Disclaimer:  I do not own the characters in this story. The characters belong to the writers of Gilmore Girls, the WB and its affiliates.

 

Story Summary:  Rory and Tristan’s problems have just begun.

 

 

INT: CHILTON-DAY

 

Rory is standing by Tristan’s locker waiting for him. Paris comes around the corner.

 

PARIS: You two must share a brain.

 

RORY: It’s nice to see you too Paris.

 

PARIS: I’m only here because my locker is…what’s your excuse?

 

RORY: My excuse…is my business.

 

PARIS: God I hope I’m there when you find out.

 

RORY: Find out what?

 

PARIS: You’ll see…by the way…Tristan is out in front of the school if you really need to talk to him.

 

RORY: You’re being nice…what’s the catch?

 

PARIS: No catch.

 

Paris grabs a book out of her locker and shuts it.

 

PARIS: (cont.) See you in English.

 

RORY: Sure.

 

Paris leaves and Rory starts walking to the front of the building in search of Tristan. Now that she has made her decision she can’t wait to share it with Tristan. Rory exits through the schools front doors and begins looking around for Tristan. She doesn’t see him anywhere and begins walking around the side of the building. As she rounds the building she sees him…talking to the new girl Cassidy. Cassidy is leaning up against a tree and Tristan is leaning in towards her using his one hand to prop himself against the tree. Before Rory can process what she thinks she sees…things go from bad to worse.

 

Tristan leans in and kisses Cassidy. Rory stands there dumbfounded for a few seconds before she can collect her thoughts. As Tristan continues kissing Cassidy…Rory turns and runs back into the building.

 

INT: ENGLISH CLASS-DAY

 

Rory is sitting at her desk…with a sick feeling consuming her when Tristan walks into class with his arm around Cassidy. His first reaction when he sees Rory is to immediately remove his arm. But the damage is already done. Rory is heartsick.

 

Tristan has to walk by Rory to get to his desk…and unfortunately for Rory, Cassidy’s seat is right next to hers. As Cassidy sits down Rory tries to look busy…but to no avail.

 

CASSIDY: Hi…I’m Cassidy.

 

RORY: Hi.

 

CASSIDY: Don’t you have a name?

 

RORY: Rory.

 

CASSIDY: Well Rory…it’s nice to meet you.

 

RORY: Thanks.

 

CASSIDY: I don’t know very many people yet, being new and all.

 

RORY: I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.

 

CASSIDY: I’m definitely off to a good start. My second day here and I’ve already got a boyfriend.

 

RORY: A what?!

 

CASSIDY: Boyfriend silly.

 

RORY: Tristan is your boyfriend? How is that possible?

 

CASSIDY: I know…it’s like this unbelievably romantic story. Do you want to hear it?

 

RORY: More than you could possibly know.

 

Rory turns around to give Tristan the evil eye. Tristan looks understandably guilty.

 

CASSIDY: He swept me right off my feet. He came up to me in the hall and told me that he had never been so intensely attracted to anyone in his whole entire life. Normally I would be less than impressed with a corny line like that…but God…I just looked into his eyes and melted. I mean wouldn’t you? Look at him.

 

Mr. Medina walks in to start the class. Cassidy turns around and smiles at Tristan. Tristan smiles back but it is obvious that he feels very uncomfortable. As Rory watches Cassidy making eyes at Tristan she can no longer stand it and raises her hand.

 

MR. MEDINA: Yes Rory?

 

RORY: Could I please be excused to use the restroom?

 

MR. MEDINA: You know the drill. Take the pass and keep it under 15 minutes.

 

Rory gets up grabs her books, backpack and the hall pass and hurries out the door. When she is far enough away from the class she opens up her back pack and gets out her cell phone. She dials her mother.

 

RORY/LORELAI: INTERCUT

LORELAI: (sing songy) Lorelai at your service.

 

RORY: Mom…its Rory.

 

LORELAI: Hey sweets…what can big mama do for you?

 

RORY: Please come and get me.

 

LORELAI: Come and get you? Where are you?

