There are two tragedies in life: One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it.- George Bernard Shaw
Rory sat on Devin's bed, watching him tune his guitar. She sighed, "Okay, is it just me, or do you think it's stupid that we can't take the test to get into Chilton until the week that school starts?"
"Yes, they are idiots who cannot realize that not only will we be at a new school, but we will be behind everyone because they have already started classes, because we have to take the test on Tuesday, and the final results won't be in until Monday of the next week and we can't start until Wednesday of the second week that school starts, so yes, they are complete imbeciles who should burn in hell." he dead panned, not looking up. She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off, "No, I'm not mocking you, that's really what I think"
She laughed lightly, laying down on the bed, "Well, I think so too."
"Besides, neither of us wants to go anyway, so I vote we just fail the test on purpose."
Rory sat up, "And go where? Besides, even if we did, mom would know that we did it on purpose."
Devin started to say something, but his door was pushed open and Vicky bounded in, "My boyfriend's on his way." she jumped on the bed beside Rory, "I can't wait, you guys will like him a lot."
The Haydens exchanged a glance and rolled their eyes, "Will we, Vicky?" Devin asked.
"Yeah. He should be here in about fifteen minutes." she stood up, "I'm gonna go change." she stood up to leave the room, but turned in the doorway, "Oh yeah, and mom wanted me to tell you two that she wouldn't be home for another hour." and she walked down the hall, humming under her breath.
Rory rolled her eyes and Devin pulled at an imaginary rope at the back of his neck. "She never shuts up about him. And have you ever noticed how she hasn't once said his name?" Rory asked.
Her brother nodded, "Yeah, I actually did notice that. It's really weird with how much she obsesses over him."
"I'm gonna go downstairs. Mom wants me to start taking piano lessons again, so I need to go see how much I remember."
Devin shook his head, "Please, you could play Mozart in your sleep. You were in the top three of Maine last year."
Rory smiled and walked out of his room and down the stairs, sitting at the grand piano in one of the many rooms on the first floor. This one just happened to be right next to the foyer. Rory sat nervously, playing the scales to warm up. She hadn't really played since she moved to Boston. Pulling out one of the books from the basket on the shelf, she opened the book of Mozart's classics, opened it to a random page, and started to play. She was a few minutes into it when someone knocked on the door loudly, interrupting her playing.
"Damnit!" she yelled, standing up and walking into the foyer. Vicky was running down the stairs, a wide smile on her face. But Rory wasn't happy. One thing that annoyed her more than anything was when someone interrupted her playing. Usually she could ignore it, but she hadn't played in so long and she'd kept messing up the song, so she was annoyed anyway. She grabbed the knob,
twisted it, and threw open the door, "What?!" she yelled, "What was so important that you had to come and interrupt my..." she trailed off as she recognized him, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes. "Tristan?" she whispered at the same time that Vicky yelled, "TRISTAN!"
Rory gasped sharply and slammed the door, turning to rest her back on the heavy door. "Oh my God.." she whispered, closing her eyes. at the same time that Vicky shrieked, "OH MY GOD! He's even hotter than when he left. How is this possible....and, why did you close the door?" she asked,
puzzled.
Rory shook her head, "Um, nothing, I just..." she trailed off, "Nothing." she turned and gripped the handle, twisting it slowly and pulling open the door.
Tristan was leaning against the door frame, rubbing his eyes as if he had a headache, but his head shot up as the door reopened just enough so that he could see Rory. She rested her head against the other side of the doorframe and they just stared at each other for a moment. "You look different"
she said quietly, and it was true. The green was out of his hair and it was completely blonde and longer than it had been. He was taller than he had been, probably around 5' 10", and he was wearing jeans and a black shirt with something written across it, but she didn't really pay attention to that.
He nodded, "So do you." and it was true, even though she wasn't that different. She'd lost weight,
not that she ever needed to, but she now had a fragile look that hadn't been there before, and her face was thinner, making her doe eyes look huge. And she'd grown about three or four inches in the past four or five months, and her hair was longer.
"What the hell?" Rory heard from behind her as Vicky grabbed the door and yanked it open. She smiled when she saw Tristan and she jump, wrapping her arms around his neck and crushing his lips to hers. Rory turned away, disgusted. She was reminded of last year when she and Tristan had been in a similar situation.
FLAHSBACK
Tristan was leaning forward as if he wanted to whisper something in her ear, and Rory was caught off guard when he changed his course and his kiss landed right on her lips. She stood still in shock,
and Tristan, who thought she was frozen in disgust, started to pull away, muttering an apology. But before he could get any farther away from her, Rory put her hands on either side of his face and pulled him back, crushing their lips together in a hard kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and her hands slid from his face to link together at the back of his neck. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip and she opened her mouth, inviting him in. He turned so that she was the one between him and the tree trunk.
