I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU
HAYDEN couldn't hide her excited grin as she stuck the two reserved signs she'd procured from Zuri and stuck them right in the centre, front row. The best seats in the house. Her grandparents and never seen her dance before and she was a little nervous, okay, a lot nervous but more than anything she was hopeful. That they'd finally see her as more than their daughters double and that she was just as talented as Rory in her own way.
"Hayden!"
The Gilmore girl glanced over to see Madeline and Louise calling her over as the former grinned "Come on, we'll do your hair!"
Hayden smiled in surprise, she thought she'd have to do it herself with her mother working. A grin grew on her lips once more as she glanced to the reserved signs before heading over to the two girls "Can you help with my makeup, too?"
Louise shared a pleased smirk with Madeline "You have come to the right place."
☕️
"—AND first place for the girls under 18's solo's is... Hayden Gilmore from Chilton Preparatory!"
Hayden grinned as she made her way to the centre of the stage amidst the applause. The lights had raised since the performances ended and now the girl could finally see the audience... and the two reserved seats for her grandmother and grandfather empty.
They didn't come.
Hayden felt numb as she was handed the first place ribbon, giving a faux smile to the presenter before shuffling her way backstage. But she didn't get a moment to think before two sets of arms were tossed around her and she grunted in surprise "Oh!"
"We knew you could do it!" Madeline cheered as she and Louise pulled back.
The blonde nodded "We simply must celebrate. I'll call you."
"Er yeah, okay..." Hayden blinked as she watched the two sashay away before sighing and heading to get dressed.
But by the time she'd showered and changed and was ready to grab a bus to her grandparents house, she was surprised to find Tristan outside leaning against a shiny silver Porsche "What are you doing here?"
"I told you I'd see you Friday." He shrugged with a smirk at her approach "You were amazing in there."
She faltered in surprise "You watched?"
"Of course I did, Mary." Hayden was pleasantly surprised, a fluttering forming in her stomach and she couldn't help but smile a little earning one in return as he noticed. The DuGray boy pulled open the passenger door to his car "Come on, I'll give you a ride to dinner."
"Can we stop for ice cream along the way?" Hayden question, raising an eyebrow as she slipped past him.
He raised one in return in amusement "Dessert before dinner?"
"Haven't you learned by now, Dugray?" She smirked, sliding into the cat "I don't play by the rules."
☕️
"I can't believe you actually ordered bubblegum." Tristan shook his head with a snicker as they strolled back towards his car, ice-cream cones in hand "You're such a kid."
"Excuse me for having impeccable taste from a young age." Hayden scoffed, licking at her frozen dessert before raising an eyebrow at his own "And who are you to judge with mint chocolate chip? You might as well just eat toothpaste."
Tristan smirked as he nudged her with his elbow "You wouldn't be complaining if I kissed you right now."
"No, but I would kick your ass." She threatened, raising an eyebrow "I could take you."
"I don't doubt it." He could only smile as they reached his car "You know, you're not what I expected, Mary."
Hayden hated that she cared, that suddenly she felt insecure "Is that a bad thing?"
"No." He murmured, eyes gazing into her own "Not at all."
☕️
HAYDEN'S stomach was churning as she stared out the window at her grandparents home, the happiness her ice cream had brought her long forgotten. She didn't want to go in, not to see them. Tristan frowned as he watched her. She'd gone quiet, a lot more than usual and he recognised the glint in her eye. His family often let him down too.
"They didn't come, did they?"
Hayden turned to him at his softly spoken words and shrugged, biting the inside of her cheek "I had seats for them, they promised my mom they would come since she and Rory couldn't. They've never come to any of them, I just... K thought that maybe this time they would. I didn't have anyone there today."
"You had me."
As his warm hand slipped over her own, Hayden looked up to meet Tristan's gaze and felt her breath catch. He had been there when no one else had. God, he was so full of surprises "You're not what I expected either."
Tristan raised an eyebrow, sighing shakily "Is that a bad thing?"
"Not at all." Hayden smiled softly, nervously, as she reached over and give a chaste kiss to his cheek before pulling away "Thank you."
Tristan felt his cheek flush under her attention, her gratitude, but soon put on his confident smirk as she slid out of his car "Goodnight, Mary."
Hayden watched the boy drive away just before her mother pulled the jeep into the driveway, Rory and she hopping out of the car, dessert box in hand "Hey, kid."
"Hey." Hayden muttered, giving them a weak smile.
"Everything okay?" Rory questioned as they approached the front door, Lorelai ringing the doorbell.
Hayden opened her mouth to speak when the door suddenly opened, Emily smiling "Oh, good, you're here."
"Hey." Lorelai greeted her mother as they were led inside.
Rory smiled "Hi, Grandma."
Emily blinked as she was handed the box "My goodnes, what is that?"
"We brought dessert." Lorelai told her.
"Really?" She raised an eyebrow in surprise "How thoughtful. What is it?"
"Blueberry shortcake." Her daughter told her.
Emily's hummed "I've never heard of blueberry shortcake."
