A/N: SORRY! Please don't hate on me (my delicate girly feelings simply wouldn't survive it). I truly meant to update this earlier, and then I just... didn't. I'll use my crazy family as an excuse once again. I wish you all a very happy holidays and hope you all spent it with someone you love (and that you got awesomely bitchin' presents). I can't thank you enough for all those lovely reviews that only furthered my guilt. You guys just rocks my socks with all your amazing words.
Rhythm of love
"Hawaii baby" Stephanie screamed with excitement, as she, Rory, Logan, Robert and Colin stepped out of Robert's father's private jet. "This is going to be an amazing spring break!"
"Yeah a week with that voice, can't wait" Colin muttered and put on his sunglasses.
"What's wrong with him" Rory asked in a hushed tone.
Logan shrugged. "Probably that time of the month." He put an arm around her. "So, Hawaii… Excited?"
"Well, I have to study, but yeah, I guess." Honestly, Rory felt a little weird. Things between her and Logan had been shaky since Honor's wedding and the revelation of all those bridesmaids. In the end Rory had decided to stay with Logan, much to Lorelai's dismay and the two of them barely spoke anymore, which only seemed to further Rory's stress and aggrevation.
"Wow don't get too excited now" Logan teased, completely oblivious to her unhappiness.
After two days of doing nothing but sitting around the hotel pool, both Rory and Stephanie were getting restless. The boys seemed perfectly happy with the situation, however, as they spent the days drinking margaritas and looking at scantily clad bikini babes prancing around the pool.
"Rory, I've signed us up for a surf lesson" Stephanie announced as she joined the group at the pool.
"What? No! Why would you do that?"
"Because it's gonna be fun and we need to something that does not involve a) studying for some stupid test way out in the future" she yanked the book about game theory out of her hands, "or b) lying around the pool all day getting cancer."
"So we're going to go down to the beach and get cancer" Rory asked, trying to get her book back.
"Where's your sense of adventure?"
"I think I forgot to pack it. Bring Colin."
"Please, like I'd waste my time on something like that. Listen ladies, you don't need lessons to surf, you just do it!"
"That sounds like a bet" Stephanie said.
"Okay, we will prove to you that you don't need lessons" Logan said with a smile.
"And if we win, you have to serve us breakfast in bed for a month when we get back" Robert said.
"Fine. And when Rory and I win, you guys are gonna have to take us shopping. And cook us dinner for a week" Stephanie said.
"Stephanie" Rory said. She couldn't believe Stephanie was actually agreeing to this.
"What? Rory, we've already won, relax."
"Oh you are so on, Vanderbildt" Robert said. "To the beach!"
Logan had rented three surfboards, as the guys were eager to prove exactly how easy surfing actually was. They paddled out near a small group of other surfers and Rory was suddenly starting to worry; the waves weren't very big that day and there was a chance they might just succeed. She wasn't exactly looking forward to serving any of them breakfast in bed for a month.
"This is gonna be so awesome" Stephanie said with excitement clearly evident in her voice. "One of those fools are gonna get hurt! God I hope it's Robert!"
Colin was the first to try to catch a wave, at which he failed miserably. He couldn't get up properly and fell sideways into the water. Rory noticed that the other group of surfers (who were probably the only ones out there who actually had the right to call themselves surfers) had turned on their boards to observe the three stooges.
Logan was up next and he actually managed to catch a decent wave and get up on his board. He stood up and held up his hands in triumph when he fell backwards, causing the surfboard to catapult up in the air and crash into the other group of surfers.
Stephanie shook her head. "Can't that idiot do anything right?"
"Ouch, that looked pretty bad" Rory said and took another step out into the water. Robert had paddled over to where Logan was floundering in the waves and helped him into a resting position on his board. The other group of surfers seemed to break up, as two paddled over to help Robert with Logan and two started to paddle in towards the shore.
Colin joined them a few moments before the two surfers reached the beach a few yards away, one of them bleeding profusely from the nose and left eye.
Rory felt her throat close up and skin turn cold when she got a better look at the bleeding surfer. Of all the people in the world Logan could've hit with a surfboard it just had to be Finn, her holiday crush from two years ago. She unconsciously grabbed Stephanie's arm.
"Ow! Rory, what's wrong?"
