CHAPTER 6
AN: Thanks for all the reviews. I know I've been slow but things came up. I know you all understand.
This chapter is dedicated to Kayels (sooty7sweep). Happy birthday, chum!
"That's it? He promised you Marty," Tanh deadpanned Rory. "Both of you are officially insane!"
This was what Rory was greeted with when Rory revealed the dilemma both she and Tristin were bound to. At this point, she would've preferred hearing Tanh sing the praise and wonder of his favorite band, Coldplay.
"It's a strange bargain," Rory admitted. "But I am not going to let Tristin be a spiteful man."
"But why Marty?" Tanh asked, mortified. "It's like wanting to date you brother. Yeah, he's good looking and all but you guys know each other too well to be... you know."
"That's exactly my point!" she exhaled loudly. "I doubt that Dickens had us in mind when he wrote 'Great Expectations'." Rory had felt that she and Marty just never had the right timing. Honestly, she was too preoccupied with herself to include Marty in her life especially in the more-than-friends aspect.
"Why not Tristin, huh? He's not painful to look at. He definitely defended your honor by handing Logan a well-deserved knuckle sandwich. Why can't you convince him to fall for the likes of you so that you won't be lonely and he'd be cured of his female hang-up?" Tanh suggested, planting a fist on his hip.
"There is nothing wrong with Marty. He's a nice guy!" she defended her study partner.
"Marty, Marty, Marty," Tanh said in a whiny voice. "You're starting to sound like Jan. Well, if incest is your thing, rock on, sister!"
"Okay, someone watched a little too many Brady Bunch reruns," Rory muttered under her breath.
"All I'm saying is, you're letting prime male booty slip away," Tanh warned.
"There's too much history between him and me," Rory grumbled too quickly. She didn't want to admit to herself that she was scared witless if she even tried falling for the likes of him. "Besides, he's cut from the same cloth Logan is. Again, once bitten-twice shy."
"Honey, I can convert him to the dark side," Tanh leered, raising his eyebrows in malice.
"Tristin's a misogynist not desperate," Rory chortled.
As their conversation wavered to something less exciting, a knock on the door was heard.
"Come in!" both Rory and Tanh called out.
Marty stuck his head in and greeted the two. "From the sound of the two of you bellowing, I figured you weren't studying in my room."
Embarrassed that he might have heard their topic of conversation, Rory got on to her feet and grabbed her books. "Sorry. I just had to-"
"You know you don't have to explain anything to me," Marty chuckled, oblivious to her sudden nervousness. "You coming over for pizza tonight?" he directed his question to Tanh.
"Maybe, if I get to wash the paint off of my hair," he exaggerated.
Rory was a step behind Marty when Tanh stopped her.
"Hey, think about what we just discussed," he warned Rory. "I don't like mending broken hearts, especially yours."
"I will," Rory said softly before closing the door behind her.
"Hey, I saw Logan today," Marty said almost immediately after she shut Tanh's door. "He's sporting this new make up called 'black eye'. I want to shake the hand of the person who introduced it to him."
"You already did," Rory said off-handedly before hooking her arm around his.
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The conversation Rory had with Tanh stuck to her head like superglue. That Wednesday, she made sure to avoid all paths that would've allowed her a potential Marx moment with her former classmate. The mere thought that the idea of them being more than friends made Rory overly cautious, almost jumpy when Saturday rolled around.
"I think Tristin is crazy to think that Scoozzi's going to let us in dressed like this," Marty inferred as they sat on the hood of his champagne colored Honda Civic.
"Something tells me he has something up his sleeve," Rory commented.
"You know I was really hesitant about this- 'date'," Marty muttered, a half smile formed on his soft lips. "The last time we did something like this, it turned into a major disaster."
He was referring to the eventful outing two years ago when the night ended with him owing her a seventy-five dollar tab and her breaking his heart. She still felt guilty that she didn't handle his confession to her with more finesse.
