Ch 7

Rory sat on her bed, staring at the present she had just received from Tristan. It was a medium sized rectangular package. She usually didn't open her presents before Christmas, but she had to know what he got her so she could get him of something of meaning.

Just then Lorelai burst into her room.

"Mom!" Rory shouted, trying to quickly stuff the package under her pillow. Lorelai saw however, and grabbed the package away from Rory.

"What is this?"

"Tristan gave it to me."

"Oh, I see, well, open it then, or are you trying to open it with your mind."

"Very funny. I was going to open it before you burst in here."

"Rory, we both know you were sitting there doing that weird pondering thing you do." She handed the package back to her daughter, "Just open it."

Rory took the package and slowly tore off the tape.

"Well, hurry up."

"Fine." She ripped open the wrapping and gasped.

Lorelai peered over her shoulder and said, "I don't get it. It's a used book."

"Mom, it's an original copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."

"Wow, that must have cost a fortune."

"Oh my gosh, it must have been hard to find."

"Read the note."

Rory opened the small Christmas card.

Hey Mary,

You like to read, so here. I couldn't think of anything else. You didn't seem like the Hope Diamond kind of girl. Although if you wanted it, I could make some arrangements. (Rory smiled when she read this) Hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas.

Yours,

Tristan

"Mom, what am I supposed to get him now?"

"I don't know."

"He said he wasn't expecting something."

"Oh, everyone says that."

"I know."

"You'll think of something."

Rory worked extra hours at the inn to help her mom decorate for the holidays. Many people were coming into Hartford to visit family. Tristan didn't call, not that Rory was really expecting him to. Rory wanted to call him, but she didn't know his number in Switzerland.

The day of the festival and her date with Eric came. Eric fit in well with everyone in her town. They made a mistake of running into Taylor. Though, it was amusing for Lorelai and Rory to watch Taylor attempt to speak Italian with Eric. Taylor let out a few broken phrases while Eric just smiled politely.

At Luke's, Lane especially liked to talk to Eric about band music. He was an ultimate Led Zepellin fan. Lane invited him to come play bass for their band one day. Rory smiled complacently as Eric held her hand during the latter part of the evening. Lorelai looked at her daughter, glad to see her genuinely smiling.

Eric walked back with mother and daughter back to their house after the festival.

"Rory, I'll see you inside." Rory nodded as she waited nervously, anticipating Eric's next move. Rory had never really had a boyfriend before. Her first kiss was during a school play. So, she waited.

"I had a really good time today Rory," Eric said.

"Yeah."

Then, it happened. He slowly inched his face closer to her face. Their lips touched for a short second. Then he looked at her and smiled. "Will you go out with me now?"

Rory laughed, "Yeah."

"Good. You get your present now."

"Okay, I have yours too."

They exchanged gifts. Rory got him a pocket watch that told the times in different countries, and he got her a necklace with a small pearl on it.

"You didn't have to get me jewelry Eric?"

"I wanted to. Not that you aren't already beautiful without it," he said, making her blush.

He kissed her again before leaving, "I'll call you and we can meet up again."

"Okay."

Rory went into her house where her mom was waiting. She showed her the necklace.

"Wow, now this is a gift."

"uh huh."

"You don't seem to like it though."

"What? Oh course I do."

"Yeah, but you liked Tristan's better huh?"

"What?" At the mention of his name, Rory felt confused all over again. She had enjoyed herself so much tonight that she hadn't thought of the blond for the whole day.

"It's okay hon. It takes a while to get over crushes."

"Yeah, I guess."

Rory spent the rest of break studying for her APs and doing winter break homework. She went out with Eric a couple of times. They went sledding, which was an exhilarating experience. Especially when he freaked out when she was the one guiding the sled.

He invited her to New Years at his house to meet his parents. Rory felt a bit overwhelmed by his offer, but still accepted.

"I mean, isn't it a bit early to meeting the parents?" she asked Lane.

"Well, he's met yours hasn't he?"

"Yeah, but my mom isn't exactly a traditional parent."

"Just relax. I thought he was your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, he is."

"Great, then stop thinking about Tristan."

Rory glanced at Lane who was smiling supportively at her.

So New Years Eve came, and Rory went to Eric's house. His mom spoke English with a twinge of an Italian accent, and his dad had a twinge of a German accent. The dinner wasn't a disaster unlike Tristan's. His parents adored Rory, thinking she was really smart, and loving her ambitious quality.

"You know Rory," his dad said, "I can hook you up with some internships at the UN if you wanted. Eric here doesn't seem to know connections when he sees them."

"That would be so great sir."

"Great, I'll call first thing after the holidays are over."

She and Eric shared the traditional New Years Eve kiss and then he took her back home. Rory tried to convince herself that it was a good thing that being around Eric didn't make her stomach flip like it did when she was with Tristan. She tried to tell herself, "It's a good thing you can have a mature, non-nervous relationship with your boyfriend." However, something inside her knew that she was wrong. She wasn't always nervous with Tristan, only when they had silence, and he would look into her eyes. She shook her head when going to bed.

The next morning, she was awoken by Lorelai's usual New Years greeting which consisted of knocking on her door ten time and blowing as many noise makers as possible. Then, ending it with a huge snowball to Rory's window.

Rory opened her eyes slowly and lied in bed for a while. Then her cell phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rory?"

"Hey Tristan, how's Switzerland?"

"Great, would have been better if my parents hadn't invited all of the town's bores to my new years party."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Listen, thank you so much for the present."

"Oh, you liked it then."

"I love it."

"Good."

"Tristan, it must have been a lot of money."

"It was okay. Let me just say though, I have never spent that much on a book before."

"How on earth did you get one?"

"A friend of the family owns an antique book store."

"Oh, well, thanks again. I got you something too."

"I told you not to."

"Yeah, but come on, did you really think I was going to listen to you."

"Point taken. Well, I just wanted to call to wish you a happy New Year."

"Same to you."

"How's break been?"

"Umm," Rory didn't mention Eric and just said, "Fun, but boring sometimes."

"Well, I wish I was there to entertain you."

"Yeah, you're only in one of the most beautiful countries of all right now."

"Maybe I can bring you next time since you seem to love it so much," he said.

They talked more about Switzerland and how strange some of the people were.

Tristan had to get off the phone to help his parents take down some of the decorations from the holidays.

"I'll be home a day before school begins."

"Okay, bye," Rory said with a tint of sadness in her voice.