Rory couldn't even get a word across her lips, as Finn was helped into a sitting position on the sand and the other surfer, a fiery red-haired girl started to look him over.
Logan was helped out of the water by one of the surfers, followed by a laughing Robert. "That was epic, man."
"Shut up, Robert" Logan snapped, bending over and coughing pretty bad.
The surfer who had helped him gave him a hard slap on the back and walked over to Finn. "How bad is it?"
"How bad does it look" Rory could hear Finn ask. He didn't exactly sound happy.
"Oh god that's a lot of blood" Colin suddenly said. "I really don't like blood…"
"Colin, are you okay" Rory asked, but before he could answer, he turned around and threw up. "Ew, Colin" Rory screamed, jumping away so she wouldn't get hit.
"Well, I think it's safe to say that we have won" Stephanie concluded and looked at the disaster unfolding around her. "Nice going, by the way" she said to Logan.
"Shut up. Obviously there's something wrong with the stupid board" Logan snapped.
"Obviously" Stephanie agreed with a smirk.
"Hey man, you ok" Robert asked, looking at Finn.
"You know, I was feeling pretty bad, but having you all standing around me and staring is really helping" Finn snarked and got up. "Now where is that…" He stopped, looking just as surprised as Rory felt, when he saw her.
Rory had the distinct feeling she looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She had often imagined what it would be like to meet Finn again (something her over-active imagination would torture her with on sleepless nights), but somehow, her boyfriend almost killing him with a surfboard in front of all their friends had never really been a scenario featured.
Finn opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. Rory couldn't remember him ever being awkward or at a loss for words, but right now, with blood smeared all over his face, he looked every bit as awkward and unsure as she felt.
"Come on, Finn, you need to have someone look at your nose" the red-haired surfer interrupted and took his hand.
Rory watched with big eyes as he followed her, still holding her hand, off the beach with his friends.
"Okay that was weird" Stephanie said and gave Rory a look.
"I think I'll just go home" Rory excused herself and pretty much fled the scene.
Rory had wandered in circles around the hotel, not daring to go in and face her friends (and boyfriend, her evil brain reminded her), but it was getting tiresome and she was hungry. She looked up at the sky that was darkening a little and noticed how late it actually was. The others must be worried, but she couldn't really bring herself to care. It wasn't like she had expected some silly slowmotion run towards each other if she were to ever meet Finn again, but a little more reaction than a spot on fish impression would have been nice.
She found a couple of bills in her pocket and figured she'd might as well get some fries or something, there was a nice diner just around the corner from the hotel. She ordered and sat down at a small table and found her trusty book in her bag, becoming completely engrossed in it. So much in fact, that she didn't notice her fries being served or someone sitting down at the table.
"You should eat these while they're warm." Rory looked up and saw Finn's friend Ryan sitting at the table, smiling at her. He had apparently eaten several of her fries already. "We didn't have a chance to say hi at the beach, so I figured I'd join you."
"How did you know where I was?"
He tapped the side of his head. "Psychic." Rory raised an eyebrow at that. "Or I just happened to stumble in here, in need of a burger and spot you. Either way works." Ryan took some more fries. "So, how've you been, American Girl?"
"Fine."
"Oh wow, that sounds really exciting, I can tell you lead a very interesting life…"
Rory had to smile at that. Just like Finn, Ryan had a disarming charm about him. "Not sure there's much to tell. I got into Yale."
"I thought you wanted to go to Harvard?"
Rory shrugged. "Plans change. But I like it. I met Logan, Stephanie, Colin and Robert there."
"Yes and what a charmer that Logan is. Finn wholly agrees, by the way."
"How is he?"
Ryan smirked. "Less than thrilled. He had to get his schnoz fixed and stiches as well. Definitely not a sight for sore eyes!"
"I'm really sorry."
"Oh was that you out there in a blond wig pretending to be a surfer?"
"No, actually that was my boyfriend."
"Your boyfriend? Wow, American Girl. I thought you hit rock bottom with Finn, but wow…"
"Hey be nice" Rory said with a smile. "Logan wanted to prove you don't need lessons to surf."
"You do however need skills. Of which he has none whatsoever."
"Will Finn be alright?"
"I think his ego took the biggest hit. And he has to stay out of the water for the rest of the trip."
"Now I feel even worse." Ryan gave her a smile and finished the rest of the fries. "How are you" she asked.
