This story is the second in my Skeleton Leaves Trilogy. Taking place at the end of the first year of University for Rory's graduating Chilton year. There may be some reader confusion with allusions to the first installment which I will publish after this one. This story is not TRORY, although it contains flash-backs to the first installment. It revolves around Tristan because I love him, although I don't think Rory and he would ever have ended up together. Feel free to email me with any questions.
Disclaimer: I own less than nothing
The last sun of winter glinted off the long blonde braids of the girl hurrying across the quad to where her best-friend stood looking lost.
"Rory!" She cried. The brunette turned and a smile of relief washed over her pretty face.
"Theo!" The flew into each others arms and Theo choked on the emotion. Almost a year, almost a year since they had seen each other. She couldn't believe it. After spending almost every day together for so long. She couldn't bring herself to let go. When they finally did Rory found herself subconsciously patting Theo's blonde braids.
"Your hair…you've changed it" Theo reached for a braid and brought it to her face as if to scrutinise it.
"Oh yeah, it's been like this for ages now…come on let's go get coffee".
They had settled in a smoky under-ground coffee-shop not far from the Columbia campus. Their first year of college was drawing to a swift close. Theo had arrived back only the day before and she and Rory would spend the weekend in New York before they headed back to Connecticut.
It was two months into her first year of an Anthropolgy degree with a major in politics, that Theo had been made, in every sense of the word, an offer she could not refuse. Along with two other under-graduates she would be sent on a 10 month tour of Eastern Europe, staying with American ambassadors as part of a program sponsored by the United Nations. Rory had waved off from JFK with tears in both their eyes.
Rory found herself watching Theo, scrutinizing her as the journalism course had taught her to do so well. Their brief – if intense – frienship, formed in junior year at Chilton, had been one frought with the dramatics associated with the teenage years. Rory was embarrassed now when she remembered the way she had behaved, how angry she had been over an imagined betrayal. How she hadn't been there for Theo when she made her sacrifice.
And her friend had changed, perhaps in the intervening year in which they hadn't seen each other, at least, that was what Rory hoped. But she had a feeling that this change had been occurring for closer to three years. Her voice was quieter, the excessive hand movements and theatrics had calmed but most of all, so had those eyes. Those eyes that had flashed and sparkled constantly now seemed dead. But there was too much there now for Rory to just casually ask, So, how have you been? Do you still think about him? Still cry over him and secretly hate me a little? She hated having all these things she'd never say.
They spent the weekend at art museums and an international short-film festival that was being held but Rory couldn't suppress the gnawing feeling in her stomach each time Theo did something so out-of-character. They were only ever small things, but significant. On the Saturday night they out for dinner, to an expensive restaurant called Saffron. After being told that the restaurant was full and she had not made a reservation Theo quietly said to the maitre di;
"My name is Theodora Adams, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that I don't need to make a reservation". It had worked and they had been ushered quickly by the embarrassed maitre di to a lovely table, but Rory couldn't hide her shock.
"What was that? We used to eat anywhere they were offering a two-for-one deal" Theo shrugged.
"It gets things done".
They never took a taxi, instead, Theo employed a driver. When Rory realised this she asked Theo about Stella.
"That old thing? I never ride anymore" Theo told her.
"But you loved that motor-bike!" Theo shrugged.
"Write it off as one of those rebellious teenage phases".
But most shocking of all, was her confession about Nate.
"You're what!" Rory cried, disturbing the other patrons of the gelato shop they were in. Theo blushed.
So much about Theo had changed. Rory had been surprised by the new way she dressed and carried herself, but a year-long romance with Nathan Gates? She had never see Theo as one of Nathan's girls.
It would be okay though. They were leaving for Hartford that afternoon, Theo was taking them in the convertible Nate had given her for a birthday present. A whole summer together and Rory would get to the bottom of this.
Let me know what you think, I'll be updating in the next couple of days until we get into the swing of the story.