Chapter Seventeen

"What were you thinking Rory!" Emily yelled loudly the second Rory stepped through the front door

Rory sighed. "I needed some air." she replied looking helplessly at Lorelai

Lorelai took one look at Rory and her blood shot eyes and took pity on her. "Mom. I'll take care of this. Thank you for letting her stay last night." she said quickly before ushering them both out of the Gilmore mansion before Emily could stop them. As soon as they were both in the jeep she looked at Rory in shock. "You needed air?!" she said with a hint of pride in her voice

Rory nodded mutely and then as if knowing it wasn't enough she sighed and spoke. "She said the most awful things about him." Rory said softly

Lorelai looked confused for a brief moment before nodding, knowing that she had already known who they were talking about. "Tristan." she said plainly

Rory nodded and remained silent for a long minute. "He reminds me of you, you know." she said as Lorelai pulled out of the driveway. "His parents treat him like Grandma and Grandpa treat you. He was miserable when he left. He spent Christmas alone. I can't even imagine what it would be like celebrating Arbor Day without you let alone Christmas. And the sad thing is, he's probably used to it."

Lorelai nodded. "He probably is." she said sadly

"And Grandma was standing there telling me how horrible he was and insulting him and I just had to get out..."

"So you shimmied down the drainpipe?"

Rory nodded.

Lorelai smiled. "Guess I probably shouldn't have told you all the ways to escape the house huh?"

Rory remained silent for a long time. Lorelai pretty much thought that conversation Rory had promised her was over after almost twenty silent minutes, so she was surprised when Rory spoke again.

"I don't know what's wrong with me Mom." she said as tears rolled down her face

Lorelai sighed sadly as the tears dropped from Rory's eyes. "What do you mean?" she asked soothingly

"We weren't friends. We weren't together. I didn't even like him. And I still feel like..."

"Like what?"

"Like... like a part of me is missing." she said wiping tears off her face. She knew Lorelai was about to say something and opened her mouth to stop her. "It's like it doesn't even feel right to be at Chilton without him. Like it's wrong to walk down the hall and not have him waiting at my locker to trade insults, or open it when it's stuck." she added frowning. "Everywhere I go there I'm reminded of him. There's this bench in one of the courtyards at Chilton that I've started spending most of my free time at. I don't know why but I have. We sat at it last year and decided to be friends after the kiss at Madelyn's party. I know it reminds me of him, but when I sit there all I seem to want to do is cry... and I hate it but I can't help going there. It's like...it's the only place at that school where I feel..." she said pausing to choke back a sob. "whole."

Lorelai pulled over the second Rory started sobbing. "Oh hun. It's ok. It's all going to be ok..." she said soothingly while rubbing her back gently

"What's wrong with me?" she demanded crying

Lorelai sighed sadly. "Oh hun. It sounds like you miss him."

Rory shook her head quickly and managed a strangled cry of "Why?"

Lorelai laughed lightly. "Sweetheart."

"What?"

"You like him." Lorelai said softly

Rory shook her head. "No."

"Rory."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because... because I can't." she said putting an end to the conversation.

xxxxxx

Lorelai watched sadly as Rory sobbed behind her bedroom door. She was about to try and talk to her again when the phone rang. Sighing she walked over and picked up the phone. "Hello."

"Lorelai it's your mother."

"What can I do for you?" she said annoyed

Emily sighed and ignored the annoyance in her daughter's voice. "We're having a party this Friday..."

"And we're excused from Friday Night Dinner?" Lorelai added hopefully

Emily rolled her eyes. "Absolutely not. I just wanted to tell you so that Rory would have advance notice to tone down her attitude. I won't have her flitting around being rude to my guests."

Lorelai sighed. "Check, one attitude-less Rory. Anything else?"

"Dress appropriately."

"So matching shirts covered in rhinestone penises?" Lorelai quipped

"Be on time." Emily snapped before hanging up

xxxxxx

Lorelai walked back into Rory's room with a pint of Ben and Jerry's. She took in Rory's appearance and sighed sadly at the bloodshot eyes that were starting to be a permanent fixture on her daughter. "Ready to tell me the rest." she asked while handing over a spoon

Rory sighed. "What's left?"

Lorelai shrugged. "Where is he?"

Rory frowned. "Military school. North Carolina. And I'm the only one that he told. No one else knows. Well besides Paris. I just told her this morning."

