STAR-CROSSED LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS
WITH the town preparing for their annual Founders Firelight Festival, Hayden finished tidying away the dancers costumes as Miss. Patty continued on with a story time "—This, boys and girls, is the story of true love. A beautiful girl from one county; a handsome boy from another. They meet and they fall in love. Separated by distance and by parents who did not approve of the union, the young couple dreamed of a day that they could be together. They wrote each other beautiful letters. Letters of longing and passion. Letters full of promises and plans for the future. Soon the separation proved too much for either one of them to bear."
Hayden closed the trunk before making her way closer, listening attentively as Miss. Patty told the towns tale "So, one night, cold and black with no light to guide them, they both snuck out of their homes and ran away as fast as they could. It was so dark out that they were both soon lost and it seemed as if they would never find each other. Finally, the girl dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her lovely face. 'Oh, my love. Where are you? How will I find you?' Suddenly, a band of stars appeared in the sky. These stars shone so brightly they lit up the entire countryside. The girl jumped to her feet and followed the path of the stars until finally she found herself standing right where the town gazebo is today. And there waiting for her was her one true love, who had also been led here by the blanket of friendly stars. And that, my friends, is the story of how Stars Hollow came to be, and why we celebrate that fateful night every year at about this time."
Hayden smiled softly at the thought before looking out towards the gazebo and spotting Tristan standing inside. Her heart jolted as he met her gaze, sending her a wave and she returned it before like looking to Miss. Patty. The woman rolled her eyes knowingly but nod "Go, follow the stars."
Hayden placed a kiss on her cheek before grabbing her jacket and rushing out towards her boyfriend who met her halfway, catching her in a twirl before steering her down as they walked. Tristan eyed the townspeople as they decorated, preparing for the festival Friday night "Man, I thought Christmas was a big deal around here."
"Well, this is a town that likes celebrations." She smirked "Last year we had a month long carnival when we finally got off the sceptic tank system."
"A month long?" He scoffed "You're kidding."
"No, there were rides and a petting zoo and balloon animals and a freak show..."
He chuckled after a moment "Okay, you almost had me for a second."
Hayden grinned, linking her arm through his as they walked "We did have a ribbon cutting ceremony."
Tristan snickered as he pulled her closer "Some might argue you've also got a freak show."
☕️
TRISTAN had always found kissing Hayden addictive, her touch, her taste. But with him living just downstairs in her bedroom and not being able to do anything about it with Lorelai around, he'd had to hold back and wait. So the second the bell rang, Tristan had the Gilmore girl pressed against her locker, lips dancing together in a scintillating tango of tongues.
They didn't care who watched, who judged but Paris Gellar cared very much. The girl stood between Louise and Madeline and the former smiled in amusement as they watched the pair "And they're off."
"The bell just rang 3 seconds ago." Paris scoffed in disbelief "How did they get lip-locked so fast?"
Madeline shrugged before pouting "I want a boyfriend to make out with."
"Ty Tallson likes you." Louise reminded her friend.
Madeline's nose scrunched in distaste "I want a different boyfriend to make out with."
"I can't get to my locker." Paris complained, eyes still set on the kissing pair.
"I'm sure they'll move if you ask nicely... or dangle a hotel key in front of their faces." Louise smirked.
Paris' head snapped to the blonde "I thought they hadn't gone there."
"Yet." Louise's smirk didn't falter "But it's only a matter of time, and hormones."
Pari's jaw clenched as she looked back to the couple "This is a school, you don't do this in a school."
"Not unless you've got a boyfriend like Tristan or a girl as hot as Hayden." Louise mused "Then you do it anywhere you can."
"Street corner." Madeline suggested.
Louise nodded "Shopping mall."
"Phonebooth."
"Starbucks."
Paris rolled her eyes at the pair "Thank you for the 'where to make out' list. I just need my books."
Rory grimaced as she came to a stop beside the trio "Oh not again."
"Why are they doing this at school?" Paris questioned the girl.
"Because they can't do it at home with my mom around and they can't do at the diner with Luke around."
"So it's true." Paris eye's softened "Tristan is staying at your house, huh?"
Rory nodded "Yep."