"Do you want to call it off? I can give Tristin a ring," Rory offered. It was a good excuse to help settle the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
"Nah. He's already picked up Kaylee," Marty responded as his eyes shifted in the lamp lit parking lot.
Rory looked at her boot covered feet. "Yeah, his just that kind of guy." 'The kind that can likes cute girls that would devote their whole attention to him,' Rory added subconsciously.
She was surprised to hear those words reverberate in the corner of her mind. Even to her, the accusation was a low blow. True, she felt that Tristin needed a taste of his own medicine but she was a creature of habit. She knew that even in a world where inequality is the norm, the likes of the Tristin of her past had a purpose. She can't see Tristin as an adversary but as a friend in dire need of rescuing.
"Do you regret agreeing to this little shindig?" Marty asked.
"Well, I'm glad we've finally gone out again," Rory pointed out. "I missed us hanging out."
"I missed it, too," Marty admitted.
They shifted closer to each other. "I'm glad we straightened that out," Rory whispered.
"Me, too," Marty replied.
Their heads inched towards each other. His lips hovered over hers. Their lips were about to fuse when a loud car door slamming echoed in the cold night. Like two guilty teens, both jumped apart from each other.
"Are we late?" the familiar voice rang in the air. It was Tristin and he looked impeccable even in casual clothes. Dressed like a walking Hollister ad, he carried an air of arrogance only he could muster. Rory swallowed the sight of him. And then, she noticed Kaylee's small hand tucked safely in his.
"No, no. Right on time," Marty answered, getting up from hood of the car.
"I'm sorry. I was running behind," Kaylee apologized. Her blonde hair cascaded over her tan pea coat, making her an image of perfection. Her legs were encased in a pair of pink tights that matched her barely-covering-her-fanny skirt. If that wasn't enough her dainty feet were covered in calf-high boots that even her mother would covet without a second thought.
"Don't worry about it. Let's get in before we all turn into popsicles," Rory suggested before tearing her eyes away from the beautiful couple.
"So, let's?" Tristin invited the crowd.
Hesitantly, Rory and Marty trudged towards the restaurant's doors.
"Where are you headed?" Tristin asked, a glint of mischief twinkled in his eye.
"Dinner?" Rory assumed.
"Nah. That's not the cuisine I had in mind," he said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Less than two miles later, the four of them found themselves sitting on laminated seats and cigarette burn marked tables. The boisterous atmosphere made the trek to the bowling alley worthwhile. Tristin and Marty were halfway through a game of pool when their food arrived.
"This would be the death of me," Tristin chortled as he bit into the burger, the juice running down his fingers.
"These fries suck but I won't have it any other way," Kaylee proclaimed as she popped a fry in her mouth.
"I am rather surprised that you are chowing down on that," Marty said. "You're always watching what you eat. You're too skinny."
"It's part of the job. I can't go back to the Academy too heavy for the cavalier to pick me up!" she argued, pointing a fry at Marty.
"I wish I had your commitment. I have been raised on bad food from day one," Rory chuckled.
"I like it though. Made you different from all the other girls," Tristin commented on Rory's eating habit.
"You watched me while I ate? Ew, gross," Rory said, mortified at the thought.
"If you only knew, Mary," he chuckled.
"Well I can tell you she's no Mary," Marty replied under his breath.
Rory took her balled-up paper napkin and threw it on the lanky man. "Shut up, Marty! Unless you really want me to shove a boot up your…"
"Now, now, no need for violence," Kaylee interrupted, as she almost choked on her food. " I can tell you a few juicy details about our innocent Marty here."
"Marty? Evil? Surely, you jest," Rory's tone dripped with sarcasm.
"Right before my family and I left for Europe, Marty came over to drop Jen off at my place. I think he just got his driver's license," she started saying.
Marty had a look of confusion plastered on his face, trying hard to recall the event Kaylee was talking about.
