Thanks for reviewing. I know it was boring, but I have a little writer's block when it comes to this story, and I really want it to be good. This is another chatty chapter, but with more interesting subject matter in my opinion. Hopefully you'll agree.
Couples still undecided, but I'm leaning towards a Rogan right now. Hey, maybe Tristan and Finn could hook up ) I kid, I kid.
"Their house is amazing." Rory said in awe. She took in the paintings and furniture, running her fingers over the finely carved wood.
Tristan started to laugh, but turned it into a cough.
Logan glanced at him and smirked. Tristan shrugged.
"Tristan! Logan! Finn…" Eleanor Branson greeted them each with a kiss on the cheek. Her disdain for Finn was barely concealed. Finn grinned.
"And you must be Rory! I know we've must've met at your grandparents house before, but I'm afraid it slipped my mind."
"It's entirely possible," Rory said politely. "Your house is beautiful." She added.
"Thank you dear. Get yourselves a drink and have a wonderful time." She said, moving on to greet another couple.
Logan led the way to the bar, where he gave Finn and Tristan a glass of scotch and Rory a club soda.
"Mrs. Branson doesn't seem to like me very much." Finn said.
"Probably because you skinny dipped in her pool." Tristan commented.
"I still can't believe you know Finn too." Rory said.
"Well the few times I was visiting Mr. Huntzberger here, his father made us go to a bunch of these insipid things, and Mr. DuGrey was so young, so eager, so easy to corrupt, so we took him under our wing." Finn said fondly.
"And for that I'm very grateful." Tristan said, refilling his glass.
"Actually Tristan, believe it or not it wasn't the skinny dipping when we were teenagers that earned Finn his disdain from her. It was the second time when her niece joined him." Logan said.
"Oh my." Tristan laughed.
"You actually did that at a party like this?" Rory said in disbelief.
"Had to do something to get away from these stuffy boring drones." Logan said.
"Logan these people are your parents friends. There's nothing wrong with them."
"Except for the fact that none of these people genuinely like each other. It's all about connections, and none of these people have the life they want."
"How do you know?" Rory challenged.
"Rory, not here." Logan said exasperatedly.
"Fine." She said sullenly and walked outside.
Logan sighed.
"I thought it would be so much easier than this to make her see."
"Rory." Tristan said, sitting on the bench next to her.
"Tristan, how can you and them act like this at a party? These are all respectable adults. They welcome you into their home and you attack them behind their back!"
"Rory, Logan is right. These people would not be friends in any other situation."
"I don't believe that. My grandparents always talk about how wonderful their friends are."
Tristan sighed. He wished he hadn't volunteered to talk to her.
"Look Rory. You can see the whole party from this window. Pretty much." He said, turning around on the bench to face the house.
"So?"
"See that couple over there? I'll bet you anything that they're discussing who is having an affair, or how much some couple is getting in their divorce."
"Tristan, you and Logan don't know that these people…"
"Rory, you know how it was at Chilton. All those rumors that escalate from nothing into major issues. It's all so petty. Those two women over there are probably debating about someone's nose job or facelifts."
"This isn't high school." Rory said dismissively.
"That's for sure." Tristan said, sounding sad.
"What's wrong with you and Logan?"
"You've changed, Rory. I don't even feel comfortably calling you Mary anymore."
"I noticed."
"You were so different from all those Chilton socialites in training. You knew what you loved: working hard at school, reading and your weird music."
Rory sighed, thinking about the days when life seemed so much simpler.
"You knew so many things I didn't, I mean I could keep up with you academically if I tried hard enough, but you were so weird sometimes with your Casablanca references and PJ Harvey." Tristan smiled, reminiscing too.
"Who I know now is a woman." He added.
Rory laughed.
"But now…I see you becoming one of them. And Logan sees it too."
"I just want to make him happy." Rory protested.
"He didn't decided to change his relationship for a socialite in training, he saw you and saw what I saw in you. An individual, brilliant girl with so much talent who stood out. Why would you want to hide that?"
"I don't. But…I don't want his family to hate me."
"Screw them." He said firmly.
"It's not that easy, I mean, what if this lasts and we get married?"
"Then you can live your lives the way you want to live it."
"You really think I've changed?"
"Unfortunately. I liked the old you a lot more."
"Really?" She said, looking into his eyes. She moved her hand towards his.
"Yeah." Tristan said, sliding away from her.
"I was really sad you left." She said.
"Look, Rory. I liked you a lot back then, but I moved on." Tristan said uncomfortably.
That seemed to snap Rory back to reality.
"I'm so sorry. I just…I got caught up in what it was like to be 17 again and…I miss it."
"See? This isn't the life for you."
"I'm still the same person, Tristan. I haven't changed."
"Yes you have." Tristan said, frustrated. He glanced at Finn and Logan through the window, surrounded by a group of Mr. DuGrey's business associates. He almost wanted to switch places.
"Tristan, I am who I am. Just because I'm not in school or that I'm trying to be a better match for Logan doesn't mean I'm some useless person that you can mold into who you and Logan want me to be!" Rory said, getting frustrated.
"This isn't you!" Tristan exclaimed.
"Next time Logan wants to talk to me, tell him to do it himself." Rory snapped, going back to the party.
Tristan followed her inside and shook his head at Logan, who was watching expectantly.
Logan sighed.
"This isn't who I decided to date. I want to know where she went."
"She keeps going on about how she's the same person, just trying to more acceptable for your world." Tristan said, falling in step with Logan and Finn who were making their way for the door.
"Thanks for trying."
"It's going to take time, she obviously likes you a lot, and wants to fit into your world."
"This isn't the world I want." Logan said almost inaudibly.
A thousand apologies for the delay. Stupid computer, wouldn't let me upload any files to this site for a WEEK. Hateful machine.
So was this better? I hope so, I know it's chatty still, but so is the show )