Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Gilmore Girls, actors, characters, plots, etc, that would be the wonderful people at WB. Although if I did, I'm pretty sure they'd be some big changes coughChadcough. Nor do I lay any claims to 'A Cinderella Story' also from WB. Anyway if you do feel inclined to sue me, some people have strange urges and we must accept them for who they are, I'm currently flat broke so all you will get is a used textbook, probably on organic chemistry.
AN: Thank you to all those who read chapter 2 and are now still interested enough to click the arrow to (drum roll) chapter 3! Special mention to those who reviewed as well, you make my world go around!
Photoboothromance: Fear not, there will be more on what happened between chapters 1 and 2, but I can't very well give you everything at once now! That's not fun for me and creates major writer's block after chapter 3.
Rish: I could tell you now, but… you'll have to read and find out!
LoVe23: I'm updating! Okay so I guess you already know that, um, thanks for reviewing!
RockRose: Thanks, I think I will continue, hope I can keep the greatness going.
TristenLover: Here's the next chapter, thank you for your review.
Finnlover: Thank you, I'm trying something different. It's harder than I thought it would be, but I'll give it a good go.
Yo-yo: Why is Rory acting out of character? Hmm, well I have to admit I haven't quite decided exactly why, but we will get to it. Thank you very much for that lovely compliment about good writers, I am happy, but boy the pressure is definitely building!
Festis7: Was Rory with Logan? Um, if you mean between Chapters 1 and 2, I can confirm that that is a definite no. If you mean now, read on! Thanks for the review.
Fallen Heart: A few people made the same comment about Tristan and Rory recognising each other, but I don't think I said that the mystery-man was Tristan. Ohh, the intrigue. Okay, who am I kidding, of course it's Tristan. As to recognising each other, they didn't know each other for that long and it was many years prior. Also, I doubt they would walk around trying to find each other. Don't worry there will be more explanations. Thanks for reviewing.
Jalna: Wow! I didn't know reviews could get so big, thank you so much for it. Also, I didn't know you could read so much into what I had written. You've inspired new ideas that I hadn't thought of (I guess that makes them 'new ideas'! – I'm silly sometimes). Thank you again.
Illisian: I'm honoured you would review my little story, thank you. Was it really a cliffhanger? I try not leave readers hanging on cliffs (read with tongue in cheek!) because I don't like that as a reader, though it's quite fun as a writer. I guess it's meant to be like a prologue, actually it possibly is, haven't really thought about it that way. So many new ideas today…
Mamashirl: I, teabean, am a Trory-addict. I breathe, I eat, I dream Trories, okay that's a slight exaggeration, but you a far from alone in Trory-world. I love note things too! Oh you mean the note in the story, right, sorry, I'm glad you like it. Thanks.
Chelsea71490: Look below, I'm keeping going! Thanks for liking my story
Ggluvr1987: Hello, to you too. Thank you for your review, I can't wait to see what happens either. I'll go bug the author into updating… oh wait, I am the author and I am updating… sorry having a weird out-of-body experience… this has taken a turn for the worse, I think I'll move on now.
Forever cynical: I'm glad you legally loved you gr. 11 English teacher and I'm also glad you're thinking of becoming an English teacher too, that way the world can be full of nice English teachers not mean ones, like mine. We had a theory in school, teachers that look like giant chickens, hate students, it was true for my English, Geography and Latin teachers!
Emily: I'm glad you must say you don't hate it. I must say thank you for reviewing. It is funny how what you desire to be in high school is far from what you want when you are older, that is my serious comment for the day, I'm exhausted!
NB: I should probably give a little explanation of when my fanfic's set. I know nothing about how long a Journalism course at Yale is, so I'm assuming it's three years, Rory is currently in her final year. Also Rory is not on speaking terms with Loralie, but her relationship with her grandparents is better than ever. If anyone can tell me about Journalism at Yale, I'd be more than grateful. Thanks.
Also, the formatting on chapter 2 screwed up, I tried to fix it, but obviously that didn't work. Sometimes I have issues with technology! Sorry about that, apologies in advance if the formatting problem continues.
Chapter 3 is dedicated to all the Dad's out there. I realise that's not exactly my target audience, but it was my dad's birthday on the Saturday. So for the Dad's…
Chapter 3:
He was at one of the moments in life when you reach a fork in the road. On one hand he could choose to take the safe, easy path to a known future decided by someone else or he could take a chance to have what he wanted deep down. Except that there was a catch, there was always the risk of what you want not being what you imagine. Time seems to slow at cross-roads, sounds become distorted and muffled, vision blurred, only certain things, seemingly chosen at random, were clear.
He forced himself to concentrate, and he cleared his head just in time to watch the woman of his dreams start to leave and weaving her way through the screaming crowd, away from him. He couldn't bear the thought of losing something, someone so wonderful, so beautiful, so absolutely perfect. Then he made his choice. Turning his back on his father, he rejected all the expectations and rules that had dictated his life for as long as he could remember. No more being someone everyone else wanted him to be, this was his life and he was going to decide the future he wanted to live.
He ran towards the crowds of people, all shouting words that he could no longer hear, he no longer cared to hear. Shoving past people whose opinions no longer mattered to him, he reached her. He could imagine the gossip, the scandal he was creating. Rejecting his father was one thing, but for a girl? Who was this girl anyway? What did she matter?
