Chapter 12: Harvard Weekend:
Almost a week had passed since Rory and Tristan had gone back to school, and he was headed to Boston that weekend. He was planning on staying with a friend from military school who went to Harvard. Rory was in her room waiting for Paris to get back from class so she could talk to her. Rory got what she wanted about two minutes later when Paris came running in soaking wet.
"It's pouring out there!" Paris gasped.
"I see that," Rory said, "There's something I have to tell you."
"What is it?" Paris asked.
"You remember how I mentioned that in Fiji I ran into someone you and I both know?" Rory asked almost hesitantly.
"Yes…I figured it was someone from Chilton," Paris replied, "You just haven't told me who."
"Well, it was Tristan," Rory admitted.
"Okay. So?" Paris asked.
"We started hanging out a lot and then I realized one day that I actually started to like him in the romantic sense and we started dating. He's coming here this weekend," Rory explained further.
"Okay. Still don't see what the problem is," Paris said giving Rory an expectant look.
"I don't want there to be one. I knew you liked him in high school but I didn't know if you still did and I don't want you to hate me," Rory said.
"We're friends right?" Paris asked.
"Yes," Rory replied.
"Then you can tell me anything. And anyway, I'm over my crush on Tristan. I have a boyfriend. His name is Jamie and he goes to Princeton," Paris said.
"So does Tristan," Rory said.
"Yale bound Tristan DuGrey goes to Princeton University?" Paris remarked.
"Yes. He told me his dad threw a fit when Tristan told him that," Rory said.
"I'm not surprised. All DuGrey's are Yalies. Or at least all DuGrey males are Yalies," Paris said.
"Yes I'm well aware of the fact that Tristan's father thinks that every child is supposed to attend their parents' alma mater," Rory said, "The subject came up at Christmas dinner."
"So when will Tristan be here?" Paris asked.
"He's leaving tomorrow after his last class at 11:00," Rory replied, "Jamie is coming up this weekend too isn't he?"
"Yes he is," Paris replied, "I'm going to go study in the library. I'll meet you, Lane and Anya here for dinner at 6."
"Okay. I should work on my Spanish anyway," Rory said, "See you at 6."
As Rory said that, Paris was getting together her books to go to the library. As soon as Paris left the room the phone rang.
"Hello?" Rory answered.
"Hey, Rory, is Paris there?" Jamie asked.
"No, she just left for the library. She might still have her cell on," Rory answered.
"Cool. Thanks, Rory," Jamie said, "I guess I'll see you this weekend."
"Yep. Bye, Jamie," Rory said.
A few hours later, Rory, Lane and Anya were in the common room watching television when Paris came back.
"Ready to go for dinner?" Anya asked.
"Definitely, I'm starving," Paris replied.
"Hey did Jamie call your cell this afternoon?" Rory asked.
"Yes he did. Thanks for telling him to call my cell. I'd have missed the call otherwise," Paris replied.
"You're welcome. One second earlier and he could've caught you here," Rory said.
The next day, Rory was the only one not in class when Tristan showed up at around 1 o'clock.
"Hey!" Tristan said.
"Hey," Rory said, "Want to come in?"
"Of course. Where are your roommates?" Tristan asked going into the common room.
"Paris, Lane and Anya are all in class," Rory replied.
"So we have the place to ourselves," Tristan remarked.
"For a while. They'll all be back eventually. Lane is done class in forty-five minutes, Paris in an hour and Anya in forty minutes," Rory said.
"So for forty minutes I have you all to myself," Tristan said.
"Yep, forty whole minutes," Rory repeated.
"What to do?" Tristan wondered.
"Well I have a huge test in Spanish on Wednesday so I should study for it sometime this weekend," Rory replied, "You can watch TV if you want."
"But we haven't seen each other in a week," Tristan complained.
"I know that, but we can go to dinner tonight and after that I'm all yours for the whole weekend. Just forty minutes of studying and I'm done for the weekend, I swear," Rory said.
"Okay. As long as I can kiss you before I lose you to your books," Tristan said and gave her a kiss.
"And I was wondering why you hadn't done that when you came in," Rory said smiling.
"Just go study. The faster you do that, the faster we can begin the fun-filled weekend," Tristan said.
"Slave driver," Rory joked as she went into her bedroom.
Rory studied successfully for forty minutes and then Anya came back from class, Lane came back five minutes later and there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it," Lane said getting up from a chair.
