Title: 30 Minutes' Difference

Author: Silver Blood

Disclaimer: See Chapter One. How to Save a Life is by The Fray

A/N: Thanks for your continued support. I realize that this is one of my most popular stories and I sort of abandoned it for a while, so I hope everyone is still keeping up. See... I had this written in a notebook. Then the notebook went –poof– and disappeared. So I'm improvising until I find it. Wish me luck...

Also, they started school on a Thursday, so that's when their fight was. I don't know about other schools, but at my high school we always started on a Thursday.

Chapter Seven: How to Save a Life

As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came

He wasn't picking up his phone. She'd called enough times to come to the conclusion that he was avoiding her. It hurt.

"Um... Hey Tristan. It's me. Rory. Just leaving you another message... I really want to talk to you about what happened today... I hate fighting with you. Please, just call me back."

Rory hesitated.

Then hung up the phone.

It was unlike her to leave a message on Tristan's phone. Most of the time she knew that if he saw she'd called, he'd call right back. But now that she was convinced he was avoiding her, she didn't want him to think she was angry.

She wasn't.

Confused? Definitely. Angry? Not at all. Not even a little.

Except that she was. Incredibly angry.

Sighing, Rory flopped back on her bed. It was hard enough knowing that she'd hurt Tristan with her comments, but now she felt guilty for every time she might have accidentally led him on in some way.

She just kept remembering his eyes at lunch... the way their blue ice seemed to shatter before her.

But it wasn't her fault. How was she to know that Tristan had feelings for her? It seemed like every day he'd had a different girl pressed up against his locker.

But he'd always stopped when he'd seen Rory, hadn't he?

He would pull away from whatever girl he was with, no matter how gorgeous or easy she was, and walk over to Rory. And every girl expected it. She was his best friend, and everyone knew. Very few girls had even fought it. And the ones that did, Rory never saw again.

Frustrated, Rory picked up the phone again, only to slam it down.

It was not her fault. Tristan had made it clear that he only thought of her as a friend. She'd seen him with other girls, and despite his insistence that he'd never treat her that way, she didn't know whether to believe him or not. It just seemed like he was destined to be a player. He didn't act as if he wanted commitment of any sort.

Although she was nearly convinced it wasn't her fault, Rory still felt guilty.

When Tristan wasn't at school on Friday, Rory started to worry. It wasn't like Tristan to miss school. And on the few days he was sick or decided to skip, he'd always invited Rory along. Not that he was talking to her, but it still hurt that he wasn't around. She couldn't even attempt to make things right.

After last period, Paris approached Rory.

"There's a party tonight. We're going."

Rory raised her eyebrows in weary amusement.

"No way, Paris. Not happening."

The blonde sighed and crossed her arms impatiently over her chest.

"Look, Gilmore, you need to go. Tristan doesn't miss a party, so he'll be there. And if he decides not to go... Well someone can keep me company at least."

"And I would want to do that because..?"

Paris glared.

"Because you care about Tristan, and you love me. It's a win-win situation."

Rory didn't answer, putting her books in her bag and walking with Paris towards the front hall.

"Rory, come on. It's the beginning of a new year. If I can lighten up a little, surely you can too. We'll go to the party, you'll make up with Tristan, and the drama will be over. And everyone can relax and have some fun."

The brunette sighed.

"What do you say, Gilmore?"

She stopped and looked up at Paris, resigned.

"Okay, I'll go. But if Tristan isn't there, I'm leaving. Okay?"

Paris nodded and they made plans to meet at Rory's house that night to get ready for the party.

Although she could barely hear her own thoughts over the loud music, Rory tried to speak to Paris.

"I don't see Tristan. Do you?"

She looked over at her friend, who was shaking her head.

"I'm sure he's here, Gilmore. Give it a chance."

Rory led Paris to the bar, where a bartender stood, ready to serve underage kids whatever they desired. For once, Rory decided maybe society wasn't so bad.

"Rum and coke."

