CHAPTER 14 - Mix Ups Cleared Up

PROM

"So you missed me?" Tristan asked with a big smirk on his face once they got in the limo.

"Me?" Rory asked inocently, "ehh...nah."

"Oh is that right?" Tristan said laughing.

"Yeah, I'd say so." Rory answered playing along.

"You're funny. But Rory, you don't have to lie. I know you were pining for me."

Rory smiled, "Oh was I?"

"Yes, infact I know that you carried around a Romeo and Juliet book 24/7 just because it reminded you of me."

"You're right. I cannot believe I thought I could hide it from you," Rory replied, "I'm sorry."

The couple laughed and Tristan answered, "It's okay," and then leaned forward for a kiss.

About ten minutes later the limo pulled up to the school. Tristan got out first and then helped Rory out, as any true gentleman should. "So, you ready?" he asked with a hopeful smile on his face.

A soft smile made its way onto Rory's face as she replied, "Ready as I ever will be."

"Okay, let's go." Tristan whispered as he reached for her hand.

Once inside, Rory and Tristan saw that everyone was dancing and having a good time. They had entered right in the middle of a low-playing slow song, so when the door closed and made a loud sweak, many heads turned their way. Few girls squealed and you could hear whispers involving the name Tristan making its away across the dance floor. As Tristan and Rory walked in further, hand in hand, Grace picked her head up from Dave's shoulder and noticed them. She looked up, exchanged nods with Dave, and they both walked towards the door.

"Hey Rory!" Grace exclaimed once they were next to eachother.

"Hi. How's the prom so far?"

"Great, it's getting to be one of the best nights of my life," Grace replied as she looked toward Dave.

"And how is your night?" Grace asked, looking from Rory to Tristan and back to Rory.

"Oh, just dandy." she laughed. Just as Rory was about to say more, Madeline stumbled into Rory.

"Oh my gosh! Rory, you brought Tristan. Oh my god! When you said your date was a surprise I never thought in a million years it would be Tristan."

"Well...thanks." Rory replied, not knowing how to react.

"He looks so cute!" she said into Rory's ear, although it did no good seeing as how everyone around heard it.

"Thanks." Tristan said, looking at Madeline.

"You are EXTREMELY welcome." she replied. "And who is this fine fellow?" Madeline asked, motioning at Dave.

"Dave this is Madeline, Madeline this is Dave."

"Why hello Dave." Madeline said, batting her eyelashes.

"Madeline, are you drunk?" Rory asked with a smile making its way to her face.

"You see, it's a funny story," Madeline laughed, which soon turned into a snort, "because I drank like 10 glasses of punch, but no one told me that there was alcohol in it." Madeline started to laugh.

"Well, that is funny." Rory said, raising her eyebrows and exchanging glances with everyone in their circle, "We're gonna go dance, don't drink anymore punch, ok?"

"Will do." Madeline pointed at Rory as she walked off.

Once Madeline was gone everyone burst out laughing. As the giggles started to wear off they all drifted to the dance floor, just as a slow song came on. Rory and Tristan wrapped their arms around each other and started to dance, and Grace and Dave did the same.

"So I was a surprise huh?" Tristan asked Rory with a grin.

"Actually, I had no idea you were coming. Which you probably knew because I was in shock when you arrived at my door."

"Yeah well, I was able to snap you out of that in a hurry."

Rory smiled, remembering the incident. "You think you're so smooth, don't you?" she asked, laughing.

"What can I say? You got lucky."

"Yeah, I guess I did." Rory said as she gazed into Tristan's eyes.

When the next song came on, Tristan told Rory that he had to talk to Grace, and that she could go get to know Dave.

"Can I cut in?" Tristan asked, once he was next to Dave and Grace.

"Yeah man, Grace was just going to go to the bathroom. So now would be a good time to dance with me, if you really wanted to."

They all laughed, "I wasn't talking to you." Tristan replied, "Grace, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah sure."