"Good. Got married last year."
"Really?"
He held up his hand, which was sporting a small wedding band. "Yup. Silly girl actually agreed."
"Congratulations."
"Thanks. I would've sent you an invite, but you never call, you never write…" Ryan shook his head. "You know, Finn was really down after you left. You should've given him your email or phone number or something."
"That wasn't the deal we made."
"So? You should come down to the beach and say hi tomorrow."
"I thought you said Finn wasn't allowed to surf."
"That's probably not gonna stop him." Ryan got up. "Thanks for the fries, American Girl. See you tomorrow."
Rory walked back to the hotel in a sort of daze. She wasn't really feeling like dealing with Logan, or Stephanie for that matter (she figured Colin and Robert probably couldn't care less). She met Stephanie outside the hotel, where she was apparently on her fifth cigarette. "Where have you been?"
"I just needed to clear my head."
"Why? What happened back there? And don't say it was the disgusting sight of Robert's pasty ass, because we've all seen that before."
"I know the guy Logan almost knocked out with the surfboard."
"Really?" Stephanie perked up at that and stepped on her cigarette. She dragged Rory over to a bench and sat them down. "From where?"
"You remember when I told you how I lost my virginity?"
"Yeah, it made me want to write a Harlequin novel" Stephanie gushed. "So romantic, with the damsel in distress and the hot lifeguard."
"I wasn't a damsel…. Never mind! The guy, the lifeguard, his name is Finn and he was the one Logan hit."
Stephanie opened her mouth in shock. "No way!"
"Yeah… I know a few of the people he was with at the beach. Just had a talk with one of them, Ryan."
"Oh my god, Rory. This is like…"
"Awful" Rory finished. "I don't want to see him!"
"Why not? I mean, underneath all that blood he looked kinda cute."
Rory shrugged. "It's weird! We had this thing when I was in Australia and then I went home and heard some pretty intense stuff about him."
"From who?"
"My grandmother."
"Emily Gilmore told you intense things about a lifeguard from Australia?" Stephanie tilted her head a little. "I have newfound respect for your grandmother."
"Ew, Steph… And no! I just think it's weird. I never thought I'd see him again and I was more than okay with that. What am I gonna tell Logan?"
Stephanie made a face. "I suppose it might be a bit weird if he knew you used to sleep with the guy. Maybe just tell him you had a sudden urge to walk around the city?"
"I don't like walking and Logan knows that."
"Right… Then I don't know."
Rory sighed and got up. She might as well get it over with. She and Steph parted in the hall and Rory entered the room she was sharing with Logan. He was sitting at the bar, with Colin and Robert, drinking. "Hey Ace" he greeted in the tone that was usually reserved for dealing with his father. "Had fun?"
"I just needed some air. Not a fan of blood. Or vomit" she said, hoping he would buy her lie.
"So you decided to stay away for three hours?"
"I felt embarrassed. I think I'm gonna stay with Steph tonight, if you're gonna be late" she said and slipped out the room with her bag before he could reply.
Stephanie's incessant snoring woke Rory up the next morning. For someone so feminine Stephanie snored with the worst of them. She looked at the clock; it was a little pass seven in the morning. Finn and his friends would probably already be on their way to the beach.
She rubbed her eyes. Should she go down there, maybe talk to Finn? Or she could just go for a walk, enjoy the morning? No one said she had to go down to the beach if she didn't want to. She could just go get some coffee and take in the sights. Yeah, she would do that, just get her coffee and walk around the city.
Somehow, what had started as a coffee run had ended with Rory standing at the beach, eyeing the surf. People were already milling around, most of them carrying boards and she suddenly noticed Finn's signature fire truck red one, planted firmly in the sand close to the water. She looked around, but there were too many people standing too far away for her to properly make out Finn's frame. He probably wasn't even here, Rory told herself. A million surfers could have a red board like the one she had seen in his apartment in Sydney all that time ago.
Without much thought she sat down on a bench, just enjoying her coffee and the early morning sun. She was just gonna make sure Finn was fine and then she would go back to the hotel and make amends with Logan and that would be it.
"Who are we spying on?"
"Steph! What are you doing here?"
"Following you. I knew you'd be unable to resist going down here for a peep" Stephanie told her, taking a sip of her own coffee. "So this is what regular people do?"
"What, surf?"
