Chapter 7 - Truths
"So you ready to go Mary?" Tristan appeared beside Rory's locker.
"Yep" she shut her locker and slung her bag over her shoulder. Rory followed Tristan outside to his car. Tristan stoped in front of a Mercedes convertible, a very expensive looking car.
"That's your car?" asked Rory surprised, as Tristan opened the passengers door and gestured for her to get in.
"Yep. You like?"
She slowly walked over to the car and got in, the leather smooth against her legs. Tristan got in the drivers car and started the engine, and off they went. They said little on the trip, both of them shooting glances at each other every now and then.
The car looked very out of place driving through the small town of Stars Hollow, everyone in the town turned when they saw it drive through, and with the car being a convertible everyone could tell it was Rory is the passenger seat. She saw Miss Patty checking out Tristan as they drove past, giving her the thumbs up. Eventually they pulled up outside the Gilmore-Danes house, as it had been renamed. Rory had told Luke that Tristan would be coming over to study. Luke had never met Tristan, but she could tell the two weren't likely to get along. And as far as she knew Tristan didn't know about her mum's death.
"Nice place you got here Mary" said Tristan as they approached the front door, his trademark smile on his face. Rory rolled her eyes at him, knowing his house was probably 3 times the size of hers. She unlocked the door and the pair walked inside.
"I'm home" Rory called out, as she and Tristan walked into the kitchen. Luke came out of Rosey's room closing the door carefully behind him.
"Ssh, I just got her to sleep"
"Oh ok" said Rory setting her bag down next to the table.
"Luke this is Tristan, Tristan this is… my step dad Luke" Luke smiled a little at Rory calling him her step dad. Tristan stuck out his hand to greet Luke.
'Its nice to meet you" he said in his voice only reserved for adults. Luke didn't particularly like the look of Tristan, but Rory said it was for a school project, so it wasn't like they were dating or anything.
"Yeah you to" said Luke, shaking Tristan's hand.
"Well I gotta go down to the Diner for a bit and go to Dooses, would you mind watching Rosey"
"Sure" said Rory.
"Whose Rosey?" asked Tristan once Luke had left.
"My little sister" said Rory pulling books out of her bag.
"Oh, I didn't know you had a sister" he said sitting down at the table.
"She's only a month old" said Rory avoiding his eyes.
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Tristan and Rory had been working on their project for about an hour, Tristan managing to keep is mind on the job. But they were disturbed by crying coming from Rosey's room.
"Oh I'm sorry" said Rory standing up and going to check on her sister. Rory picked up the little girl and carried her back into the kitchen. Tristan watched Rory put her sister into a bouncer net on the floor and give her a dummy, she was really good with the little girl. But Tristan wondered where her mum was, it seemed like Luke and Rory were the ones looking after the kid.
"Ok back to work" said Rory sitting back down at the table.
"Shes a cute kid" said Tristan looking at Rory.
"Yeah she is" Rory smiled.
" I think we need a study break Mar, I'm starving"
"Oh ok I guess we could. Do you wanna order pizza?" asked Rory walking into the lounge room to get the phone.
"Sure. You got good pizza here?"
"The best" called Rory and she walked back into the kitchen, phone to her ear.
"Supreme?"
"Yeah sounds good"
Tristan listened as Rory ordered the pizza.
"Hey Joe, its Rory here…. Yeah it was sad…thanks…. Yes, I just wanted to order a pizza" she was stating to get annoyed Joe kept apologising about her mother, now he was going on about the time she had given him a tip or something.
"Joe! Can I please have one large Supreme" Rory said exasperated.
"Ok thanks. Cya" she clicked the phone off. Tristan looked at her a bemused look on his face.
"What was going on there? Is the Pizza guy your boyfriend?" Tristan asked cheekily, Rory ignored him walking back to her seat.
"Or are you still seeing bag boy?" Rory stiffened at the mention of Dean. His family had moved back to Chicago just before Christmas, and they had broken up.
"I'm not seeing anyone" said Rory looking down.
"Really?"
"Yes really"
Tristan stood up and walked over to Rory's door.
"Is this your room?" he asked pushing the door open slightly
"Yes"
"Can I have a look?"
"I suppose so" she said, she watched Tristan walk into her room, she stood up and followed him.
"Very nice Mary" said Tristan admiring her room. He walked over to Rory who was standing by the door, he moved closer to her, she thought he was going to make a move on her. But instead of reaching for her, he reached for the Guitar shaped purse behind her, that her mum had given her at Christmas.
"What is this?" asked Tristan a huge smile on his face, as he prepared to mock the bag. Rory grabbed it off him.
"My mum gave it to me ok?" she said rushing out of her room towards the lounge room. Tristan, a little shocked followed. He found Rory sitting on the couch clutching the purse.
"Rory?" he asked walking slowly towards her.
" I'm sorry, I thought I was a funny bag, I mean its meant to be funny isn't it?" he said trying to lighten the mood.
She stared straight a head.
"She died" she said quietly.
"What?" asked Tristan moving to sit down next to her on the couch. Rory turned to face him.
"My mum, she died a month ago" she looked down at the ground.
"Oh Rory' he went to move closer to her
"No, I don't know why you mocking that bag should mean anything to me, but it did and I don't know" tears started rolling down her checks. Tristan put his arm around her pulling her in close to him, she cried just sitting there, resting in his arms. After a little while she pulled away, sitting up.
"You must think I'm totally stupid to just break down crying like that" she said wiping the tears away from her eyes.
"No, I think you're totally wonderful" he said, his eyes intently focus on hers. She paused, his eyes lingering on hers maybe longer than they should have. There was a connection between those blue eyes. But spell was broken as Rosey began to cry.
"I better get her" said Rory turning to get up.
"No you sit there, ill get her" Tristan stood up and walked towards the kitchen, Rory sunk back into the couch. Tristan came back into the room baby Rosey in his arms, Rory smiled at the sight of her sister. Tristan sat back down on the couch with Rosey, who seemed content in Tristan's arms. They sat like that for a while, Rosey on Tristan's lap and Rory sitting closely next to them.
"I'm sorry" said Tristan eventually, he was exactly sure how to react, or how to act around Rory now that he had found out her mum had died, and only a month ago too.
Rory looked up at him.
"Thanks" she said. She was seeing this totally different side to Tristan, he was nice and sensitive and well…not being a jerk. She liked it.
