Chapter Four – Weddings, Moonface and the Four C's
A/N – This a slow writing story for me. When it got deleted from my computer, I took it as a sign not to continue. So thank you for everyone that has stuck with it. I really appreciated it when I saw that people were still reviewing it. Anyway, my usual music listening list for this chapter was Antony & the Johnsons – My Lady Story, Grant Lee Buffalo – Fuzzy, The Futurehead – Hounds of Love and U2 – In a Little While.
P.S. Amanda (DramaDarling84) asked where the title came from. It's a song, Passenger by Powderfinger. The lyrics kind of made me think of Tristan. Now on with the story.
oooooooooooooo
"So are we going straight to your house or..." Tristan had decided that this was the best car ride of all car rides. He not only got to sneak glances of Rory intermittently, but he also discovered that she shared his taste of music after numerous sing-a-longs of Radiohead, Jeff Buckley and Bright Eyes.
"Tristan?" 'Right I asked her a question,' he said to himself.
"I said that we should probably drop into Doose's for supplies. Who know what my mother has pillage from our already short list of available foods in our house."
"Doose's? What in god's name is that?" Rory smiled at his confusion.
"Don't worry, it's nothing kinky..."
"Actually, I was worried it was wasn't."
"Ha ha. Anyway, it's a grocery store. I thought we could get some sodas, chips and whatever you want." Rory caught the playful smirk that appeared after she said that.
"Don't say what you're thinking. I can guess what it is." As Rory spoke, Tristan pouted his bottom lip.
"Fine, but I could've been thinking that I had thought of an economically viable plan to abolish third world poverty."
"Yeah, just sell a few of your cars and we'd be half way there."
"Oh, you wound me, Mary. Plus I know that, secretly, you've enjoyed riding home in my little beast." Rory ignored the comment and indicated as to where Tristan should park.
Rory hopped out of the car and got ready to head into Doose's. She turned and realized that Tristan was following her.
"What are you doing?" Tristan was puzzled.
"Umm...going into...Doose's." Rory pondered his answer as many thoughts were running though his head. 'Maybe she's embarrassed to be seen with me. But who knows me here?'
"Rory looked at her watch, at Doose's and back at Tristan. She continued to walk to Doose's and opened the door.
"I guess it's okay, if we don't take too long."
"What's wrong, Mary? Can't wait to get me home and have your wicked way with me?" As he said this, Tristan saw Rory was cringing and looking dead ahead. He followed her line of sight until his eyes rested on a guy, taller than himself, staring straight at them with his mouth agape.
'Please god, don't let Dean have heard that,' Rory kept repeating to herself, but by the look on his face as he walked up to both of them, she knew that he had.
"Well, it didn't take you long. What...did you have him waiting until you got rid of me?" As he spoke, Dean eyed Tristan with contempt and then turned his attention back to Rory, waiting for her answer.
"Dean, it's not what you think. We're just friends and even if we weren't, I don't owe you any explanation...because we're over. Plus, you weren't supposed to be working until 5:30, which it clearly is not, and well...there really isn't a well, but if at any time you want to interject, by all means go ahead."
Tristan watched the scene in front of him with a little jealousy and a lot of anger running through him. 'How can he talk to Rory like that? He must know what she's been through. However, I never knew that she even had a boyfriend.' This jealousy increased as he thought of this guy even getting to hold her hand. Tristan took a step forward unconsciously, however Dean noticed.
"Sorry, I inconvenienced your little love fest by coming in early for some extra cash. I wanted to get you flowers while you were in hospital, but I couldn't afford it. So I thought with some extra shifts I could afford something really nice." Tristan scoffed at Dean's attempt to get back into Rory's good books. 'What a nerve this guy has. Why would Rory even give him the time of day? At least she's smart enough not to fall for that pile of crap.' He looked down at Rory and saw that her features were softening. 'Oh god, she is falling for it.'
"Dean..."
"But, as I can see you already have someone else for that..." he stared pointedly at Tristan in his Chilton uniform, "...who can obviously buy the whole goddamn florist shop if he wants to. So how about this...I'm going to go and stand by the toilet paper and you go get what you need? Okay?" A tear fell from Rory's eye as she listened to Dean speak. Tristan was seething.