Lane answered the door only to find Jamie on the other side.
"Hey, Lane. Is Paris here?" Jamie asked.
"No. She's still in class actually. For another fifteen minutes," Lane replied.
"Okay. Could I wait here for her?" Jamie asked.
"You could, but I don't know how fun it would be," Lane replied.
"Why?" Jamie asked.
"Rory, her boyfriend and I are the only ones left here. Anya had another class and like I said before, Paris is still in class. We're just watching TV. Nothing too exciting," Lane replied.
"Well waiting here is better than wandering around campus or Cambridge waiting for Paris to finish her class," Jamie observed.
"True. Come on in," Lane said gesturing towards the common room.
"So what are you guys watching?" Jamie asked entering the room.
"Hey, Jamie. We're just watching some movie on TV," Rory replied, "Don't know what it's called. Waiting here for Paris to get back?"
"Yep. I figure it's better than wandering around Harvard or Cambridge. I've only been here like a hundred times in the last five months. Seen everything remotely interesting," Jamie said.
"Jamie, this is Tristan. Tristan this is Jamie, also known as Paris' boyfriend," Rory introduced.
"Hey, Ror, I have this test in American History on Monday, so I'm going to the library," Lane said.
"I know that already, but I also know you hate the library, so that's basically your cover story for getting out of here before you're left in a dorm room with two guys un-chaperoned," Rory argued.
"My mother would send me to that Christian school in Nicaragua if she found out, and I can't let that happen, so I'm going to go to the library even though I totally can't stand it. Plus, it's not the library itself, just the fact that you have to be so quiet," Lane explained, "I'll see you later."
"Alright, whatever you say. Bye, Lane," Rory said as Lane headed out the door.
"Why does Lane have a problem with the quietness of the library?" Tristan asked.
"Lane is totally into rock and roll music. She loves to blast it while she does homework… or anything really. Therefore the library wouldn't really appreciate or allow her music, especially at that volume," Rory replied.
"What was that whole thing about being in a room with two guys un-chaperoned?" Jamie asked raising an eyebrow.
"Lane grew up in a very strict Korean household. She hid her CDs in the floorboards of her bedroom. She made sure to pack anything her mom would find objectionable and actually ended up storing some of it at my house over the years," Rory replied, "Lane's life makes much more sense if you've actually met Mrs. Kim. That is one scary woman. She could make anyone run in the other direction. She scared even Henry, and he was as Korean raised as she was."
"Henry Cho?" Tristan asked, "The guy that went to Chilton with us?"
"Yeah, that's the one. After the party at Madeline's, where they met, they started dating," Rory said, "Or sort of dating. Henry was tired of having to call me to talk to Lane because of her mom, so they planned to have a real date, and when that didn't work out he broke it off with her."
"How come?" Jamie asked.
"Because the whole thing was planned in secret using her cousin David as a decoy and it got way too complicated. Henry told Lane he really wanted to take her to his prom too, but if it had to be in secret he wouldn't do it anymore," Rory replied sadly.
By the time the movie ended, Paris came back and she left the dorm with Jamie in tow. This left just Tristan and Rory together.
"So what do you want to do tonight?" Tristan asked.
"Let's go out for dinner. There's this great semi-formal restaurant that my parents and I always go to when they're here," Rory suggested.
"Sure. What's the name of it?" Tristan asked.
"Maria's," Rory replied.
"Okay. How about I go change, since its semi-formal, and pick you up in an hour and a half?" Tristan asked.
"Sure, get going Mister," Rory replied shooing him out the door, "I have to go find a dress."
"Okay, okay, I'm going. See you in an hour and half," Tristan said heading out the door.
Rory went into her room and walked straight to her closet. She already knew which dress she wanted to wear.
Actually, it was the white dress she wore as a bride's maid in her mom's wedding. The dress was one of her favorites, but also one of her most expensive. She figured tonight was a good enough occasion to wear it. Besides it being white, it was an A-line dress adorned with jewels and embroidered lace at the top with tank top sleeves. The waist was asymmetrical and caught up with a side-jewel motif. It also had a chiffon overlay that created a peek-a-boo front over a rich satin skirt with a lace up back. When it had been time to go shopping for dresses, her mom had let all the girls pick their own dresses, so in the end there had been two different attendant's dresses. Sookie had been the matron of honor and Rory the only bride's maid. And then there was Lorelai's dress, the best one of all. It was after all the bride's dress.
