Marys back

6 Salad and hatred - the perfect match.

The two of them made there way to Luke's diner shortly after Tristan had arrived at the Gilmore household. Slipping into a booth, they chatted to each other for a while before Luke came over to take there orders "hey Luke – this is Tristan."

Luke glanced at the blonde for a few seconds before nodding and pulling out his order pad "Jess told me you don't feel to well – so I'm telling you right now that no matter what you order it will be served with something along the lines of salad or vegetables."

Rory rolled her eyes "sure Luke."

"You won't get more than two cups of coffee or pie until it's gone either."

Rory sighed "but Luke ….I don't want to."

"I know you don't – but maybe this is why you're sick right now Rory."

"I've only been like this for two days – I haven't even gone to the doctor yet and this is the first time I've been sick in years!"

Luke shrugged his shoulders "what will it be?"

Rory sighed "avocado and chicken salad along with a double bacon burger and coffee and pie – cherry and apple and ice cream - chocolate and lots of it."

Luke glanced at Tristan "and you?"

"Cesar salad, coke ,burger, chili fries and cherry pie thanks."

Luke nodded and walked off. Jess appeared shortly after with their drinks.

Around half way through their meal, Rory was trying to slip Tristan her lettuce as she struggled to remember what it was about him that pissed her off oh so much before she left.

It couldn't have been calling her Mary because he still did that and it didn't bother her. It cant have been the innuendo that every girl in school had fallen for because just five seconds ago he'd made a comment about just how much fun they'd have studying in a house alone on the kitchen table. It couldn't have been his ego because …well it was quite amusing that he was so cocky. In addition, she really couldn't complain about the way he looked. And really, if you got rid of his looks, his head, his mouth, and his name calling what exactly did that leave for her to have an issue with? He was smart…he seemed to care. Yeah Rory. It all makes sense. You labeled him Satan and ET simply because he cared.

After a few more minutes of stewing over the fact that it made absolutely no sense Rory decided to forget it – because seriously if he was willing to have dinner with her and help her with her homework he'd obviously dropped it as well.

She smiled in her far off land and confused Tristan "Ror?"

"Hmm?"

"You ok? I mean you look a little out of it."

At that she zoned back in "oh...no I'm fine. I was just thinking. Don't worry."

"About what?"

"Oh…just stuff."

"Come on Ror – were good now right? What stuff?"

She didn't say anything for a few seconds before quickly answering "why we didn't like each other before."

Tristan looked her in the eyes for a while "I always liked you Rory. I never had a problem with you…well except that PJ Harvey day. The fact that you told the whole school you hated me was somewhat upsetting."

She looked down and looked like she was trying to form suitable words so he brushed it off as an attempt to bring her back to today "look Ror – I'm over it. I mean looking back I get how easy I would have been to hate for someone in you're position. Id kissed you two days before hand as you were telling me about how you were upset about Dean you were. I'd told the whole school you were going out with me – breaking anything you had with Paris – I get it. You hated me. While I don't like the idea I guess I understand."

She laughed briefly and shook her head a tear escaping "no Tris – you don't. I never hated you. I hated that was supposed to hate you but nothing in me did. I hated that Paris was so ready to rip me to shreds because of something you said. I hated the way the boys treated me because you had your claim on me. I hated the way the girls like Summer treated me because I was supposedly on a date with you – an actual date not a hook up at a party. Then they hated me for turning you down – apparently, I didn't have the right. I hated the fact that I wasn't supposed to like you. Moreover, I hated the fact that I had to tell Dean I hated you. But most of all I hated the fact that even as you stole my books I had no idea what exactly I did feel for you. And so …hate seemed to be the easiest descriptor while trying to make things better with Dean – which by the way I also hated."

She skulled the rest of her coffee and looked up slightly shell shocked by her own admittance.

He could tell she was looking for an escape route and he wasn't going to let her – not after that. He searched his mind for a way to make her stay there. His mind was drawing a blank so words wouldn't work just yet.

Her hand went onto the tale top as the beginning of her movement up; his hand automatically went over hers in a need for her to stay there. He used it to encourage her to stay back down. She took a few deep breaths and mentally agreeing she nodded her head to nothing in particular. Before looking him in the eye and smiling slightly. At that he breathed out, his brain slowed back to its normal pace, as did his heart, and after a second or two, he let go of her hand.

Awhile after that, Jess came past and refilled her coffee cup. as soon as that was done Rory couldn't resist, braking the pause in their eating and talking and well…anything other than breathing she went for the coffee. Shortly after, due to the movement both seemed to move on from what had just happened as Tristan picked at his chips and Rory forced herself to eat a few more pieces of lettuce before finishing her burger.

Jess again snuck past as Luke yelled at Taylor about something and stole her salad bowl – again refilling her mug. Rory smiled. Now she could have pie. And maybe eat Tristan's to?