AN: I'm to lazy to make excuses for my lack of updates right now, so instead I'll just give you a new chapter and hope that's enough. Just a little note--the last time I wrote Tristan into a chapter, I got a couple comments that Tristan probably wouldn't still be so jerky in season 3 if he had stayed around, and I agree, but I like him jerky, and it works better with my story, so that's how I'm writing him. Anyway, I guess that's it for now, except for the traditional begging for reviews--so here it goes: I love reviews, please leave them :D
"Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?" Tristan sing-songed, falling into step with her almost immediately as she walked through Chilton's front doors Monday morning. "Oh, that's right, it doesn't. You'd need someone to plant something there first. You know, I'd be more than happy to help you with that."
Rory sighed, this was just what she needed for her reputation—her virginity broadcasted on national television. "I'd be barren all the years of my life before I'd let you go there," she informed him matter-of-factly, trying not to let him get to her.
"Although, it's kind of nice to know my Mary's still a Mary. It's a rare finding among kids our age now-a-days."
Yep! Definitely, just what she needed to solidify her Mary status. She was certain Tristan wouldn't be the only one calling her that now. "Well I'm glad you can find some reassurance in my lack of sluttiness," she bit back as she approached her locker and began spinning the dial.
"Very reassuring," he nodded enthusiastically. "It's good to know that I can still be the one to defile you."
Rory pulled a stack of books out of her locker and slammed it shut, turning to face her blonde shadow with a serious look on her face. "Tristan, you defile everything you touch—which is why you will never, ever, get to touch me. If three years of repeated rejections haven't taught you that by now, you're even slower than I thought."
"That hurts, Mary. Right here—" he replied, patting his chest over his heart. "I'm not slow, I'm just persistent, and I like to know that my persistence is not in vain."
"It is in vain," she informed him matter-of-factly. "You're in vain. In fact, you're so vain you probably think this song is about you."
"What song?" Rory just shook her head in disgust.
"I have a class to get to Tristan—and so do you for that matter, although I'd be highly surprised if you knew what that class was," Rory said as she walked through the doorway of Ms. Bijon's first period French class. She was saved from any further torment by the ringing of the bell.
"See ya later, Mary," Tristan said, with a smirk as he continued on down the hall to where ever it was he was going.
Rory let out a long sigh of relief at his departure, but then she looked up and saw the mixed looks on the faces of her classmates; some pity, some humor, some annoying smirk's to match Tristan's. She was never going to live this down— Paris was going to die!
Rory walked into the Pub with Steph by her side. Normally Logan picked her up from school on Friday afternoons, but Steph has said something about his father threatening to cut him off if he didn't have an article in the next edition of the Yale Daily News, and the deadline for article submissions was…Rory looked down at her watch…now. So Steph had driven down to Chilton to get her instead, so that Logan could finish up and meet them there.
Rory glanced around the Pub and noticed her three guy friends sitting around their usual table in the corner. She smiled as she walked towards them. It was a relief to get to hang out with people who didn't look at her like at her like she had a disease, which happened to be named virginity. In fact, Steph was the only one of them that even knew that little fact about her, and Rory was more than happy to keep it that way.
The two girls approached the table and the boys stood up to give Rory a hug. She hadn't seen them in a while, since she had canceled the previous week, for the public appearance from hell. She had talked to Steph a couple of times on the phone, and she had tried Logan a couple of times, but always seemed to get his voice mail. They were all there now though, and it was good to see them, even if it was a little awkward, considering her recent epiphany about her feelings for Logan. Rory wrapped her arms around each of her friend's necks, approaching Logan last. She couldn't help but feel, as she put her arms around him, that something was off. It seemed jilted, and uncomfortable. She assured herself that it was only her—she was nervous and confused—and sat down at the table with them.
"Good to see you, Love. We missed you last week," Finn greeted.
"Yeah, Reporter Girl, Friday afternoons at the Pub aren't the same without you anymore," Colin agreed.
"In fact, we didn't even go to the Pub last weeEEK!" Finn squealed the last part as he felt Logan give him a swift kick in the shin.