Lorelai nodded. "I imagine military school is hard for someone like Tristan."

Rory fixed her mother with a glare. "What is that supposed to mean?" she snapped

Lorelai sighed. "I meant someone who's from Hartford society. Someone who's used to getting what he wants. I wasn't saying anything bad about Tristan."

Rory took a bite of ice cream. "Oh." she said softly

Lorelai sat on Rory's bed, the two of them silently eating ice cream for a long while when suddenly she spoke. "So... I have an idea."

"What's that?" Rory asked curiously

"Why don't you just call him? You can talk to him and maybe then you'll feel better."

Rory shrugged. "There's at least four military schools in North Carolina and I have no clue which one he's at." Rory said informing Lorelai

"So I guess you thought of that already?"

"And I entertained the idea for about an hour until I found out there were so many military schools there."

Lorelai sighed "Just shoot my idea down then."

xxxxxx

Rory walked into Chilton apprehensively Monday morning. People were staring at her closely and she had no idea why. Quickly finding Paris she wasted no time finding out. "Why is everyone staring at me?"

Paris sighed. "Your grandmother called a lot of people looking for you Saturday morning. They all know you ran away."

Rory groaned and walked towards her locker, Paris following close behind. "I didn't run away."

"You know that. And I know that. But they don't." Paris said knowingly

Rory sighed. "There's one thing that's been bothering me."

"What's that?" Paris asked curiously

"How did you know where to find me?"

Paris shrugged. "I figured that you were still in Hartford, and when my mom said you were fighting with your grandparents I assumed it was the same thing you were fighting about with everyone else. Logically that assumption made no sense, but it was a heat of the moment thing. I mean for all I knew you had been fighting about Dean, but my brain naturally thought of..." Paris said letting Rory's brain fill in the name. "And I figured you wouldn't have gone to the Du... his house so that left Chilton. Finding you on the bench was a complete fluke."

Rory nodded. "Why did you come looking for me?"

Paris shrugged again. "I didn't think anyone would think to look for you there."

"Really?"

"Well, there's also the fact that we're kind of sort of friends and I was sort of worried about you. I mean I work better with competition. Without you around there would be none..."

"Thank you." Rory said, "I think some where in there you admitted to liking me a little."

Paris frowned. "Yeah well don't spread it around. People will think I've gone soft." she said before walking away

Rory simply laughed before heading off to her own class.

xxxxxx

The week flew by and except for the occasional whispered rumor people pretty much left Rory alone. Lorelai had broke down two days ago and told Rory about Emily's party and Rory was dreading it. She was sure it was going to be full of people who knew that only a week ago she had tried to run away from home. Logically she knew she hadn't but from the consensus of what was going around Chilton that was what her grandmother had implied to everyone she called.

From the moment Rory got into the Jeep Lorelai knew something was wrong. She had let Rory get away with not talking to her about Tristan since that day she had spilled her guts but only because it appeared that Rory was better. She had assumed that Rory had meant it when she promised not to do this quiet thing anymore now that she hadn't been holding it all in. But here was her daughter silently contemplating something in the jeep. "What's up kiddo?"

Rory shook her head. "Nothing."

"Rory." Lorelai said sternly, "Now we talked about this. You promised this wouldn't happen again."

Rory sighed. "I know. I'm sorry."

"So... what's up kiddo?" Lorelai asked again

"What if they're all talking about me?" Rory asked softly

Lorelai frowned. "Oh hun, you've had Chilton talking about you for months, why are you concerned with the elder Hartford snobs talking about you?"

"But these are adults. They're all going to be looking at me like I'm pathetic."

Lorelai sighed. "Hun, you wouldn't be Lorelai Gilmore if they weren't all talking about you. It's like their past time."

xxxxxx

Lorelai and Rory pulled up the house and lingered in the car, neither one wanting to get out and go inside the party. "We'll stay for an hour. Hour and half tops." Rory said strongly

Lorelai nodded. "Exactly."

"What if Grandma won't let us leave?" Rory asked worriedly

Lorelai laughed. "Well you've already proved capable of shimming down the drain pipe."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Funny." she snapped before getting out of the jeep

Lorelai sighed and quickly followed. "Hey! I thought it was." she said once she met Rory at the door

"Just ring the bell." Rory said frowning

Lorelai frowned. "Why should I have to ring the bell?"