To him, she had come to mean more than he could put into words. She was beautiful in every sense of the word. She was innocent yet somehow she was also more mature and worldly than him. Smart, unlike most girls he had dated, her IQ was higher than her weight, not that she cared about her weight, not that she needed to. Sexy, but completely unaware of her effect on guys. And most importantly, she had shown him there was more to life than following someone else's dream.
And the girl herself could not be more surprised. She had hoped he would chase after her, fight for her, but she hadn't in her wildest dreams imagined he actually would. She found herself smiling up at him and when he kissed her, she could think of absolutely nothing. She felt nothing but tingles all over, nothing else, not even when the heaven's opened and the rain soaked her to the skin.
--
"So, how was it?" Paris asked her suite-mate and closest friend, Rory, as she entered their suite at Yale.
Several of Paris' assignments had been returned today and she had spent the whole morning chasing after lecturers. Rory, on the other hand, had spent the whole day lounging around in front of the television, on account of all her Friday lectures being cancelled. Apparently there is a stomach bug doing the rounds in the Yale Journalism department.
"How was what?" Rory replied, distractedly, watching some random romantic comedy on television.
Same formula as always. Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, something contrived, usually involving an ex, happens to add plot, then boy and girl make up, the end. Right now, the movie was up to the 'make up' part, lots of kissing as it starts to rain.
"New York?" Paris, her characteristic impatience seeped into her voice.
Reaching over, she flicked the tv on to C-Span.
"Wow, that has got to be a new record for you," Rory exclaimed, half sarcastically, turning away from the television, "You've managed to wait a whole week before asking me about New York."
"I know," Paris replied, genuinely pleased with herself, "I'm giving the tortoise a go. Anyway, no avoiding it now, what happened? Did you manage to put he-who-shall-not-be-named out of your head? You know it's unhealthy to keep thinking of him. Loralie's right, you should wallow then get over it."
"New York was the same as always," Rory replied vaguely, "I went to the Jamesons' thirtieth wedding anniversary lunch on Saturday and the Ashford's Charity Ball on Sunday evening. Misty Lyle-Wright was at the Jamesons', remember her from Louise's 20th? Anyway she is on the Avocado diet, eats nothing but avocado. There was a mix up with the catering and they gave her wasabi by mistake, she performed a pretty good imitation of the girl in The Exorcist, she got Marlina Hestly right in the eye."
"Marlina Hestly? Isn't she the one who wore the lime-green swan dress to the Darlington's fiftieth?" asked Paris, momentarily distracted, looking eagerly for gossip about the girl 'most likely to become a supermodel' from the year above at Chilton.
"Yeah, she is. And you do realise that the more you say he-who-shall-not-be-named, the less likely I am to forget Logan," Rory emphasised the name for effect, Paris pulled a face in response, "But you don't have to worry about us."
"You mean-" Paris began, sounding hopeful, as Rory paused for effect.
"He and I are back together," Rory interrupted.
"What!" Paris almost-shouted, completely shocked.
"We've come to an agreement," Rory smiled, "The official position is that we are dating, but unofficially, he is also free to sleep with whomever he chooses."
"And how is that any different from before?" demanded Paris, her concern for Rory coming out as frustrated anger.
"This time, it's my idea," Rory replied smugly.
"Rory, why?" Paris begged, the anger had dissipated, but concern still coloured her tone, "You can do so much better than him. You shouldn't have to make sacrifices like that for a guy."
"All relationships are about giving and taking," retorted Rory, slightly annoyed that Paris would dare question her logic, "Anyway, Logan's right, we are far too young to be involved in serious relationships. I need to get out there are, sow my wild oats."
"When did you and Logan come to this 'agreement'?" Paris asked suspiciously.
"The night I got back from New York we had dinner and a good, long talk," Rory explained matter-of-factly.
"So just like that, you're going to forget everything you wanted in a relationship and plunge head first into this, this whatever this is that you're going to be doing?" Paris demanded, incredulous.
"It's my life and I will live it as I see fit," answered Rory hotly.
"Well, all I'm saying is be careful or you'll get hurt," Paris forced herself not to get snappy, "You're playing with fire, Rory."
"Like I said, it's my life… Paris, can we talk about something else now?" Rory begged.
She had her own niggling doubts, but the last thing she wanted was Paris to make her go back on her word to Logan, she was turning over a leaf in her attitudes and she wanted it to work.
"I got a 98 on my HPS essay. According Professor Whitning, I've got the facts right, but I lack the passion needed for 100 per cent. I mean honestly, do you think I lack passion? Anyway, he's one to talk, he wears plaid trousers everyday, for him passion must be finding the matching jacket," replied Paris, obliging Rory's request.
Rory smiled faintly as Paris launched into a full-scale rant about Whitning and his penchant for plaid. She watched as her friend stormed about their suite waving her hands furiously about. A good twenty minutes later, Paris collected her books and hurried out of the suite, remembering another assignment she had to do research for. When she was finally alone, Rory sighed in relief, considering Paris' reaction to the news about her and Logan, the last thing she needed was lecture about her one-night-stand with the mystery-Stanford-man.
--
AN: That was so hard to write. Ugh, I think peaked too early, damn. Sorry, if you liked the story because of the way the first two chapters were written, there was exposition I had to get through.
AN: I'm on the Review Diet, I eat nothing but reviews… please feed me.