Although Paris gave her a funny look, Rory just shrugged. To get through this night, she was going to have to drink. Possibly heavily.

Slowly, walking alone through the crowd of people, Rory searched for her best friend. She was disappointed that she hadn't seen him yet. Maybe Paris had been wrong.

The music had changed to a slower song, which was less offensive to the eardrum. Rory glanced around again before plopping down on a couch. She felt like a loser sitting alone, but she barely knew most of these people.

After sitting alone for fifteen minutes, she walked to the bar and ordered another rum and coke. Standing awkwardly near the bar, a familiar blonde-haired brown-eyed boy approached her.

"Rory, right?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. You're Logan. How are you?"

He shrugged, his eyes turning soft as they met hers.

"I'm alright. Are you okay?"

Rory's blue eyes reflected her confusion at his question, and Logan tried again.

"I couldn't help but notice that you and Tristan broke up. I thought you guys seemed pretty serious. I thought I'd make sure you didn't need to talk."

Rory didn't know how to respond.

"What do you mean broke up?"

Logan's eyes widened, misinterpreting her statement. He took a deep breath and winced.

"You did break up, right?"

Rory shook her head, still unsure what to say, and opened her mouth to correct Logan, but she froze before the words would come out.

There, in the middle of the room, was all the explanation she needed.

Tristan was seated comfortably on a leather couch, with a redhead on his lap. She was straddling him, wearing jeans so tight that Rory was surprised they didn't rip, and her lips were suctioned to his.

After a second's hesitation, Rory laughed.

"That bastard."

As if he'd heard her, Tristan broke from the redhead's lips and found Rory's eyes almost instantaneously. His were woozy with alcohol. The girl on his lap started kissing his neck and he didn't seem to notice, still staring at Rory.

Being buzzed enough not to care if she made a spectacle of herself, she mouthed the word 'asshole' to him, and turned to walk away, quickly making her way down the nearest hallway.

It wasn't until she'd gone into a strange bedroom that Rory realized Logan was following her. She looked at him warily.

"Look, you seem nice and all-"

He shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, I'm not going to try to take advantage of you. I just want to make sure you're okay. I mean... he was your boyfriend, right?"

Rory quickly shook her head, looking sad but not devastated.

"No. What he was, though, was my best friend. And now..."

She trailed off when the door came open. She was disappointed to find that it wasn't Tristan.

It was the other two guys from Tiffany's party. The Yalies.

"What they bloody hell is going on. And why are we cooped up? Oh! Sub-party already?"

Logan shook his head at his friend, a serious expression on his face.

"Colin, Finn; this is Rory. Rory, these are my loser friends. Ignore them."

He grinned when she shot him a weak smile.

Colin looked closely at her for a minute, as if trying to place her. Suddenly his eyes cleared.

"Right. Tristan's girlfriend..."

His eyes widened in realization even as Rory shook her head. Apparently he'd also witnessed the scene in the living room.

Before he could say anything, a heavily accented voice interrupted him.

"Oh, heartache. This is not good. Not good at all. Have some scotch, dear."

The Australian came closer to the bed, where Rory sat. He'd pulled a flask from his pocket and offered it to Rory. She surprised herself by taking it from him and downing the rest of the contents.

The three boys looked at her in awe.

Finn dropped down on one knee and took her hand.

"I love you. Marry me. We can live out the rest of our lives in alcoholic bliss."

Rory laughed at this, her eyes finally lighting up a bit. Finn took her hand and kissed it, winking at her mischievously. After a few minutes of the boys trashing Tristan, she'd brightened considerably.

The alcohol was starting to get to her, and somehow she found herself dancing with Finn. Rory looked around, but didn't see Tristan and his 'friend.'

She wondered if they were going to have sex.

"Come closer, love."

Shaken out of her thoughts she pushed herself closer to the Australian's chest and looked into his eyes. She was shocked to find that they were jade green. She'd thought they were brown. She smiled up at him easily, and he knew she was officially drunk when she stumbled into him even more.

