Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls doesn't belong to me.
New Neighbours
Chapter Seventeen:
Tweaking Tradition
Rory was walking through her house Saturday evening, running the tips of her fingers across the walls, completely bored. Lilly had left a little while ago to hang out with Blake and when she'd asked Rory to come along she'd denied not wanting to be the third wheel. But as she aimlessly walked the halls of her house she couldn't help but think that being with her sister and Blake would have been much more fun.
Rory was just about to return to her bedroom and maybe find a book she hadn't read in a while when something caught her attention. She was about ten feet away from her fathers study and she could see from where she was standing that his door had been left ajar. Against her better judgment Rory tiptoed closer to the room, making sure to stay close to the wall. Her dad had the fire going as she could see the light from its flames highlight the darkened hallway. Every couple of seconds her fathers shadow would appear in the glow from the fire and she knew that inside his study he was pacing the floor.
Rory silently shuffled closer to the double door, her back pressing flat against the dark cherry wood. From the shadows playing out of the wall she could tell that her dad has stopped his pacing and was now hunched over his desk, holding what she assumed was a phone to his ear. Cursing her curiosity, Rory let her head peak out from behind the door, hoping that her dad wasn't looking up. She breathed out in relief when she saw that he had his head pressed into the palm of his hands. She watched him for a moment, his head bobbing up and down, nodding along to whoever was talking on the other line.
"I know how much…Yes I understand that but…"
Rory worried when she heard the stress and the tightness in her dad's voice. She hated when he got like this, it worried her more then she let on. Rory slowly and quietly let herself sink to the ground outside the door, wanting to know what had her dad wound so tight.
"That's true, this deal could help the company but I just don't know if we should."
Rory felt her forehead wrinkle with confusion, as she tried to figure out what was wrong with the company. She continued to listen to the one-sided conversation, wishing she knew who was on the other line.
"With all due respect sir, if this deal blows up in our faces there's a very good chance this company will go…"
Rory almost fell over from jerking her hand so much. Her mouth was wide open forming silent words to which she almost spoke one but caught herself just in time. Rory was about to press her ear closer to the door when she caught sight of her fathers shadow getting bigger on the wall. Scrambling to her feet, Rory ran to the closest door to her and instantly disappeared behind it. Leaning herself back against the wood she exhaled loudly at almost being caught eavesdropping on one of her dad's very important business calls. When she finally turned around she couldn't help the smile that graced her features, she'd unintentionally ran into one of hr favourite rooms in the house.
Rory walked further into the magnificent, two story library and let herself sink down into one of the many bean bag chairs littering the floor. She couldn't stop her mind rocket through hundreds of different endings to that last sentence. The company will go what? Bankrupt? She couldn't help but zero in on that one panicked thought, worry set into her veins. She didn't know what would happen if the company did go bankrupt. Would they have any other money? Would they lose the house?
"Rory?" her dad yelled from the end of the hall, cutting into Rory's thoughts which she was more than grateful for.
"Yeah?" Rory yelled back, covering her eyes with one hand as she leant her head back, hoping her voice didn't give away her thoughts.
"Tristin's here!"
Rory's eyes snapped open and her head shot up. She quickly looked over her outfit, which was just some clothes she'd thrown on this morning and definitely not something to wear to the party they were going to tonight. Pushing herself up onto her feet Rory walked hurriedly over to the door and out into the hall.
"Thanks dad," she told him, walking by him quickly and not meeting his eyes.
When Rory got to the foyer she saw him leaning up against the wall and quickly went through hr options. She still had to get changed but she wasn't sure if it was safe to leave Tristin alone in the foyer…with the possibility that her dad could start talking to him. Especially with her fathers stellar past in filling her boyfriends in on her exploits as a baby.
"Hey Tristin," she greeted him, flashing a brilliant smile at him.
"Mary," he returned pushing himself up into a standing position. "You ready?"
Rory winced and tilted her head to the side. "Not quite. I still have to get changed," she admitted, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. Rory slowly let her eyes take in his outfit, which consisted of a button up blue stripped shirt, underneath that he had on a white t-shirt with 1982 written on the chest and a black bomber jacket. As Rory let her gaze slip lower she took in his stone wash jeans that hung low on his hips.
Tristin, at the same time, took in her outfit and smiled. "What you're wearing looks…"
"Don't," Rory interrupted, holding her hand up, "finish that sentence."
Tristin stopped and slipped his hand into his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet. "So?"
Rory looked over her shoulder, hearing her dad coming in from the living room and without thinking she grabbed Tristin's arm and started to lead him upstairs to her room.
"Well Mary if you wanted to be alone with me you could have just asked," he told her, his famous smirk in place.
Rory turned no him, a fake surprised look on her face. "Am I that transparent?" she asked, pressing her fingers to her chest.
"Only to me Mary," Tristin told her, his smirk fading into a genuine smile.