'What a fun day that was,' Rory thought while remembering the day they all went dress shopping.
Amazingly enough, her dress was the same dress that she wore to prom because she figured that the dress was too expensive to only be worn once. Rory put on her dress and matching shoes and grabbed her purse that went with the whole outfit. It was also white.
Just then there was a knock on the door. Rory thought it might be Tristan coming back but it was actually Anya who had forgotten her key when she left for class.
"You look ready to hit the town," Anya observed.
"Tristan and I are going to dinner at Maria's. He should be here soon," Rory said.
"Oh, cool. That's a pretty dress," Anya commented.
"It was my bride's maid dress for my mom and dad's wedding the summer between junior and senior year. It was actually my prom dress too," Rory said, "I figured that since it cost my mom so much it should be worn more than once."
"You were lucky then," Anya said, "My sister got married that same year but my dress was specialized for the wedding. So I had to get a brand new dress for prom and I ended up wearing that one once, too."
"I couldn't really do that, so for my mom's wedding I got one that could be worn more than once," Rory said, "And this dress actually ended up going with the theme of my prom too: A Winter Wonderland."
Knock…knock.
"Do you think that's Tristan?" Anya asked.
"Yeah, I think so," Rory replied as she went to answer the door.
"Hey, ready to go?" Tristan asked.
"Yes. See you later, Anya," Rory said as she and Tristan exited the room. "So you're going to have to give me directions to this restaurant," Tristan said.
"I suck at directions but I can try," Rory said, "Actually my mom and dad found it by mistake on their first wedding anniversary this summer." Maria's wasn't actually that far from Harvard, so it didn't take long for them to find it. They walked into the restaurant and were greeted by the host.
"A table for two?" She asked.
"Yes please," Tristan replied.
"Come this way, please," She said grabbing two menus and leading them to a table for the two of them in the corner, "You waitress will be here soon."
Almost as soon as the host left, the waitress came.
"What can I get you to drink?" She asked looking at Rory.
"I'll have a coke with a lime wedge please," Rory requested.
"And you sir?" She asked Tristan.
"I'll have a coke also," Tristan replied.
"Coming right up," The waitress said before leaving the table and leaving the two to their menus.
"So do you know what you are having?" Tristan asked.
"I think the barbequed pork chops and scalloped potatoes," Rory replied, "What about you?"
"Veal cutlets," Tristan replied.
A few minutes later, the waitress came back and gave Tristan and Rory their cokes.
"Are you ready to order?" She asked putting down the drinks.
"I'll have the barbequed pork chops and scalloped potatoes," Rory replied.
"And I'll have the veal cutlets," Tristan said.
The waitress wrote down the order, took the menus and left for the kitchen to put in their order.
"So what do you want to do this weekend?" Rory asked.
"Anything as long as I get to see you," Tristan replied smiling.
Their food came and for the next hour they ate. They even ordered desert: a triple chocolate cheesecake. Then they headed back to Rory's dorm to watch a movie. Paris wouldn't be there and Lane was heading back to Stars Hollow for the weekend with Anya.
"What movie do you want to watch?" Rory asked.
"I don't know," Tristan replied, "What do you have?"
So Rory listed off all the movies the four girls owned.
"Any movies on TV?" Tristan asked.
"Um, let's check," Rory replied sitting on the couch next to him.
They found a show and about an hour later, Rory had fallen asleep. Tristan turned off the TV and got up to leave but something stopped him.
"Tris, don't go," Rory said in a sleeplike state.
"You want me stay, Ror?" Tristan asked.
"Please. Nobody will be back until Sunday sometime," Rory replied.
"So you're here all by yourself," Tristan remarked.
"Yes. So please stay," Rory pleaded.
"Okay," Tristan said and he joined her on the couch.
They both fell asleep there on the couch snuggled up together and woke up that way the next day.
"Good morning, beautiful," Tristan said kissing her forehead.
"What time is it?" Rory asked.
"Almost noon," Tristan replied.
"Coffee," Rory said.
Rory had a cup of coffee and then while she was drinking her second cup they made plans for the rest of the weekend.
"Want to go see a movie tonight?" Tristan asked.
"Sure," Rory replied, "Which one?"
"You can pick," Tristan said.
