STOLEN DANCE || GILMORE GIRLS

21: dance tickets

"Did you get the novel thing? Because..."

"I said goodbye," Rory repeated.

"What are you doing here? Besides keeping my boy company," He said, grabbing ahold of Josh's shoulder.

"Keep me out of this," Josh said as he turned around to look at Tristan and Rory. 

"I like lines," Rory said, answering Tristan's question.

"The guy's supposed to buy the tickets," Tristan informed her, and he wasn't exactly wrong. Rory was the only girl in the line.

"Really. Does Susan Faludi know about this?"

"Unless of course there is no guy," Tristan taunted.

"There's a guy."

"A cheap guy," The Dugray boy commented.

"Dude," Josh tried to interrupt.

"Well, what can I say? I like 'em cheap. Sloppy too -- bald spot, beer gut, you know, and the pants that kind of slip down in the back, giving you that good plumber shot. That sends me through the roof," Rory informed him, earning a laugh from Josh who was now fully paying attention to their conversation.

"So who is he?" Tristan asked with genuine curiosity. He glanced over at Josh, who didn't give him any hints on who the guy was.

"How many languages can you say 'none of your business' in?" Rory asked him.

"Does he go to this school?"

"No, he doesn't," Rory answered.

"Uh-huh," Tristan nodded, not fully believing her. "Well, look, OK, I'll confess something to you. I don't have a date."

"Well I hear Squeaky Fromme is up for parole soon. You should keep a good thought."

"Damn," Josh laughed. He never realized how quick Rory was. He knew that Cassie was, but he hadn't spent much time with the older Gilmore since meeting her.

"Well I actually thought you'd like to go with me," Tristan admitted.

Josh shook his head, subtly. He knew that Tristan had a thing for Rory, he has since the first time they spoke. And Josh has known the entire time. At first he thought it was cute, it's been a long time since Tristan actually liked someone. But now Josh knew that Rory had a boyfriend, which meant Tristan already lost his opportunity.

This caught Rory's attention. Causing her to look up at Tristan with a slightly annoyed look on her face. "You did not."

"I did too."

"You did not because you are not stupid."

"Why thank you," Tristan said with a smirk.

"Slimy and weasely, yes, but stupid, no," Rory added at the last second, making Tristan's cocky expression fall slightly. "You'd have to be stupid to think that, given our history, I would ever, barring a piano or a safe falling on my head, want to go anywhere with you, ever."

Tristan would never admit how much Rory's words annoyed him that day. He knew he had been an asshole to her in the past but he kind of assumed since her sister and his best friend were getting together they'd have a clean slate. "OK, fine. I'll take Cissy."

"I'll send her a condolence card," Rory muttered, looking back down at her book.

"Yeah. Well at least she won't be buying her own ticket," Tristan added at the last second before walking away.

Rory looked down, she didn't know why she felt kind of bad. It's not like she liked Tristan at all, why did she care if she hurt his feelings. Josh turned around seeing the somewhat guilty look on her face.