Sorry about the delay, I was away with family for the weekend so didn't have time to write! Here's the next chapter! :)
Chapter 13
Rory sat on the couch, watching some tv, trying to get her head round what had just happened. She still couldn't believe it was real. Tristan had kissed her. She had kissed Tristan. She was brought back to reality, though, when the phone rang. She got up and went to answer it. "Hello?"
"Oh Rory, good!" Emily's voice came from the other end of the line.
"Hi Grandma." Rory said.
"I was hoping I would catch you. Your grandfather and I have been invited to this party this evening and we were wondering if you would like to join us." She said.
"Oh..well...Grandma..." Rory cringed. She really didn't want to have to spend an evening at some boring formal party but she didn't want to hurt her Grandma's feelings either.
"I know it's short notice but I've only just found out that the son of the man who's birthday it is used to go with Chilton so I thought you might like to come. Also, your grandfather is good friends with his grandfather and I think he just wants to show you off. You know what he's like." Emily said.
Rory sighed. "What's the son's name?"
"Oh hang on, I will just look at the invitation." Emily said. "The surname's DuGrey. Does that mean anything to you?"
Suddenly Rory sat up, all alert, surprised. "Uh, yeah..." She said. "Tristan used to go to Chilton. He was only there a year and a half though." She said trying to act nonchalantly.
"Oh well...as I've said, I know it's short notice but it would be nice if you could come." Emily said sweetly.
Rory bit her lip. "Yeah ok, sure." She said.
"Oh wonderful! I'll let your grandfather know and we can pick you up if you want?"
"Sounds good." Rory said.
"Perfect. See you later then. Bye Rory!" Emily said.
"Bye Grandma." Rory said. She sighed as she hung up. Had she really thought this through? What would she even say to Tristan? Would he even want her there? She thought as she started to pace round the living room.
That was what she was doing as Lorelai came through the front door. "Uh hon? What are you doing?"
"Freaking out! That's what I'm doing!" Rory exclaimed. "I'm stupid and I've agreed to something and now I'm freaking out!"
Lorelai couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her daughter pacing round the living room. "Ok, take it one step at a time. You're going to need to fill in some gaps for me here." She said.
Rory stopped and sighed. She then looked around and frowned. "Where's Luke and April?"
"They went back to the diner. Anna's picking April up at 6 so Luke was going to make her some food at the diner before she left. Plus I think April wanted to have some time with him alone." She smiled.
"Aw that's good." Rory smiled, glad it was going well. "Did April like the horses?"
"Oh yes!" Lorelai grinned. "Much to Luke's chagrin! She wants lessons."
Rory laughed. "How did Luke take that?"
"He tried to dissuade her but she was so excited so it ended with him promising to talk to Anna about it." Lorelai said.
"I wonder how that will go..." Rory said.
"Yeah well..." Lorelai said. "So...now you've calmed down, can you explain the freak out?"
"Grandma called." Rory said.
"Ok, nothing good can come from that." Lorelai said.
Rory rolled her eyes at her mom's dramatics. "She invited me to a party tonight. I said yes. But it's for Tristan's dad. Which means Tristan's going to be there. Which means I'm going to have to talk to him. And I'm just stupid!" She exclaimed.
"Uh hon, didn't you just spend the day with Tristan?" Lorelai asked confused.
"Yeah.."
"So why are you suddenly freaking out about the fact that you might have to talk to him at this party?" She asked.
"Because he kissed me!" Rory exclaimed.
"What?" Lorelai said surprised.
"Well I kissed him too. Well we kissed. It was a mutual kiss." She rambled.
"Ok.." Lorelai said smirking slightly, amused by her daughter's rambling.
Rory groaned and put her head in her hands. "I don't know what it meant. We kissed and he left, saying he would call. But he goes to Princeton and I go to Yale. It's not exactly practical. We'll be miles apart! And I just...I'm going to say something stupid tonight, I just know it. Urghhh...tell me what to do!" She begged.
Lorelai smiled. "Do you like him?" She asked.
"What?" Rory asked looking up.
"Do you like Tristan?" She asked softly.
"I..I think so." Rory admitted. "But..I'm worried."
"About the distance thing?" Lorelai asked.
"That and..." She said hesitating.
"And what?"
"Is it too soon after Logan?" She asked quietly.
"Oh hon, I thought you said you were over Logan? That you wanted to move on." Lorelai said sympathetically.
"I am. I do." Rory said quickly. "But I don't want Tristan to be a rebound. I don't want to lead him on if I just want someone to be with because I feel lonely."
