New Neighbours
Chapter Thirteen: One New Rule and A Little White Lie
The girls raced up the stairs after ending the call with Blake, who had been instructed to call Tristin immediately and tell him everything. When they finally got to their wing of the house, Rory disappeared through the first door and Lilly through the second. Hurriedly the twins slipped on their shoes and grabbed their purses. Meeting in the bathroom, they both checked their appearance and ran a brush through their mussed up hair before leaving the room.
"Mom, dad we're going!" Lilly called as they paused at the front door waiting for a response from their parents.
"You two be careful tonight and make sure those coats stay on because you don't want to get sick; it sucks!" Lorelai said, walking into the foyer a warm, right-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie in her hand.
"And don't have those boy's out two long. Their parents aren't as cool as me and Lor, you know!" Chris told the girls.
Smiling the twins kissed both parents on their cheeks and walked out the door. Climbing into their latest present they'd gotten from their grandparents all the way over in England. Abigail and William Martin were always sending them money, small gifts, imported pastries and most of all letters. The twins loved getting things from their grandparents because the gifts were so different and you could never guess what they might send next. The reason for all the gifts was because their grandparents felt guilty about not being with them in their lives, not having seen the twins grow up. And no matter how many times Rory and Lilly told them that they understood why they hadn't been constants in their lives, Abigail and William never stopped showering the two with an abundance of endowments. Their latest gift had been a silver, Mitsubishi GT3000.
They pulled out of the driveway, past the wrought iron gates and onto the street, following the directions to Tristin's house Blake had given.
"Hopefully Tristin's ready. I really don't feel like sitting outside, in a bush for a long time." Rory stated as the car slowed down in front of a considerably large, grey-stone mansion. "Way to prickly for me!"
"Just make sure no one sees you except for Tristin of course," Lilly told her sister.
"Thanks for the advice, Captain Obvious!" Rory laughed as she opened her passenger door and climbed out the car. She waved to Lilly as the car pulled away from the curb, a faint 'good luck' reaching Rory's ears. Rory turned around, walking over to the stone wall that was surrounding the house. She looked up at the towering black gates in front of her and laid her palm flat against the bars. She pushed against them, but nothing happened.
"Of course they aren't going to open, that would be way too easy," she muttered to herself before walking off to the side, hoping to find another way past the gates. She only had to walk about ten feet before she found what she needed. Trees had been planted in sequence all along the wall, and one just happened to be the perfect size. Without hesitating Rory grabbed onto the lowest branch and hoisted herself up, resting her feet on a branch that was slightly hanging over the wall. Pausing at first to make sure that the branch would support her weight, Rory quickly pulled herself onto it, grabbing hold of the wall with one hand to catch her balance. Smiling victoriously, Rory straddled the wall, letting herself calm down before she swung her right leg over and jumped off, landing gracefully on the other side.
Rory walked quickly towards the house, looking around every once in a while just to make sure no one was outside. When she was positive no one would see her, she slowed down and let her gaze wonder over the house. It wasn't as big as her own but it definitely was a mansion. Longer than it was high, half of the second floor was a covered balcony, complete with what Rory made out to be a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen and a large sitting area. What she couldn't make out was if there was anyone on the balcony and so just to be safe she picked up her pace and quickly got underneath it.
Rory swiftly walked past the windows that looked into the living room, and walked around the front veranda. Remembering what Blake had told her about Tristin's dad having installed alarms on their windows, she was careful not to touch them as she walked by. "Okay fifth window, right side, second floor," she told herself as she turned the corner and backed away a little so she could see the second floor of the house. Walking further, until the balcony ended, she counted the windows until she got to the fifth one. There weren't any curtains, but Rory still couldn't see into the room because it was pitch dark. "He's obviously not in there," Rory told herself.