"Cute, wonder boy," Rory muttered, borrowing her mom's nickname for him. "I have to get changed," she stated out of the blue.
Tristin's smile turned wide as his eyes lit up. "My lucky day," he declared and lowered himself onto her bed, seemingly waiting for her to strip right in front of him.
"In your dreams bible boy," Rory scoffed, flipping her hair over she shoulder as she walked over to her closet.
"Every night Mary," Tristin exclaimed, leaning back so he was resting his weight against his outstretched palms behind him on the bed.
Rory laughed from inside the closet, her voice muffled only a little bit. "So about this party?" she yelled to him, flicking clothes everywhere and trying to find something to wear.
"What about it?"
Rory didn't answer for a minute as she tugged something out from the bottom of a pile. "Is it themed?" she asked, smirking even though he couldn't see it.
"Themed?" he repeated, confused as to what she was asking.
"Yeah cause I've got this faerie costume that's just going to waste in here," she told him as she walked out. In her hands she was holding a pink off the shoulder dress with blue faerie wings. "Ooh!" she exclaimed suddenly, jumping up and down a couple times. "Maybe I should wear this!"
Tristin couldn't help but conjure up a mental picture of Rory wearing that costume and he literally had to stop his eyes from rolling into the back of his head. "No complaints here," he told her, smirking wide, his voice going husky.
Rory felt her cheeks heat up at his words and she shook her head. "Maybe next time," she joked and winked at him quickly before disappearing back into her closet for a couple minutes.
Rory searched for a second before she found a pair of distressed jeans. After slipping into them she bent over and plucked her favourite black, empire waist, cami off the ground and easily changed into that. While bringing a brush through her wavy hair, Rory found her black pleather boots and stuck her feet into them, zipping them up to the knee.
Soon Rory sashayed into the room, trying a small pink ribbon through the loops in her skirt. She twirled good naturedly in front of Tristin, her face lighting up with her wide smile. She promised herself at that moment that she wasn't going to let her father's phone call monopolize all her thoughts. This would be only her second date with Tristin and she wanted to enjoy it, and she would.
"So?" she asked, finally standing still and lifting herself up onto her tiptoes. "What do you think?"
Tristin smiled and let his eyes sweep over her body as he stepped up and walked straight towards her. He leaned down, clasping his hands with hers and interlocking their fingers.
"Perfect," he breathed, his eyes showing nothing but truth and affection.
Rory felt her cheeks flame up at his compliment. She couldn't ever remember blushing as much in her life as she did when she was around Tristin. But he seemed to have this affect on her, something no other guy had. He made her feel like she was the only woman in the world, like she was special.
"Thanks," she told him quietly, smiling sweetly.
Rory leaned up and was about to kiss him on his cheek when Tristin expertly turned his head, letting their lips collide together. Rory felt her eyes flutter closed, stepping closer to him and placing the palm of her hand flat on his stomach, feeling the muscles jump under her touch. She slowly pulled back from him, her forehead touching his and breathing lightly.
Tristin smiled down at the girl in his arms, tugging slightly on her hand, still tightly held in his own.
"We should probably go," he explained when her electrifying blue eyes met his.
Rory reluctantly untangled herself from his body and backed away. "Sure," she answered happily.
The party was already in full swing when Tristin parked his car in the driveway of the huge mansion. The two of them quickly got out of the car, Tristin reuniting his hand with hers as he led her up the driveway. They stopped outside the front door, which some random guy was holding open as he talked loudly on his cell phone. The two of them slipped past their drunken peer, dropping their coats by the door and then Tristin started to guide her expertly through the house.
The house itself was large; white walls, expensive furniture and rare art pieces around every corner. If she hadn't been brought up in the world of cocktail parties and cotillions, she probably would have been impressed at the immaculately decorated house.
All around her people were talking. The whole house was full of the sound of voices straining to overrule the heavy beat of whatever song was playing. Most of the teenagers Rory recognized from school but there were few among the crowd who she didn't know at all.
"Thanks," Rory said as Tristin handed her a soda from one of three drink tables. She normally would have taken something alcoholic but she'd only saw beer and some French drinks which were all but appetizing.
"I'm guessing you don't want to meet anyone hear?" Tristin asked sweeping his arm out, signalling to the party happening all around them.
Rory let her eyes travel over the whole room before settling them back on Tristin. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Well, I mean you don't hang out with anyone here," he said knowingly.
Rory smiled and leaned back against the wall behind her, tilting her head to look up at him. "I hang out with you," she answered, meeting his piercing blue eyes.
Tristin smirked and moved in front of her, pressing his body against her smaller frame. "Maybe we should just stick together then," he suggested, running his hands up her sides planting one on the wall beside her head and other on her hip.
"Maybe," she told him, her voice coming barely above a whisper, the nearness of his body affecting her more then she was willing to admit.