 

RORY: At school. Please come get me.

 

LORELAI: Rory…hon…if I could I would. But that big convention is in town today. I can’t get away until after 5pm.

 

Rory starts openly crying.

 

LORELAI: Sweetie? Are you crying?

 

RORY: (sobbing) I hate him.

 

LORELAI: I’m going to assume you are talking about Tristan.

 

RORY: Yes. I should have just stuck with my instincts.

 

LORELAI: All right. Can you tell mom what happened?

 

RORY: He has a girlfriend.

 

LORELAI: Explain?

 

RORY: I can’t. There is zero explanation for it. I was gone one freaking day.

 

LORELAI: Obviously he’s just doing this to upset you.

 

RORY: It’s working. He didn’t even acknowledge me in English. And get this…his girlfriend Cassidy…she sits right next to me.

 

LORELAI: This would definitely be what they call a bad day. I’ll tell you what…we can do pizza tonight and watch really bad old movies. That will cheer you up.

 

RORY: I can’t.

 

LORELAI: Sure you can…it will soothe your instinct to commit homicide…or double homicide…if you’re feeling particularly nasty.

 

RORY: I’m going out with Dean tonight…remember?

 

LORELAI: Actually…I had forgotten. I think this bad day just reached *catastrophic* levels. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be such a good time to cut Dean loose.

 

RORY: I’m not going to.

 

LORELAI: You aren’t considering staying with Dean are you?

 

RORY: I’m definitely rethinking my decision. I mean maybe I acted a little too hasty…and let Tristan cloud my thinking.

 

LORELAI: You need to be fair to Dean Rory. You were ready to leave him before this…Tristan getting him self a plaything shouldn’t alter your previous decision making process.

 

RORY: So you’re saying I should break up with Dean?

 

LORELAI: I’m saying…don’t keep Dean just to piss off Tristan.

 

RORY: Tristan could care less what I do.

 

LORELAI: Have you told him yet that you were going to say goodbye to Dean?  

 

RORY: No of course not. He’s made it perfectly clear that he’s moving on.

 

LORELAI: Why couldn’t you have just inherited my good looks…why did you have to get my stubbornness too?

 

RORY: Just lucky I guess.

 

LORELAI: I’ve got to go honey…Sookie and Michel are well being Sookie and Michel. You understand.

 

RORY: See ya at home.

 

Rory hangs up her phone, wipes her tears and heads back to her English class.

 

INT: INDEPENDENCE INN: KITCHEN-DAY

 

Lorelai walks into the kitchen where Sookie and Michel are at each other’s throats.

 

SOOKIE: If you don’t back up little French man…I will call Jackson. Do you want that? Huh? Do ya?

 

MICHEL: You are not only a pathetic cook…you are just…mean!

 

SOOKIE: Pathetic cook? Now you’re asking for it.

 

Sookie starts to lunge for Michel and Lorelai steps in the middle.

 

LORELAI: Whoa…whoa…whoa…whoa…whoa. What’s going on here?

 

SOOKIE: He put curry in my French onion soup.

 

MICHEL: It needed it.

 

SOOKIE: How would you know?

 

MICHEL: I am French…who better?

 

LORELAI: Michel…how many times do I have to tell you…no touchie the dishes?

 

MICHEL: I was doing you a favor.

 

LORELAI: Me? How?

 

MICHEL: By giving her cooking the *oomph* it lacks.

 

SOOKIE: That’s it. You better have 911 on your speed dial. (pushes one button on her cell phone) because I have Jackson on mine.

 

LORELAI: Run Michel…get out while you can.

 

MICHEL: I am not afraid of the big brutish man.

 

LORELAI: You know I’ve been meaning to tell you Michel…your insurance doesn’t cover dismemberment.

 

MICHEL: Do you hear that?  I think I hear the phone ringing up front.

 

Michel exits the kitchen and Lorelai and Sookie bust up laughing.

 

LORELAI: You should probably give Jackson a call and let him know it was a false alarm.