She was about to get out her phone and call him when she heard his now very familiar voice. Smiling, she quickly walked to the back of the house and peered over the side. Tristin was standing on the stone patio. He had his phone out and pressed to his ear and was highly amused by whatever was being said on the other line. When Tristin turned around and was giving his back to her, she slipped quietly behind the mountain of flowers that separated the patio from the grass. Rory leaned against the house and rested her foot against it to.
"Like I told you already it's only gonna be the four of them," Tristin said into the phone, kicking at a lonely stone near his foot.
Rory perked up when heard that. She couldn't help but wonder who he was talking to; one of his dumbass friends…a girl? That last thought made Rory's stomach clench painfully. It unnerved her how much she was hoping it wasn't another girl. Frustrated at herself, she clasped her arms in front of her chest and refocused the attention on the blonde boy only ten feet away from her.
"It's better than going to the party my parents are throwing. And you have to admit its pretty cool they're getting us out of it," Tristin paused, running a hand through his hair. "You don't know what you'll be missing, man," Tristin sighed into the phone.
Rory moved closer, her eyes narrowing. 'Definitely not a girl…or at least not a potential date,' she thought, inwardly smacking herself at how glad she was. Pushing those thoughts out of her mind she cleared her throat loudly.
Tristin physically jumped at the sudden noise and turned around, his eyes going wide when he saw Rory leaning up against his house, a smirk on her face.
"Who're you talking to, Bible Boy?" Rory asked innocently, gesturing at the phone still pressed to his ear.
Tristin was frozen for a moment before he shook himself out of his stupor and told the person on the other end that he'd talk to them tomorrow. He then hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket.
The two teens stayed where they were, Rory enjoying watching Tristin squirm. Tristin's eyes kept flashing with unease and even fear, so Rory decided to take pity on him and made the first move.
She pushed herself off the wall of his house and walked leisurely over to Tristin. "So, who was that?" she asked innocently.
Tristin looked down at where his phone was and then back up at Rory. He knew by now not to trust that her innocent act meant he was off the hook. He swallowed thickly before answering her. "Jaimie; he can't come tonight," Tristin told her carefully not knowing how she was going to react.
Rory let out a laugh at how the night was going to turn out. "Well then I guess it's only going to be five of us," she told him, letting her smirk be replaced by a smile.
Tristin's eyes clouded over. "Five of us?" he asked.
"Lilly, Blake, you, me and Matt," Rory clarified, counting the people off with her fingers. "Nikki and Maddy both got detention so they can't come."
Tristin nodded his head and they were both silent for a minute. "Oh wait a minute," Tristin broke the silence.
Rory looked up at him, "What?"
"Matt's parents cornered him and right now I bet he's at the tailor's getting fixed for a new suit to wear to the party," Tristin told her, more relaxed now.
Rory blue eyes filled with sympathy. "Poor guy," she exclaimed. As the silence returned to them this time it wasn't so foreign and uncomfortable, and Rory took this time to casually let her eyes take in his choice of clothes. He had on, from what she could see underneath his ugly brown coat, a deep red shirt with black writing on it and a pair of semi-tight blue jeans. She let her eyes return to his face just in time to be greeted by his favourite smirk.
"Like what you see Mary?" he asked, leaning in towards her suggestively.
Rory's breath was literally caught in her throat the minute he brought his face closer to hers. Her senses were assaulted; a mixture of his alluring aftershave, spicy cologne and something purely male. Rory closed her eyes quickly and lowered her head before he could see how much she'd been affected by him. Lucky for her he didn't notice and also backed away. Counting to ten in her mind Rory looked back up at him. "So I see the guys have brought you under their wing, taught you everything they know…all the secrets of the trade?" she asked him in a teasing manner, trying to make her body calm down.
Tristin let an actual smile grace his face. "Didn't take long; I'm a natural," he boasted, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
"Of course you are," Rory agreed with him, very sarcastically. She turned around and began walking towards the house. "Oh and to answer your question," she called over her shoulder. "You lose the coat and trust me you'd have a lot more going for you."
