Rory tapped her foot impatiently as she surveyed the room that she was in. She sat in a
dark brown leather chair that was becoming extremely uncomfortable. Rory’s eyes darted
nervously across the various paintings and degrees hanging on the dark wood walls. The
thumps of her footfalls were muffled by the thick maroon carpet. Rory’s hands gripped
and ungripped the arm rests of the chair nervously. Rory’s eyes moved to the desk on
which a file was laid. She leaned forward and spotted that her name was on the label.

*What am I doing here? My grades are fine. I haven’t done anything wrong... that I know
of. I don’t think that Paris would hate me so much to go as far as lying to get me in
trouble... well maybe she would... but no. So why am I here... sitting in a guidance
counselor’s office whose guidance I do not need?*

Rory watched the minutes tick by on her watch. She had already been sitting in the room
alone for fifteen minutes. If they were trying to intimidate her... it was working. Rory
gripped the armrest again when she saw her hand shaking. Rory turned her head around
when she heard the door click open behind her. The artificial light of the hallway flooded
into the dark room, giving it an eerie glow. A stiff figure stood silhouetted in the doorway.

“Good afternoon Miss Gilmore.” A female voiced spoke from the doorway. It was stern
and held a cold aloofness in its tone. The figure moved from the door to the desk. Rory
acknowledged the greeting with a simple nod of her head. She was too terrified to speak.
“I am Mrs. Tate and I’m your guidance counselor.” She took her seat behind the large oak
desk and looked Rory over appreciatively. She had heard a lot about this student, almost
all of it good. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

Rory’s mouth was dry, but she was able to form words to answer the question. “That’s all
right.” Rory’s eyes shied nervously away from Mrs. Tate’s stare. That action made the
older woman smile. She was use to students coming into her office acting like they were
the figure of authority and not her. She smiled at Rory not because she had instilled a fear
in her, but because the look gave away Rory’s childlike innocence and respect from adults.
Mrs. Tate surpressed a giggle by biting her bottom lip. She saw the terrified look in Rory’s
eyes and in her nervous actions. She decided to break the ice.

“Do you have any idea why you’re here?” Rory’s head lifted up when she heard the voice.
Gone was the coldness and the domination. The tone was now amused and playful.

“No ma’am.” Rory’s voice was shaky, but she was more confused now then terrified. The
woman in front of her had just pulled an emotional 180.

“You don’t have to worry Rory. You’re not in trouble.” Rory let out a sigh at the new
information. “However dear, I do have to talk to you about something.”

“I kind of guessed that.” Rory but her bottom lip when she realized the attitude at which
her last comment came out with. Mrs. Tate just laughed it off as she picked up Rory’s file
and leaned back in her chair.

“I like you Rory. I’m sorry I scared you when I first came in. Monday’s are not good for
me, especially when a testing board decides that Chilton and all it’s students no longer
exist. But that’s not important right now. What is important in you. So let’s get to
business.” Rory nodded in understanding. Mrs.’ Tate’s eyes scanned over Rory’s file.
“Your grades are great as are your teacher recommendations. And I see that you have
participated in every required Chilton activity.” Rory saw how the word required was
stressed and she was almost able to guess what this meeting was about. Her suspicion was
correct when Mrs. Tate spoke again. “However.... you are lacking extra-curricular
activities.”

“I just haven’t found anything that suits me yet.” Rory’s foot stopped tapping as she
rubbed it against her other ankle.

“That is why I’m here dear. Together I’m sure that we can find something that you’ll like.
So what do you enjoy?”

Rory rubbed her forehead with her hand before pushing back her hair. “Well I love books
and I’m so in love with coffee that I should have it on an IV”

“So if we had a cappuccino club or a Fiction Fanclub we’d be ok. However, we don’t/
So.... we’ll just have to think.”

Mrs. Tate stood up from her chair and walked to a file cabinet. She opened a drawer and
pulled out a very thick file before sitting down again.

“What’s that?” Rory asked.

“This is a listing of all the clubs that you, as a junior, can join.”

“Oh.” Rory leaned back in her chair stunned. “That is a rather thick file.”

“That it is.” Mrs. Tate held the folder about a foot above her desk’s surface before letting
it drop with a loud thud. “I normally judge my work load by the loudness of the bang.
Let’s se... first group I randomly turn to....” Mrs. Tate opened the file to a random spot.”
Glee club... you interested?”

Rory shook her head with disgust. “I couldn’t carry a tune if I placed it in a bucket. Is
there a reason that you just randomly pick a spot?”

“Yeah. That way the beginning alphabet groups don’t get more participants than another.”
She flipped to another random page. “Photography club?”

“No. I don’t I have the patience to play with things in the dark.”

“Ok then.... I know that you might want a career in journalism so why not help out at the
school paper?”