"Get up early." Stephanie wrinkled her nose. "I don't like it." She gave Rory a sideways glance. "So, where is he?"
Rory shrugged. "I can't see him, but I think that's his board. His friend, Ryan, told me yesterday that he's not allowed to go into the water, though."
"Was it that bad?"
"He broke his nose and had to get stitches. I should have Logan come down here and apologise, except…"
"Except that might just be a little weird, huh?" Rory nodded. "So why are you down here, anyways?"
She shrugged. "I guess I was just curious. We were together for like a week three years ago, but I really liked him. And seeing him again yesterday… I don't know, I guess I just… Wanted to see him."
"Okay that's fair enough. Just don't do something stupid because of what Logan did."
"I am completely over the whole… wedding thing."
"Yeah, obviously" Stephanie said with a raised eyebrow. "It's pretty clear to anyone you haven't really forgiven Logan for it. And trust me, Logan knows it too. It's killing him, Rory. Break up with him or get over it. This limbo thing isn't working for any of us."
"What do I do? I am so mad at him, still, but…"
"Also oh so in love?"
"Something like that?"
Stephanie leaned back in her seat. "You decide if you can live with the fact that he has behaved atrociously and move on or… You end it and go down to that hot surfer boy."
Rory followed Stephanie's head nod and saw Finn talking to some friends. "Guess it was his board after all" Stephanie said with a smile. "Wanna go say hi?"
"No!"
"Okay, so let's just sit here and spy creepily."
"We're not spying! We're having coffee."
"And spying."
"Steph! Stop!"
"You're a little creeper, Rory Gilmore" Stephanie continued to tease.
"I wouldn't even know what to say to him."
"Start with "hi", take it from there."
"I think it's a bad idea. I should probably just go." Rory emptied her coffee and stood up, forcing Stephanie to take drastic action.
"Hey hot surfer boy" she suddenly shouted, making almost all the surfers turn around. "Yeah you, in the green shorts, you who deflowered my friend Rory!"
Rory felt like she had been stunned and was forced to stand idly by as her (ex) friend embarrassed her beyond belief. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that several people where laughing and Finn was slowly walking towards them. "I am going to kill you" she hissed at Stephanie who just smirked back at her.
"I believe you called for me" Finn said, giving Stephanie a challenging look.
"I believe I did" Stephanie said. "Rory didn't get a chance to say hi yesterday."
Rory had a horrible feeling that she was long past blushing and now full on communist red in the face. "You're wet." Worst first words in the history of first words, she scolded herself.
"I'm aware" Finn said with a raised eyebrow.
"You're not supposed to be wet."
"Excuse me?" His expression was mirrored by Stephanie, who had remained silent since her embarrassing outburst, but looked somewhat worried now.
"You have stitches! You're not supposed to be surfing."
His good eyebrow frowned down at her. "Who are you, my keeper?"
"No, just… A concerned and responsible…"
"Stalker" he offered with a smirk.
"No!" She grimaced at him. "I was just walking by…."
"With your very loud friend, yes. I noticed. Now, if you only called me over here to scold me, I'll take my leave." He turned around and started to walk away.
With a hard glare from Stephanie, Rory piped up: "Wait, that's it?"
He stopped and turned to look at her. "What do you want, love?"
"I don't know, maybe something other than ignorance?"
"I'm here right now, acknowledging you, am I not?"
"Well…." She shuffled her feet a little. Somehow this had managed to only get more embarrassing and uncomfortable.
"Maybe you could go to breakfast and catch up" Stephanie suddenly suggested. It was physically painful for her to watch their exchange.
Finn gave Rory a look, but slowly nodded. "Yeah sure. I just need to finish up."
Rory stared after him for a few moments until she turned on Stephanie: "What the hell did you do that for?"
"Well you obviously weren't going to do anything yourself. That was almost painful to watch, Rory!" Rory was about to argue, but Stephanie cut her off: "Rory, you need this. And look, what can happen during breakfast? He probably already knows you eat like a rhino…."
"I do not eat like a rhino!"
"Oh you so do! Remember last week, when we went to McKellar's?"
"I hadn't eaten all day" Rory argued with a frown.
"Yeah okay whatever. Go to breakfast with him, talk, get it out of your system and figure out what you want to do with your life!"
