So I know I've been MIA, but I got extremely busy with school, finals, graduation, then vacation after graduation. But I am finally done, no more school FOREVER. Just work.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore girls, and if I didn't, I wouldn't have broken up Rory and Logan, and if I had, it wouldn't have been like that. I'm probably late on the complaining, but boo. Chapter 6: Tonight, This is FranceSeptember passed by quickly in a repetitive pattern. Weekdays were spent at school, the Franklin and late nights at home crammed with homework and filling out college applications. Weekends were spent in spas, shopping in New York, and dinners with her grandparents. The girls were just enjoying being seniors and single. When classmates would throw weekend parties, the girls were there.
The boys' and Steph's first month of Yale was filled with late nights at the pub. The boys minus Colin would find new girls every week to party with. Their time was also occupied by their initiation into the Life and Death Brigade (LBD). It involved weekends away at secluded places to dress up in themes, party, and pull adventurous stunts.
The two groups have been too busy with their separate lives that the only contact made was a few brief phone calls that Emma and Preston had. Preston hadn't even been home yet.
It was now the second week of October and a week away from Rory's birthday. Rory had been too busy with to even realize that she was turning 18.
"The plan is, we're going to take her to dinner with some close buddies from Chilton, and then head back to Stars Hollow for a quote unquote sleepover around 9:30pm. Everything will already be set up, and Lorelai will coordinate everything that goes on in the house. You just have to pick up the cake from Rory's favorite bakery in New Haven. The light in the kitchen will flash to let you know that the gate is opening and that is yours and Lorelai's cue to hush everyone up. The limo will pull up to the front. Make sure that you instruct everyone to park out of sight. Then when she opens the door, Surprise! And then the party begins. Don't forget to get your costumes. Warn people that if they are not in costume, Lorelai will kick them out, that, or she'll put you in a ridiculous looking costume," Emma explained.
"Ok, me and the guys are picking up our costumes tomorrow morning. Are you going to tell me the theme now?"
"You'll find out tomorrow when you pick up your costumes," she grinned. "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow night. Bye Pres."
Saturday morning came.
The boys went to pick up their costumes at the costume shop.
"Oh my God. Emma has got to be joking. I'm not wearing this," Colin complained.
"It's not too bad," Logan said.
"That's easy for you to say, you don't have to wear this stupid wig," Colin said as he placed the wig on top of his head. "Logan, trade with me."
"No, your costume is made to match Steph's. Plus, Emma assigned everyone a specific character."
"But your wig is more subtle."
The guys started to laugh as they walk out of the store.
After her traditional 4:03am birth story told by her mom, she had an all girls day with Emma, Madeline, Louise, and Stephanie, shopping and going to the spa. After, they arrived at a steak house for their 7 o'clock reservations.
Emma instructed the hostess, "Reservations under Gilmore."
"Yes, right this way. Part of your party has arrived."
Rory just looked at Emma confused to who they were expecting. As the hostess lead them to the back of the restaurant to a secluded room, four finely dressed boys stood up when the girls walked in. Rory smiled excitedly.
"Tristan!" She said as she her arms around Tristan kissed him on the cheek. "Landon, Mason, Deacon! Oh my God! You guys are all here." She gave each guy a hug and a kiss.
"Well, the girls stole you for the whole day. It's demanded that you spend your birthday with you favorite guys too." Deacon said as everyone walked to their seats. Tristan pulled out a seat for Rory next to him. Seated in a circular table consecutively, it was Stephanie, Emma, Rory, Tristan, Mason, Madeline, Deacon, Landon, and Louise.
Landon, Mason, and Deacon were all friends with Tristan. The four formed the hottest playboys at Chilton, and best friends to Rory, Emma, Maddy and Louise. But senior year started to get busy for all of them with college applications that they barely had time to spend with each other. They would catch up a little at the weekend parties, but never had quality time together.
"Finally, we have some time to catch up," Rory said. She was so happy that she got to spend her birthday with her best friends.
The rest of the dinner was spent catching up on what's happening in each other's lives and remembering the good ole days. Steph described her college experience, which turned into a conversation of their expectations for college.
"We're going to head over to Rory's house for movie night, and a sleepover, you guys want to join?" Emma asked with her eyes wide, to tell them to go with her plan. The boys caught on, "Sure, we just have to stop by our houses to get our stuff," Landon said.
"Cool. We'll see you there," Rory said excited that her night isn't going to end yet. The boys rushed out of the restaurant, and headed towards Stars Hollow.
The limo drove the girls back home at 9:00pm. They stopped at the video store to rent movies for their movie night. They decided that it was going to be a Sophia Coppola marathon. They rented Marie Antoinette, The Virgin Suicide, Lost in Translation, and The Godfather. The limo pulled into the gate, and stopped right in front of the main door. Rory assumed that no one was home, since the lights were off. She walked into the foyer, and turned on the lights. "SURPRISE!"
She was stunned into silence. She looked around at the decadent people around her all dressed in costume. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe you guys!" She gave the girls a group hug. "Do you like?" Madeline asked.
"I love, but you didn't have to do this."
"Well, it was all Lorelai's and Emma's doing." Louise said. Just as she said this, Lorelai and Chris walked up to her wearing their costume, the only couple wearing black, "Happy birthday Rory."
"Thanks mom, you're the best. I love you."