Rory sighed in dismay. “As much as I would love to, the editor and I don’t get along and
I’d rather not put myself through hell. But I have spoken to the advisor, and he says that I
can submit a couple of freelance pieces if I want.”

“That’s good... but you still need more.” Rory’s shoulder’s slumped when she noticed that
she wasn’t off the hook yet. “How about science club?”

“Chemicals scare me. The only liquids I mess around with are beverages and bath oils.”

Ten minutes later Rory had found an excuse for every groups that was thrown at her. With
each rejection Mrs. Tate became more and more frustrated.

“Drama... website..... technology..... art... yearbook?” Rory turned down each suggestion
with a firm no. “Ok Rory. I’ll make a deal with you, Since you need a group I’m going to
close my eyes and pick a page. You either join that club or the newspaper full time. You
got that?”

“Yes.”

“Good.... here it goes.” Mrs. Tate closed her eyes and picked a page. She smiled when she
opened her eyes and read the words before her. “Quiz team.”

Rory’s face held a perplexed expression. “What’s that?”

“Think jeopardy. Except you don’t pick a category and there’s no money involved.” Rory
nodded her head as she thought her choices over.

*Hmmmm.... something new and scary. Or pissy looks from Paris all year. That’s not to
hard of a decision.*

“Where do I sign up?” Mrs. Tate cleared her throat nervously when she heard Rory’s
inquiry.

“You have to try out.” Rory’s eyes opened wide.

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry. With your knowledge I’m sure you’ll do fine. Try-outs are tomorrow after
school.”

“Ok... can I go now?” Rory picked up her bag.

“Sure thing. But if by some very odd reason you do not make the team... we’re cracking
open my massive file-o-stuff and doing this again.” Rory thanked her and headed out the
door. Mrs. Tate smiled when it clicked shut. She was going to enjoy watching things with
Rory pan out.

***

Rory dropped her backpack as she took a seat in the empty classroom. Set up on the desk
in the front of the room were ten lights that were connected to buzzers. All the individual
buzzers were connected to a large box that controlled everything. Rory stared at the
system for a few minutes before curiosity overcame her. She pulled herself up from the
chair and slowly made her way to the front of the room. Her hand grazed over a light
before gripping a buzzer that was connected to it.

Rory closed her eyes and found herself floating into a daydream,. Her thumb rubbed
against the red button on the top of the buzzer, but she did not press it. Rory dreamed that
she was standing behind a Jeopardy podium zipping out the right answers to any question
that Alex Trebec threw at her.

*European History... no problem. Biology...piece of cake. British Monarchy... haha.. I
laugh in the face of the easiness.*

Rory saw herself wearing the classic Harvard sweatshirt with a commanding lead over her
two opponents. The crowd was cheering for her and she was soaking it all in.

Rory was so deep in her daydream that she didn’t notice Tristan as he leaned against the
doorway, staring at her profile. Tristan’s hands were shoved in his pockets as his
trademark sliding across his lips. He saw Rory smile in her vision as he casually walked up
behind her, careful to be quiet, so as not to make his presence known.

It worked, because Tristan was able to lean his chin over Rory’s shoulder and place his
lips right against her ear. She still didn’t move. Tristan was having a hard time keeping his
hands from wrapping around her waist and nibbling on her ear. But he had to. After the
way he treated her last year he was surprised that she has said hello to him yesterday. He
noticed her thumb rubbing against the button and decided to make his presence known,
for her sanity, but mainly for his own.

“It makes a noise when you press it you know,” Tristan’s voice was hushed because of his
lips close proximity to Rory’s ear, but to Rory his words were as loud as a marching band.
She dropped the buzzer as she jumped back with a yelp, right into Tristan’s arms. He was
caught her by her waist to steady them both.

Rory turned her head to see who had surprised her. Instead of scowling when she saw
Tristan’s face, her eyes went wide and her chin dropped. Sure she had thought that was a
fluke, but now she was tingling at his touch.

*You’re tingly Rory. Why are you tingly?  This is Tristan you aren’t suppose to feel
tingly. Tingly sensations are bad, especially when the tingles come from the evil one. I
command myself to stop tingling. Stop it, stop it, stop it. I mean it. Stop tingling!*

Rory looked over Tristan’s handsome face, before her gaze landed on his eyes. His blue
stare shot a fiery warmth into her that she was not expecting.

*First you’re tingly,  and now you feel all warm and fuzzy. Sure, even my own body
doesn’t listen to me. I give up. Go ahead and feel like this. It’s only my arch nemesis that
is causing me this problem.*

Tristan was too stunned to move, or even speak for that matter. He had expected Rory to
pull away from him the minute she realized who’s arms she was in. But she didn’t move.
Her blue eyes just stared into his and he was mesmerized by the twinkle in them. His hands
which were once tightly clinging to her waist loosened their grip and began to play with
the soft fabric on her shirt. But that was as far as it went. The only sounds in the room
were the gentle inhales and exhales of their breathing.