"Hey, man. For the record, we are just friends." He took a step in front of Rory so that he and Dean were eye to eye. "And don't ever talk to Rory like that again. Treat her with the respect she deserves. Are we clear?" Tristan clenched his teeth and set his jaw in a no-nonsense manner waiting for Dean to answer. Dean had a chastened look on his face.
"We're clear. But just you wait. When she rips your heart out and stomps on it a few times, you won't exactly be in a rational state of mind. I love her," Dean said quietly as he walked away.
Tristan was shell-shocked. He had never heard anything so honest in his life. He turned around to speak to Rory, but he realized that she was already gone.
ooooooooooooo
Tristan walked out of Doose's to see Rory leaning up against his car, with tears running down her face. As he neared, she furiously wiped them away and turned to open the door that Tristan had just unlocked. Tristan got into his seat and sat there waiting for her to speak. When nothing was forthcoming, he decided to go first.
"I know you didn't want to talk about anything that just happened, but I do have to ask something." Rory eyed him warily, trying to anticipate what he was going to ask.
"Well, it's just that...you promised me chips and soda and I see nothing of the sort here. What are you going to do about it." Rory let out a laugh. The tension was lifted. Although Tristan would give his left arm to know the story of Rory and Dean, he decided that now wasn't the time.
"I guess we'll just have to hope that mom hasn't found the Pringles and chocolate inside the vegetable crisper." Tristan grinned as he started the car and pulled away from the curb.
oooooooooooooo
"Hey mom, I'm home!" Rory shouted as she walked through the door with Tristan following behind her. However, when she stopped short from the sight before her, Tristan bumped into her. It took him a few seconds to take a step back as he got lost in the scent of Rory. As he moved back, he took in the scene that had shocked Rory. There was pieces of material strewn across every available surface in the house. As she peered into the kitchen, Rory saw that it was a mess also.
"Welcome home, honey. Don't touch anything. I got roped into making dresses for Sookie's cousin's wedding and I think I finally have the colors coordinated perfectly." Lorelai saw that Tristan was standing quietly behind Rory, looking a little uncomfortable. "And you brought Bible-Boy home with you. I don't think I thanked you properly for visiting Rory in the hospital. I really do appreciate it." Both women stifled a laugh as Tristan blushed at her words.
"Thank you..."
"Call me Lorelai."
"Thank you Lorelai."
"So, mom, Tristan is here because we're working on an English assignment together...however," she said as she stared around her house, "I'm not sure where this studying will take place."
"Well, your room is free of wedding havoc, but you may want to keep you door closed. Five bridesmaids, a matron of honor and a frantic bride will be here in about..." she glanced at her watch, "damn...in about ten minutes." Tristan stared wide eyed at Lorelai. 'She's going to let me be in a closed room, Rory's bedroom, with Rory. Oh my god.' Lorelai noticed the look on Tristan's face.
"I trust that you won't be trying to corrupt my daughter during your time of study?" Tristan blushed again while Rory cringed.
"No, ma'am."
"It's Lorelai remember. Don't be so worried. I trust that Rory will deal with you well and good if you try anything." He gulped, knowing that this was true. Rory decided to interrupt this little mother talk as she was beginning to feel a little uncomfortable.
"Tristan, why don't you go wait in my room while I rustle up some snacks." She pointed to a closed door off the kitchen. He headed in that direction while she went to the fridge.
"Snacks, what snacks? Where could you have hidden anything snack-related in this kitchen?" Lorelai asked as she followed behind Rory.
"In the vegetable crisper," she replied as she gathered up the goodies and grabbed two cans of Coke.
"We have a vegetable crisper? Will wonders ever cease?" She was interrupted from asking about the Tristan situation when she heard Sookie's voice.
"Lorelai, we're here!"
"Coming!" She turned back to Rory. "We will be talking later. I want some details." Rory shook her head as she watched her mother walk into the lounge room to discuss wedding colors.
ooooooooooooooo
As Tristan first entered Rory's room, he felt like he was reading a diary. It was like he was trespassing. The whole room screamed 'Rory Gilmore lives here!'. From the travel poster to the books to the CD's, he was surrounded by her. And he liked it. Tristan sat hesitatingly down on Rory's bed to wait for her. He was taking in everything he could, when the door opened.