"I don't think this is what this is." Lorelai said.
"How? How do you know that?" Rory asked.
"Because you smile every time you say his name." Lorelai smiled.
"I don't.." Rory tried to protest.
Lorelai laughed. "Yeah you do. I get your worries about the distance. Long distance relationships are hard." She said. "But I don't think you need to worry about Tristan being a rebound. I don't think he is."
Rory sighed. "I don't know what to do, mom."
"Aw hon, I can't tell you what to do. All I can suggest is to just talk to him. Tell him your worries. But if you both genuinely want this to work, you'll find a way." Lorelai smiled. "I mean, look at me and Luke. We've had so many ups and downs but we've made it through haven't we?"
Rory smiled. "Yeah you have."
"Maybe you and Tristan will be the same." Lorelai shrugged. "You won't know unless you try."
Rory took a deep breath. "I better go get ready. Grandma and Grandpa are picking me up soon." She said.
"Ok." Lorelai smiled.
"If you see April, can you tell her I'll catch up with her another time? Maybe she can come visit me at Yale or something?" Rory said.
"I'll tell her." She smiled.
"Thanks." Rory smiled disappearing off to her room.
Rory looked around nervously as she walked into the Dugrey house with her grandparents.
"Richard!" A voice boomed.
"Janlan!" Richard greeted the older man warmly. "Thank you for the invitation."
"I'm glad you could make it. Emily, it's nice to see you." Janlan smiled. "And you must be Rory. Tristan has mentioned you." He smiled warmly.
"He has?" Rory asked surprised, hoping her grandparents didn't think anything of it but thankfully they were distracted by a plate of canapes and drinks.
"A lot. You seem to have been a good influence on him." Janlan smiled. "He's around here somewhere. Feel free to go and find him if you like. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you." He smiled knowingly.
"Uh..ok thanks.." Rory said. She told her grandparents that she would be back and then headed off to look for Tristan. She sighed when she couldn't find him but suddenly she heard raised voices coming from the hallway behind the room where all the guests were gathering. She slowly slipped out and caught sight of Tristan and his father arguing.
"When will you stop acting like a spoilt child? You're a grown man now and I expect you to act like that. This is my party and I will not have you disgracing the family name and embarrassing me." His father was saying angrily.
"Ha! You're one to talk!" Tristan snapped just as angrily.
"What's that meant to mean?" His father narrowed his eyes.
"Nothing." Tristan snapped. "Forget it! I didn't want to come back for this anyway! You can't pretend we're a perfect family when we're not and I'm not going to play along with this charade anymore!" He snapped storming off.
"Tristan! Tristan don't you dare walk away from me!" His father exclaimed angrily.
Rory watched as his father took a deep breath before slowly turning and heading her way back to the party. She pretended to be admiring the painting on the wall as he passed and then quickly slipped into the hallway and headed in the direction Tristan had gone. She got to a staircase so she went up them. She heard music coming from a room at the end of the hallway. She slowly walked there and opened the door quietly. She found Tristan lying on his bed staring up at the ceiling. "So this is where Tristan DuGrey lives..." She said.
Tristan's head whipped round. "Rory.." He said surprised.
"Hi.." She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I wasn't meaning to intrude." She said quickly. "My grandparents were invited and then they invited me at the last minute and then I heard you arguing with your dad and followed you..." She rambled.
"Rory.." Tristan said with a slight smirk.
"Yeah?"
"It's cool." He said.
Rory gave him a small smile. "So this is what Tristan Dugrey's bedroom looks likes..." She said.
"Please stop saying my full name. It's unnerving." Tristan chuckled.
"Sorry." Rory smirked. She looked around. "This is so not what I would have expected." She said.
"Yeah? And what would you have expected?" He said amused.
"I don't know. Pictures of girls everywhere. Expensive stuff. A bible, seeing as you seem so fixated by Mary!" She joked.
Tristan chuckled. "Ouch! I'm wounded." He said.
"You'll live." Rory smirked. She then saw one poster that caught her eye. "PJ Harvey?" She asked surprised, raising her eyebrows at Tristan.
"She's a great musician." He defended.
"I agree but a few years ago you didn't even know she was a she." Rory teased.
"Yeah well I went to her concert." He shrugged.
"You did?" She asked surprised.
"Yeah. I'd bought the tickets and they were expensive so I figured I'd go anyway. I got into her music. I can see why you like her." He said.
Rory smirked. "Nothing surprises me anymore about you, Tristan." She teased.