The relative silence was broken but he sound of someone clearing their throat. Both Rory
and Tristan’s heads jerked to the doorway. The pain quickly pulled  away from each other
when they saw Paris’ look of death staring them in the face

“I hope I’m not disturbing anything.” Paris sauntered into the room, arms crossed against
her chest. Her eyes never leaving the flustered pair.

“No not all.” Tristan said, him being the first to recover from the shock of everything that
had just happened. “I startled Rory and she just kind of ran into me.”

“Ok.” Paris rook a seat. “I wasn’t looking for an explanation.” Her voice was stern and
full of jealously towards Rory.

“Don’t tell me you’re trying out.” Rory slowly made her way back to her seat, being
careful to avoid any contact with Tristan. She could still feel the way his fingertips made
slow circles around her shirt.

“I am. Being the smartest girl in our class, I’m naturally going to try out for quiz team.”
Paris folded her arms on top of her desk and sat up as straight as humanly possible. Rory
slumped into her chair with  a groan of displeasure. “You’re not are you?” Paris said. Her
voice etched with worry.

“I am.” Rory buried her head on her hands. Tristan watched the whole display from the
front of the room with a  smile upon his lips.

“And I am too.” He jumped up and sat on the desk with he buzzers. Paris beamed a smile
at the new information while Rory groaned once again. “I wonder if anyone else is?”
Tristan’s question was answered a few minutes later when a total of five other students
trickled into the room, followed a short while later by a short, pudgy, balding teacher, who
reminded Rory of a penguin. He ‘waddled’ over to his desk and flashed Tristan a look of
warning. Tristan hopped down form the desk and took a seat next to a scowling Rory.

“Hello students. For those of you who don’t know me, I am Mr. Good. and I’m the quiz
team coach, as well as a beloved chemistry professor.” His voice was deep and gravely.
Rory watched as he tried to clasp his hands in front of him, but he was a bit too round in
the middle, and his arms were a bit too short to allow him to do so. Rory giggled slightly
when she saw him give up and just put his hands in his pockets. Tristan looked over at her
with amusement, Mr. Good went on to explain how try-outs would operate.

“Three rounds; war-up; bonus; and stump the experts. Each correct answer is worth 10
points, each incorrect, minus five. Questions will get harder as we progress obviously. I’ll
post the results tomorrow and the team will consist of the two top scoring males, and the
two top scoring females. Ok everyone grab a buzzer and lets begin.”

Rory was surprised by her performance. After getting over the initial shock that she
answered the very first question correctly, she felt right at home. She buzzed in when no
one else had the answer, and she only had a guess. Sure she got some wrong that way, but
she got even more right. The glares that Paris threw her everytime she got one right, only
made her try harder.

It was difficult to keep up with who was leading because everyone was pretty evenly
matched. It was Tristan who surprised Rory the most. He buzzed in as often as everyone
else, but she only remembered him giving two wrong answers.

“Ok, last question.” Mr. Good stood in the back of the classroom looking rather small.
Rory looked over at Tristan. He was holding up his hand in a thumbs up position, and he
had one eye closed. Rory though the gesture was rather odd, and made a mental note to
ask him about it later. “What were the names of the three branches of military service
during the Nazi reign in Germany?”

Rory surprised herself by being the first one to buzz in once again. “The luftwaffe, the
wermacht, and the kriegsmarine.”

“Correct once again Miss Gilmore.” Mr. Good jotted down her points before looking up
at the students. “Thank you all. The scores from what I can tell are very close. The results
will be posted tomorrow. Have a wonderful evening.”

Rory grabbed her stuff and made a bee-line for the bus stop. IF she rushed she could make
the 5pm bus and not have to wait around for the 6pm. She literally ran out of the room,
missing Tristan’s voice when he called out for her.

***

The bell rang signaling the end of academic classes before the lunch break. The ringing
also reminded Rory that the quiz team results were being posted. She closed her books
and made her way to the hallway. Her movements much slower than normal. At the door
Tristan slid up behind her.

“Are you nervous Mary?” His voices was smooth and deep as it slid into Rory’s ear. She
clutched her books even closer to her  when her entire body rattled with shockwaves.
Rory’s face turned a delightful shade of pink as she blushed. Still not understanding why
she was feeling this way.

“No.” Rory walked down the hall her back to Tristan. Moving quickly as she tried to get
away form him.