Tristin scrunched together his eyebrows and looked down at the coat he was wearing. "Old folk's coat?" he questioned and Rory nodded. He shrugged out of it, feeling the cold air attack him violently. "Let me guess, it's dated?" he asked.
Rory grabbed the coat from him and pulled a face at it. "It's carbon dated!" she told him.
Tristin nodded. "You want me to change," he said it as more of a statement than a question.
"And the grand prize goes to Tristin Dugrey, please stand up and take a bow," she exclaimed sarcastically throwing the coat back to him.
Tristin caught it expertly and shouldered it turning towards the house as well. "Why do I have to change, but you don't?" he asked, almost kicking himself after the words left him mouth.
Rory's mouth dropped open and she let out a scoff. Placing her hands on her hips she cocked her head to the side, waiting for him to turn around. "What are you trying to say, Mr. Dugrey?" she asked him when she met his guilty eyes.
Tristin opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times, trying to find the right words. Without really thinking about what he was doing he let his eyes rake over the girl standing in front of him. He could remember very clearly how Rory had looked everyday he'd seen her. The image of her at school, definitely shedding new light on the words, 'school girl uniform'; the outfit she'd worn when he'd met her at Velocity; the image of her standing before him in a short black t-shirt, hair mussed and eyes glazed over with sleep. And in slow motion, the memory of her sliding her camouflage pants down, exposing long tanned legs; her walking down the huge staircase in her house, everything else dropping away and him only being able to see her beauty. He could close his eyes and feel her dancing up against him, feel the goose bumps pepper his flesh again. She'd been beautiful every single time he'd seen her but now, standing in front of him, she was a vision in blue.
Tristin finally realized he'd been silent a little too long and so he quickly shook his head trying to regain control of his thoughts before he took a couple of steps towards Rory, effectively closing the gap between them. Tristin lowered his head and whispered in a very low and husky voice: "I'm sorry, please excuse my moment of pure blindness."
Rory's anger and annoyance melted away instantly at the look on his face. It was like someone had just kicked his puppy. Rory felt her lips twitch, and the corners lift threatening to let a smile break through. She quickly smothered it, not wanting Tristin to think she caved that easily. "You're excused but not yet forgiven," she told him.
Tristin lifted his head, his eyes immediately finding hers, which were sparkling with a bubbly happiness that seemed to be contagious because Tristin found himself unable to keep a wide smile of his face. The two teens stayed like that for a while, each lost in the other and not wanting to be found. Rory was the first to come out of the trance, and she quickly broke the strong gaze between them, looking down at her shoes.
"I thought you were going to change?" she asked him, looking up but not meeting his eyes, for fear of having herself drown in them again.
Tristin nodded his head but made no move to turn around. He kept staring at Rory, making her very uncomfortable, a feeling she wasn't used to dealing with. Finally he decided she wasn't going to look at him so he took a step back. "You should probably stay outside, and just go around to the front of the house, and I'll meet you there," he told her, before slipping into the house.
Rory stood stock still, waiting until she felt that her legs wouldn't give out from underneath before she moved. She looked up at where Tristin had disappeared from, before making her way to the front of the house. 'Okay, new rule for the night: Don't let Tristin come any closer to you then about two feet!' she declared in her head, as she felt her heart finally calm down. Rory just couldn't understand how this boy was affecting her so much, just his mere presence next to her and she'd almost fainted from sensory overload. She was trying to convince herself that her reaction to him was only physical; she was reacting to his obvious handsomeness. Only she found herself having to try harder each and every time to believe that. She also found herself coming up with new aspects about him that she also liked. His sense of humour, his wit, the fact that challenged her, the reality that he was so different from the guys she usually hung out with. But she had to stop whatever was happening; whatever she was feeling, and she had to do it quickly before she got attached to him. So until then she told herself she'd just have to stick to the new rule.
Smiling proudly at how well that seemed to have worked out in her head, Rory quickened her paced and plopped herself down on the steps up to the front veranda. Wrapping her arms around her knees and hugging them to her chest, Rory started to absentmindedly hum the tune of some random song she had stuck in head.