"She's your mother."

"She's your grandmother."

"And?"

"Well I'm just pointing out that you could very well have as much responsibility to ring the bell as I do." Lorelai pointed out

Both were surprised when a finger reached out and pushed the bell for them. Rory turned around and saw Paris. "Hey."

"Just thought I'd end the debate over who had to push the bell." Paris said without enthusiasm

Rory looked at her confused. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a party. My mother doesn't miss a party now that she got rid of my dad. Which of course means I have to attend." she said bitterly

Rory nodded. "But then where's your mom?"

"She's already here. I was running late."

Rory opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by the door opening and an annoyed Emily Gilmore standing behind it.

"You're late." Emily snapped at Lorelai

"Only by like five minutes."

"Late is late." Emily snapped and then noticed Paris. "Paris, how lovely to see you. Come in dear. You're mother is around here somewhere." she said politely

Paris nodded. "I'll see you later Rory?"

"Of course." Rory said quickly aware that her grandmother was staring at her. "Hi Grandma." she said softly

Emily looked at Rory for a long second wordless. "Be on your best behavior tonight. Some of your friends from school are here. You should mingle." she said tightly before walking away

Rory sighed and looked at Lorelai helplessly. "Guess Grandma won't run out of ice tonight." she said softly causing Lorelai to laugh.

xxxxxx

Forty five minutes into the party Rory was bored. Paris had stayed at her side most of the night once they had both discovered that Summer was present, and Lorelai had been descended upon by Emily and her friends.

Paris had taken one look at Rory when they first arrived and knew she didn't want to be there. Paris had made a point not to mention that she had seen the DuGrey's earlier knowing that they were the last people Rory needed to see but when she saw them heading over towards her and Rory, Emily in toe she knew this couldn't end well. "Rory." she hissed quietly

Rory turned towards her confused by her tone. "What?"

"Tristan's parents are coming over with your grandparents."

Rory's eyes widened. "What?" she said shaking her head. "Why?"

Paris shrugged "I don't know."

Rory started frantically looking for Lorelai. "I have to get out of here. I don't want to meet them."

Paris started looking for Lorelai as well but by the time they had found her it was too late. Emily and the DuGrey's were standing there.

Emily smiled warmly at Rory who had managed to catch her mother's attention long enough to send a frantic look her way. "Rory I wanted to introduce you to a few of my friends."

Rory made no attempt to smile politely. "Of course."

"This is Karen and Michael DuGrey. Karen, Michael this is my granddaughter Rory."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Rory." Michael said warmly before looking over at Paris. "It's nice to see you again Paris."

Paris smiled politely. "It's nice to see you as well."

Emily looked at Rory quizzically. "Rory aren't you going to say hello?"

Rory opened her mouth to speak. The words 'It's nice to meet you too' were formed and she had every intention of saying them so she was just as surprised when "How's Tristan?" tumbled from her lips.

Karen looked at Emily crossly for a moment before letting her society face slip back on. "He's very well. I wasn't aware you knew my son."

Rory nodded. "I went to school with him."

"You go to Chilton?" Michael stated "It's a very fine school. Best education you can get in Connecticut, other than Yale of course. Tell me are you following in Richard's footsteps and going to Yale after graduation."

"I'm going to Harvard." Rory said icily

"Oh. Harvard is a fine school as well. I went to Harvard." Michael said boastfully

Rory shrugged. "Maybe I'll rethink it then."

Emily looked over at her grand daughter in outrage. "Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, what has gotten into you?!" she snapped

"So Tristan likes his new school?" Paris added trying to deflect the attention away from Rory's flippant remarks

"He loves it. Switzerland definitely agrees with him." Karen said smiling

"Huh." Rory scoffed

"What?" Michael asked annoyed

Rory shook her head. "Nothing. It's just I didn't know there was a Switzerland in North Carolina. I guess I need to brush up on my geography." she said rudely. She paused for a moment to enjoy the look of anger on the DuGrey's faces before adding, "Excuse me." just in time for Lorelai to walk up. She looked at her mother for a brief moment before walking away, Paris following behind her.

Lorelai rushed after her shooting her mother a death glare at the nerve to introduce Rory to them after last week, but could faintly hear Emily apologizing for Rory, claiming to not know what had gotten into her.