"Okay. Hey Dave, Rory's waiting for you by the tables."

"Sweet." he replied, knowing it would ruffle Tristan's feathers.

"Don't get too comfortable over there!" he yelled after Dave.

Tristan turned to Grace to talk as they made their way to the drinks and tables. "So, were you ever gonna tell me that you were crazy about my best friend?"

"Well, were you ever gonna tell me that you were in love with MY best friend?"

"Very funny," Tristan said, "but you didn't answer the question."

"I just- I didn't think you would understand. Or you'd just say that I was too young or something. And besides, how do you know about that?" Grace's asked, growing confused.

Tristan smirked, "How about, number one, you guys were just dancing and making out of the dance floor, and number two I heard it from your so-called best friend."

"Rory told you?" she asked, her eyes wide, "when?"

"A few days ago." he said, still smirking.

Grace grinned. She had been played: they had tricked her, lied, schemed, and she never caught on. "You were talking to Rory?"

"Yeah."

"This whole time? Even when I tried so hard to get you to admit your feelings for her, you guys were ALREADY talking?"

Tristan laughed, he was a little confused, but replied, "uhh..I guess so. But what do you mean you tried to get me to admit that I liked her? How did you even know I liked her?"

"Oh my god. I am not stupid Tristan. Anyone could see. You were like obsessed with the girl, ask anyone."

"I was not obsessed."

"Fine, maybe not obsessed, but it was obvious to everyone."

"But still, you were trying to get me to admit my feelings? What is that about?" he asked, still confused.

Grace groaned, "Is it really that hard to understand? God, you are such a guy."

"Come on, just tell me."

"Ok fine. The past few weeks I figured out that you liked Rory and Rory liked you. So I was trying to get you to admit your feelings for her. And then I got this brilliant idea that if you came home early, then I could get you to the prom and you two would meet up."

Tristan was shocked. "I had no idea."

"Yeah I know. And you didn't make it easy either. Between you not coming home, and Rory getting a date, then losing her date, then you being a pain in the ass and not syaing you liked her. Let's just say you guys were beginning to annoy the shit out of me."

Tristan laughed. "Well thanks Grace. But the reason I wasn't coming home early was because I had a plan of my own."

"Are you joking?"

"No..I'm serious. Actually it was Dave who came up the idea."

"Dave?" she asked.

"Yeah. I was just complaining about how I was going to be missing prom, parties, graduation...and he heard the word prom and came up with the whole idea."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." he replied.

"Well then I guess it's ok. I mean if Dave came up with the idea."

"But Grace?" he said, his face serious.

"Yeah?" she said, looking up at him.

"Thanks...for everything."

"Anytime." she replied, giving him a sincere smile.

As Tristan and Grace talked by the food, Rory and Dave were getting along just fine at the tables.

"So...you're the infamous Rory I've heard so much about?"

"What do you mean infamous?" Rory asked, confused.

"Well, ever since the first day I met Tristan all I've heard about is how he screwed up his chance with you, and how he just wanted to call you.

"WHAT?" Rory exclaimed. She had no idea that Tristan liked her that much.

"Yup. Tristan is a bit of a girl, and could never work up the nerve to call you. So most of the time, I was stuck being his cheerleader, telling him to call you and that you would want to talk to him... that kind of stuff."

"You're a good guy Dave." Rory said, completely touched that he was telling her this.

"I know." he responded, then smiled.

Rory laughed.

"No really, I can see why Grace liked you for the past few years."

Dave's eyes grew wide, "WHAT?"

Rory laughed, "Ahh, now it's your turned to be in shock."

"Yeah well...but what are you talking about?"

"Grace told me, a few days ago, that she had this mega crush on you, and that she had liked you since the first day she met you."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No Davy, do you really think I would toy with your emotions like that?" she said smiling.

"Very funny." he replied, "God, I had no idea."

"Me neither." she said, staring straight ahead, "I mean about Tristan."