Rory glanced around the table suspiciously. "What's their deal?" she asked Steph. "They're even weirder than usual, if that's possible."
Steph shrugged her shoulders. "Beats me, I stopped trying to figure them out a long time ago."
"You know, you didn't have to change your plans around just because of little ol' me," Rory said, turning her attention back to the boys.
"Oh no, it wasn't like that," Logan said, speaking up for the first time. "We just figured we'd give Steph here a break from us, and have a guy's night."
"A guy's night?" Steph asked with raised eyebrows. "I do not want to know what you do during one of these 'guys nights.'" Steph turned back to Rory. "I've been meaning to visit my sister and nephew for a while now, and I'm not as good at handling these three," she motioned to the boys, "on my own anymore, so I figured it was a good night to go. I have no idea what these fools were up to—and now I'm not so sure I want to know," Steph shot another look at the boys.
"Fine, I'll be the brave one," Rory remarked. "What exactly does one of these 'guy's nights' entail?"
The boys looked at one another, trying to hide the panic in their eyes. What did they tell her? The truth was certainly out of the question—that their guys night started with watching one of her best friends have an emotional break down and embarrass her on CSPAN, was followed by some relentless teasing of Logan, and then ended with Colin and Finn dragging Logan to a strip club to try and get his mind off the one girl he couldn't have, even if he wouldn't admit that he wanted her.
"Poker," Logan suddenly blurted out. "We played poker."
"Oh, well that's kind of boring," Rory admitted. "I was expecting something slightly more scandalous."
Finn looked at the girls mildly disappointed faces and suddenly blurted out, "Strip poker."
The girls looked at each other and began giggling madly.
"Well, that's definitely scandalous."
"Is there something you want to tell us about, boys?" Rory asked, in between fits of laughter.
Logan and Colin shot dirty looks Finn's way.
"As a matter of fact there is," Colin replied with a scowl on his face.
"Finn's a dumb ass," Logan finished, rolling his eyes.
All of a sudden the girls broke down into hysterics again. A few moments later, the laughter died down and Rory struggled to catch her breath.
Logan looked across the table at her—her cheeks were flushed, her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her eyes shone brightly. An image suddenly flashed in his mind—her looking just like that, only naked, as he rolled off of her after a heated round in the sack. Oh god—he pushed the thought out of his head. He was never going to see her like that. He wasn't going to get to be that guy. He considered the fact that no one else had ever seen her like that and he didn't know if that made it better, or worse. The thought of any other guy ever being that guy—especially Jess, made him sick to his stomach. Of course, if Jess had gotten to be that guy, Logan probably wouldn't have to stay away.
Logan squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them again, as he pushed his seat away from the table. "I'm going to the bar."
Rory did a double take as Logan walked away from the table. "What's his deal today?"
"Oh, he probably just had a naughty thought about…"
"That blonde at the bar," Colin cut Finn off. "Just wanted to see if he could make it a reality."
Rory glanced up at the bar and wondered which of the several blondes was going to be the lucky girl. She swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in her throat. She knew how Logan was; she knew there would continue to be other girls, despite her feelings for him—after all, he didn't even know she had feelings for him—but she had completely forgotten to factor in the fact that she might actually have to watch him flirt with these other girls.
She quickly snapped her head away from the bar, not wanting to watch what was about to happen. She hated that she had been reduced to this—jealous of his many dates; hoping he would look at her like he looked at those other girls; actually wishing she could get in line. But that was the problem—the damn line. Logan was with a different girl all the time; they were always beautiful and he let them know it, and he could make a girl feel like she was the only one in the room—even when they were in a crowded Pub. But no matter how special he made them feel for a night, they weren't—special. At least as his friend, she knew she had that going for her; she knew she was special. Of course it didn't stop this crazy feeling in her that told her she wanted to be special in an entirely different way.
Steph watched the pained look in her friend's eyes as Colin mentioned the blonde—and she held back a smile—it was about time that girl admitted her feelings to herself. Steph then chanced a glance up at the bar, where Logan was effectively ignoring every blonde but the one pouring him his scotch—and Steph was pretty certain Logan wasn't interested in him. It looked like the days of subtle hinting were of the past—it was time for full fledged meddling to being.
