A friend to all is a friend to none. I think it's always better to have one friend than a million friendly strangers. It's always quality over quantity. Emma knows it. She once had a large group of "friends" and now she only has her sister and her band, but that's enough. Rory knows it too. She never really had a large friend group, she always just had Lane, but she watched her sister being stuck in the misery of being alone in a common crowd, and that was definitely not enough.
Apparently, the guidance counsellor thinks that the twins not really socializing with their peers is not enough, is discourage, is incorrect. So, while the girls where eating together in the canteen, they were called to go to Mrs. Burgoness office. They're in there right now.
"Come in." The guidance counsellor says as they walk in. "Hello Rory. Hello Emma. Take a seat."
"Thank you." Their response came at the same time.
"So, don't worry about being late for your next class. I'll write you a note if you want." They both nod. "I know from your records you're sticklers for punctuality. You only came late one time."
"That was an accident. It wasn't our fault. We got hit by a deer, but it also wasn't the deer's fault." Rory started anxiously ranting.
"Calm down. Breathe." Emma pronounces those words quietly.
"Sorry." Rory looks down and Emma brushes her hand on her sister's shoulder.
"Why don't we get to the reason why I asked you here?"
"Okay."
"Headmaster Charleston brought you two to my attention a few weeks ago. He's worried, and after observing you a bit, I'm worried too."
"You've been observing us?" Emma was startled.
"We've been concerned about your social behaviour at school."
"What about it?" I think Rory got a little defensive, although still polite.
"Neither of you interact much with the other students."
"I do. We do, sometimes."
"In class, all the time. " Emma finishes her sister's train of thought.
"At lunch, you're both always by yourselves in the farthest table from the crowd."
"We like the quiet."
"And that's when we catch up on our readings." Rory finishes her sister's train of thought.
"Because you're always together it makes you less approachable."
"Maybe we don't want to be approached. We have each other." Emma protests.
"And that's the problem. We here at Chilton value social skills as much as academic skills. You have to branch out, get out of those shells and make friends. Separately. You have to learn to not depend on each other." They were in silence. "This could affect your future."
"I don't understand. We get good grades, isn't that enough?"
"You know it's not." No, she didn't know. Neither of them knew. They were there to learn and the pressure on her shoulders, the weight on her backs that was heavier than an elephant, was always reminding of grades, test scores, excellence. All their hard work wasn't enough and that wrecked them. "Girls. I advise you to mix it up with others. Meet new people. Get to know your peers. Start with lunch. But, please, do it separately. Independency is an essential trait for your future."
"Thank you." And they leave.
As they walk to their next class, it's English, they have together, the twins complain:
"What does she think we're supposed to do? Walk to strange kids and awkwardly say 'Hi. How are you? I've been here for a month now and the guidance counsellor gave her unwanted and unasked guidance out of nowhere, so I'm being forced to talk to my boring classmates, as in you. We all know I don't belong here and I know I don't want to be here. Can I sit?"
"I'd let you sit."
"That's because you're nice, Rory."
✯✯✯
It's the next day and it's lunch time.
"How are we gonna do this?" Emma and Rory were standing in the middle of the canteen.
"I don't know." Rory tried to answer. "Let's at least sit in close tables."
"Okay." She took a deep breath. "Let's do this."
They walked side by side until Rory sat a table full of girls that had one empty seat. Emma looked around and saw that the table right next to it also had an empty seat. Louise and Madeline were there so she would have someone to talk to. However, Tristan was there. She took another deep breath.
"Hi. Can I sit here?" The whole table turned around and some guy whose name doesn't matter said:
"Yes."
She put her tray on the table and waited for somebody else to speak. The thing is: they were waiting for her to speak.
"Chad. Change seats." Tristan speaks breaking the silence. Chad was the guy whose name doesn't matter and who was seating next to Emma.
"Why would I do that?"
"Just change seats, man." Mike spoke. He's the guy that had that conversation with Tristan that Emma overheard on the first day, if you recall that and if that's of any significance.
Chad stood up and changed seats with Tristan.
Louise, she was seating next to Madeline in the middle of the table, looks at Emma and asks:
"So, Emma. Why are you not sitting with your sister?"
"Apparently, Chilton hates anti-socials. Mrs. Burgoness forced us to meet new people." She faked smile. "But just ignore me, act like I'm not here or anything of that sort. I'll eat fast and leave."
Tristan was about to say something when a girl with long hair sat on the other empty seat.
"You won't believe what just happened?!" It was Summer.
"What?" Madeline was always ready to gossip. I like that about her.
