An Author's Kinda Late Night Ramblings- I know, I know, I suck. I had stuff to do, mid terms and all. It was hard to find a time to sit down and write.
Okay, so someone left me a review saying that Tristan was somewhat wishy washy or something like that. Trust me when I say, he is not. I love Tristan Dugrey. I love that he is a bad ass. I will keep him a badass. As for the part in the previous chapter, when Mollie and Rory are chatting about the change in Tristan, well, that was my take on him. I don't think that one girl rejecting him sent his whole life into such a tailspin that he started to break into safes and get sent to Military School. I mean, I suppose it's plausible, but I just don't completely buy it. So I did some modifying. I'm allowed, as I am the author here! (LOL)
To my wonderful Sara, (Shouhei) there aren't enough good adjectives to describe you. She has become such a great friend, as well as a beta, and I'm so grateful that she continues to put up with me, and my multiple versions of the same chapter! Go and read 'But I Love Him', her trory, which is absolutely amazing. 'Those Words' and 'Note to Self' are great too! I promise you, that if you read, you won't be disappointed. Her stories are fabulous!
Okay, so, I made a whole bunch of chocolate chip cookies, got some oreos, and I even went up the road to 'The Cheesecake Factory' and got a few slices. Then I got to thinking: I don't have any of your addresses. Plus, if I did send them to you, then they would probably be stale and broken by the time that they got to your homes. So I ate them. All of them. Trust me, they were good, really good. And I don't feel bad about it at all. So there!
Disclaimer- See a character in this story that has appeared on the show? I don't own them. See a character in this story that doesn't seem so familiar? They're mine, all mine! And just ask my siblings, I don't like to share!
On with the story!
Chapter Five- Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures
Friends.
That's what they had decided to be. Actually, that was what Rory had decided they should be. And Tristan had willingly gone along with it. She hadn't expected that.
So that's what they were. Rory Gilmore and Tristan Dugrey. Friends.
At least, that's what they were pretending to be.
Tristan would pretend that he didn't want to jump her as she sunbathed by the pool in that black bikini.
Rory would pretend not to notice. She would also pretend that she wasn't staring at him when he came back from one of his afternoon runs, his golden tan glistening enticingly with sweat.
But there was no way in hell that Tristan could pretend that he didn't notice. It just wasn't in his genetic makeup to ignore that.
It was amusing to watch them banter, argue, and try desperately to ignore what they felt for one another. And Mollie and Lulu had definitely been watching.
They were perfect for one another. Just perfect.
Why weren't they together? That was the question on everyone's mind, and no matter how many times it was asked, they were never given a sufficient answer.
That could only mean one thing.
There was no sufficient answer.
--&--
"Chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin?"
"Chocolate chip." Rory answered. She and Mollie were lazing about, stretched out on lounges by the side of the pool. In the past two weeks, she had formed a pretty good relationship with her. Mollie was kind of like a hybrid of both Gilmore girls, so she and Rory were getting along famously.
"Old Sabrina or new Sabrina?"
"Old definitely. Harrison Ford and Julia Ormand can't hold a candle to Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart."
"Buffy or Angel?"
"Buffy. But only when Angel was on it."
"Fair enough." Mollie agreed. "The show did get kind of weird after that, especially when they changed networks."
"Yeah. I mean, they killed her! The show was never the same after she died. Plus, the major eye candy was gone, so there was no real point in watching." Rory adjusted her sunglasses. She was attempting to get some sort of a tan while she was here, after all, lying in the sun didn't really require any effort, and the weather had been beautiful since she arrived.
"Brad Pitt or George Clooney?" Mollie asked, continuing their little game.
"Brad, of course."
"Really? I'm more of a Clooney fan."
"He's not bad. Okay, so Coke or Pepsi?"
"Pepsi, definitely Pepsi."
"Will and Grace or Jack and Karen?"
"Jack and Karen, all the way. They crack me up."
"'Pride and Prejudice' or 'Sense and Sensibiltiy?'"
"Niether. I'd rather read 'Emma'." Mollie grinned. "Prince William or Prince Harry?"
"Wills. He's much more attractive."
"Really? I like Harry. He's more of a badass."
"Yeah, but William is going to be king one day."
"So is that what you look for in a guy, Mary? A title?" Rory turned around, her breath catching slightly in her throat as Tristan walked over to her, clad in his swim trunks. "I thought you were deeper than that."