"So Rory, you guys get off for Easter, right?"
Rory shook herself out of her Logan induced trance and looked up at her friend questioningly.
"Easter," Steph repeated. That fancy shmancy school of yours gives you time off, right?"
"Says the girl who attended several European boarding schools that are way fancier and shmancier than Chilton."
"So not the point, Gilmore."
"Fine, yes, I get off for Easter."
"How long?" Stephanie inquired.
"A week."
"Perfect!" Steph said, grinning madly.
Rory looked at her friend warily. "What's perfect?"
"Well, it just so happens that the boys and me, along with some of our other friends were planning a little holiday getaway; isn't that right boys?" Steph smirked at Colin and Finn, who shot questioning glances at each other before simultaneously deciding Steph was on to something. They looked back across the table, grinning widely.
"Why yes, Steph, it is," they replied.
"And it just so happens, that you seem to be free at that time."
"Yeeeeah?" Rory stretched out the word. Steph couldn't possibly getting at what she thought she was getting at, could she?
"So?" Steph asked.
"So…what?"
"So, you should come with us, silly," Steph replied, as though it were obvious.
"I don't know Steph. I mean, it's Easter, I usually spend that with Mom. Besides, I don't even know where you're going."
"Well, Love," Finn broke in. "Let's just say poker won't be just for the guys. Nor will the black jack, or craps, or roulette…" Finn got a goofy look on his face just thinking about it.
Gambling? Rory thought to herself. She wasn't old enough to go to a casino—neither were any of them for that matter, they were all twenty. And just where was this casino located? Foxwoods? Atlantic City? Vegas!? This was preposterous. They couldn't just expect her to go away with them to some casino and gamble illegally. Didn't they know her at all?
"You guys are crazy! First off all, I'm not the kind of girl to just take off on some crazy vacation…nor am I the type of girl who gambles—even if I was old enough, which I'm not—"
"Oh, but you are, Love," Finn butted in.
"Unless I've gone temporarily insane, or someone changed the laws without telling me; you need to be 21 to go to a casino," Rory reminded them.
"In America, yes…" Finn agreed.
"In Monte-Carlo, no," Steph added with a grin.
"Monte-Carlo?" Rory asked with wide eyes?
"Monte-Carlo," Colin confirmed
"As in Monaco?"
"That would be the one," Colin nodded his head
"As in Europe"
"As in Earth!" Steph mocked. "Yes, Rory. That Monte-Carlo."
"OK, when did you guys officially go insane?"
"Look, Ror, I know this isn't your usual thing…" Steph began.
"That's the understatement of the year if ever I heard one,' Rory confirmed.
"But that's the point," the blonde girl continued on. "You've got to break out of your shell, girl. That's why you love us; don't deny it. You love that we make you do crazy things."
"Yes, crazy things like going to bars and staying out till all hours of the night, not crazy like fleeing the country for a week of extravagant debauchery."
Logan approached the table, scotch in hand, just at that moment. He prayed to god, that she wasn't talking about what he thought she was talking about. A week in Monte-Carlo with Rory would be very very dangerous. If he thought it was hard to stay in control around her here, it would be down right painful when he was off in some exotic location, letting go of the few inhibitions he normally had. Then of course there was the fact that she was gorgeous—and at least here, she was only known by her association with them, so guys mostly stayed away. The thought of slick, European guys trying to butter her up, made his blood boil. He took a deep breath and tried to stay objective. He knew how persuasive Stephanie could be, but convincing Rory to do this was beyond even her abilities. Still, it couldn't hurt to give his imput as well.
"Yeah, Steph, this isn't Ace's thing."
Rory looked up at Logan, and felt a sudden pang of disappointment. Did he not want her to go? "Well, I mean, I guess it could be fun."
"Don't feel like you have to go, Ace. We don't want you to feel out of place or anything."
"Please, we wouldn't let you feel out of place, don't worry about it," Steph assured her.