“That shake in your voice tells me the opposite.” Tristan picked up his pace a bit so that
he was able to walk beside Rory. He transferred his books from one hand to the other. He
raised his free hand and placed it onto Rory’s shoulder. Tristan could feel the tenseness of
her shoulders, but he also felt the sensation of warmth that coursed through his body when
he touched her. His hand massaged her shoulder as he spoke to her. “Don’t be so tense.
You know you made the team.”

Rory rolled her head back and forth in an attempt to relieve the stiffness in her neck.
Tristan’s hand traveled from her shoulder to the base of her neck. Where his fingers began
to work magic on her skin. The little circular movements causing butterflies in her
stomach.

*I’m not tense because of the try-outs at the moment.*

Rory stopped suddenly when she saw a large crowd around the bulletin board where the
results were suppose to be posted. “Who are all these people? They didn’t try-out for the
team.” Rory’s question was directed at Tristan, but her eyes remained focused on the mass
of students in front of her. Tristan laughed at her inquiry.

“You don’t know?” Rory finally drug her eyes away from the group and faced Tristan
instead.

“Know what?” Rory was calmed down for some reason when she saw the startling blue of
Tristan’s eyes.

“Well its a big thing in Chilton to see who makes the quiz team.” Tristan crossed his arms
as best he could with his books. He rocked back and forth on his heels as he stare Rory
down.

“Obviously. But why?” She tipped her head to one side as she looked at him.

“Because for the past seven years the Chilton Team has competed in the national quiz
bowl that is held in New Orleans.” 

“Oh.” Rory was shocked at the news. If the team had that good of a reputation, she was
afraid that if she did make it, she may let them down. A frown crossed her face. Tristan
saw her look and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the result sheet.

“Come on, You made it, there’s not way that you didn’t.” Rory was still in shock by
Tristan’s bold moved to grab her hand, but she was even more shocked that she was
actually letting him.

*Didn’t you tell him that you hated him at the end of last year?*

“See, I was right. You did make the team.” Tristan pointed to her name on the list, a
beaming smile on his face as he looked down at her. Rory leaned forward and inspected
the list more closely. She looked down the list and saw that her name was listed second,
with the highest girl’s score next to it.

“Wow! I guess I did.” Her eyes looked at the name below hers. Paris Gellar. Rory had
beaten her by five points, one question. She cringed when she thought about the harsh
treatment Paris would send her way. She shrugged it off for the moment and looked at the
name above hers. Tristan DuGray. Her eyes traveled back to his smiling face, which was
more of a smirk at the moment. “And I guess you did too... and with the highest score. I
never know that you were so smart.” Rory’s lips curved into a playful smile.

“I never know that you could look more beautiful every time I see you.” Rory’s chin
dropped in shock at his flirtatious comment. She quickly stumbled through her brain to
find a come-back.

“I rescind my original statement. If you were smart, you wouldn’t have said that.”

“And you...” Tristan didn’t get a chance to finish his comment because he was interrupted
by Paris.

“Congratulations Tristan.” She smiled at his name, but scowled at the next. “Rory.”

“You to Paris.” Both Tristan and Rory spoke at the same time. They looked at each other
and then back at Paris, waiting for her to say something.

“I see that you two will get along nicely.” Rory couldn’t quite understand the expression
on Paris’ face.

“What?” Paris answered Rory’s inquiry with a simple tip of her head. Rory’s eyes moved
in the direction that Paris’ head went. She looked down and noticed that she and Tristan
were still holding hands. Tristan noticed as well. They both pulled away from each other
and tried to act as if it had never happened. Rory was blushing. This was the second time
that Paris had seem them in an ‘intimate’ position.

“I thought so.” Was all that Paris said before she walked away, not allowing the still
stunned Rory or Tristan to say anything. The air was thick with an uneasy tension. Rory
was the first to speak.

“So.... who’s the other guy?” Tristan looked like he had been awaken from a deep trance.

“Oh... what?”

“Who. Is. The. Other. Male. On. The. Team?” Rory carefully enunciated each word,
speaking to Tristan in a tone that made it seem like she was talking to a kindergartner.

“Oh! Steve Black. He’s a buddy of mine. He’s really smart and extremely funny. You two
should get along really well.”

“Why’s that?” Rory shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other. Tristan’s
closeness to her was making her jumpy.

“Because he’s a coffee maniac.... among other things.” Tristan grinned when he saw the
smile that formed on Rory’s lips.

“I like him already.”

“What about me?” Tristan pouted. Rory’s knees almost gave out when she saw the puppy
dog eyes that he was giving her.

“I’m.... I’m still deciding?”

*Better than ‘I hate you.’ DuGray. You just got another shot.*

END PT 3

Lorelai was at the counter at Luke’s her stool spun around to face the door. She was
bouncing up and down slightly in her seat. Luke just stared at her from the other side of
the counter.

“Burning calories by being fidgety won’t get Rory here any sooner you know.”