Tristan chuckled. "So...this is a nice surprise. I've never had anyone at any of these parties that I actually want to talk to."
"Really?" She asked.
"Yep. They're all my father's boring colleagues." He said bitterly. "Paris comes sometimes but she never stays that long." He added.
"So me coming is a nice surprise?" Rory asked tentatively.
Tristan looked at her for a moment. "Yeah.." He said cautiously. "Why? Would you rather I thought it was a bad surprise?" He joked.
Rory laughed nervously. "No..I just..well I was a little nervous coming." She admitted.
"You were? Why?" He asked.
Rory raised her eyebrows. "You really need me to answer that?" She asked.
Tristan ran his hand through his hair. "No, I guess not." He admitted.
Rory sighed. "The kiss...it was...unexpected." She said.
"Yeah I know." He said. "I'm sorry I sort of sprung it on you like that." He smiled sheepishly.
"No you don't need to apologise. It was nice..uh..you springing it on me." She said, cringing as she said that. "Sorry, this is what I was worried about. I was nervous I'd say something stupid and it would be awkward and..." She sighed. "And I should stop talking now."
Tristan smirked. "Nah I think it was cute." He said.
Rory gave him a look. "I'm trying to be serious!" She said.
"So am I." He said.
"Tristan!"
"Rory!" He repeated.
"Look, I don't really know what to say or do. What I do know is that I enjoyed spending time with you today and the kiss was amazing..." She said.
"But?" Tristan sighed, knowing one was coming.
Rory sighed. "You go to Princeton. I go to Yale. We'll be miles apart. Long distance relationships are really hard to maintain." She said. She glanced up at him. "I just...I'm worried it won't work and we'll hurt each other."
Tristan nodded. "I get that, but isn't it worth a try?" He said. "I mean, we both want this...right?" He asked cautiously.
Rory glanced at him. "I..I think...yeah I think so." She nodded.
"Well then, if we both want it, we'll find a way to make it work. We've only got about a year a bit of college to go anyway. And we can see each other at weekends." He said. "Besides, how far is 141.7 miles anyway." He shrugged. He saw Rory staring at him. "What?"
"You looked up how many miles they were apart?" She asked.
"It was just a click on the computer." He waved it off.
"You looked it up." Rory smiled.
"It was nothing! It took like two seconds."
"You looked it up." Rory grinned.
"Yeah ok I looked it up! You happy now?" Tristan exclaimed.
Rory grinned and nodded. She then sighed. "You really think we can make it work?"
"Rory, you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this. I'm not going to mess it up now." He said.
Rory was shocked. "What?"
"Oh come on Rory, you know I've liked you since Chilton. Why do you think I was annoying you every day?" He said.
Rory smiled a little. "Yeah ok. Paris pointed that out to me too." She said. She looked up at Tristan. "You really have changed, haven't you?"
"Is that a good thing?" Tristan asked nervously.
Rory smiled and slowly went up to him and kissed him. "Does that answer your question?" She said.
Tristan smirked. "Yep."
Rory blushed. "I should get back down there. My grandparents will wonder where I am." She said.
"Yeah I should get back down there as well." He said reluctantly. "For my mom. She's put a lot of effort into this party so I guess I should make an appearance. For her."
Rory nodded. "You and your dad are really bad, aren't you?" She asked cautiously.
Tristan sighed. "It's a long story. I'll tell you about it one day, just not today." He said.
"Fair enough." Rory said.
"Tristan!" His father's booming voice came down the hallway.
"Speak of the devil..." Tristan groaned. "I better go. Wait a bit before you come down too. I don't want my father thinking anything. He'd make a scene."
"Ok." Rory said.
"Tristan!" His father shouted again.
"Geez! I'm coming!" Tristan snapped peeking his head round the door.
"Good. I want you down there and I want you to act properly." His father demanded.
"Yeah whatever." Tristan said bitterly.
"I mean it, Tristan."
"Yeah ok! I'll be right down." He exclaimed. He let out a deep breath and turned back to Rory. "So I guess I'll see you down there." He said.
Rory smiled. "I guess you will."
Tristan leant in and kissed her again. "Just incase we can't do that again tonight." He smirked.
Rory smirked. "Go on DuGrey, I'll meet you down there."
"In a bit, Mary." He smirked giving her a mock salute.
Rory laughed, watching him go. She let out a satisfied breath, waited about a minute and then headed back downstairs herself.
So I hoped you liked it! Sorry it was a bit Rory centric again but I promise not every chapter will be! Please review and let me know what you think! I really do appreciate it so thank you! :)