Rory glanced at Logan again. A part of her was upset that he seemed to be so against her going, though he did have a point. She couldn't keep up with them. They were out partying all the time; not to mention that these people didn't settle for anything less than the best, and the best was awfully expensive. There's no way she could make this work, even if she wanted to. Besides, Lorelai would never go for it.
Rory glared at Logan, hating him for being right, even if he was technically on her side. She didn't want him to be on her side. She wanted him to tell her that she should go with them; that their trip wouldn't be nearly as much fun without her. But, it looked like that wouldn't be happening. "No Steph, he has a point. I couldn't keep with you guys, I don't want to hold you back. Besides, I could never afford this."
"See, Steph, she's not interested."
"There is no way you would hold us back. And as for money, that's the last thing you should be worried about. We're taking Finn's private jet, so you don't have to worry about air fare, and we've already booked a block of rooms at the hotel, all paid for up front. And you don't have to gamble. The guys gamble enough for all of us. They're high rollers which gets us some pretty nifty perks—free meals, free massages at the spa. Have you ever had a massage, Rory—it's heaven, and let me tell you, the last masseur I had there was a friggin' Adonis. In fact, there's just something about a masseur—maybe it's the big strong hands, but they are all seriously swoon worthy." Steph turned to Logan and she could practically see the steam coming out of his ears at the thought of some built masseur rubbing a naked Rory down with scented oils. She glared at him, practically daring Logan to put up an argument. In fact, she hoped he would put up an argument—she had a feeling that would be the key to Rory's down fall.
"I don't think Rory's interested in having some overly-buff guy get all touchy-feely with her," Logan practically growled, despite his efforts to remain calm.
"There are other things to do there too," Colin added, earning him a scowl from Logan.
"Like hot red heads," Finn interjected with a smile.
The entire table rolled their eyes.
"The Prince's Palace and State Apartments, the Jardin Exotique, and tons of other museums and stuff," Colin finished.
"Well that kind of sounds fun," Rory replied with a wistful look in her eyes. "But I don't know. It's Easter and all and I'd have to talk it over with Mom—"
"Yeah, Lorelai would never go for it," Logan replied, relief written all over his face at that thought.
"Well it's not like I need her permission," Rory replied defensively. She wasn't sure what came over her. Of course she needed Lorelai's permission—and Lorelai would never go for it.
"Come on Ace, it's good that you're mother actually cares what you do."
"Yeah, she cares, but she doesn't get to decide. I'm not a little kid any more, you know."
"I know that," he insisted.
"No, I don't think you do. You think I'm like some little kid sister that you've taken under your wing. I'm not. I'm a big girl; I can make my own decisions. I don't need my mommy to approve of every thing I do."
Steph smiled widely. This had gone perfectly! Everyone had reacted just like she'd planned. Man, she was good at this. "So then you'll come with us?"
"You know, I think I will," Rory replied matter-of-factly.
"Come on Rory, think about this, are you sure it's a good idea."
"I don't need to think about it, Logan. I've made up my mind. I'm going with you, end of story," she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly, but inside she was panicking. What the hell had she just agreed to? She couldn't go away with them! How the heck was she going to tell her mom? Lorelai would be furious? But she couldn't back out now. If she did, Logan would never stop seeing her as just some little momma's girl. Oh god, she was screwed.
"You're a responsible driver, right Mom?" Rory asked, on the way home from Friday night dinner, that evening.
"Umm, not really. See, no hands!" Lorelai took both her hands off the wheel and held them up in the air, before placing them back where they belonged. "I also like to run around the car and change places at traffic lights, and have even played the occasional game of chicken."
"Mom, be serious."
"I am—well OK, I've never played chicken, but I have done the ring around the rosy thing a few times."
"But right now, you would, you know—keep your eyes on the road, and not endanger our lives for any reason."
"Well, I wasn't planning on dying in a fiery car crash tonight. What's this all about, hun?" Lorelai, asked, chancing a quick glance at her daughter.
"Well, I have something to tell you, but I don't want you to freak out while operating a motor vehicle."