Only the sound of gravel crunching underneath rubber tires broke her out of her trance. Rory's head snapped up at the sound and she saw a shiny, deep red Lexus pull up to the house. Her blue eyes widened when a man, dressed to the nines, got out of the drivers side door. He let his gaze wonder over to Rory who had stood up in her surprise, but still walked over to the passenger's door and opened it, holding out his hand. Rory's curiosity got the better of her and she mounted another step, so she could see who was inside the car still. The only thing she saw was a white, satin covered hand gently grabbed onto the man's. Next, a foot stepped out onto the gravel driveway, wrapped up in a white stiletto, and it was soon followed by another. The man who still held her hand, once again let his gaze wonder over towards Rory as he simultaneously helped, what appeared to be his wife, out of the car and closed the door with his foot.
The couple walked briskly over to the steps, keeping their eyes transfixed on Rory, who had stepped down off the stairs. Rory let her eyes take in the woman before her. She had on the most vibrant white gown, Rory had ever seen. It was made of satin, with short sleeves, a boat neck and went down just past her knees in a flare. She had a white shawl, also made of satin, which was wrapped around her neck elegantly. The man at her side was dressed in a black and white tuxedo, perfectly complimenting his wife. The both of them were looking at Rory peculiarly, judging her at that moment, and so she forced an innocent smile onto her face.
"Excuse me, Miss?" the man asked as he stepped forward, motioning for his wife to stay behind. "Are you here to greet us?" The couple obviously thought she was hired help.
'Now I don't want to disappoint them. Plus, it's only a little white lie' Rory thought evilly, an idea at how Tristin could make up for his earlier comment racing into her mind. "Why yes I am," she told them.
The woman smiled tightly, accepting that and moved forward. "Well they certainly do go all out," she told her husband, resting a hand in his shoulder.
Rory brought a hand to her chest. "Yes well the Dugrey's just wanted everything to be perfect. Not at all like the last time," said Rory, adopting a Bambi eyed looked.
The woman's eyes widened at that and she moved closer, her obvious disdain at conversing with hired help thrown out the window. "What do you mean 'like the last time'?" she asked.
Her husbands smiled forcibly at Rory before nudging his wife. "Now dear, it is not our place to know whatever happened last time."
Rory nodded her head, fighting to stay chaste and immaculate. "You husband's right, Miss. Not only is it not your place to be asking about that, but I was wrong to have mentioned such a horrible event."
The woman seemed only mildly offended by that comment, and she pressed forward, captivated by the thought of hearing gossip about the new family in Hartford. "Oh but if you only tell me, I'm sure it would not be that bad," the woman told Rory, ignoring her husband. "I won't tell a soul."
Managing to keep a straight face Rory looked around suspiciously before leaning in and motioning for the woman to do so to. "Okay I'll tell you, Mrs?" she trailed off.
The woman was quick to jump in and hurry the conversation along. "Mrs. Grant," she filled in the blank with.
Rory smiled at her. "Mrs. Grant," she paused, waiting until the woman rushed her along. "Last time the Dugrey's held a party it was in their old house, in their old town. The night was warm and so the hosts decided to take the party out to the backyard. Only the stars themselves didn't shed enough light for the guests to see by, so Mrs. Dugrey turned on the spotlights," Rory fed her the story she was making up as she went along. 'Tristin's gonna hate me when he hears this rumour!' Rory thought wickedly, doing a happy dance in her head.
Mrs. Grant was hanging on Rory's every word with baited breath. Her husband had now abandoned trying to direct his wife into the house and was now giving his back to the two women, letting out a sigh every couple of seconds. 'Spot the gossip queen,' Rory thought when Mrs. Grant finally broke down. "Oh dear please…what happened?"
Rory used self-control she didn't even know she had, to hold in a smirk when she delivered the punch line. "So, Mrs. Dugrey turns on the spotlights and one happens to be positioned so that it shines on the pool. Only it's not empty, their son is relaxing in their…with the pool boy!"