 

SOOKIE: I didn’t call Jackson.

 

LORELAI:  Then who?

 

SOOKIE: Wilber’s Donuts.

 

LORELAI: You have the donut place on your speed dial?

 

SOOKIE: Yeah…you know in case of a donut emergency.

 

LORELAI: Right. Sookie logic.

 

INT: DENTENTION ROOM-DAY

 

Rory walks into detention and finds the room empty except for the detention monitor. She takes a seat, opens her book and begins to read. As Rory is reading she shuts out the world around her and tries to get into her story…until he enters the room behind a couple of other students. Rory feels his presence before she actually sees him. The hair on the back of her neck begins to tingle causing her to look up. Tristan and Rory’s eyes lock and for a moment she is taken back to that place…that time when it all seemed to be coming together. Tristan hesitates before heading towards Rory and taking the seat behind her.

 

DETENTION MONITOR: Did everyone sign in?

 

Everyone in class acknowledges that they did.

 

DETENTION MONITOR: Okay…well you all know the rules. Stay in your seats and no leaving the class room.  I will be back in a half-hour to dismiss you.

 

The monitor leaves the room and everyone in class starts talking to each other…except for Tristan and Rory. Rory continues to read her book and Tristan starts playing with her hair. Irritated Rory turns around.

 

RORY: Could you maybe not do that?

 

TRISTAN: Why? Is this bothering you?

 

RORY: Yes…so quit it.

 

Rory turns back around and Tristan starts playing with her hair again. Rory turns back around completely annoyed.

 

RORY: What are you like two?

 

TRISTAN: Sue me…I like the way your hair feels when I run it through my fingers.

 

RORY: Yeah…well that makes one of us.

 

TRISTAN: Come on…you know you like it too.

 

RORY: Could you be a bigger jerk? Is that possible?

 

TRISTAN: You’re going to need to clarify that for me.

 

RORY: Okay…how about this?…I don’t think your girlfriend would like you playing with mine or any other girls’ hair.

 

TRISTAN: You are so jealous!

 

RORY: Please…of Cassidy? Hardly. If anything I feel sorry for her.

 

TRISTAN: Sorry for her? Not likely. You wish you could be in her place. It’s eating you up inside…watching her with me.

 

RORY: Is that what you were hoping? Well I’m sorry to disappoint you…but I’m perfectly happy with the loyal boyfriend I’ve got.

 

TRISTAN: And I’m perfectly happy with the stunning girlfriend that I’ve got.

 

RORY: Perfect.

 

TRISTAN: I know you’re lying.

 

RORY: Without proof your case is dead in the water.

 

TRISTAN: Is that a challenge?

 

Tristan moves his hand around the back of Rory’s neck like he has done so many times in the past. As he leans closer to her Rory takes his hand and moves it away from her neck.

 

RORY: It’s not going to work this time Tristan.

 

TRISTAN: Yeah…why should it. Nothings changed.

 

RORY: No…it’s not going to work because everything’s changed.

 

TRISTAN: Did you really think I was going to wait forever?

 

RORY: No of course not…you couldn’t even wait one day.

 

TRISTAN: Didn’t seem to be any point. I mean you made your position perfectly clear.  

 

RORY: Yeah…I guess I did. I hope you and Cassidy are happy together.

 

TRISTAN: Yeah and I hope you and Dean break up.

 

Detention monitor walks in and excuses the class. Rory packs up her book and starts to head out of the class. Tristan stops her.

 

TRISTAN: Hey…did you need a ride to your grandparents?

 

RORY: No. Dean is picking me up. I’m going back to Stars Hollow tonight.

 

Rory walks away and Tristan follows her…subjecting himself to seeing Rory and Dean together again in hopes of erasing her once and for all from his mind. As Rory walks out the front door Dean moves away from his truck to greet her and Rory gives him a kiss…one filled with more passion than Rory has shown Dean in quite a long time. Dean is pleasantly surprised and ushers Rory into his truck. Tristan stands in the alcove of the school watching the one girl who truly has his heart drive away.