"Hey! I am deep. It's just, there is something extremely attractive about a guy who can make you a queen." Rory answered, trying not to blatantly stare at his impeccable physique.
"So, if Prince Charles came up to you right now and proposed, you would accept?"
"With those ears? I don't think so!" Rory made a face. "Harry and William are extremely lucky that their father married their mother. Can you imagine what they would look like with that Camilla woman's DNA?"
"Her teeth alone give me nightmares." Mollie shivered. "I can't believe that he would cheat on Diana to be with that woman. Ew!"
"Seriously. Aren't you supposed to leave the wife for the beautiful, younger blonde?" Tristan smirked. "I think he did it backwards."
The two girls nodded in agreement, and the three teens lapsed into a comfortable silence, enjoying the moment of quiet and peace in the beautiful, sunny summer weather.
--&--
"So, what are we watching?" Tristan asked, walking into the home theater with a gigantic bowl of popcorn. "It better be good, Molls. I refuse to watch 'Clueless' with you for the millionth time. That movie is pure pain."
"Hey! 'Clueless' is a great cinematic achievement, I'll have you know!" Mollie shot back playfully. "But we're watching something way better than that."
"And what would that be?" Tristan inquired, sitting in the middle of the leather couch.
"We will be viewing what some might call the scariest movie ever made." Mollie informed him, putting a DVD into the player.
"What are we watching Molls?" Tristan repeated his question, getting a little apprehensive about this movie. With his cousin picking the flick, they could be in for anything. "It's not the second 'House on Haunted Hill,' is it?"
"Ew, no." Mollie made a face. "Why wouldanyone want tomake such a shoddy reproduction of a classic?"
"Hey, where's Rory?" Tristan asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
"She'll be here in a minute." Mollie tried to suppress the knowing smirk she knew was threatening to appear. "Actually, Rory's the reason that we're watching this movie tonight."
"Why is that?"
"She's actually never seen 'Nosferatu.'"
"How is that possible?" Tristan was bewildered by this piece of information. "Isn't she some self proclaimed movie buff?"
"She is." Rory answered as she entered the room, a giant cup of coffee in one hand, a bowl of candy in the other. "But that doesn't mean that she's seen them all."
"Yeah, but this is the best vampire movie ever made!"
"But it's a silent movie!"
"I thought that it would make it easier for you to talk through it." Tristan smirked as Rory sat down next to him. "No pesky dialogue to have to speak over."
"But half the fun is talking over the actors." Rory took a sip of her coffee, leaning comfortably against the soft, buttery leather.
"Where's the play button?" Mollie was staring at the room remote, looking at the many buttons. She finally chose one that she thought would start the movie, but instead, the red velvet drapes shot open.
Tristan grabbed the remote from her, and easily started the movie. Mollie sunk into the couch, pouting. "How did you figure it out so fast?"
"Not all of us are as technologically challenged, Molls." He stated simply, which made her huff more. "You might want to put that coffee down, Rory."
"Whatchu talkin bout Willis?" Rory narrowed her eyes, her fingers curling protectively around her cup. "No one gets between a Gilmore and her coffee."
"Well, by the end of the first scene, there won't be anything at all between you and your coffee. Not even the cup."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that in about ten minutes, you'll be wearing it."
Twenty minutes later, Rory was glad that she had reluctantly followed Tristan's advice. Her face was buried in his shoulder, and she was watching the movie with one eye. Every moment that passed, she pressed herself more firmly against Tristan. This was the scariest movie she had ever seen, and quite possibly, the scariest movie ever made.
A loud squeak came from somewhere on the other side of the couch, and Rory cautiously looked up to see a blurry form leap over the back. Her eyes focused to the darkness, and the figure of Mollie came into view. Mollie was cowering behind the couch, with only her eyes and forehead visible as she continued to watch the movie from her hiding place.
Count Orlok returned to the screen, causing Rory to burrow herself deeper into Tristan. Even though she was scared to death, she had never felt safer in her life. Not even with Dean, who was supposed to be her 'safe choice.' She had never truly felt safe with him. And Jess wasn't exactly the poster boy for security either. But with Tristan... well, something about him screamed out to her that he wouldn't hurt her. It was that voice that was making it increasingly harder to remember why it was a good idea to remain friends with him.
That made her nervous. Why did she feel like this with him? Why Tristan?
Tristan really didn't care why she was clinging to him, only that she was. The feel of her next to him, her arms around him, holding on for dear life was the only feeling that mattered at that moment. He slid his arm around her waist, his fingers tracing soothing circles in her hip as she pressed against him further. He never wanted this feeling to end.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.