"Well I never!" Mrs. Grant gasped, bringing a well manicured hand to her mouth. Even her husband had turned around, his grey eyes wide in astonishment.
"I know," Rory exclaimed, pretending to be disgusted by it too. "They didn't tell me anything, but I'm more than sure that's the reason they moved."
"Well of course," Mr. Grant agreed, ringing his hands together in front of him.
Rory was just about to say something else when a loud rumble was heard from behind where the three were standing. Rory looked over her shoulder, finally allowing the smirk to break out over her face, as the youngest Dugrey walked out of the garage. Rory eagerly met Tristin's eyes, sending him an innocent smile and a little wave, to which he gave her a confused look.
Rory turned back to the couple in front of her who were now staring intently at Tristin. "I'm sure I can trust you two with what I told you," said Rory, smiling sweetly and finally managing to grab their attention.
Mr. Grant moved forward and grabbed Rory's hand, which surprised her to the utmost level. "I promise you I won't tell a soul," he told her, shaking her head for a moment before backing away.
'It's not you I'm worried about,' Rory thought as she caught Mrs. Grant sneaking peaks over at Tristin who had just returned from the garage. "I appreciate that. But I do have some business I need to attend to," Rory told them politely, gesturing over at Tristin.
"Oh yes, well let us not keep you," Mr. Grant complied, shedding another glance in Tristin's direction with a very appalled look in his eyes. "Dear let us move on into the house," he instructed his wife, nudging her shoulder.
The wife smiled wide, her eyes sparkling mischievously as she turned to Rory. "You were delightful to talk to, Miss," she said in a sugary sweet tone of voice. "Bye now."
The man watched her walk up the stairs before turning to face Rory again. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a crisp twenty dollar bill, giving it to Rory with a small smile playing on his lips. "It seems you've made my wife's day, you deserve something for that," he told her as he walked towards the front door, Mrs. Grant was holding open for him, and just before he disappear he echoed his wife's last words.
Rory practically skipped over to the open garage door, her face spilt into a huge grin and her blue eyes holding an evil glint to them. "What took you so long?" she asked, trying to act harmless.
Tristin stared at her for a moment trying to find out what she was so happy about. "You look happy," Tristin chose to voice his thoughts.
Rory shrugged her shoulders indicating that it was nothing. She leisurely strolled into the garage, spinning on her heel and walking backwards so she could see him. "I've just decided to forgive you, for your earlier comment."
Tristin didn't believe her for a second and so as he followed her into the garage he raised an eyebrow and looked at her pointedly. "Oh really? Why the sudden change of heart?" he asked.
"You already made up for it," Rory told him walking over to a giant black SUV and clapping her hands excitedly when Tristin opened the passengers side door for her.
Tristin closed the door and jogged over to the driver's side and quickly climbed in. He let the familiar smirk settle on his lips as he leaned a little over the gap between the seats. "Just by me being near you?" he asked, reverting back to his playboy ways.
Rory didn't let it show but his closeness was affecting her immensely. Sucking in a breath, she squared her shoulders, and ignoring the flames that were spreading throughout her body, she leaned up closer to him. "You wish," she breathed right in front of him before dropping back down to her seat, a self-satisfied smirk in place.
Tristin stayed unmoving for a moment before he too slid back into his seat. Tristin quickly put on his seat belt and got out his keys. "You know the polite thing to do would be to tell my why you've decided to forgive me," Tristin commented as he drove the car easily out of the garage.
Rory who had just clicked her seat belt into place, turned to glance at him. Her eyes trailing from his strong, pronounced jaw to the way his hands gripped at the steering wheel. When she realized she was staring transfixed at his hands she immediately turned her head to look directly at the windshield, hoping he hadn't noticed. "I was just following your lead," she told him vaguely.
"Following my lead?" Tristin echoed, glancing at Rory for a moment before returning his eyes to the street.
