He's Back

Sophomore Year

He looked at the mirror. His clear blue eyes staring right back at him. He felt so empty and cold.

Tristan DuGray washed his face and got ready for school. 'More like hell', he thought. Sure he was popular, he could get any girl he wanted. He surrounded himself with girls of the week. Maybe it was because he needed warmth from their kisses or maybe he wanted to pretend that they actually cared about him. But it was never enough. He eventually got bored with them. Their vanity. Their belief that they were better than everybody else. Their trivial problems. Everything was just an act. It was like a play. Chilton was the stage and everyone was an actor. Even himself. Only she didn't fit in.  Rory Gilmore. She was unique. Unspoiled. Beautiful.  'And I don't deserve her' he sighed.

Fast forward to Senior Year

            Tristan DuGray got out of the long black limo that picked him up from the airport to the old stony mansion he called "home". Military school had been great. Sure, waking up at 3 in the morning was a pain in the ass but he eventually got used to it. Being away from Chilton and his cold, unfeeling parents had been good for him. He realized there was more to the world than money. He made some friends that knew the real him. He didn't have to play a role. But now he had to go back to Chilton again. His parents decided he was good enough to come back. He had "suffered" enough, they said. What they didn't know was he would suffer more if he did come back.  He had to see her again and he wasn't sure how to deal with it. Seeing her everyday, knowing she was with bagboy and that he couldn't have her. But he decided no matter what they would be friends.

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            "Come on! Open! Please!" Rory Gilmore said. It was the first day of senior year and it was not off to a good start. She woke up, only to find the coffee maker broken. Now her locker wouldn't seem to open.

"Mary, Mary. Talking to it won't help", a familiar voice said, then he gave the locker a gentle shove and it popped open.

"Tristan?" Rory said, surprised. There he was standing in front of her, like he was just gone for a day. He was still the same Tristan, same deep blue eyes. Only now he had shorter hair.

"The one and only."

She turned around and surprised both of them by giving him a tight hug.

"Wow Mary, if I knew you would miss me that much I would have come back sooner."

She smiled. She had to admit she had missed him.

"And he still doesn't know my name. Military school, finally let you out?"

"Yes. I was just too much too handle."

"How was it?"

"I actually liked it. It was different."

"Did you even miss Chilton?"

"Only one thing in particular." He said, his piercing blue eyes, looking straight at her.

 "Oh" she said, looking away.

"So, did I miss anything while I was away?"

"Well, Paris is student body president and I am the vice-president." She said while taking out her books.      

"You and Paris together. Never thought I would see the day." He said in disbelief while both were walking to class.

" With you out of the picture. It became fairly easy to get along with her."

"Fairly easy?"

"Well, maybe not that easy." She smiled. "I have to go to class. See you later, Tristan."

"Bye, Mary"

"It's good to have you back."

Maybe today wasn't such a bad day after all.