"Anyway, a bunch of my girlfriends were already there and were running out through the hallway…"
"Oh, no, you're in so much trouble!" a moment of clarity reached Marty who suddenly lunged toward Kaylee to cover her mouth. Instead, a giggling Kaylee got up and ran around the pool table, farthest from Marty's reach.
Tristin and Rory were already laughing without hearing the rest of the story. The chase was amusing as it was. Rory felt Tristin shift his seat closer to her. Her heart skipped as he draped his arm around her shoulder.
"And all of a sudden, he was sporting a boner!" she declared, a salacious smile breaking on her face.
"You are so getting it!" Marty swore as his blood flushed his face.
"Did I tell you every one in that room was dressed in bathing suits?" Kaylee added as the couple ran around the table like Tom chasing Jerry.
"My, my, Marty. I thought you were the candidate for sainthood!" Rory responded, rolling in laughter.
"I wasn't sporting a boner," he clarified. "I was just…"
"Sporting a boner," Kaylee finished his sentence. "He was so flustered he dropped the car keys twice, started muttering the periodic table under his breath and when he finally got back to the car? He put the car in reverse rather than drive and almost ran over the mailbox!"
"I am ruined!" Marty groaned. He got back to his seat and hid his face behind his hands. Tristin and Rory's loud laughter died down as Kaylee finally walked up to Marty and hugged him from behind.
"But you were so sweet about the whole incident," Kaylee admitted. "Truth be told, we staged the whole thing. You were voted the hottest brother among the girls."
Rory smiled. She was so touched by her confession that she sought Tristin's hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Tell me that you have a horrendous story or two under your belt," Marty groaned as his secured Kaylee's hands around his neck with his.
"Too many to mention," Tristin admitted. "However, before we start airing out dirty laundry, why don't we start a game?"
"A game of what?" Rory asked.
"Bowling. We're in an alley, aren't we?" Tristin pointed out.
"Yeah," Rory replied in hesitancy.
"Scared?" he posed.
"I've never bowled," she admitted.
"What?" he replied in surprise. "Were you ever a kid?"
"What do you mean?" she demanded an explanation while her cheeks turned a lovely shade of cherry red.
"Nothing," he chuckled, kneeling in front of her. "I'll teach you."
And that he did. After they secured a lane, Rory watched Marty glide and throw his ball. Strike. Kaylee stepped up. She wiggled her little behind. Rory noticed the glances the men made and she snickered. She, too, rolled a strike.
"You're next," Tristin whispered in her ear.
"C'mon, Rory. Show us what you got," Marty cheered her on.
Rory picked up the marble ball and held it close to her chest.
"Alright, don't forget to breathe," she heard him say. His breath on her ear made the hair on her nape stand on its ends.
"I am!" she defended herself.
Before she knew it, his arms went around her. His left hand was on her waist. His right hand just pressed itself lightly over hers. She could feel his chest lean against her back, spreading a delicious heat she didn't mind feeling.
"Now, just take a step here," he glided her like they were on the dance floor. "On your second step, swing," his other foot guided hers as she took the step and guided her arm and wrist. "Now, let go!"
She let the ten pound ball slip from her fingers. As she feared, she rolled so lightly that her ball sailed halfway through the lane before rolling off to the gutter. A goose egg appeared next to her name.
"One more, Rory. Good try!" Kaylee cheered on from the seats.
Rory smiled at the blonde and waited for her ball to return to her. She flashed Tristin a weary smile.
"You know you can quit if you want to," Tristin tried to comfort her. His hand rested lightly over her wrist.
"I'll be fine, teach," she said. On that note, she reached for her ball and mechanically threw the heavy object. Landing with a loud 'thunk', the ball rolled in the lane knocking out three pins.
"Good try!" Marty yelled out, handing her a high five.
Tristin took his spot on the dotted line. He drove a curved ball on the lane, leaving a 7-10 split.
"Come on, baby. Don't get yourself a touchdown," Marty hollered to Tristin.