Shit, what have I gotten myself into? She asked herself. Everyone had told her that she and Tristan would date, but they had also said to be careful and not fall too hard. Because she would only get hurt being involved with the school player. But now, with him kissing her like this, every rational thought flew out of her head, forgotten and unmissed at the moment. She was young, too young to feel like this. It wasn't like she didn't know that, she would be the first to admit it. But all that mattered right now was Tristan, her, and the tree supporting her because she knew very well that her legs would give out if not for the solid trunk.
END FLASHBACK
Rory rolled her eyes, but didn't miss how Tristan pulled away from Vicky quickly. Looking away from her. She was obviously surprised, but didn't think anything of it as she grabbed his hand, pulling him into the house. He cast Rory a sideways glance before following Vicky upstairs. Rory looked at her hands, walking slowly up the stairs and to Devin's room and opened the door. He looked up at her and stood, walking over to her slowly. Tears filled her eyes and she rested her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
She pulled away, shaking her head, "I really wanted to see him again." she whispered, "But not like this."
Devin looked down at his feet, "Yeah, I know."
ONE HOUR LATER
Rory was in her room, blasting music so loud that Devin could hear it perfectly in the kitchen. He just shook his head, this was seriously fucked up. Tristan was NOT supposed to be with Vicky. Back in Boston he mocked the girls like Vicky, and occasionally massed around with them, but never dated them. He was supposed to be with Rory. The fun, wild sister. Not Vicky the annoying brainless one. He almost laughed as he realized what she was playing. Korn. It was probably just to freak out Tristan, because all three of them knew it was his favorite band, even if he'd changed to fit the mold he was now. Devin looked up as the door opened and, speak of the devil, in walked Tristan. The blonde stopped before shaking his head and walking over to sit across the counter from Devin.
He sighed, "Damn."
The other boy nodded, "Yeah. What the hell's going on? Last time I talked to you, you were complaining about these people, and now you're..." he trailed off, "Looking like you fit in perfectly."
"Yeah well, deception always was one of my strong points, wasn't it?" he asked.
Devin nodded, "Yeah, it was. But I mean, come one man, Vicky? She's not your type at all."
"Why do you say that?" Tristan asked.
The other boy shrugged, "She's nothing like Rory." he said simply.
Tristan blew out a long breath, "Yeah. Tell me about it." he looked down at his hands, "It doesn't matter. She hates me now."
"Yeah, and with good reason." Tristan looked up at Devin, who sighed, "You know, I tried to convince her that you had to do what you did. I tried to tell her that you never meant it."
"And what did she say?"
"She said that if you really ever loved her then you'd try to figure out a way to stay with her."
Tristan shook his head, "It never would have worked."
Devin nodded, "Yeah, I know that, but she doesn't."
"So you're not pissed off?"
"About what?"
"Me dating Vicky."
He shook his head, "I'm pissed off that you're hurting Rory, but it's your life. Do whatever the hell you want to. And Don't worry about Vicky, I don't think she evencan be hurt." he looked up at Tristan, "You don't actually feel anything for her, do you?"
Tristan shrugged, "I don't know. I mean, God, I was so in lo0ve with your sister, Dev. But Vicky's so different than what I couldn't have with Rory, but at the same time there's something about her that reminded me of her."
Devin shook his head, "I will tell you something, Tris, you are seriously fucked up in the head."
He laughed, "Right back at ya. It IS why we were best friends."
Devin laughed, "And still are."
Tristan looked up, "Yeah?"
Devin shrugged, "I'm a shitty brother for saying that, but yeah. Always. Not to sound like a girl or anything, but I was seriously bored after you left."
He laughed, "Of course you were. I make every day Tristan Fun Day."
His friend rolled his eyes, "Right."
"I'm serious."
"Sure." They were silent until Tristan looked up at the ceiling, listening to the music Rory was playing and he started laughing. "What?" Devin asked.
"She's playing Korn."
Devin smiled, "Yeah. I think it's just to annoy you, because she still can't stand them."
He shook his head, standing up, "That girl's crazy, but I should probably go upstairs before Vicky freaks out."
"Yeah." he said, walking to the fridge and getting out a Coke as Tristan left the kitchen. He left too, walking to his room and closing the door. So, new revelations: Tristan was using Vicky as some weird proxy for Rory, he could now pass for an Abercrombie model, and Rory was actually playing Korn of her own free will? And Devin, as always, had put himself in the middle. Why didn't his life ever make sense?