The Best Of You – Chapter Seven
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Her stomach churned at the possibilities. Her mouth was dry as she kept her eyes on the ground, unable to look into Paris' inquisitive face. Her eyebrows furrowed from concentration… the sheer thought of the whole school knowing about that night weakened her legs, making them feel as if they were made of jelly. She took a deep breath before gathering enough strength to look Paris in the eye.
"What are they saying, Paris?" she inquired, her voice cool and steady.
"Rumour has it that you're sleeping with Tristan," Paris answered calmly, she was hiding her emotions well.
Although she was expecting her response, Rory still managed to choke on her saliva from her blunt sentence. "What? That's absolutely ridiculous!"
"So you're denying it?"
Rory gathered her composure and nodded slowly. "Yes."
"It's not true?"
"Yes… I mean no, it's not true."
Paris took her reply in. Her face was without emotion as she processed Rory's answer through her knowledgeable brain. Seconds passed and the blonde finally nodded. "So you're not lying to me?"
"Why are you asking all these questions?"
"I just want to get to the bottom of this!"
"Why? Shouldn't I be one seeking information and not you? Since the rumours are about me, after all," Rory licked her dry lips.
Paris' face reddened from Rory's comeback. "Listen here Gilmore! This is my school and I have a right to know what's happening."
"Not when it involves me," the brunette was slowly losing her cool.
"Just spit it out! Did you have sex with Tristan or not?"
"I already answered your question Paris and I'm not going to repeat myself."
"Why?"
Rory got to her feet, "Why what?"
"Why don't you want to answer one stupid question?"
"Because I already answered your stupid question! And also, this doesn't concern you and is none of your business so butt out!"
"You certainly are on the defensive mode," Paris quipped dryly, crossing her arms.
"Do you blame me?" Rory replied back.
Paris bit her lip, "I… I guess not," she grudgingly agreed.
"Then can we please drop this subject?" she asked hopefully.
Paris nodded, "How's your article going?"
"It's fine… I just need to interview one more lunch lady and I'll be able to hand you the rough draft."
Paris opened her mouth to respond but a loud shriek interrupted both girls.
"Paris! Paris!"
Paris and Rory looked to where the annoying voice was coming from. Paris groaned and Rory quirked an eyebrow as Madeline ran to them from the steps leading to the entrance.
"Guess what I just heard," the raven-haired beauty panted, she didn't seem to notice Rory.
"What?"
"Julie told me, who heard it from Susan, who heard it from Tyler, who heard it from Richard…"
"Just get on with it!"
"Tristan stormed out of headmaster Charleston's office, the guy was absolutely livid."
At the sound of his name, Rory's curiosity peaked and she took one step closer to the two.
"What happened?" Paris asked.
"Apparently, the headmaster called Tristan's father."
Uh Oh… a memory flooded Rory's mind. It was the memory from Tristan's birthday… the one where she stood outside the door listening to Tristan and his father argue… the one where Tristan… she shook her head repeatedly, shoving the thought at the back of her mind.
"That can't be good… Tristan's father is an absolute ass," Paris said, shaking her head.
"And get this, Tristan's been suspended."
"For how long?"
"Two days," Madeline answered.
Rory's mind was racing. Tristan suspended? For what? "What did he do?"
Madeline jumped at the sound of her voice. She turned around and smirked. "You mean, you don't know?"
"No."
Madeline started to laugh, "How can you not know?"
Paris rolled her eyes, having heard the same thing this morning.
"I came in late," Rory spoke slowly.
"But surely somebody would have told you by now!"
"No… no one's told me anything," Rory shot Paris a look.
"You said to drop the subject," Paris replied sternly.
"Okay then, Madeline… you tell me."
Madeline smirked knowingly, "He got suspended defending your pretty ass."
Rory choked on her saliva, she started to cough raucously. "What?" she said gruffly, "Why would he do that?"
Madeline shrugged, "Everybody's asking the same question."
The three remained silent after Madeline's remark. They were all wondering the same thing, and all three came to very different conclusions. A rumble of thunder broke the tense silence and all three looked up just in time to witness flashes of lightning and grey clouds colour the once blue sky.
"I'm going to go inside and… yeah," Rory muttered, her thoughts preoccupied.
Madeline and Paris both watched her go.
"Where do you suppose she's headed to?" Madeline asked.
"To find Dugrey," the other replied condescendingly.
-
She searched the entire school and no sight of him. Rory walked along one of the many hallways of the school, lightly fingering each passing locker. She was having an inner battle with herself. He's probably at home. He is suspended… so that means that he has to leave the school premises immediately. She closed her eyes resignedly and rested against a cold locker.
"Do you mind?"
Rory opened her eyes, her heart racing from the inquirer's voice. "Tristan…" she breathed out, meeting his blue eyes. She frowned, noticing that he was giving her nothing but an ominous look.
"You're standing in front of my locker," he replied coldly.
"I'm… I'm sorry," she stuttered, stepping away.
Tristan stepped forward and opened his locker swiftly; he refused to look at her as he grabbed a few books.
Rory stood in front of him, her hands clenching and unclenching as she struggled to find words to say. "Tristan…" she started, "I'm sorry about the other day."
Tristan ignored her apology and continued to grab more books.
"Ignore me… I deserve it, I do," she said timidly.
"That's right, you do," he finally decided to acknowledge her as he slammed his locker shut.
As he turned to leave, Rory grabbed his arm gently, pleading with him to stay and hear her out. "I'm sorry about what I said… I didn't mean it."