Tristin was just about to lower his lips to hers when they both heard someone clearing their throat behind them. "Or maybe not," he mumbled sarcastically making Rory laugh before the two of them separated.
"Hey Tristin," Alicia purred at him. "Babysitting tonight?" she asked, glaring at Rory while crossing her arms across her chest.
Rory smiled an extremely fake one and stepped forwards. "So Alicia, I was wondering, are you giving out your name and number tonight?" she asked, pretending to be serious. "Or are you just going with the dress?"
"You don't like it," she asked sweetly, fingering the hem in between her fingers. "I'm sure Trissy here does," she cooed, wrapping her arm around his.
Rory almost choked on her drink when she heard Alicia's nickname and mouthed 'Trissy?' to him, laughing at his look of aversion. "I'm sure every male in the room likes the dress, Alicia," Rory informed her. "It really showcases your talents."
Alicia turned her nose up at Rory briefly before focussing back on Tristin. "Let's dance," she whispered, trying to move him in the direction of the dance floor.
"Actually," he stated, removing his arm from her grasp. "I'd rather not."
"Oh don't tell me your with her now?" she asked, anger and jealousy radiating off of her in waves. "You do know what you're doing? You're committing social suicide!"
"Can you say 'overreaction'? Rory asked, smiling as she saw the smirk on Tristin's face, he was obviously enjoying this interaction.
"Can you say nothing?" Alicia shot back. "Tristin you can't be with her. What do you think people are going to say?" she asked him, although it was a rhetorical question as she never stopped talking. "We're supposed to be together!"
Rory smiled and cocked her head to the side. "I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public," she commented.
Alicia finally listened to Rory, finally noticing the crowd of people who were now watching them with avid interest. With a huff she turned on her tail, pushing herself through the people restlessly.
Tristin watched her until she turned some corner and disappeared off into another room. He then leaned down, grabbing Rory's hand in his own and started to pull her in the opposite direction.
"You know I think you just made yourself an enemy," he whispered into her ear, his hot breath tickling her ear and sending shivers rolling down her spine.
Rory sucked in a breath, smiling at the eruption of butterflies in her stomach. She turned around in his arm, walking backwards towards wherever he was going.
"What a way to start the new semester," she told him sarcastically, although her bright blue eyes were wide with excitement.
"Hey that's right," Tristin exclaimed, finally twirling her around, right on the edge of the dance floor. "It's almost exams."
"And even better," Rory said, wrapping her arms around his neck as his settled on her hips, pulling her closer to him. "Two weeks off for Christmas after them."
Tristin let a wide smile grace his lips as he leaned in closer to her. "Fourteen days, no distractions…think of the possibilities Mary," he leered, his voice dropping a few octaves.
Rory laughed even as her cheeks reddened at his obvious innuendo but shook her head. "More like me and the gang running around the globe for two weeks, taking full advantage of our parent's money."
Tristin laughed. "And you do that every year?" he asked, slightly incredulous. Even though his dad may be rich and their whole family was very well off, he'd never gone anywhere exotic really. His parents would always leave him at home when they went somewhere for work, plus they had no idea what a family vacation was.
"Its tradition," she told him nodding her head ardently. "Although this year may be a bit different," she suggested, looking up at him with narrowed eyes, a plan forming in her mind.
"Why?" Tristin asked, her strong gaze making him more than suspicious and also a tiny bit scared for his own welfare.
"I would have to run this by the girls," Rory started out, her smile so bright it was lighting up the whole house. "But I'm pretty sure –like one hundred percent- that they would love the idea."
"Mind letting me in on your masterful plan?" he asked sarcastically.
"You're coming with us," she announced gleefully. "You and Blake and Jaimie and…" she paused, thinking carefully before her smile returned. "And Matt."
Tristin's eyes widened in disbelief and he shook his head. He started to laugh but when he caught her confused expression he sobered up immediately. "You're not kidding," he stated.
"I'm not kidding," she repeated. "Come on Tris! Please come," she begged, pouting slightly.
He groaned and dropped his head until it rested against her forehead. He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them back up and nodding slightly. "I guess I'm coming," he told her.
A wide smile broke out over Rory's face, her blue eyes shining brightly. She shrieked happily and threw her arms back around his neck, hugging his body closer to hers. She bit her lip at the electricity that was passing through her whole body and the volcano of heart growing in her stomach.
She turned her head slightly, breathing gently over his ear and feeling him tightening his hold on her in return. "Just think," she whispered. "You, me and two weeks in any country in the world."
"Best idea I've heard yet," he told her, drawing circles on her hip in slow, hypnotic movements, feeling her melt into his embrace.
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I am really sorry about the lack of updates…I really don't have any excuse except for major writers block with this story. But with great thanks to a friend of mine my muse has returned! Plus the reviews I got for this story helped a lot! So please send feedback; it keeps me breathing!
Hugs
and Kisses,
-Ella