Rory nodded "Yeah, it's a Stars Hollow specialty."
Emily frowned as she opened the lid "Why is it already cut?"
"It's left over." Lorelai explained "From the wedding today. At the inn."
She rolled her eyes "Yes, I know where the wedding was."
"Oh, sorry." Lorelai slipped off her coat "You were just doing that staring thing."
Emily scoffed as the twins followed suit with their own coats "You brought us used dessert?"
"It's not used." Lorelai defended "It's left over."
"How nice." Emily retorted sarcastically as she stuffed the box in Mira's hands "I'll just put it in the kitchen next to my half-empty box of Cheer."
As her mother headed off to the lounge, Lorelai whispered to her daughters "She's in a good mood tonight."
Hayden sighed silently as she trailed behind her mother and sister as her grandmother questioned "Can I get you a drink?"
Lorelai perked up "Uh, white wine would be nice."
"Coke." Rory smiled.
Emily raised an eyebrow at the youngest whom stayed silent "Hayden?"
"Whatever." She mumbled, arms folded across her chest.
Her grandmother frowned as Lorelai and Rory glanced to her in surprise before shaking her head "So, Lorelai, did Rory tell you all about the wonderful time she had at the club?"
"She sure did." Lorelai muttered as they sat down.
"Your father was simply flying all week." Emily continued "She really charmed him."
"Ah, well, if anybody could, it would be her." Lorelai sighed before glancing to her youngest "Or Hayden, she's equally as charming."
"Yes, I see that." Emily commented, eyeing her slouching granddaughter with folded arms sarcastically before she began to work on the drinks "I mean, in this age of MTV and 100 television channels who would've imagined that a young girl coul still get a thrill spending a simple afternoon with her grandfather?"
"That wine would be real good right now, Mom." Lorelai swallowed thickly.
Emily smiled "I think we should consider getting Rory a membership at the club, don't you?"
Lorelai frowned "If she wants, sure."
"I mean, to have a place to go where she can socialize, that's very important to a young girl." Emily continued.
"Well, now especially that the crack den is closed down on the corner all her really good friends are gone." Lorelai nodded sarcastically "What do you think, Mom, should I pursue the career in comedy?"
Emily shrugged with a smug smile "It's just very interesting the way things turn out, isn't it?"
Before Lorelai could begin a fight, her father walked in, blinking in surprise as he spotted them "Oh, you're here. Lorelai."
"Dad."
"I was just saying we should get Rory a membership at the club." Emily told her husband "With her swing really improving, I think it would be best. I mean, her coach seemed rather impressed today, didn't he?"
"Today—?" Lorelai's head snapped around to her mother along with Rory as Hayden froze in her seat "You went to Rory's practice?"
"I didn't even see you there." Rory frowned "I-I thought you--" she quickly looked to her twin, feeling guilt creep in "What about Hayden's competition?"
"Well... there'll be other's, won't there?" Emily defended their desicion "This was your first practice so we felt it right to support you--"
"What about supporting me?" Hayden blurted suddenly, unable to hold it any longer "Do you know how it felt to look out and see the seats I reserved for you empty? To have no one there?" Lorelai watched her youngest burst at the seams with tears in her eyes, heart in the pit of her stomach. She knew exactly how Hayden felt, she had felt the same her entire childhood "I might not be as smart as Rory, or know how to act in a country club, but I am damn good at dancing."
Emily was appalled "Hayden—"
"You know what, you didn't come to my dance, so I won't come to dinner." Hayden declared as she got to her feet "You can keep that for the granddaughter you're actually proud of." She pulled her ribbon out of her pocket with a tearful scoff, tossing it down onto the coffee table "I won first place, by the way."
Hayden ignored the calls of her family as she grabbed her coat before rushing out the door, footsteps faltering as she made it halfway down the driveway before spotting the familiar Porsche and the blond leaning against it "Dugray?" She wiped at her face, sniffling back tears as she shook her head in confusion "What—?"
"I figured you'd need an escape at some point tonight." He shrugged as he pushed off the car, stepping towards her "Thought I'd have my services on standby."
The sound of the front door opening had Hayden look over to see her grandmother making her way out after her, calling her name and she was quick to grab Tristan by the arm "Let's go."
The Dugray boy did as told, opening the passenger door for Hayden to slide in before running around the car and hopping into the drivers side. He was quick to start the engine and pull out of the driveway just as Emily neared them and Hayden watched her in the rear view mirror until she was too far away to see and finally let the tears that had been building begin to trickle down her cheeks.
"Are you okay?"
Hayden stared blankly at the road ahead through her bleary eyes before she whispered "I just wanted them to be proud of me."
Tristan glanced over the girl before sighing at the sight of her tears and pulled over to a stop. Hayden frowned and opened her mouth to question what he was doing but she soon got her answer as he reached over and pulled her into his arms. Hayden tensed for a moment before relaxing at the warm embrace and the smell of his cologne and as her shoulders dropped, the tears flowed freely, safe in his understanding arms "I got you, Mary." Tristan muttered, resting his chin on top of her head "I got you."