"Christine and Patrick were-" Summer noticed Emma. She also notices how Tristan is siting next to her. "What is she doing here?"
"Chilton hates everybody." Louise looks at Emma after speaking. "Especially anti-socials."
"You mean losers, right?" Summer was the only one laughing at her attempt of a joke. "As I was saying..." And goes on with her gossiping.
Emma pulls out a book out of her bag.
"You're actually going to read, Gilmore?" It was Tristan speaking.
"Yes..."
"C'mon. Close it. Talk to me."
"You're needy." She closes her book and looks at him. "What do you want to talk about, Dugray?"
"I love when you call me by my last name." Emma rolls her eyes and makes a mental note to never call him by his last name. "Why did you choose to sit here?"
"Rory sat there. I saw an empty seat and I sat." He looked slightly disappointed. "You actually thought I sat here to because of you?"
"No."
"Liar."
"You're the one that's lying."
"That's mature." Emma genuinely smiled and turned her attention to her food.
He tried to do the same but Summer called his name:
"Tristan!"
"What?" He did not sound very amused.
"Come here." Emma thought she was even needier than him, if that was possible.
"No, thank you."
"C'mon, babe."
Babe? Emma questioned herself.
"I'm fine right here."
"Please." Summer was doing the 'puppy eyes'. Tristan didn't even flinched. I'm an unbiased narrator (I'm totally biased) but that was quite embarrassing (it's an euphemism). "Okay. But don't expect me to come to the bio lab in the next period."
"Fine by me."
Just between us... Emma wanted to laugh.
"Dude. If you don't go, I will." Chad really thought he was funny.
"Suit yourself." Tristan was definitely not amused.
Summer left. The girls in the table, excluding Emma, went after her.
Tristan continued his conversation with Emma:
"You know, you're always with headphones on."
"Yes, I'm aware."
"What are you always listening to?"
"Music." She half smiled and pulled 7 CD's out of her bag. "Fiona Apple. PJ Harvey. David Bowie. Mazzy Star. Metallica. Daisy Jones & The six. Blondie."
"I recognize one of those names."
"That's... criminal. It's Metallica, right?" He nods. "And at least you know one song, right?"
"Sure." He was lying, again. She knew it, again.
"That's tragic!"
"I'm not really a music fan."
"I actually feel sorry for you."
Emma finished her food and was about to leave when Tristan touched her arm.
"What are you doing?" That made her angry.
"Where are you going?"
"To Mars. I'm in a long distance relationship with an alien. It's our 5 month anniversary and I'm going to surprise them." Her anger was easily audible in her voice.
"Promise me you'll give them my best of wishes." Her anger softened. Emma enjoyed when people went along with her sarcastic rants.
"I'll promise." She left and Tristan couldn't take his eyes of her, once again. Emma actually looked back and for the first time in his life Tristan felt embarrassed. He blushed. He was caught. Emma's eyes widened and she went to find her sister.
In the courtyard, the twins found each other.
"How was it?" Rory immediately asks.
"Interesting." Is that a good adjective? She thought "You?"
"Dreadful. I missed you."
"I missed you too."
✯✯✯
The Gilmore's were sitting in the dining table, again. It was Friday.
"Rory. We've received a letter from Chilton." Emily started a new topic of conversation. "You haven't chosen a sport yet."
"Oh, I just don't know which one. There's too many."
"What did you choose, Emma?" Emily asked.
"I didn't. I can't do sports because I'm asthmatic."
"I wish I was asthmatic." Rory complained putting a fork of food in her mouth.
"Rory!" Richard was alarmed. "You can't wish for a sickness."
"I wish we could." Lorelai joined the complains train.
"Lorelai!" Richard exclaimed.
"You know what." Emily drawned the attention to her. "What about golf? Richard, you can teach Rory."
"Yes, I guess I could." He turned to one of his granddaughters. "What do you think, Rory?"
"I don't think she-" Lorelai started to answer a question that was directed to her.
"I would love that." Rory smiled.
"We start tomorrow?"
"It works for me."
They were all turning their attention back to their foods when Emma said:
"Grandma, maybe you and I could spend some time together too." Emily felt an inexplicable amount of joy at the sound of those words. "I can take you to the antique shop in Star's Hollow. You like antiques, right?" Emily nodded with a her insides exploding of excitement. "Maybe, then I could give you a tour. Show around."
"It sounds delightful. It's a plan."
"So everybody had plans tomorrow but me?" Lorelai was working tomorrow but that still bugged her in a weird way.
See you tomorrow...