"I got your basics here. Chocolate, chips and coke. The three essential C's. There are actually four, but we don't give away our coffee to just about anyone." He grinned as she set the food out on the floor. As he got up to sit down there with her, he spied a few pictures of Rory and Dean together on her dresser. In most of them, Dean had his arms around her, but his jealousy really came full force when he saw one of them kissing at what seemed to be a dance of some sort.
'They look so in love. I can't compete with that. At least I have her friendship. I guess I can settle for that,' he thought as he lowered himself to the floor, looking downcast. Rory noticed this.
"If you're really that upset about the coffee, I'm sure I could make some."
"No, that alright. I was just realizing that I will have to read some girly Austen novel for this assignment, aren't I?" Tristan hoped that she wouldn't see through this lie. If she did, she hid it well.
"I love Austen actually. But, no. I was thinking that we could decided on something together, that we both agree with. And before you ask, no magazines."
"You're killing me, Mary. But for your information, I read."
"Penthouse Forum does not constitute reading."
"Aside from the fact that it is well structured and socially relevant, I wasn't talking about my bedtime reading material." Rory wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Okay, then what?"
"I don't think I like this assumption you have that I'm an idiot. But if you must know my favorites are Plath, Parker, Kerouac, Boccaccio, Dostoevsky, Steinbeck, Capote, Mailer..."
"Alright, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. But you must admit, you don't exude the sort of personality that..."
"Reads. No I guess I don't. I just don't feel the need to prove that side of myself. Plus, if the fact that I still read Enid Blyton every now and then got out, my reputation would be shot to hell." Rory stifled a giggle as she reached for the book beside her bed. She held it up to reveal that it was in fact 'The Magic Faraway Tree.' Tristan began to laugh with her.
"Well, it seems we have more in common that I thought possible." Rory said through her laughs.
"I guess we do," Tristan replied. The laughter died down as they stared at each other. The heat coming from Tristan's piercing gaze sent tingles up and down Rory's body. She broke the moment by turning to grab a packet of chips. Tristan lowered his eyes to the floor. 'Idiot.'
"Well, we have to start somewhere. How about Crime and Punishment?" Rory asked breaking the awkward silence.
"We only have three weeks and 'Crime and Punishment' is a complex novel to tackle." Tristan was happy to get back to the subject at hand.
"Don't think you're up to it do you. Well, what do you want to read?"
"Nothing too obvious. I'm sure at least six people have decided to do 'Moby Dick' or 'Catcher in the Rye'." Rory nodded her head in agreement. "Maybe a Douglas Coupland or Donna Tartt novel?" Rory was about to agree with the Donna Tartt idea, when a thought suddenly struck her. She held up the book that was still in her lap with a slight smile on her face.
"Rory, no. 'The Magic Faraway Tree'! If anybody found out...god, I don't even want to think about it." Tristan adamantly shook his head.
"Come on! There's a reason that we both keep coming back to it years after we've grown out of the target age group."
"I keep watching Dawson's Creek, but I wouldn't call it a work of art. How can we call this or justify it as literature?"
"You watch Dawson's Creek?" Rory asked with a hint of amusement in her voice. Tristan mentally slapped himself.
"I only watched it to see Pacey and Joey get together. Anyway, you focused on the wrong part of the point I was trying to make. Just because it's a popular book, doesn't make it literature."
"Just because it is popular doesn't discount it from being considered literature. Remember what Mr. Foreman said, 'Literature cannot be defined exactly.' It's relative to the reader." Rory could see that she was persuading Tristan slowly so she kept going. "And you bring up a good point of popular culture vs. literature, and if being one cancels out the chances of it being the other. We can bring that up in our paper." Tristan smiled as he watched Rory's enthusiasm for the task grow.
"...Not to mention what we could write on how important children's books are in molding the minds and attitudes of kids. And also if the lack of these kinds of books today have any effect on the morals and ethics..."
"Okay, okay. We'll do it. I agreed with you from the start, I just wanted to see you think you had to try and convince me." Tristan smirked as Rory glared at him.
"However, if anyone asks, we are reading 'The Pianist'. Agreed?"
"I guess. Not that I think that anyone would care that much about it."