"There's a new movie out. It's called Just Like Heaven. Mom went to see it with Sookie and said it was really good," Rory said.
Tristan looked up movie times in the Boston Chronicle.
"There are showings at 7 and 8:45," Tristan said.
"What one do you want to go to?" Rory asked.
"We could go to the 8:45 movie and then get coffee or something afterwards," Tristan offered.
"Sure," Rory replied after finishing her second cup, "But what about the rest of the day?"
"We could call Paris and Jamie and see what they're doing for lunch," Tristan suggested.
"Oh, good idea. I'll call Paris' cell," Rory said before going to grab her phone from her bedroom.
An hour later, they all met at the Gallery Café & Patio where Jamie had made reservations.
"What can I get you?" The waitress asked after they had been seated.
"Ice tea," Paris replied.
"Coffee, please," Rory said.
"I'll have a Coke," Jamie said.
"I'll take a Coke, too," Tristan said.
"I'll be back to take your order in a few minutes," The waitress said before leaving.
For the next few minutes they looked at menus and finally decided on what they wanted.
"Chicken penne, please," Paris ordered.
"I'd like a Club sandwich," Rory said.
Tristan and Jamie also ordered and they talked while they were waiting for their food.
"I heard Alicia say there was a party in her dorm building tonight," Paris said.
"We're going to a movie tonight," Rory said, "What are you guys doing?"
"We don't know yet. Paris can't make up her mind," Jamie replied.
"Watch it mister," Paris said, teasing her boyfriend, "We might go to the party."
"Well if you don't end up going, you could always come see Just Like Heaven with us tonight," Tristan said.
"Maybe," Paris said as their food came.
They ate and talked for an hour before leaving the café. Jamie, Paris, Tristan and Rory all ended up going shopping at the mall. Actually, Paris and Rory dragged them there. Paris needed to get some books and Rory wanted to look for a CD to give Lane, whose birthday was coming up. Tristan and Jamie said they would meet them in the food court because they really didn't want to hang around while they shopped.
"So how did you and Paris meet?" Tristan asked.
"You know how Paris and Rory were student council president and vice president their senior year?" Jamie asked.
"Rory mentioned it," Tristan replied.
"Well we met at a conference in Washington, D.C. for junior leaders or something the summer before," Jamie said, "How'd you and Rory meet?"
"She started at Chilton sophomore year. I was at the top of the popularity chain and changed girlfriends almost every week. I called her Mary and bugged her every chance I got. Then I got sent to military school after getting caught breaking into a safe with two friends. I didn't see Rory again after that until December when we were both in Fiji," Tristan replied, "We started dating four days before we both headed back to school."
"So you go to Princeton?" Jamie asked.
"Yes. I was supposed to go to Yale, but I decided not to go after military school because while I was there I realized there was more to life than money and status," Tristan said, "Military school was actually a good awakening." "So what are your plans for Spring Break?" Jamie asked.
"Rory, me and a bunch of my friends are going to Hawaii," Tristan replied, "Rory's friend Alicia's going too. What are you doing?"
"Going home actually. Paris is going to come with me," Jamie replied.
"You guys should think about coming to Hawaii with us. I know Rory would love to have another girl she knows there. Especially since most of my friends going are guys and their girlfriends that Rory doesn't know," Tristan said.
Meanwhile Rory and Paris, laden with shopping bags, were making their way into yet another store. They'd already been to almost every store in the Cambridge mall, some more than once. Rory still hadn't found Lane's CD yet. Or any birthday present type thing for her best friend.
"This is useless," Rory said, "It'll take forever."
"Well, just try again another time," Paris said, "When is Lane's birthday anyway?"
"Two weeks from now," Rory replied, "That really means I only have one more weekend to find her a present because next weekend is kind of a busy since I'll be car shopping."
"So go afterwards," Paris said as they started heading to meet the guys at the food court.
"I need coffee," Rory said as they reached the food court and the spot where Jamie and Tristan were sitting talking.
"You always need coffee, Mar," Tristan said.
"Say things like that, Bible Boy, and you will pay dearly," Rory retorted as she sat down.
They spent an hour just sitting in the food court and then they all headed back to do their own separate things. Tristan and Rory ended up having a movie night with a ton of junk food and watching at least three movies. Then the next day sometime in the early afternoon Tristan headed back to Princeton and the weekend together ended.