"God, Hayden is so lucky." Madeline sighed dreamily "Imagine having your boyfriend under the same roof all the time."
Tristan smiled as he and Hayden broke apart for air, resting his forehead against hers for a moment before he spoke "So, I talked with my mom, and... she's kicking my father out."
Hayden's eyes widened "Really?"
"Yeah, Mary." His smile widened "I'm free of him."
As Hayden launched her arms around him in celebration, Tristan spun her happily before finally setting her down with a grin "Victory party after the game at my house Friday."
She raised an eyebrow "And how do you know it'll be a victory, Dugray?"
His smile was sincere as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear "Because even if we lose the game, I still won."
☕️
HAYDEN sat across the kitchen table from her mother, trying to build up the courage to ask her for a favour. But she couldn't bring herself to do it, not until Lorelai gave up and sighed "I know I'm hot, kid, but you're staring is putting me off this assignment. Just ask whatever it is you want to ask."
Hayden took a deep breath before blurting it out "I need you to help me get out Friday night dinner."
Lorelai snorted "Nice try."
"Please, mom." She pleaded "It's Tristan's big game and he's having a party to celebrate after."
"Well, what if they lose?"
Hayden couldn't help but grin "He's not celebrating that mom, his mom kicked his dad out."
Lorelai smiled widely "That's so great kid. I'm happy for him."
"So please?"
Lorelai sighed in defeat "Okay, I'll try but no promises."
Hayden squeezed her arm in delight "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Lorelai watched her for a moment "So a party, at Tristan's. Where there'll presumably be drinking and hormones and happy feelings... I think we need to talk about this."
"You're right, we do." Hayden took a deep breath "I'm ready mom."
"Hayden--"
"I am." She cut Lorelai off "I know I am."
Lorelai sighed "I just want you to be sure. You can't take it back, kid."
Hayden met her mother's imploring gaze steadily "I am."
Before Lorelai could comment, Rory came rushing in with flushed cheeks "I need out of Friday night dinner."
Lorelai scoffed in disbelief and glanced between the pair "Goddamn twins."
☕️
CONVINCING her mother to allow the twins out of Friday night dinner was almost too easy for Lorelai, something that made her highly suspicious especially since she was still required to attend alone. But she'd do anything for her kids, especially so Rory and Dean could celebrate their 3 month anniversary and so Hayden could celebrate Tristan's freedom from his abusive father.
As her classmates partied downstairs in the Dugray estate, celebrating Chilton's victory in the championships and another trophy for the wall of fame in the school's hallways, Hayden was having her own party upstairs with Tristan.
A gasp escaped her as his lips travelled down the column of her throat, his fingers bunching the hem of her shirt up and over her head, leaving her in her pale pink bra and skirt. His pupils were dilated heavily as he stared down at her, breath panting as his fingers toyed with the button on her skirt "Are you sure, Mary?"
Hayden thought about it. About her and Tristan. About how he was always there, how he made her feel and so she nodded, chuckling breathlessly at the butterflies fluttering wildly in her stomach "I've never been so sure about anything. I love you, Tristan."
But instead of him returning her heartfelt words, a painful silence stretched on as the boy froze above her. Hayden's heart stuttered in her chest as her eyes darted rapidly between his own, almost pleading for him to say it back. He didn't say anything, and so she crumbled "Oh... Oh God." the Gilmore girl clambered out from under him, grabbing her shirt and pulling it back on before she made a dash for the door.
Tristan stammered as he watched her "H-Hayden..."
But she couldn't look at him, not with the humiliation burning through her and her breaking heart bringing heavy tears to her eyes and so she ran.
☕️
AFTER an excruciating evening of her mother trying to set her up with the son of her fathers colleague, Lorelai stood alone by the town gazebo amongst the crowd of happy townspeople as Mayor Harry spoke "People of Stars Hollow, and our many friends. It gives me great pleasure to preside over our annual founders festival for the thirty-second time. Many a true love has had it start right on the spot where I stand. And I don't mind telling you that at this very festival, right by this gazebo, is where I met my own true love, Miss Dora Braythwait. We have been married for 43 years, and it all started right here."