“I do?” Lorelai continued on in her bouncing.

“Well if you didn’t before you do now... so stop bouncing.” He reached out and placed
both hands on her shoulders pressing her down into the seat. Luke released his grip when
he saw Lorelai take a deep breath. She was still for a few minutes before she resumed her
bouncing.

“What if her bus broke down?” Lorelai turned to face the window and Luke stared at her
over his notepad.

“Lorelai.” Luke’s voice was full of annoyance.

“Maybe the bus got hit by a deer.”

“Lorelai.”

“Or maybe the bus took a wrong turn and they’re now in Rwanda.”

“Lorelai.”

“Perhaps when they were in Rwanda Rory decided to join up with a nomadic tribe of
sheep herders.. without me.”

“Lorelai.” Luke practically screamed out. She jerked around to face him. There was
silence between the pair for a few moments.

“Maybe....”

“Lorelai.” Luke moved around to the front of the counter when he saw some customers
enter the diner.

“She could be dressed as a sheik parading around Africa, seeing all these cute zebras and
lemmings, and I’m here complaining to...” The bell above the door jingled.

“Hey mom.” Rory dumped her bag on the ground before being swept into a giant bear hug
by Luke.

“Thank you so much.” Rory looked at her mother over Luke’s shoulder. “Now the coffee
czar behind me will leave me alone and stop bouncing like a Mickey sing along.” Luke
released Rory, who was still in shock. He ran around to the other side of the counter and
poured Rory a steaming cup of coffee. Luke then ran back around the counter to his other
customers. Rory watched him run around the diner with wide eyes and a confused look on
her face. She finally turned her gaze to her mother.

“What’s up with Luke?”

“I have no idea.” Lorelai shrugged and sipped her coffee, hiding her small smile. There
was a brief moment of silence before Lorelai spoke again. “So...”

“So... what?” Lorelai put her coffee on the counter and stared Rory down.

“Don’t try and be cute with me today. Sookie’s squid special caused me many problems
today.”

“Squid special?” Rory raised one eyebrow at her mother.

“Yeah... well Sookie was trying to do something new with seafood.... and let’s just say
that the little buggers were still alive.” Lorelai played with the napkin that was lying in
front of her.

“Ewww.”

“Yeah... but that’s not important now.... So?”

“So what?” Rory hid a smirk.

“Is it just me or is our conversation more elliptical than usual today?”

“It’s you.” Rory sipped her coffee.

“Why does my daughter have to be so much like me?” Lorelai was talking into her coffee
cup. “Anyways, don’t toy with me.”

“You remind me of a big yellow Tonka truck.” Rory motioned to Luke for more coffee as
she spoke.

“Shut up.... I’ll just ask.... did you make the team?” Luke filled both of the Gilmore cups
and stayed to watch the conversation play out.

“Maybe.” Rory smelled her ambrosia before taking a sip.

“That was cruel.” Lorelai leaned towards her daughter and narrowed her eyebrows at her.

“I know.”

“Talk girl before I am forced to beat you with the twizzlers in my purse.”

“I don’t want to know.”

“Rory.” Lorelai’s voice held the same tone of annoyance that Luke’s had held earlier.
Luke smiled at the pair, but they didn’t notice.

“Being bludgeoned to death with a piece of red licorice doesn’t sound like the way I want
to meet my demise.” Rory bit on her finger as she tried to contain her laughter.

“Rory.” Lorelai’s fingers began to drum on the counter.

“That’s almost as scary as being pummeled with wet noodles... yum that sounds good
right now.” Rory smacked her lips.

“Rory.”

“I like fruit cups. Maybe you could try to scare me some more by pouring them over my
head.”

“Rory.”

“Yes.”

“You made it?”

“Yes.” There was a brief second of silence before Lorelai sprang from her chair screaming,
wrapping her arms around Rory. She pulled away from the embrace, looked at Rory, and
then hugged her even tighter. She pulled away once more and resumed her seat.

“You don’t looked too thrilled.”

“Oh, I’m very please that I made the team... I’m just not as thrilled with my team mates.”
Rory’s thumb drew imaginary circles on the counter top.

“Who are they?” Lorelai finished off her coffee in one gulp and focused her full attention
on Rory.

:This one guy named Steve whom I do not know... but Tristan says I’ll get along with.”

“The evil one isn’t...”

“He is.” Rory rubbed the back of her neck with one hand to relieve the tension. But she
remembered the way that Tristan’s skilled hands had relieved her stressed muscles earlier.
Just recalling his strong yet gentle touch made her tingle from head to toe.

“And the demi-evil...”

“Yep. Paris too.”

“Oh honey.” Lorelai grabbed Rory’s hand in an attempt to comfort her.

“It’s ok. I’m sure things will get better.”