"Kiss the mommy," she said pointing to her cheeks. Rory gave Lorelai a kiss on the cheek. "Now, kiss the daddy." She kissed Chris' cheek, and gave him a hug.
"Thanks dad. I love you. How did mom convince you to wear that?"
He just chuckled, "Happy birthday kiddo."
"Ok, lets get you upstairs to theme you up." Lorelai and the girls all went upstairs where there were large color dresses. Five girls got dressed and sat in chairs in the bathroom where there were five hairstyles and five make up artist waiting for them.
"We really are having a Sophia Coppola night." Rory said.
The theme was Marie Antoinette, Sophia Coppola version. Rory was dressed as Marie Antoinette, exactly how Kirstin Dunst was during Marie's 18th birthday, with the white dress and a blonde wig. Lorelai was dressed as Maria Teresa and Emma was dressed as Duchesse de Polignac.
"Mom, where did you get these costumes?"
"Do you love it?"
"I love it, but explain yourself."
"Well, your dad represents Sophia Coppola, and handles her legal issues. And, he asked, and she did." This was not new to her. Her dad handled many celebrity clients but failed to mention that Sophia was one of them. "Be sure to thank him."
"I will. Thanks mom."
"Ok, let's get to your party. We've been up here for 45 minutes already."
It struck 10pm when the girls walked down the main staircase towards the party. Her entire first floor was decked with props from the movie. There were many gambling tables with craps, and dominos. There were tables stacked with candles, candy, cake and champagne glass fountains with champagne flowing from the top. It was decadent, and very authentic. Everyone was dressed in costumes, the whole shabam, the corsets, wigs, and tights. "Tonight, this is France, and you are their queen," Lorelai said as she walked towards the kitchen, leaving Rory and her friends to party the night away.
Rory made her rounds, to all the tables where people were sitting, chatting, eating, and gambling. She walked towards a poker table that seated Landon, Deacon, and Mason, and sat down. "The queen has arrived," Deacon said.
"And where is my king?" she asked. Then Tristan, wearing the Louis XVI costume, sat down and handed her a champagne glass.
"Thanks Louis. Cheers!" They all raised their glasses and took a sip of their champagne.
Rory got up to continue her rounds, and came across four boys, standing next to the bar.
"Happy birthday, your majesty," Finn said as he bowed and kissed her hand.
"Thanks Finn."
The guys all gave her hugs, and told her happy birthday. Colin saw Steph and led her to the dance floor. Finn and Preston headed over to the craps table where they saw two girls eyeing them.
"Happy birthday Queen, quite the birthday hoopla you got here," Logan said, as they were coming out of their hug.
She just smiled as she looked at his costume. It was different than the other male costumes. "And who are you suppose to be?" Rory asked.
He leaned in closer to her, and spoke softly in her ear, "Count Fersen." She just looked at him and smiled knowing the rumors about Count Fersen was Marie Antoinette's lover. Their faces were only inches apart.
Their moment was interrupted by a crowd of people singing the birthday song. The cake was just like how it was in the movie. It had a very intricate design, with flowers and lots of embellishment. It was divine. She closed her eyes to make a wish and blew out the candles.
She spent the rest of the night, drinking, dancing, and gambling. Throughout the night she had managed a few glances towards Logan, and he would always be talking to a different girl. Then he would glanced towards Rory and give her a smirk as if he had a sixth sense and knew she was looking his way.
The night started to wind down, and she was sitting at the craps table with Emma, Finn, and Mason. She rolled the dice, and she rolled the number 8. The whole table cheered. She wiggled her empty champagne glass at the bartender for a refill, and rolled the dice again. She passed the dice to Emma, and stood up to head towards the bar. She turned around, and Logan was inches away from her.
"Here you go," as he handed her a fresh glass of champagne.
"Thanks," she giggled, feeling her tipsiness from however many glasses of champagne she had. He just gave her a genuine smile.
"So how come I haven't seen you around lately?"
"I've been around."
"Well then I guess you are just too cool to hang out with us old college kids."
"I'm Frank at the Sands, baby."
"That cool huh?"
"Well, apparently not as cool as you, Mr. Life and Death Brigade."
"Hey, how'd you…"
"Steph. And just so you know, Richard Gilmore was a member."
"Yes, I know. He pulled some amazing stunts back in his day. So I guess that makes you a legacy."
"Only if I'm Yale bound."
"So what bound are you?"
"Well, since I was a kid, I wanted to go to Harvard, but I haven't made any final decisions yet. I've visited Harvard and the atmosphere was great. And the only time I've been to Yale was to help Preston move in, so I have yet to see the campus."
"Well, if you choose Harvard, Yale will definitely miss those coffee cart staring contest," Rory blushed. "You should come by campus sometime, and I'll show you the real Yale."
"That would fun."
They were having an actual conversation sans smirks. All of a sudden a blonde whose corset made her look even bustier, whispered something in his ear. He nodded, and turned back to Rory.
"I have to go. So I'll see you up on Friday." And then he gave her a hug, and whispered, "Happy Birthday Queen."
She was knocked out of Versailles, when she saw him leave the chateau with his arms over the blonde, the reality that she could never have something real with a playboy like Logan. She was brought back to France, at least her France for the night, as Emma came next to her. "Are you falling for the young Huntzberger?"
"No, but maybe I'll pull a young Marie Antoinette/Count Fersen affair." Emma didn't think Rory was capable of having stringless fun with guys, but maybe she was wrong, or in denial.