So do movies.
"Well, I'm not going to sleep tonight!" Mollie informed Rory and Tristan as she flopped back onto the couch after Tristan had hit the stop button. She was unable to hide the smirk when she realized that Rory didn't seem to have any intentions of removing herself from Tristan. This was going to be too easy, Molly thought to herself. She couldn't wait to tell her grandmother.
"Really? Because I'm not going to sleep, like ever!" Rory shivered at the images that were still playing in her head. "How did they make that movie so scary anyway? It was made in the twenties!"
"Must be that cinematic magic they're always talking about." Mollie shrugged, and headed into a small room connected the theater which housed all of the films, slides, cds, records, and other media in Chateau du Sable. "And now, for something a little lighter, so some of us can get our beauty sleep tonight!"
"What's that?" Rory asked. Mollie turned and chucked the DVD box at her, which Rory caught. Or rather, it hit her shoulder, and landed in her right hand. Close enough, Rory thought to herself.
Tristan groaned loudly as he peered over Rory's head, which, much to his surprise, was still resting against his chest, and saw the movie that his cousin had selected. "Come on, Mollie, anything but 'Clueless!'"
"If you'd like, I could go and get that 'Care Bears' video." Mollie smiled sweetly. "It's your choice."
"Please, Tristan, don't subject me to an hour and a half of singing and dancing stuffed animals!" Rory pleaded. "I'd rather keep my IQ if you don't mind."
"Hey! Don't knock the 'Care Bears!'" Mollie narrowed her eyes. "I love them, and might have to resort to physical violence if you badmouth Grumpy or Wish Bear."
"I could take you." Rory shot back. Actually, she probably couldn't, as she had found out that Mollie was very athletic, setting many records for her Swim team at Harrington Prep, and had won the Newport Mixed Doubles Tennis competition with Tristan every year for the last six years.
"Ug, fine." Tristan relented, attempting to keep the peace between the two girls. Plus, if they just watched another movie, it meant more time with Rory, who seemed to be in a very cuddly mood. And there was no way that Tristan Dugrey was going to say no to that.
"Great!" Mollie skipped back to the couch as Tristan pressed play on the remote.
--&--
"Why, hello Dear." Lulu greeted her granddaughter the next morning. It seemed that they were the only early risers in the house. Once Tristan had escaped Military School, he had gone back to his routine of emerging from slumber no later than eleven. According to Rory, no one roused a Gilmore Girl before noon, unless they had a death wish, or someone's head was on fire.
Emily was a different story. Lulu knew that her best friend wasn't sleeping well. She had put Emily in the room next to her own, and she could hear her pacing well into the late hours of the night. That wasn't like her. Lulu and Emily had been roommates during their four years at Vassar, and Emily had always been a heavy sleeper. Usually, as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out.
Lulu knew that this could only be attributed to one thing. Emily missed Richard. She was worried about the state of her marriage. If only she would talk about it! Lulu had been making one failed attempt after another to get her to open up, but nothing had worked.
Something had to give. Lulu thought. She was going to get it out of Emily soon, even if she had to resort to tying her to a chair. Lulu had done it before, and she wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
"Morning, Gran." Mollie smiled cheerfully. Plopping down on the seat next to her grandmother, she poured herself a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
"I'm surprised you're up." Lulu commented, buttering a croissant, hot from the oven.
"Would I ever miss breakfast with my favorite Grandma?" Mollie teased, and thanked the cook as she placed a plate of waffles in front of her.
"So, what did you do last night?"
"I watched two people deny their 'oh so obvious' attraction to one another. And I watched a movie." Mollie answered through her large mouthful of waffles.
"What did you watch?"
"We watched 'Nosferatu.'"
"Devious. I'm so proud!" Lulu beamed at her granddaughter. The little schemer was coming into her own so well. Using a scary movie was textbook for scaring a girl into a man's arms, after all.
"I learned from the best." Mollie took a long sip of her juice. "Besides, it was time for drastic measures."
"How so?"
"They've been tiptoeing around each other for far too long."
"It's only been two weeks."
"I know, I'm shocked that Tristan's lasted this long!" The two laughed heartily at Mollie's comment, it was very true. Tristan Dugrey was a lot of things, but patient was not one those qualities. This girl must be different, Lulu thought. Anyone who could cause such a change in her grandson must be worthy. The question was, was Tristan worthy of her?
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