CHAPTER 3
Rory's eyes were as big as saucers. "You are seriously delirious, Finn."
"Sweetheart, you've been part of a large number of our outings, you've done the Mary Poppins bit. Heck, you've known more of the LDB than any outsider," Finn explained.
"Mary Poppins bit?" Tristin chortled. Rory looked at him like she was ready to throttle him.
"Ace-," Logan was cut short.
"We had an agreement!" Rory said, fuming.
"The lady protests too much," Tristin replied in boredom. "Where's the lavatory?"
"Two doors down on the right, man," Colin instructed.
Tristin made his exit without further comment.
"I'd love to have you as a partner if it was possible," Jared extended the coaxing to Rory.
"It's a matter of principle," Rory replied. "Excuse me, but may I have a word with Logan in private?" Rory pivoted from the heel and walked out of the room. Logan followed her posthaste.
A series of "oohs" emerged from the mouths of the Brigade members. No one had seen Logan be pulled aside; not by anyone from the group, and especially not by one who isn't a member.
"Rory, wait," Logan tried to stop her from marching away in anger.
"You know how I feel about your gatherings!" Rory pointed out heatedly.
"And I didn't expect Smitty to be sick, either," Logan explained. "Come on, Ace. Just this once."
"I told you, I am not a joiner. You know that," Rory accused.
"I know, Ace," he whispered softly. He pulled her close to him and tucked the wet strand of hair behind her ear. "I will keep you out of the hunt if you really don't want to participate but Finn has a point. Short of a real induction, you have been a member of the LDB."
"I've sat at the Puffs' table, too, but that doesn't make me a Puff," Rory moaned.
"What's a Puff?" Logan chuckled.
A group of stupid Chilton girls, you moron. Tristin mentally attacked the blonde. He didn't mean to overhear the conversation but he was just… there. He cracked the door open wide enough for him to watch the interaction between the lovers: he against the wall while she pressed up against him intimately.
"Doesn't matter," Rory shook her head. She remembered the morning she was to be initiated by Francie Jarvis and the Puff members only to be caught by the school's security and be chewed out by Headmaster Charleston. That was the day she decided she didn't need to be inducted to a society to be special.
"Rory, please say you'd do this for me?' Logan kissed her, lingering a bit longer on her lower lip.
"What happens if I don't?" she asked.
"One member is sent home," he stated. "You don't want that to happen, do you?"
Rory felt herself getting roped into the situation. Whether or not she'd agree to do the scavenger hunt, she would be blamed for not being a team player.
"Fine," she responded. She couldn't quite look Logan in the face.
"Great. Let me tell the guys," he kissed her on the forehead quickly before heading back to the room to make the announcement.
Rory watched him disappear before slumping against the wall, eventually sitting, to contemplate what she had just agreed to do.
"Still the martyr, aren't you?" Tristin snidely remarked as he joined her on the floor.
"Why don't you just go to hell," Rory remarked in the same bitter tone.
"Been there, done that," he quipped. "Want to see my passport stamp?"
"What are you doing here anyway?" Rory finally found the strength to look at her former nemesis.
"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing," he replied. Both of them just sat there staring at the red carpet.
"I didn't even want to come here," Rory mumbled.
"That's two things we have in common," he stated.
"What's the first?' Rory asked.
"Somehow being involved with Logan," he stated.
"You know Logan?" Rory asked, surprised at his statement.
"Oh, we go way back in history," Tristin remarked. "But, this isn't the time and place to hash out campfire tales, right?"
Rory stared at him, dumbfounded.
"By the way, you could've saved us by not agreeing," Tristin added as he stood up. He extended his hand to help Rory get to her feet.
"I had no choice," she said.
"There's always a choice, Mary. Always," he said the words to her inches from her face. She could still smell the faint scent of cologne and spearmint gum when he pulled away.
Tristin let go of her hand quickly so much so it looked like he got singed. Rory watched him walk away only to have him turn around to face her.
"Come on. You're just postponing the foreseeable," Tristin said.
Hanging her head, she followed him to the room.
.---oooo0----0oooo-----
A sigh of relief was audible when she reentered the room. She took a seat between Stephanie and Finn. Both gave her a quick hug while Finn took it upon himself to hold her hand and kiss it in gratitude.
Logan winked at her before commencing the ceremony. "Now that the balance's been made, we're going to proceed."
"For those that are new to this, Logan and I are going to be the time keepers and the moderators. Everyone else will be paired with an opposing team member," Jared announced. "There will be at least five clues. Each pair will study the clue and make a consensus as to where they are going to search for the item or the next clue. The person who finds the item first wins a point for their group."
"However, each pair will also be given one disadvantage," Logan instructed. "You will draw lots as to what your disability is going to be. You will also have to draw lots as to whom you'll be partnered with. The person drawing will have the option to trade their partner away but the person being drawn won't. Whoever was drawn next from the hat inherits the vetoed partner. Is that clear?"