Rory brought one foot up to rest on the seat and hooked her arms around her knee. "Well you weren't being a very gracious host. I mean you didn't even come and greet your guests," Rory patronized him in a teasing manner.
"Okay correction: They weren't my guests because it wasn't my party," he told Rory as he turned the car onto a very long driveway.
Rory didn't face him as she answered; instead she replaced her foot on the floor of the car and leaned forward in her seat looking at the house before her. "Yah sure if you're going to get all technical it wasn't your party…but they're your parents," Rory explained, finally looking at him.
"You're not going to tell me anything, are you?" Tristin asked in a playful tone.
Rory widened her eyes teasingly. "Wow you sure do catch on fast!"
Tristin just shrugged before he pushed his door open and jumped out of the car. Hurrying over to the other side he grabbed onto Rory's door as she opened it. Holding his hand out to her, Rory just stared at it, one eyebrow lifted. "What do you want me to do with that?" she asked, eyeing his hand cautiously.
"I try to be a gentleman and she mocks me!" Tristin complained like he was talking to an audience.
Rory smiled and stuck her hand in his, letting him pull her out of the car. "You a gentleman?" Rory said, faking an aristocratic air. "Pish posh!"
Tristin brought his free hand up to his chest and clutched at it. "Mary you wound me with your words!" he cried.
Rory laughed at the expression on his face, and she started walking towards the front door. "You're such a drama queen!" she shouted, her voice carrying back over to him, making him laugh good naturedly.
The two teens walked to the steps leading up to the door, Tristin alone went up and peered into one of the glass windows. "I don't see them in there," he told Rory, as he turned around and walked back down to her.
"I'm gonna call Lilly," Rory told him as she got her phone out of her purse. She decided that she would actually send a text message just so that the phone wouldn't ring. Quickly Rory punched into the phone, 'Tris and me R outside' and then slipped it back into her purse and plopped herself down onto one of the steps.
"She coming?" Tristin asked after a minute of silence.
Rory looked up at him, hugging her knees to her chest in an attempt to keep warm from the gusts of wind whipping up the long driveway. "Hopefully soon, and hopefully with blankets," she told him, making him smirk as he sat down next to her.
"Well you know Mary, I could always keep you warm," he said suggestively, his eyebrows going up and down in a devilish manner.
Rory curled her lips. "I think I'll pass, Romeo," she told him.
Tristin was about to respond in kind when Rory abruptly jumped to her feet, her face welcoming a wide grin. He looked behind him and saw Lilly and Blake walking towards them, the wooden gate into the yard swinging on its hinges. They each had a couple blankets in their arms, for which Tristin was grateful for because he was beginning to feel like a Popsicle.
"Oh my God!" Rory exclaimed running to her sister and quickly stealing one the blankets from her arms and wrapping it around herself. "You brought me a blanket," she said, pulling the blanket tighter around her small frame.
Lilly laughed cocking her head to the side and casting glances at the two amused guys standing in front of her. "What's your point?" Lilly asked, smiling.
Rory looks up at her and then dramatically clutches her hand to her chest. "Did you ever know that you're my hero?" she sang.
Lilly's smile was instantly gone. "Oh God…not that song! Anything but that song!" she pleaded, bringing her red hands to cover her ears.
Acting as if she hadn't heard what Lilly said, Rory continued her singing. "You're everything I would like to be," she was getting louder, and Lilly quickly grabbed Blake's hand and pulled him with her towards her car. "And I could fly higher than an eagle, 'cause you are the wind beneath my wings!" Rory called out to her, a smirk breaking out across her face.
Tristin, who was walking right beside, looked from Lilly to Rory and shook his head. "You're evil," he stated.
Rory looked up at him, her smile wicked and her eyes sparkling. "No, I just have my own fun," she told him as they reached the car, and both slid into the back seats.
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Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter and the story so far! You make me happy!
Hugs and Kisses,
-Ella