"We are not friends anymore" Rory hissed at her, as Finn approached them again, this time wearing a tshirt as well, for which Rory was thankful; it made it easier for her to focus on their conversation.
"So, where are you two crazy kids off to" Stephanie asked with gleeful enthusiasm.
"There's a small diner down the street where we usually hang out" Finn said.
"Sounds fine" Rory muttered. She kinda wished Stephanie was coming with them suddenly.
"Well, Rory, call me later" and with that, Stephanie was off.
"Your taste in friends seems to have worsened" Finn commented as they started to walk down the street.
"I tend to agree with you."
"How are Paris, Louise and Madeline?"
"Fine, last I checked. I didn't really stay in touch with Louise and Madeline, though."
"Oh…"
"How are you?"
"Bit miffed about my nose. That really hurt. And don't think I don't know that twat is your boyfriend."
"He's not…. That." Rory frowned at Finn as he led her down a smaller street.
"Oh you have me completely convinced now" he muttered as he held the door to the diner for her. "What do you want?"
"Um pancakes and some bacon, I think" she said, browsing the selection.
"And you wonder why you're the fattest nation in the world" Finn said with a disbelieving shake of his head, but ordered it for her nonetheless. Rory clumsily started to fumble with her wallet, but he stopped her. "I got it."
"No, you don't have to, I know…" She stopped herself. Pointing out the fact that he was probably already quite strained financially, living off a lifeguard's salary, was perhaps not the best way to start their little breakfast meeting. "Thanks."
"So, how've you been" he asked as they were finally seated across from each other at a small table. The diner reminded Rory a little of Luke's (she hoped the food would be as good).
"Good. I'm a student at Yale now."
"Fancy."
"Yeah it's… It's pretty good, life is good."
"Then why do you sound so sad?"
"I don't sound sad, I'm just a little nervous."
"Is that so?" He scrunched his face at her. "I'll admit this is a little weird, but there's something more. Is it that twat Hogan?"
"Logan" Rory corrected. "I don't know if I should be talking to you about that, isn't it weird?"
"Why, because we used to sleep together? Love, if I stopped talking to women I'd slept with I'd be mighty bored in a matter of weeks."
"How charming. I see you haven't changed much."
"Leopard and spots or whatever the saying is. So, what's the problem?"
"He cheated on me. Only he didn't."
"Right…" Finn frowned a little. "No, scratch that. I'm confused."
"We had this really big fight and he thought we broke up while I just thought we were taking a break from each other to recuperate. And while I was at home, celebrating thanksgiving, he apparently slept with his sister's entire wedding party. Which I then had to discover when I met the sister's bridesmaids and they all thought it would be hilarious to tell me how they all slept with my boyfriend." It was oddly comforting to vent to Finn, who had such an uncomplicated look on life and was perhaps the most down to earth person she had met. Only his family managed to ruffle his feathers.
"Well… That sucks."
"Really? I tell you how my boyfriend cheated on me with an entire wedding party and all you have to say is "that sucks?" Really?" Rory suddenly had an uncontrollable urge to laugh. It was so ridiculous, really. Finn started to laugh with her and soon they were laughing full out at the complete ridiculousness of the whole situation.
"I don't think they've made a Hallmark card for that one yet, love."
She sighed as the elated feeling of giddiness left her entirely and she was once again a somewhat empty shell, locked in a completely miserable relationship she was unwilling and unable to end. "What should I do?"
He smiled sadly at her. "I don't know, love. What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. That's the problem. I feel conflicted between hitting him and kissing him."
"Well, if this helps, I'm going to break his nose the next time I see him!"
"What? No! Why would you do that?"
"Because he's a twat and he deserves it!"
"Finn" she pleaded. "Don't do something stupid. Logan is not the right person to get into a fight with."
Finn shrugged and stole some of her bacon. "Like I care what his last name is."
"You checked up on my boyfriend?"
"Had to know who the competition was."
"Logan is not competition" Rory said.
"Is that so?" He suddenly smiled widely. "That means I can just sweep you off your feet right now and we can go back to my room and…"
"I mean he's not competition because you're not competing for my affection."
"Are you sure about that, love?"
"Yes" she dismissed him. "Now stop stealing my bacon."
He leaned back in his chair. "So what now, love? We part our ways and you go back to Hogan?"
"Logan" she corrected again. "I don't know. I don't really feel like spending time with him right now. I think I'll just go shopping with Steph."