“They will. Or the duo of deception will learn all the various ways that I can harm them
with brand name licorice.”

***

Rory dragged herself into Mr. Good’s room after a long Thursday at Chilton. She was
struggling to keep her eyes open. The short distance between herself and the chair she was
eyeing seemed to grow with each step. After what felt like an eternity Rory found herself
standing in front of the chair. She leaned her back against the table that was near the chair.
She was staring at the seat like it was a heavenly oasis.

But Rory was to tired to move the final inches. Her heavy backpack dropped of her
shoulders and onto the table before it fell onto the floor. Rory finally gave into the
exhaustion and collapsed backwards onto the table. She let out a sigh of comfort and
closed her eyes to the world.

Rory was so tired that she failed to see Tristan seated at the other end of the table. She
looked so beautiful, even with the bags under her eyes, that he didn’t want to disturb her
actions. She probably wouldn’t have noticed him, even if he had let her know that he was
there. 

Tristan had been reading when he heard her feet shuffle to the doorway. He put his book
down to say hello to whoever was entering the room. His lips were forming the greeting
but they froze when he say Rory’s figure silhouetted in the doorway. The light from the
hallway surrounding her perfect form in a halo. Any speech capabilities he had were
rendered useless.

He just watched her lying there, half stretched out across the table. Her long dark hair
splayed out across the surface, teasing his fingers with its silken glow. Rory’s breathing
had slowed to a deep rhythm and Tristan thought she had fallen asleep. He just sat there
watching Rory, arms crossed to keep himself from reaching out to touch her.

Rory teased him like any other girl he knew. But unlike any other girl, she didn’t know
that she did it. Her mouth and all the witty sayings that came from it entranced him. Their
sparring matches a highlight of his day. The way her hair fell across her face, and the way
she pushed it back behind her ear begged for his attention. The way she chewed on the tip
of her pencil when she was paying attention. The way her eyes shined. The way her
forehead furrowed. Even the smile movement of her fingers drumming on a table. Every
moved she made screamed at him to look at her. She drove him insane, and he liked it like
that.

Tristan’s already delicate state almost came crashing down on him when she sighed. Her
lips formed a contented smile. Tristan recalled the night that they kissed. The night when
all logic left him. The night that he realized that Rory Gilmore far beyond what he had
ever dreamed that she was. When their lips had meet he could think of nothing else.
Nothing but how the earth stopped spinning, and the only thing that was important in the
universe was her. Her soft lips moving against his. The smell of her shampoo intoxicating
his mind. The warmth that radiated from her body. 

Never had a kiss moved him to feel what he had felt that night. His heart wanted to burst
with joy. The girl he had been chasing, he was finally kissing. Rory Gilmore, the girl who
had taunted him since the day she had entered his life. With her innocence and her
intelligence. With her beauty and her stubbornness. Tristan kissed her and he felt like he
could fly. But then she cried.

If anyone was in the room looking at Tristan at that moment, they would have seen him
frown. Her she was, Rory, the girl of his dreams, and he couldn’t go beyond friendship
with her, and even friendship might be a stretch. He had toyed with her and he had
insulted her, because he couldn’t have her. Nothing had ever been out of his reach before.
He could buy it, or use his so-called-charm to get what he wanted. But it didn’t work with
her. She was a challenge, and it made him want her even more. So her she was sitting
within arms reach, and yet she was so far away.

Tristan was jolted from his thoughts when Steve and Paris entered the room. Their eyes
drifted from a relaxed Rory to Tristan, and the dreamy stare that was directed towards
her. Steve smiled at the sight, but Paris scowled. Rory had stolen so much from her in the
past year. She was an unknown, from a small town, with no money, but she gained more
in one year at Chilton than Paris had since she had entered the school. Rory took her
grades and her friends, and now she was taking Tristan. But worst of all, Rory was scared
of her, and that ticked her off to no end. This was Paris’ school, she ran it with an iron fist,
and then this nothing had to come in and take it from her. And she was even nice about it
too. Paris threatened her, and taunted her, and yet Rory still tried to be nice to her on
occasion.

“Hey man.” Steve smiled at Tristan and took a seat beside him. Steve had seen the angry
glare on Paris’ face and decided to clear the air. Tristan shook his head a few times before
returning the greeting.

“Hey Steve.” Rory’s eyes popped open the minute she heard his voice.

*Tristan! He was here... with me.... for how long? And why the hell didn’t he say
anything?*

Rory’s head rolled to the side so that she could look at him. He was making small talk
with Steve, and all she could do was stare at him. Tristan’s image was blurry from the
sleep in her eyes. She reached her hands up and rubbed her eyes. Tristan saw her move
and he turned to look at her once again. He tilted his head so that he could stare at her a
bit more.