"Fine, I promise not to freak out while operating a motor vehicle. Now tell Mommy what's going on."
"Well, Steph and the guys were talking about taking a trip over Easter."
"That sounds like fun," Lorelai responded, not quite sure where the part she might freak out about would fit in. Those kids were always taking trips—all part and parcel of the society kid life style.
"I kind of agreed to go with them."
OK, freaking out slightly more, but Lorelai kept her eyes on the road ahead. It was probably nothing. "Go with them where?" she asked nervously.
" Monaco" Rory replied, disguising the word amidst a sneeze.
"I'm sorry, I must be delusional, I thought for a minute there you said you were going to Monaco for Easter."
"I did," Rory admitted sheepishly. The next thing she knew, Lorelai was pulling the car over to the side of the road and turning off the engine. "What are you doing."
"Well, I promised not to freak out while operating a motor vehicle," Lorelai replied. "so now, the car is stopped—give it to me again."
Rory just stared at her mother for a moment. "Come on, out with it," Lorelai commanded.
"I'm going to Monaco for Easter?" Rory asked, more than said.
"You're WHAT?!?" Lorelai screeched.
"Mom, please, calm down."
"Oh, I'm calm. I'm calm because you are not flying half way across the world to spend Easter with a bunch of hedonists."
"They're not hedonists, Mom."
"Of course not, because I'm sure they're headed there for the cultural experience and not the famous Monte-Carlo casinos. Their lips won't touch a drop of alcohol, and the mere thought of sex won't even cross their minds."
"Mom, be reasonable."
"Reasonable? I think I'm being pretty damn reasonable, Rory. This is the definition of a reasonable motherly reaction. You're the one who's not being reasonable. This isn't you, Rory," Lorelai ranted.
"I know," Rory sighed. "That's why I want to go."
"Umm, hi, crazy alien person, I'd like to speak with my daughter, please," Lorelai replied, waving her finger at Rory manically.
"Mom, listen, I understand that you're upset."
"Upset doesn't even begin to cover it Rory."
"I know we usually spend Easter together."
"Well, I know that it's a novel concept—spending the holidays with your family and all," Lorelai snapped.
"And I know that we have the whole European back-packing adventure planned for this summer, but this isn't going to take away from that."
"I'm supposed to be the one who takes you out of the country the first time, Rory; not a bunch of spoiled society kids."
"Are we back to this? I thought you were over their background. They're good people, Mom."
Lorelai sighed. "I know they are, but that doesn't change what this is. It's all extravagant and over the top. It's all fancy and superfluous and…"
"And what, Mom?"
"And you're too comfortable with it all already. You're not supposed to fit in that world like this. You're supposed to be down to earth, small town, Stars Hollow girl with journalistic aspirations, and dreams of going to Harvard."
"I'm still small town Stars Hollow girl with journalistic aspirations—"
"And Harvard? It's losing Rory. I see the pro-con lists. Harvard is losing, Yale is winning and a part of me is getting used to that fact. If Yale is the best place for you, than that's where you belong—but this is too much. This is what I was afraid of from the beginning."
"So maybe I'm a little more comfortable in Grandma and Grandpa's world that you were, but I'm also comfortable with the simple things in life. I like how Steph and the others make me feel—like it's OK to let loose and have fun, but I don't take it for granted. I know I have to work hard and earn it. You're my best friend, Mom, and everything you taught me, it's a part of me—a permanent part."
"So what? I'm just supposed to accept that I did a good job raising you, and trust you enough to let you run off to Europe without me like you're some kind of adult?"
"That's pretty much the jist of it."
"I don't like this."
"I'm sorry."
"And if I told you no?" Lorelai pondered.
"I'd do exactly what you'd expect me to do—I'd play the good little girl and stay behind."
"I don't like this."
"So you've said."
"I don't like it, but you're 18, and I can't really stop you—I mean, apparently I could, but that's not my job any more."
"So?"
"So, it's up to you. You're an adult Rory—you get to make your own decisions now."
Rory smiled. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best."