"So Tristan mentioned that you two were coming to my party on Saturday," Madeline said to Cassidy.
Rory perked her ears and tried not to look like she was listening.
"Oh yeah, should be fun," Cassidy answered.
Louise arched an eyebrow and said, "so what's up with you two anyway? You two together or not?"
Rory noted Cassidy immediately looked like she wished she were elsewhere, but perhaps it was her imagination, because a second later the girl answered easily, "well …we aren't together like a couple…"
Louise snorted and said somewhat condescendingly, "well I know that. Tristan doesn't do couples…but you two are doing it right?"
Cassidy flushed and answered, "no. I mean…I don't think I would until we were together together. I'd just feel weird about hooking up like that without a commitment."
"well don't hold your breathe," Louise said before sweeping away, Madeline in tow.
-
"Rory, you coming to my party?" Madeline asked her cheerfully.
"I'm not sure."
"Rory," Louise said authoritatively, "you must. Now is the time."
Madeline nodded excitedly.
"what do you mean?" Rory asked slowly.
"Cassidy and Tristan aren't having sex!" Madeline announced enthusiastically.
Rory gave the pair a blank stare and after a significant pause asked, "so..?"
Louise rolled her eyes. "So, now the time to make your move and get him back."
"What? I …I don't want Tristan back. And it's not even back. Tristan and I were…"
"just friends," Madeline and Louise mouthed at the same time.
"Rory, c'mon," Louise said, "you really thought with Madeline's nose for gossip we wouldn't find out about you two."
Rory didn't answer. Her mind working furiously on her next denial.
"I knew since the beginning. Well, like two days after you two started shacking up," Madeline crowed proudly.
Rory looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening and whispered fiercely, "we were not shacking up."
"Rory, denial is so late year. Besides it's not embarrassing …Tristan' s hot. You should be proud." Louise said knowingly.
Rory sighed. "Why didn't you guys tell anyone?"
Louise motioned to Madeline quickly with her eyes and said, "she thought it was sweet. And I figured since you and Paris were doing better there wasn't really a point."
"Thank you," Rory said sincerely.
The blonde shrugged of her thanks, clearly not wanting to make a big thing out of it.
"Anyway," Louise continued, "you must come to party and seduce Tristan away from that girl."
Rory made a noise of disbelief, "I'm not exactly the seducing type."
"Pulease, Tristan has always been hot for you. And it shouldn't be hard considering he's not getting any," Louise said wickedly.
"why do you guys care?" Rory asked bluntly.
"Well we're friends right?" Louise said airily.
Rory cocked an eyebrow. She thought of all the times the pair of them had helped Paris in making her life miserable. She wasn't sure she would call them friends…
The girls seemed to be reading her thoughts and both had the decency to look sheepish for a second.
Louise, not one for dwelling in guilt, said quickly, "well. We also think it's ridiculous for a legend at Chilton to be dating a mere sophomore."
Rory smirked, they would be the type to care about something like that.
"I still don't know…" She said hesitantly.
"Come over to Madeline's house beforehand, we'll get you dressed up and everything. Chickening out is not an option." Louise said squashing Rory's complaints.
The pair of them strode off.
Rory shook her head wearily and wondered what she had gotten herself into.
-
Early Saturday evening, Rory stood outside Madeline's impressive house and wondered if she was really up to go through with this.
Before she had actually decided, the large oak door swung open and Louise and Madeline tugged her inside enthusiastically.
"Tristan will eat his heart out," Louise said happily.
Rory looked at herself in the mirror, unsure of her own reaction. An hour had passed of Rory vetoing all things sparkly, see through, and leather. The girls had finally narrowed down to what Rory had on.
She looked over her reflection.
She was in a black dress that floated down to mid thigh. It had an empire waist that hugged her curves nicely but then fabric came down loosely, swirling in loose folds about her legs, adding a touch of elegance. The neckline was a deep scoop, exposing more skin than Rory usually would, not to mention the fact that Louise had adamantly insisted on her wearing a strapless bra that made push up seem like an understatement. Normally, Rory would have been nervous about looking tacky but something about this dress made her feel very feminine and divine. Madeline had pulled it from her mother's closet and described it as, "insanely vintage." The silky fabric gave off a musky aroma which made Rory think of 1920's cocktail parties. Rory was in Madeline's shoes, black Mary Jane's with a kitten heel. Although the heel was small the combination of the shoes and the short dress, made Rory's legs look fabulously elongated.
While she was looking over her appearance, Louise expertly threw a string of long pearls around her neck. Rory at first thinking they were to grandmotherly for this dress was surprised at how sexy they could be, looping around her neck and slowly curving down the front of her dress.
"Okay we know you love it, now let us do your hair," Madeline said impatiently.
Rory submitted without protest, she had learned that much this afternoon.
Another hour and she was all done, with her hair put into an elegant updo with a few select strands coming down and curving around her face. Louise had added some makeup to her face, but nothing too dramatic. Smoky eyes and glossy lips. Lips that Rory bit nervously in anticipation, "do you think I look too overdressed?"
Both girls turned and gave her a look obviously tired of hearing her concerns.
Rory continued to worry but this time in silence.
Louise excited the room quickly and returned with a mischievous look. She handed Rory a shot glass full of clear liquid.
"what's this for?"
"To take the edge of your nerves."
Rory shrugged, figuring not much could hurt now, and downed it. Her throat burned and she made a gasping noise.
Madeline and Louise giggled. "still the same old Mary."
Two more cups of "punch" and Rory was actually feeling eager to see Tristan. The other guys at the party were having enthusiastic responses to her new look and she couldn't help but let that bolster her confidence.
"Pssst, sighted at the front door," Madeline hissed to her, clearly relishing the secrecy of all this.
Rory nodded giddily. She glanced that way and saw both Tristan and Cassidy taking of their coats. She had a pang of fear that this plan wouldn't work as she saw Tristan guide Cassidy to the drink table with his hand on the small of her back and then a pang of guilt when she considered what would happen if it did. Cassidy was nice. Did she really want to try and steal her boyfriend.
They aren't even together-together, a voice went of in her head. Rory took a deep breathe and a even deeper sip of the drink in her hand. She had no idea what to do.
Suddenly she noticed Tristan and Cassidy entering the room she was in. She looked frantically for an exit and instead was surprised to see David, one of Tristan's friends approaching her.
"Hey Rory…right?"
"Yeah." She answered.
"I'm David," he said putting out his hand.
"Hi," Rory said shaking it.
"Yeah I just wanted to say," the boy said giving her a sly grin, "you really look great tonight. I mean wow."
Rory blushed and said quickly, "thanks."
To her chagrin, David called, "Tristan, over here!" getting the couple's attention before turning back to Rory.
She fixed her gaze on the floor before slowly looking up…into Tristan Dugrey's very blue eyes.
She saw a look of surprise in his eyes when he took in her appearance.
She straightened under his gaze and reminded herself of why she was here.
"Hey," she said.
"Hi Rory," Cassidy answered for the both of them, "wow. Great dress."
David smiled and said, "nothing compared to the girl in it. So Rory want to dance?"
Rory noticed the way the muscles in Tristan's face tightened as David asked.
She gave the boy a smile and said quickly, "sure. See you guys later."
David took her hand to led her to the crowd of dancers. As she walked by, she brushed against Tristan slightly and caught his eyes for a moment. Rory was happy to note she felt his eyes follow her as she left the room.