“Morning sleeping beauty.” Tristan smiled. Rory let out a disgruntled groan in return.
“Have a nice nap Rory?”

“No.” Rory stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. “This table is definitely not a bed, and mine
spine definitely does not like to be in this position.”

“Awww... poor baby.”  Tristan’s face smirked at his own comment. Rory rolled her eyes
in disgust. She tried to sit up but her back protested and she ended up collapsing on the
table again. “Need help?” Tristan’s smirk was still there.

“From you?”

“Yes.”

“No thank you.” Steve who was attempting to hold in his laughter finally spoke at Rory’s
comment.

“Tristan man, I think you have just been rejected. Rory girl, I like ya’ already.” He smiled
at her and Rory smiled in return. “Here, let me help you.” Steve got out of his seat and
moved to Rory. He took both of her hands in his and gentle pulled her up off the table.
Steve was aware of the angry glare that Tristan was sending his way, but he shook it off.

“Thank you Steve.” Steve pulled away from her and sat down again. Rory arched her back
a bit and stretched to the side to try and rid her back of the kinks that were in it. Rory
circled her head a few times before her eyes landed on Paris. “Hello Paris.”

“Rory.” Paris said without a smile or emotion. She crossed her arms and took a seat at the
table. Rory did the same. No one made a move to speak and the room was beginning to
feel rather uncomfortable. Luckily Mr. Good had chosen that moment to walk in.

“Good afternoon my minions. How are we all today?” Various answers were heard but
they were mumbled. “Excellent.... let’s get things started. I’m Mr. Good, but you knew
that already. For all intents and purposes until the end of this school year you’ve basically
sold your souls to me. So when I ask you to come to practice, you do so without asking
why? If I tell you to watch Jeopardy for practice you do it. If I ask you to memorize 50
pages in the Guinness book of world records, you memorize 51 to please me. If I want
you to set something on fire, you’ll do that too.” His voice held a commanding presence
and were it not for his last sentence Rory was afraid that he really was the devil incarnate.
Plus it was very hard to take a teacher who was much shorter than her seriously.

“So here’s how it works boys and girls.” Mr. Good took a seat at the end of the table and
leaned forward to stare each one of them down. “This is quiz team, we have a great
reputation that we WILL keep up. Matches are held once a week at various schools, and
once a week online. There are three rounds. Warm-up; which are a bunch of toss-up 5 or
10 point questions. Bonus; in this round there is a 10 point toss-up, if you get that right
you get a chance at three bonus questions that increase from 5 points, to 10 points, to 15
points, get one wrong and your down with that bonus. The last round is Stump The
Experts; these are toss-ups worth 15 to 20 points. Highest score wins. Pretty easy.... but
the questions sometimes are not, and that is why we practice. So grab a buzzer and let’s
get cracking.”

Everyone took a seat at the table where the buzzers were set up. Tristan was very
unhappy when Rory sat on the end and Steve sat next to her. It made him angry when she
noticed the smile on her face that was not directed towards him. Steve knew that Tristan
had a thing for Rory, and Tristan knew that Steve wasn’t trying to make a move on her,
but it still hurt none the less. Tristan took the seat next to Steve to keep an eye on him...
just in case.

“Ok folks lets get grinding.” Mr. Good said as he picked up a book of practice questions
and turned to a page. “Who did the voice over for the character of Yzma in the.....”

***

“Millard Filmore.” Rory had answered yet another question right. The practice had gone
extraordinarily well for her. The nap she had must have helped. But no matter how many
she got right she couldn’t but help notice Tristan, and how he didn’t seem into the game.
During try-outs he had seemed so energetic and outgoing. Now he reminded Rory of a
lazy kid who only worked when there was no way around it.

The other thing that kept freaking her out was the way that he kept looking over at her.
Every now and then he would shoot a look at Steve. It could almost be described at
jealousy. Why he would be jealous of Steve, she had no idea. She began to worry about
what was bothering him. Rory made it her mission to find out.

*Wait a minute. Why am I worried about him? What has he ever done for you? This is
Tristan we’re talking about. He’s a jackass. Jackasses don’t deserve to be worried over.
Why do I have to be so caring? Damn me for being the person I am. And damn him for
making me worry, and making me feel all tingly.*

Rory was able to clear her mind of the Tristan thoughts long enough to finish the practice.
When Mr. Good called it a day she leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh of relief. She
saw Tristan looking at her again. Eager to get away from his stare she made her way to
her back pack.

“Great practice Rory.” Steve patted her on the back before running out of the room.
Possibly chasing after one of the girls who had just finished swim practice. Rory chuckled
when she heard him call out to someone followed by the sound of something being
slammed to the ground. She grabbed her book off the table and walked out of the room.
She flipped open to the page where she had left off, reading as she walked down the hall. 