"You should come down to the beach with me. I'll give you a proper surf lesson, so you at least won't murder anyone." Rory scrunched her nose. "Come on, I'll be fun, I promise. Your loud friend can come as well."
"Fine, but only if Stephanie agrees to come as well."
"Okay, I'll paddle you out and help you get up" Finn instructed Rory, after she and Stephanie (who had practically drooled at the prospect of being near hot surfers) had suffered through instructions on how to jump onto a board. Rory was pretty sure this was not part of the actual learning experience and that Finn just wanted to laugh at her, while she jumped up and down on a board on the sand.
He padded the part of the board in front of him. "I'm not getting on that" Rory protested.
"Come on love, it'll be just like old times."
"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of" Rory muttered, but still followed him into the water. She noticed Stephanie was already being paddled out to sea by a guy Rory didn't recognize. Reluctantly she got on the board and let Finn paddle them out as well.
"So, you just get up when we catch a wave" he instructed.
"But… There are sharks in the water, what if I fall off? I'll get eaten."
"Best stay on the board then" he grinned before pushing them forward.
"That was amazing" Stephanie breathed as she collapsed next to Rory on the sand. "I can definitely understand why people like surfing."
"You were pretty good" Rory said. She herself had been miserably bad at surfing and in the end Finn had taken pity on her and paddled them back in.
"Pretty good" Stephanie echoed. "I was a fucking rock star out there. Where's your boytoy?"
"Steph" Rory warned. "He wanted to surf a little himself." Truth be told she had been relieved when he had dropped her off and charged into the water again without her.
"Sooooo…. Who's it gonna be?"
"It's not a competition." Stephanie lifted an eyebrow at her. "I think…. I think Logan and I need a break."
"I agree" Stephanie said, lying down in the sand. "How are you gonna tell him? And more importantly, when?"
"I feel like I should do it now, but I don't want to ruin everyone's holiday."
"And Finn?"
"What about him?"
"Rory, it's a second chance. Are you gonna take it?"
"I don't know."
"Tom said they're going out tonight. He invited me along."
"Who's Tom?"
Stephanie looked around at the surfers milling around in and out of the water. "Uh… I think he's erm… Over there?"
"You have no idea who he is, do you?"
"No idea" Stephanie confirmed. "But it doesn't matter either. Cause we're going and we're gonna have a good time and you're gonna get drunk and let loose."
"No, I'm gonna be responsible and make sure you don't drown."
"Rory, seriously! You act like you're seventy! Live a little, please!"
Rory just sighed and watched as Finn did a backflip into the water from his board.
"What did you tell the guys?"
"That we were sick of them and that it's that time of the month" Stephanie said, yanking another dress from her closet and holding it up in front of Rory. "This one?"
"No! Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Yes! How about this one?"
"I hate yellow"
"No you don't!"
"Yes I do, I'll look like Big Bird."
"Fine, be difficult. This one or you're going in your bikini!" Stephanie pushed the dress into Rory's arms and shoved her into the bathroom. "Why do you even care how you look?"
"I don't" Rory muttered from the bathroom. "I just don't want to look ridiculous or overdressed."
"Yeah, sure… You'll need to wear flats, the party is on the beach, but I think we can make it work either way." Stephanie reappeared in the doorway to the bathroom in a dress so small it might as well be a tablecloth. "How do I look?"
"Not overdressed" Rory said, eyeing Stephanie's chest. She had a feeling those babies might make a break for it sometime later in the evening.
"Awesome! I'm definitely hooking up with a surfer tonight. Now I just need a firefighter and a Mountie and my list is complete."
"A Mountie?" Rory scrunched her nose and held up her hand. "No, on second thought, I don't want to know."
"Suit yourself, Blanche. Now, come on, we're gonna be late.
"I don't think there's a time limit on a party on the beach" Rory said as Stephanie pulled her out of the room.
"Wow there is really a lot of people here" Stephanie said as they pushed their way through the crowd.
Rory however, having spent New Years in the streets of Sydney, had been more prepared for what a surfer party entailed. "The booze is over there" she pointed.
Stephanie raised her eyebrows. "Well, look at you, Rory Gilmore, woman of the world. Let's get a drink and then we are definitely dancing."
"We are definitely not" Rory muttered but followed her friend anyways, trying to discreetly scour the place for any sign of Finn.
