle.
"Good morning, ladies!", he gave a devilish grin as he approached them.
"Hi, Tristan!", Louise smiled.
"How are you girls doing today?"
"Oh, Louise was just telling us about your date last night.", Madeline informed.
Tristan inwardly winced at the mention of their date, and remained quiet as he continued to listen to the bouncy brunette. "And we hear that you had a great time. Any chance for a repeat in the near future?", Madeline blatantly asked.
"Madeline, let's not put Tristan on the spot like that.", Louise acted embarrassed. She turned towards the blonde haired boy and apologized. "Sorry, Tristan. Madeline here doesn't always know when to shut up."
Thinking that he really should have just evaded coming over and greeting them, Tristan felt as if his Chilton tie was getting tighter and tighter around his neck. He tugged at it just to make sure that it actually wasn't before he spoke. "About that, going out again.........uhm, I'm really busy right now with school and stuff so I don't think this is the right time to be doing that.", Tristan lamely explained.
"Oh.", disappointment filled Louise voice as she spoke.
"And its not as if I didn't have a good time last night cause I did.", he lied. "It's really just because I have a lot to do at the moment."
"Sure! That's okay. I understand. I mean we're all quite busy with stuff." Louise bounced back and acted as if it was no big deal. "Maybe we can go to the masquerade ball together.", she tried again, not wanting to let Tristan go that easily.
"Well, actually I already have a date."
"Who?", the three girls asked in unison.
"Rory Gilmore.", he said and suddenly remembered that he needed to talk to her about that. The amazed looks on the three girls went unbeknownst to him as the first bell caught his attention. "I guess I'll just catch you guys later.", Tristan said before leaving them by the lockers.
"He's going with Gilmore??!!", Madeline asked disbelievingly.
Turning to her friends, Louise turned cold and gave an icy stare. "Not if I have anything to do with it."
It was lunch break and Rory was sitting by herself at a vacant table in the cafeteria. With her discman playing and an open book in front of her, she was completely oblivious to the world around her. She took a bite of her sandwich and continued her reading. The sudden feel of tapping on her right shoulder caused her to look up. Tristan was standing beside her and gave a small wave. Taking off her headphones, Rory made room for him on the bench and moved slightly to the side.
"You know what I never could figure out?", Tristan said as he sat down.
"What?"
"Why you always sit by yourself. I mean, granted that I don't know that much about you, but I know this much that you're nice person.", he said. Looking her up and down, he quickly added while smirking cockily. "Very nice, if I do say so myself."
Rolling her eyes, she turned towards Tristan. "And you know what I never could figure out?", Rory asked and looked at the boy sitting next to her. She didn't wait for his answer as she merely continued. "Why you always have to say such obnoxious things. I can't, for the life of me, understand how any girl could fall for that cheap line!"
"Any girl, huh? So that must mean you too.", Tristan pointed out.
"Paris getting something lower than an A- is more likely to happen before I'd ever be one of your groupies. And knowing Paris I know that's never going to happen.", she stated.
"Never say never, Mary."
"But you just did."
"Did what?"
"You said never say never. But you did say it. Twice to be exact.", Rory enlightened and somehow managed to make a perfect segway from Tristan's flirtatious ways to the wacky world of her never ending babbling.
"Yeah, but that's how the saying goes.", the boy tried to reason.
"But it's a weird expression. I mean, it contradicts itself."
"I guess it does. I never thought of it that way."
"Of course not. You're too busy sitting in front of the TV, drinking beer and occasionally scratching your stomach while letting out a loud grunt.", she explained wisely.
"I am???"
"Yeah, and when you get up to go to the bathroom, your pants are hanging loosely around your hips which conveniently reveal a small fraction of your butt crack, but enough to make any level headed person gag over their popcorn."
"Well, thanks for clueing me in on that.", Tristan commented sarcastically.
"No problem.", Rory stated as a matter-of-factly. "Anyways, as much as I enjoy this little Hallmark moment we've got going on here, could you just please....", Rory motioned with her arms to move it along.
"Right." Tristan realized that he still hadn't brought up the subject that he wanted to talk to her about. "I came over here to talk to you about the ball next week."
Being reminded of the evil scheme her grandmother somehow managed to lure her into, Rory let out a sigh and cast a thwarted look. "Oh, yeah, that."
"No one is twisting your arm to do this, Rory.", Tristan prompted as he noticed Rory's look. "You can still say no if you want."
"Oh, there's definitely some twisting involved whenever my grandmother is concerned. You might not actually see it, but trust me there is."
"Look, all I'm saying is that there's no pressure from my side."
"Yeah, I know.", she sighed. "Never mind. So what was it about the ball that you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Well, I just wanted to know what we're going as. I mean, it is after all a masquerade ball."
Furrowing her brows, Rory let her mind do some brainstorming but at the end came up short. "I don't know. You got any ideas?"
"Not really. But just let me know soon so I'll have time to get the costume."
"What??? Why do I have to be the one who's going to come up with this?!"
"Because I have a vast number of groupies, as you mentioned, that I need to tend to." Tristan stood up and broke into a smug grin. He didn't bother with a retort from Rory as he simply turned around and made his way to the exit.
A/N #2: What do you guys think Louise is planning?? Does this mean trouble in paradise for our two kindred spirits?? Stay tuned and find out....