"I'm beginning to doubt that," he replied.
Rory tensed. "Please don't… I really didn't mean it."
"How can I believe anything you say? You told me you hated me so many times that I can't even count. And you've told me that you didn't as many times. It seems like you're talking out of your ass most of the time Gilmore," he said her surname callously.
Rory bit her lip to stop the oncoming tears. "I panicked okay?" she whispered tearfully.
His cold demeanour softened as he caught sight of her watery blue eyes. "Don't cry," he whispered sternly.
Rory rolled her eyes, vainly attempting to keep the salty tears in. "It's not like I can control it you know," she muttered back, wanting so desperately to not cry. Especially not in front of him…
Tristan was fully aware of the curious bystanders glancing their way. Looking down at Rory's hung head, he now paid his full attention to the nosy Chilton students. "What the hell are you looking at huh? Mind your own damn business!" he yelled, his temper rising as his outburst only caused the students to whisper with each other.
Listening to his outburst, Rory couldn't fight back the tears any longer. Stubbornly, she began to wipe the tears, only to find that even more tears were falling. She bit back a sob as she felt his hand on her back, rubbing in attempt to comfort her.
"Come on," he muttered.
-
Paris and Madeline entered the school, idly chatting about random topics. Madeline stopped hastily and prompted Paris to do the same. Paris opened her mouth to protest but shut it again as a startling scene played out in front of them.
There was Tristan Dugrey, the resident king of Chilton, walking side by side with Rory Gilmore, the resident Chilton bookworm and loner. Not only were they walking side by side, but also Tristan had his arm around her waist protectively, soothing her as her face was hidden in his school blazer.
Paris followed the two with her eyes as they walked past them.
"If those two aren't sleeping together then shoot me now," Madeline whispered excitedly in the blonde's ear.
Paris refused to comment… she refused to acknowledge Madeline's presence. She was too preoccupied, because at current moment, she unsuccessfully was trying to calm her raging anger.
She hated being lied to.
-
Rory was too blinded by her tears to argue with Tristan. She allowed him to lead her out of the school. And as soon as they were outside, solid raindrops pounded on them quickly. The heavy raindrops seemed to waken her senses. She pulled away from his comforting hold and glared.
"Why did you do that?" she asked, her face drenched by both her tears and the raindrops.
"Was I not supposed to?" he bit back; his eyes could not hide the confusion he was feeling.
"No! The whole school's already talking about us… and… and you gave them even more things to whisper about," she began coughing.
Tristan couldn't believe his ears. Running a hand through his now wet hair, he laughed ruefully. "I was trying to help you! And damn it… this is what I get?"
"Well I'm sorry if I don't like the idea of the whole school talking about me."
"And you think I do?"
"This… this school," she pointed to Chilton, "Talks about you every day! They live by what you say, how you act and whom you go out with! You're used to it… I'm not."
"That doesn't mean I like it," Tristan had to yell to make himself heard, as the thunder and the increasingly harsh winds drowned out their voices.
"I don't want to give them any more things to talk about," she too had to resort to yelling.
"Try all you want but the fact is, they'll find something! They always do."
"Let them! I just don't want to contribute to it," she replied stubbornly.
Tristan grabbed her hand, "Let's go."
She pulled away roughly. "I'm not going anywhere with you."
"It's pouring, we'll both get sick. Now unless you want to go back in there, I suggest you come with me," he ordered.
Rory contemplated his suggestion. Both did not sound appealing at all. She turned around, opposite him and the school and began to walk.
Tristan watched, half frozen from shock and half frozen from the cold. "Where the hell are you going?" he screamed so loud it hurt his throat.
"My grand parents house isn't so far away," she hollered back.
"Let me drive you there!"
"No thanks, I think I'll walk."
"Don't be stupid Rory!" Tristan yelled, jogging to catch up with her.
Rory seemed to notice this and ran as fast as she could, away from him.
Tristan stopped jogging, his face now frozen thanks to the ruthless wind. He growled loudly and he let out an annoyed howl as he turned around and ran to his car. You're making this way too difficult Mary…
He stepped into his car, quickly reversed from the parking spot and drove quickly. He spotted her immediately. She was walking slowly now, with her arms around herself in an attempt to stay warm. Her drenched hair stuck to her red face and she had fresh tears falling down her cheeks.
He drove at a slow pace, driving alongside her as she walked on the sidewalk. He pulled the passenger window down.
"Mary! Get in the car!"
Rory looked beside her, shocked to see Tristan. She shook her head stubbornly. "No," she replied, her voice raw and rough.
"Please," Tristan begged, he feared that she would get sick, and by the look of it, that was certainly going to happen. "Rory! I'm begging here… get in the car!" he ignored the honking car behind him.
Rory finally stopped, despite the roaring thunder and the howling winds; she could hear the desperation in his voice.
Wordlessly, she nodded her head and opened the passenger door. She got into the car silently, and she kept her eyes to the now closed window, without even one look his way.
Tristan let out a relieved sigh and continued driving.
"Thank you," he had heard her whisper, sosoftly that he almost didn't hear.
--
AN: Yes, if you haven't guessed already, Paris is still hung up on Bible Boy. We haven't heard the last from her yet I'm afraid.
So that's chapter seven. It turned out way longer then I expected… I was going to stop at the part with Paris and Madeline, but I decided to be nice. LOL.
Press the Go button and review people! Thanks in advance!