"How about I pick up the split and you owe me a brewskie," Tristin bet.
"You're on!" he agreed.
Tristin winked at Rory as both girls cheered Tristin on. He positioned his ball in front of him and in one explosive move, he hauled the ball with so much speed that the pin on the seventh spot ricocheted on the tenth pin and bounced around even when the pin setters were coming down.
Cheers went around and Tristin shook Marty's hand.
The whole night, they bowled three games. Exes, slashes and zeros littered the scoreboard. The last game they played, they all bowled granny-style, stealing glances from the other patrons of the establishment. In the end, Kaylee won the game with an average score of 120. The boys were not far behind her.
"So, did this sour your chances of returning to a bowling alley?" Marty teased Rory who scored a measly average of 68.
"Nope," she said, hanging on to the arm that dangled around her. "Just means I will be a spectator the next time I show my face here."
"Oh, Rory. You'd get better. I promise. You just need to get some practice," Kaylee added, looping her arm around hers.
"See? All you need is a little help from your friends," Tristin said walking beside Kaylee.
Rory had mixed feelings as they walked out of William Bowling Alley. She liked the way she fit right next to Marty but at the same time, she found her thoughts wandering to the blonde escorting Marty's little sister's friend.
They all walked back to the parking lot that wasn't as fully occupied as they left it.
"So, I guess this means the night's over?" Tristin asked.
"Sadly, I have to get back. Nana will be expecting me back and I hate having her wait up," Kaylee admitted, wringing her hands.
"That's okay," Tristin said, clicking the remote to his car.
"I'll take it from here, Tristin. Mimi wants me over for breakfast so I'll just sleep over there," Marty said.
"Mimi?" Rory guffawed.
"She doesn't want me calling her 'grandma' so Mimi stuck. I have been doing some stuff for her every once in a while. Keeping a permanent overnight bag there had saved me a few times," he explained.
"Well, that's cool, man," Tristin said. "I guess I can stand hanging out with this kid for a few more minutes," he referred to Rory who punched him as he made the remark.
"You better take care of her. I just might want to take her out on a date later on the week," Marty hinted to Tristin.
"We'll do," he promised. "Be safe, Kaylee," Tristin kissed the girl on the cheek.
"Good night, Tristin," Kaylee said. "I hope this isn't our last meeting."
"I promise it won't be, angel," he said.
Marty hit the horn with three short blasts before turning away from the street. As they disappeared, Rory pretty much pushed Tristin up against his Porsche.
"Do you think he meant what he said?" Rory asked in excitement. She pressed herself closely to him that mere contact made him forget to breathe.
"I hope so. I'd hate to see what you'd do to me if he was lying," Tristin teased as he held on to Rory loosely on the hips.
Rory dropped her gaze, her smile still lingering. "I just didn't want to look like a dolt in front of him."
"You didn't," Tristin reassured her as he held her hand.
The walk from Chapel Street to the Taft Apartments was slow and relaxing. They talked about the highlights of the evening and laughed as they recalled it.
"You know we could've parked a little closer," Rory elbowed Tristin.
"But what fun would that be if you guys figured out where we were going?" he defended himself.
Before a rebuttal escaped Rory's lips, Tristin announced, "We're here."
Rory looked up and gazed at the building. They walked in to the big building barely making a sound. They stood silently in the middle of the open space before Rory offered, "Would you like to come in for a drink?"
Tristin hesitated. He pursed his lips, almost painfully responding, "Not tonight but thanks."
Rory was a bit disappointed with his response. "I guess this is good night then?"
"Yeah," he replied.
Rory tiptoed to give him a peck on the cheek. He bent slightly to receive the present.
Slowly, Rory recoiled and went up the steps. Tristin watched her until she was about halfway to the third floor before trudging out the glass doors.
"Tristin!" she called out to him.
He looked up and saw Rory beaming him a smile.
"I had a great time tonight. We should do this again," she suggested.
"As you wish!" he replied before escaping to the night.