"You're pretty, Finn."

He grinned.

"As are you, love. Hush now and dance with me."

Nodding, Rory let him pull her flush against him, and didn't protest when his hands found her hips. He began to guide her with his fingertips, until they were dancing as intimately as the other couples around them. Rory's arms wound up around his neck and he rested his forehead on hers.

She watched him for a few moments, still moving to the beat. Almost as if she were expecting something.

Finally she sighed.

"Why are all boys dumb? Don't you see that I want you to kiss me?"

Laughing, Finn turned away from her, releasing his grip on her hips.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Kitten. You're nearly as drunk as I am, and that's no way to enjoy a first kiss."

Nodding, she pulled him against her again, a smile on her face.

He whispered into her ear.

"Besides, I'm not a boy. I'm a man. Kissing a man is a hell of a lot different, love. You'd best not forget that, you'll get yourself into some serious trouble."

He ran his tongue down the shell of her ear and she sighed.

"I like you!"

He grinned.

Across the room, Tristan watched the girl he loved flirt drunkenly with a man whose experience with women rivaled Hugh Hefner's.

It wasn't until he saw Rory argue with Paris for a moment, and then turn dizzily towards the door that he realized that she was leaving.

With Finn.

Jumping up suddenly, knocking the redhead off his lap, Tristan followed the pair out the front door.

"Rory!"

She stopped, swayed, and turned slowly.

"You!"

She pointed in his general direction, glaring.

"You can go to hell!"

He rushed forward to stop her, ignoring Finn as he moved closer.

Holding on to Rory's arm, Tristan tried to look in her eyes.

"Rory, come on. What are you doing?"

She tried to shake him off.

"What I want! I'm doing what I want and it's not with you, although I came here to see you. And it's your own fault that I'm not talking to you and I'm leaving with Finn and not you right now so if you don't like it, tough."

He grabbed her shoulders now, shaking her almost violently.

"Rory, don't, okay? You're going to regret this. You're drunk. You barely even know him."

"Tristan."

Finn's voice was quiet, but commanding.

"She wants to leave, so we're leaving. It's not up to you whether she stays or not. You've made tonight bloody miserable enough. You're drunk, and you're making things worse. So just back off."

Tristan didn't listen, but tilted up Rory's chin so her eyes met his. He saw her anger and hurt there, right on the surface. He wanted more than anything to pull her close and wrap her in his arms, but he didn't. Couldn't.

"You made me a promise, remember?"

His words cut through the haze of alcohol in her brain, and Rory realized why Tristan seemed to be panicking.

The sound of her hand striking his face was her only response. Although tears welled up in her eyes as her hand stung, she held them back.

"I met Finn tonight. He made me laugh, made me feel better after I saw your beautiful display with some skanky redhead in there, and we danced. If you are seriously worried that I'm going to go off and have sex with him because I'm drunk, then you don't know me at all. And that scares the shit out of me, Tristan. Because you've always known me better than I know myself."

During the last two sentences her voice had lowered considerably, and now it was almost pleading. Pleading him to say something, do something. Anything to fix this hole in their previously flawless friendship.

He didn't respond.

He didn't know what to say.

Silently, he watched as Finn offered his hand to Rory, his eyes questioning. She took his hand, her gaze never leaving Tristan's.

When Finn led her away, she rested her head on his shoulder and sniffled.

Tristan couldn't control the jealousy that swelled inside him at that moment, nor the anger that caused his fist to shoot out against the brick wall, as he watched another man walk away with his Mary.

A/N: Okay, so yeah... not where I expected that to go at all. I don't like it. I'm having to fight myself a lot not to make this a PDLD. Don't worry, I won't, this is DEFINITELY a Trory and that will not change, but I just thought Tristan should have a taste of his own medicine for a bit. Finn will not be an important character just yet, although he was in this chapter. He will be important later on, but not for a long while. I really don't like this chapter, but I don't want to rewrite it and I'm hoping others will enjoy reading it more than I did writing it. Let me know.