Stephanie handed Rory a red cup and took a sip of her own as well. "It's kinda weird not knowing anyone."
"Yeah" Rory agreed. She was just about to suggest to Stephanie that they could still catch a movie and make it an early night when Finn and Ryan popped up out of nowhere.
"Figured we'd find you where the booze is. Are you being responsible with the pretty pink drinks" Finn asked with a grin.
Rory blushed a little. "I thought we agreed to never talk about that?"
"We did?" Finn cocked his head to the side. "I think that's something you dreamed up when I was carrying you to the taxi."
"Uh that sounds like a really good story" Stephanie gushed. "Tell me more."
"Yeah, like, did he have a car" Ryan sang.
"Big Grease fans, I take it" Rory said.
"Oh the biggest" Finn said. "If I had a dollar for every time I was asked to perform my heart wrenching rendition of Hopelessly Devoted to You…"
"You'd owe us money" Ryan finished for him. "American Girl, it was nice to see you. Try to be responsible with the pink drinks, eh? I'll see you later."
"Seriously, you told everyone" Rory asked, smacking Finn on the arm as he laughed.
"It was just such a good story and I don't remember any of those with me as the drunken star."
"For someone who spent their day saving lives, you're really immature" Rory muttered.
"Yeah, I need a little balance in my life, it can't all be life and death savings of American high schoolers."
"I was hardly in any danger" Rory scoffed.
"Please, five more minutes and you'd have been well on your way to New Zealand."
"You two are so cute together" Stephanie gushed.
"So, pretty ladies, what's on the agenda this lovely evening?"
"Well, Stephanie here wants to get really drunk" Rory said. "And I plan on leaving early."
"You'll do no such thing" Stephanie said. "Finn, I trust you'll make her loosen up a little bit."
"Where are you going" Rory asked.
"I think I saw that Tom guy over there and well…" She smirked a little. "I think we need to be reintroduced." With a wink and a wave Stephanie practically pranced over to a blond guy.
"I think I really like her."
"You would, she's practically the female version of you" Rory said. "How's the nose?"
"Broken, but I'm making it look good. And it's hardly the first time this has happened. I'll survive."
"Can I ask you something?"
"It is something dirty" he asked with a smirk.
"How can you afford to be here?"
"How can you?"
Rory blushed a little. "Logan's paying."
"Thought as much. I won the lottery."
"You did?"
"My god you're gullible" he laughed. "Of course I didn't. I had my trustfund reinstated two years ago."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Had a nice long visit from my mother after you left."
"Oh… So you're talking now?"
Finn grabbed a beer of a table next to them. "Yeah it was part of the deal. And I have to go home at least one time each month and prove I'm not binge drinking again, which is certainly fun for all parts involved."
"So why do you do it?"
"My sister got pregnant and I figured I wanted to be in my niece or nephew's life and this was the only way to do it."
"But, you're still a lifeguard, right?"
"I'm a paramedic now, actually." He smirked a little. "You know, when you make that "oh my god I'm so surprised" face, it's really offending."
"Sorry. I guess I forgot you were training to become one."
"So let's get reacquainted" he suggested. "We may only have this night."
"I don't know if that's such a good idea" Rory said.
"That's just the sober Rory talking. Here" Finn handed her another cup. "Drink this, and this" another cup was handed to her, "and let's be merry and gay."
"I don't know, I think Steph's got that part covered." Rory tilted her head in the direction of Stephanie, who was currently dancing on a table.
"She's a very… animated person, that one" Finn said with a smile. "How did you two meet?"
"Through Logan. The first time I met Stephanie she was completely drunk, wearing a ball gown and a gorilla mask."
"What an interesting combination. Not enough people wear gorilla masks in my opinion. Or ball gowns, for that matter."
Rory had to smile. She had forgotten how easy going Finn was. It just made all her problems with Logan seem that much bigger. It was like they both tried to hard to be something that they weren't; Rory tried to be more relaxed and spontaneous, going along with the crazy things Logan came up with and not thinking too hard about the consequences, and Logan tried to be more structured and a proper boyfriend. Somehow, they had both failed miserably. "I missed this."
"And that's not just the beer talking?"
"No I… I missed being that person. I've changed a lot since then."