“Rory.” She lifted her head from the book and turned around to see who had called after
her. Tristan.

“Yeah.” He jogged down the hall to catch up to her and ended up skidding to a stop,
nearly colliding with her.

“You are amazing.” Tristan rushed out in one breath. Rory did a double take at his words.
Her face contorted into an expression of confusion. 

*What the heck is he saying? Amazing...at what? I certainly haven’t done anything with
him that would be considered amazing. At least not in the way he is use to. Maybe I
should try and impress him in that way, because he is looking mighty fine right now....
WOAH! Where the hell did that come from?*

“Not to sound stupid or anything but... huh?” Rory raised one eyebrow at him. Tristan
caught on to what she was thinking. He hid his smirk.

“During practice. You are amazing at trivia.”

“Oh....” *Stupid me I thought he meant something else.* “Thanks I guess.” Rory looked
at him, still kicking herself mentally for thinking about Tristan in a non-platonic fashion.
The stood in tense silence for a few minutes. Rory stared at Tristan as he rocked back and
forth on his heels. He began staring at the floor. Neither knew what to say, and neither
wanted to move.

“So....” Tristan hands started digging around in his pockets.

“So...” Rory responded, her fingers played with the pages of her book.

“Do you ummm... want to go for coffee or something?” Rory lifted her head to meet
Tristan’s eyes. They held a gentleness and kindness that she had never seen out of him
before. It scared her. Here he stood, being nice to her, when he never had been before.
Rory was skeptical about his feelings. He had to be up to something.

“I don’t think....”

“Please.” His face softened even more as he pleaded with her. Lower lip reaching forward
in a slight pout.

“Tristan I....”

“Pwease....” He gave her puppy dog eyes and that did her in.

“Fine.” Rory looked down at her feet, anything to get away from Tristan’s eyes that were
making her feel all gooey inside.

“Great. Starbucks here we come.” He took off down the hall and Rory followed, silently
cursing herself to giving into the puppy eyes.

*And the coffee... why did he have to pick the coffee?*

The car ride to Starbucks was very quiet.... and even more tense. Tristan tried to start a
conversation every now and then, but he always stopped before the words left his mouth.
He had absolutely no idea of what possessed him to ask her to coffee.

*Actually you did. You didn’t want her to go. You wanted her all to yourself for a little
while you selfish bastard....*

As Tristan berated himself for being such a jerk Rory just stared out the window.
Concentrating on anything except the warm body in the driver’s seat. It was a very
difficult task. She could hear his steady breathing in the silent car. The gentle drumming of
his fingers on the steering wheel. The passing scenery outside wasn’t nearly enough to
keep her occupied. It was just so tempting to look over at him. 

She could hear him run his hand through his hair. He shifted in his seat and to close her
eyes and sing the Barney song in her head to keep herself from turning to look at him.

*Why is he so addicting? God Rory you’re not even looking at him. How can you be
attracted to him if you’re not looking at him? Wait.... I’m attracted to him.... I hate my
brain. This is wrong. He treated you like crap. Treated though.... past tense. He’s been...
normal this year.*

Rory finally couldn’t stand the silence any more and something had been bothering her. So
being the daring soul that she was, she decided to speak.

“Tristan, I’ve got a question for you.” She turned away from the window to face him. She
saw the startled look on his face when she spoke.

“Ok.” Rory noticed that Tristan’s breathing was a little off-pace as he gave her the one
word answer.

“It was something I noticed during quiz team try-outs.”

“Ok.” His breathing was a bit more regulated this time.

“You were holding up your hand, with your thumb up, and one eye closed.” Rory
mimicked the motion with her hand.

“Ok.” Now Rory wasn’t sure whether he was talking to her, or himself.

“Why?”

Tristan finally turned to face Rory a smile upon his lips. “Because he’s the thumb.”

“What?” Rory was more than a bit confused.

“Mr. Good... my friends and I have many endearing nickname’s for him, and one his the
thumb.”

“Ok.... why?” Rory still didn’t follow Tristan’s train of thought.

“Because if you hold up your thumb and close one eye while looking at him, your thumb
blocks him entirely. Hence, we call him.... The Thumb.” Tristan chuckled as he thought
about their rather petite professor.

“Ahhhh.... I see.” Rory began to giggle and then let out a full fledged laugh as she thought
about what Tristan had said.

“That’s what I thought too.” Tristan felt more at ease when she laughed. The simple
brilliance of her voice calmed his raw nerves. “Were here.” Tristan pulled into a spot. Both
of them were still laughing as the entire the restaurant.

Much more than simple jokes were passed that afternoon. Tristan and Rory came to a
silent understanding over cups of mochachinos. They could be friends. It would take some
work, and a lot more trust, but it would happen.