The whole room nodded in agreement.
Rory was tense. Aside from knowing that she cannot be partnered with Logan, she has to contend with someone she doesn't know. Her thoughts on finishing her book or laying under the sun flitted the moment she agreed to join in the game.
Three couples have already been paired. The only Brigade members not picked were Stephanie, Colin and Rory.
"You're up," Logan motioned to Stephanie.
She reached into the hat and pulled out a slip of paper. "DuGrey," she read out.
Tristin slowly got up from his chair and walked toward her.
"Veto," Stephanie called out.
"What?" Logan replied.
"I want Eric," she stated. "So, can I draw again?"
Logan and Jared stared at each other. "Women," they chorused.
Unfortunately, Stephanie drew Nate's name from the hat.
"Sorry, Steph," Logan chuckled. She just stuck her tongue out at him.
"So whomever I draw I can't trade, right?" Tristin asked.
"Those are the rules," Jared replied.
Two slips. A fifty-fifty chance. "Gilmore," he sighed.
Rory gasped and Logan balked. "He can't be Rory's partner."
"The rules, man," Jared replied. Inside, he was snickering at how karma might just bite Logan this time around.
"Come on. I'll take Eric," Rory pleaded in panic.
"Wow. Rejected by two girls in a span of five minutes," Tristin remarked. "I feel like the bubonic plague."
"Trust me, his bark is louder than his bite," Jared consoled Rory. Trust him, he wished to convey to her through his eyes.
She looked at Logan who was seething. He knew he cannot interfere with the integrity of the event but he was quickly scheming as to not see his girlfriend be paired off to Tristin.
"Logan?" Rory appealed to him for rescue.
"Go," he muttered inaudibly.
Rory dragged herself to Tristin's side and sulked. Eric and Colin took their place right next to them. In the whole line up, Rory and Tristin looked like the saddest pair in the bunch.
Eric drew the first disadvantage card. "Money," he sighed. Colin moaned at their fate.
"It's not that bad, I promise," Jared whispered in Rory's ear as she drew their card. A picture of a car with a slash through it was what they got.
"Great. Public transportation for us," Tristin sighed.
"I'll take that over begging," Colin muttered.
The list went on. Nate and Stephanie were fated not to use cell phones to ask help from the other members. Finn and Tim cannot talk.
"The mission would be impossible!" Finn remarked before downing the amber liquid in his glass.
"I know. Great sacrifice, isn't it?" Jared teased. The two biggest disadvantages were not being able to speak to the natives and ask for help and not being able to use currency when getting to and from places.
Chris and Brian were not allowed to use maps while Jon and Philip were not allowed to use guidebooks.
"Well, are there any questions?" Jared asked. With the exception of the Chilton alums, the pairs were strategizing. "No? Then let's head on to the patio for some cocktail."
People left the room in pairs, most of them looking forward to Sunday's events. Jared left the room with Tristin while Rory stayed behind to talk to Logan.
"I'm sorry." Those were the first words out of Logan's mouth.
Rory just stared at him. She was beyond consoling. She was upset.
"I wished you weren't with DuGrey," he added.
"What happened between you and Tristin?" Rory asked.
"What do you mean?" Logan was put on the defensive.
"He said that he and I held a common bond through you," she accused. "Spill."
"I don't know what he's talking about," Logan feigned ignorance.
Rory walked to the corner and picked up her bag. She didn't bother questioning Logan.
"Rory, wait," Logan tried stopping her.
"No. Listen to me, Logan. I am done waiting," Rory said, irritated. "Honestly? I don't care what happened between you and Tristin. You and your damned secrets can remain in the closet. I'll play your group's stupid game. I'll even try to win this scavenger hunt. But one thing's for sure, Logan. This whole sacrifice thing goes both ways. If you're not willing to bend for me, maybe there's an issue with our whole relationship."
She left Logan not explaining himself to her. She was upset and she wanted to get away. She accidentally bumped onto Tristin, mumbling a quick apology before getting on the elevators. Both Tristin and Jared looked back at the room's open doors to find Logan staring at Rory's disappearing figure. Logan groaned and walked back into the room.
"What was that about?" Jared asked in amusement.
"I don't think he's too kin on the idea that his girlfriend is now my partner," Tristin mused.
"I could've sworn Providence is on your side," Jared chuckled. "Think about it. You can get even."
Tristin's eyes lingered on the elevator doors that had been Rory's exit.
"Then if it's luck, why do I feel so crappy about it?" Tristin asked his friend.
Jared was silent for a moment or two. He knew what Tristin was thinking about but he knew it was too soon to mention it to his friend.
"Why don't we let the tequila do the talking," Jared suggested.
Tristin just nodded his head to his friend. "Let's."