"Oh, you underestimate the loyalty of my adoring fans." Rory scoffed at that while she looked around her room for her other copy of 'The Magic Faraway Tree'. She found it and handed it to him.
"You have two copies. Why doesn't that surprise me?" He opened it up to see her name printed neatly on the inside of the cover. As he leafed through the pages, he got a whiff of the familiar smell of a well read book mixed with the smell of Rory. 'I wish I could bottle that.'
"If you must know, I stayed at my grandparents once and I forgot my copy. So instead of them going to get mine, in their usual fashion they went out and bought me another one, including copies of 'The Enchanted Wood' and 'The Folk of the Faraway Tree'." Off his amused look she decided to continue. "Anyway, I was thinking we could read the first chapter today and compare thoughts. It that's alright with you."
"Sure, Mary. I could spend the night in here too if you want." Rory rolled her eyes. "But I do have one condition. I need some music to read by. I have a problem with sitting in silence." Rory breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't sure what his condition was going to be and she was thankful that he hadn't dropped any more innuendo into the conversation.
"Tom Waits okay with you?" She asked as she grabbed the remote to her stereo.
"Perfect. Now let me get comfortable here."
As 'Blue Valentine' began to play on the stereo, both Rory and Tristan laid down on their stomachs on the floor and became immersed in their books.
ooooooooooooooo
After they finished the chapter and discussed it at length, Tristan thought that it was probably time that he should be leaving.
"Well," he said as he raised himself up off the floor, "I should be heading home." He thought that there was a slight look of disappointment on Rory's face. But if there had been, it vanished immediately.
"Okay...Thanks for coming and not being...you." Tristan smiled at her.
"Only you could be nice and insulting all in the one sentence." Rory felt bad about her remark, until she saw the smirk on Tristan's face.
"Sorry, but it's so hard to believed that I'm friends with Tristan DuGrey."
"Yes, I understand exactly what you mean. How could Rory Gilmore ever think that the one and only Tristan DuGrey would ever lower himself to talk to her?" He smiled as Rory playfully slapped his arm.
"I see the ego has landed." Suddenly she got serious. "But about today...at Doose's...with Dean. Thanks for not forcing the issue. I'm sure you were and probably still are dying to know the details, so thank you for not asking. It's all still a little too fresh, you know." Tristan couldn't believe that this was Rory Gilmore, standing in her bedroom, opening up to him. 'Maybe having a girl as a friend wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. So what if I want more, I'll take what I can get.'
"Anytime. But if you ever want to talk...I'm here." Rory smiled at the sentiment. "And if you need me for any...extra-curricular activities, I'll be here in a heartbeat." He waggled his eyebrows as he spoke. Rory opened the door and pushed him out of her room.
"That's it. It's definitely time for you to leave." They walked to the front door, noting that everyone had left, but the shower could be heard running. Tristan stopped and turned around as he reached the porch stairs.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow at school then."
"Yeah." The cool wind blew through Rory's hair and Tristan wanted to run his hands though it. Rory noticed his look but dismissed it.
"You should get going. If you're still here by the time mom gets out of the shower, who knows if you'll ever get out of here." The street lamps had not turned on yet, so their only light was from the setting sun, which gave everything an ethereal glow.
"I could live with that," he replied seriously, his piercing gaze yet again sending tingles down her body.
"Tristan..." Rory began.
"I was only joking. Don't take everything so literally." 'Damn it, the last thing I want to here is the 'just friends' speech right now. If a little lie will help me avoid it, I'll do it,' Tristan thought to himself as he turned to go.
'Idiot,' Rory was thinking at the same time. 'Of course he doesn't like me like that. I've seen the kinds of girls he dates, and I definitely don't fit into that category.'
"Drive safely," she called out to him as he hopped into the car.
"Yes, mom," he smirked. 'At least she cares that much.'
As Rory walked back inside and closed the door, Tristan sat watching. He then realized that he was still holding her second copy of 'The Magic Faraway Tree'. He could still smell her room embedded in the pages.
"Maybe I could keep it for just one night," he said to himself as he laid the book carefully on the passenger seat and pulled out of the driveway.
To be continued in Chapter Five – All Hello's Lead to a Couch