Finn took a deep breath. "I think you think that you've changed, but deep down, you're still the same American Girl I plucked out of the water all those years ago."
"It was four years ago, Finn" Rory reminded him with a small smile.
"Lifetimes away. You shouldn't try so hard to be someone that you're not, especially if you're doing it for Hogan's sake."
"Logan! And I'm not. At least, I don't think I am. People grow up."
"Yeah, but somehow that seems to have missed your friends. Take that fine specimen up there." He pointed at Stephanie. "She's probably a really nice girl, but she'll never accomplish anything more than popping out a few kids and seducing a twenty something pool boy. Your boyfriend Logan? He'll party till he drops, have his father bail him out and then party some more. He's never gonna grow up and take responsibility, and he'll never have to. He'll be a fifty something party boy. And Tweedledee and Tweedledum? They'll forever be stuck in sidekick limbo."
"What about you?"
"I'll suffer the horrible faith thrust upon all those with a trustfund."
"And to those without one, an explanation would be nice."
"You don't have a trustfund? I'm mortified! Mortified and appalled…. Mortified, appaled and aghast…"
"And now you're just citing synonyms" Rory interrupted.
"It means I'll be stuck forever with my horrid family, because in the end, I'll always need to be bailed out as well. Not a pretty character trait, I'll admit."
"I thought you were doing well on your own?"
"I was surviving on my own, but that's not the same as doing well. Rory, don't let some hopeless guy with daddy issues the size of the state debt rope you into his twisted world. I'm not saying you should give up on all the pretty trustfund babies, but…. You can do better" Finn told her honestly.
Rory felt her already doused mood sour further. "I don't think you're one to give me advice."
"Oh just because I can't live it myself doesn't mean I'm not right. And I think you know that. So, for tonight, let's have fun. I'll help you forget about your troubles with Logan and you'll help me forget that my mother paid for this little excursion."
"I'm not sure it works like that."
Finn handed her another drink. "We'll make it work!"
Seven drinks later Rory found herself rolling around in the sand, laughing. Finn had tried to climb a tree, only to fall down almost immediately and hit his left butt cheek rather harshly (his words).
"You're the silliest person I know" Rory slurred, as he staggered toward her.
"As long as I am also the hottest, I am strangely okay with that" he said. "Now, miss Gilmore, I do believe you promised me a dance!"
"I did no such thing" Rory gasped, emptying her beer. "You promised me a dance!"
"Indeed I did" Finn said, suddenly jumping up and ripping off his shirts, making Rory squeal with laughter. "Oh you like this, don't you? I'm sexy" he slurred in an outrageous Scottish accent.
Wobbly Rory got up. "The sexiest" she agreed.
"Much better than an albino newspaper pusher!" He grabbed her suddenly, humming a tune she couldn't remember. "I think you should dance with me."
Rory was instantly aware of their close proximity. "I…" The mention of Logan had dampened her mood again and suddenly the alcohol only seemed to further her depressed state of mind. The atmosphere around them seemed completely changed suddenly and a tear slid down her cheek. Finn gently swept it away as they swayed slowly to the tune he was humming.
"I'll pay you back."
"No you won't."
"I will, Stephanie I swear!"
"Rory, you already live like on the minimum of existence as it is. Let me treat you! All I want as payment is the story of how your night went."
Rory sighed and buckled her belt as the plane started its way down the runway. "Nothing happened."
"Oh yeah and Robert just passed the bar! Bullshit, Gilmore. You came back at eight in the morning, stumbled into your room, broke up with Logan and left without even packing your things! Something happened."
"Nope."
"You left all your things in the hotelroom."
"I can get new things."
"And you begged me to get you off this island, which I happily did. So just tell me, I won't judge. Did you sleep with him?"
"No we just… I don't know, I think it was closure."
"I hate that word." Rory shrugged a little. "So, it's like definitively over between you and Logan?"
"Yeah, I think so. We're just not right for each other."
"And you're okay with that?"
Rory thought back to last night and what had been said and done. "Yeah, I am." She smiled at Stephanie. "I really appreciate this."
Stephanie smiled back and settled in her seat as Rory started to go through the back she had brought with her as the only thing from the hotelroom. "What's that song?"
"What song?"
"The one that you're humming?"
"Oh…" Rory blushed a little. "Just something I heard somewhere, I guess… I'm really glad we went to Hawaii."