"I guess that goes to show you, you never really know who is madly in love with you."

"Yup, I guess not." Rory said. Suddenly, she snapped back to attention as she saw Grace marching up to her.

"So...I hear you've been talking to Tristan this WHOLE time?" Grace said demandingly, but with a smile on her face.

Rory blushed, "Yeah you see, I wasn't sure if I should've told you or not. I didn't want things to get weird between us."

"WEIRD between US? RORY, I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to get you and Tristan together. And let me tell you, it has NOT been easy."

"You what?" Rory's jaw dropped. She had suspected Grace was up to something, but she didn't think Grace was trying to get her and Tristan together.

"YES! I mean, you guys didn't pick up on anything. Between the threeway phone call-"

"That was you...on purpose?" Tristan and Rory said in unison.

"-and the Mary reference, and making you go to the prom, and-

Rory and Tristan glanced at eachother and smiled.

"-and dropping hints, and the sleepover, and the s'mores, and-"

"Umm..Grace, I think they get it." Dave said, putting his hand on her shoulders.

"Yeah well, I wasn't sure because they picked up on NOTHING the first time I did it."

Rory gave Grace a hug. "Grace, that is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."

"Well don't get used to it." Grace replied with a mischievous grin. She was on a rant, and in no way was she ready to stop. "AND THEN I come to find out that you two have been talking the WHOLE time. And was NO ONE was going to tell me? I guess not."

Grace was waving her arms and finally turned and walked off. Dave followed her, leaving Tristan and Rory to themselves.

"So... it feels pretty good putting Grace in her place, huh?"

"Yeah and I must say, I'm happy with the outcome." Rory grinned as she leaned into Tristan.

"Me too." he replied, then grabbed her hand and lead her to the dancefloor.

As another slow song started to play, Tristan smirked.

"What?" Rory asked.

"Well...I just remembered that we never finished our game of truth."

Rory smiled.

"And who's turn was it?" she asked.

"I'm a gentlemen, you can go."

"Okay," she grinned, "hmm...Oh, I've got one. So, is it true that ever since you go to school you have been talking about how much you like me to Dave every night?"

Tristan looked away and smiled. "He told you about that?"

Rory laughed, she could tell Tristan was embarrassed, and she hated to say it, but it was actually cute.

"What else did you think we would talk about?"

"I don't know...Grace?"

Rory laughed again, "Oh, we covered her too. Believe me."

"Is it my turn yet?"

"You didn't answer the question." Rory replied, her smile still intact.

"You're gonna make me say it?"

"Hmm...well...yeah, I'd say yes. Definitely."

"Fine, yes it is true that I have been telling Dave about my feelings for you. And that I was too chicken to call you. And that I thought you hated my guts."

"Well, that was a little more than I asked, but thank you for your honesty." she replied.

"My turn?"

"Yes."

"Okay...now you have to tell the truth on this one."

"I will...the game is called truth."

"Just making sure you're not gonna make some lame excuse up."

"Okay, shoot."

Tristan sighed. "He looks nervous," Rory thought to herself. "Ok, what would you say if I were to ask you to be my girlfriend."

"hmmm..." Rory smiled, "I would say... that is the cutest thing anyone's ever said to me." Once Rory finished her sentence, she leaned in and kissed Tristan. After the kiss, Tristan leaned back. "Well then... Rory, would you be my girlfriend?"

"Awww," Rory blushed, "that is the cutest thing anyone has ever said to me. And yes, I would love to be your girlfriend." Both leaned in for another kiss, just as Grace and Dave entered the room to see them on the dance floor.

"God, I am soo good." Grace said outloud, but to herself.

"Yeah you are." Dave replied as he turned to face her and leaned in for another kiss.

"This is by far the best prom I have ever had." she said once the broke apart.

"Grace, it's the only prom you've ever had." he said smiling.

"I know, and the best part it, it's not even over yet." she said excitedly.