Lorelai sighed as the bonfire was lit but as the couples huddled together around her, she'd never felt more alone. Especially as she looked over to see Luke with Rachel who'd made a surprise return at his side. Her gaze was stuck on them when arms wrapped around her middle and she jumped, looking down to Rory in surprise "Hey, kid."
Rory beamed as she pulled back "Dean said I love you and I said it back. He loves me, mom."
"That's great." Lorelai gushed "Hey, why don't we grab some coffee and you can tell me all about it?"
Rory nodded happily and the pair turned ready to head to Luke's only to falter as Hayden stepped out of a cab out front, her face miserable and heartbroken. Lorelai's heart clenched as she opened her free arm and Hayden ran into her other side. The youngest Gilmore girl sobbed "I said I love you and he didn't say it back." She lifted her tear stained face to look at her mother "He doesn't love me, mom."
☕️
EVERYONE knew. The townspeople of Stars Hollow had nothing but sympathetic looks on their faces as she served them their morning coffee. Everyone knew that Hayden Gilmore had her heart broken.
Lorelai had tried to convince her to call in sick and take the day off to cry in bed but Hayden didn't want to. She didn't want to let a boy who broke her heart to completely upheave her life but Hayden arrived at Luke's diner 20 minutes early, the man knew then that something had happened but it wasn't until Miss. Patty came in for her Saturday morning five cheese omelette and hugged Hayden did he find out just what was wrong.
Luke was angry. Angry that some boy could reject such a sweet girl like Hayden, that he could humiliate her and break her heart all in one go. He was angry at the townspeople for gossiping about it like school children but he was mostly angry that he'd actually come to like Tristan.
Luke sighed as he watched Hayden despondently wipe down the counter before gesturing to a stool "Sit."
Hayden didn't bother to argue as she did as told, fiddling with the cloth between her hands until the man gently took it from her and instead replaced it with a slice of coffee cake. Hayden sighed as she looked up at the man "Luke--"
"I know how you feel." He began and Hayden stayed quiet as she watched him slip into the past "Rachel, she left again. Last night."
"I'm sorry." Hayden murmured.
He inhaled sharply "She's not happy here... she's not happy with me. I accepted that a long time ago."
Hayden's eyes filled with tears as she whispered "When did it stop hurting?"
"It didn't." He admitted with a sad smile "Eventually, it uh, it just hurt a little less. You'll get there, Hayden. I promise."
☕️
WHEN Hayden returned home from her shift, she'd found her room empty of all of Tristan's belongings. He come while she was in work to pack and was gone before she would get back. That's when it hit her. That it was really over and like Luke and Rachel, she wasn't enough to make him happy. To make him stay.
But now it was the last day of school and everyone was excited, everyone but Hayden. Like Stars Hollow, the students of Chilton had found out about Hayden and Tristan's breakup and like her fellow townspeople, everyone was looking at her with that stupid, sympathetic face. Even Paris Gellar.
Zuri smiled softly as she pulled the girl into a hug before pulling back and handing her a pin "You're gonna kill it as captain next year."
Hayden looked down at in awe before looking back up at the graduating girl "Are you serious?"
"Very." Zuri assured "We took a vote and it was unanimous. Congratulations, Captain."
Hayden looked down at the pin with a small smile before looking up and locking eyes with Tristan. Her breath hitched as he took a set towards her "Hayden, I--" she couldn't help the hope that soared within her that he was about to tell her how he felt, that he returned her love. But all that hope crashed as he stepped back with a regretful frown on his face "Have a nice summer, Mary."
Hayden watched him shake his head before turning on his heels and walking away. She felt dizzy, shoulders heavy as her head spun but just as the tears that had built up threatened to spill, Rory was by her side, locking her hand through hers "Not here, come on."
☕️
HAYDEN felt numb by the time she and Rory made it off the bus, trudging their way home. She just wanted to do what her mother advised and curl up and cry in bed, but this time for the whole summer.
But as she and Rory entered their house, their bags dropped to the ground in surprise as they found Mr. Medina down on one knee before their very shocked mother surrounded by a thousand yellow daisies.
"Lorelai Gilmore, will you marry me?"