Rory looked up from her book as she heard the library door creak open.

"Hiding from your fans, Mare?" Tristan asked walking into the room, closing the library doors behind him.

Rory shrugged, "I'm not hiding. I'm not really a big party girl. I've said hello to everyone and now I'm enjoying the party my own way. What are you doing here?"

"Not a big party guy," he replied making his way towards the sofa conveniently placed in the corner of the room beside a bookshelf marked 'Rory's books'. She was curled up on the sofa, a book on her lap.

Rory raised her eyebrows at his reply. "Says they guy who throws the biggest parties in Chilton and gets invited to all the other ones."

Tristan laughed and sat down on the other end of the sofa. He looked around the room and shook his head grinning. "Man, Mary, you are so spoiled you know that?" Tristan mentioned towards the bookshelf.

"I just come here a lot. My mom is best friends with Finn's mom, so naturally she treats me like her own blood. Same thing with my mom and Finn. I have my own room here, and Finn knows he's always welcome at our house. It's just how it is," Rory explained. "The Morgans know I love books, so they put up a bookshelf for me so I can leave a few books here so I have some when I stay in North Oaks."

"Who knew?"

"Who knew what?" Rory asked confused.

"Who knew you had a secret life outside of just being a bookworm and being the smartest person in Chilton?" Tristan teased.

Rory used her uncurled her right leg and kicked him on the side of his thigh earning a grunt of pain from the blond boy. "You're just jealous I'm smarter than you. And secret life? It's not really a secret. I just don't go around telling everyone at school that I'm friends with Logan, Finn, Colin and Steph. Why should I? Don't really care about the people at Chilton other than Paris, Louise and Maddy."

"Ouch Mare, that hurts," Tristan said putting his right hand over his heart.

Rory rolled her eyes, but you could see the small smile on her face. "You'll get over it E.T."

"So you said you're not a big party girl, why did you agree on doing this 'competition'? "

"I didn't agree, Paris was the one who accepted this competition."

"But you didn't un-accept it after," he pointed out.

Rory shrugged, "I guess I just want to beat Summer. She is kinda of a… what's that word again?"

"Bitch?" Tristan supplemented.

Rory nodded in agreement. "That and it's kind of fun planning a party with my friends."

"And I thought you wanted to win because you can't stay away from me," Tristan said grinning.

Rory kicked him again. "You do know we're going to win right?"

Tristan shrugged in response, "It's likely. Especially with the help of your high society friends."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Well Summer was your girlfriend and you're like the King of Chilton, shouldn't you be on her side?" Rory asked him.

"Nope. There was a reason Summer and I broke up, she was a bitch and really annoying. And no matter which side I choose, I'll still be the king of Chilton. Besides I'm the judge I'm not choosing sides remember?" he winked at her. "But if I were, I'd be on your side babe."

Rory shook her head and laughed. She looked at the book on her lap and shook her head, "See you've interrupted my reading time."

Tristan smirked, "Admit it, you like talking to me. Who doesn't?"

"You're so full of yourself."

Tristan picks up the book she was reading. "Pride and Prejudice," he read the title. "I swear Mary, you've read that book at least 20 times."

"It's a good book!" Rory defended.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Jess poked his head into the room. "Ror, the party is dwindling, do you want to say bye to your friends?"

Rory closed her book and stood up to straighten her skirt. "Be right there Jess." Jess nodded and shut the door. "Well I guess we have to go back."

"But we were having such a meaningful conversation!" Tristan teased.

"I think this was the first time I can actually talk to you like you were a normal person." She said as she went to put the book back on the shelf.

"See I knew you liked talking to me."

Rory shook her head, " I am never going to get through that thick brain of yours. C'mon bibleboy, let's get me some caffeine."

Tristan laughed and threw an arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the library and into the living room. Finn caught her eyes and raised an eyebrow at the arm around her shoulders. Rory rolled her eyes and shook Tristan's arm off her shoulders. "I'm going to say bye to everyone," she told him slowly making her way towards the group of people preparing to leave.

"So after that amazing talk we had, will you go out with me now?" Tristan called after her.

Rory looked back over her shoulders, "In your dreams bible boy."

Tristan smirked and felt a body shuffling up beside him. "So it was good then mate?" the other boy asked mentioning his head towards the brunette laughing as she escorted some people outside the door.

"Yeah."

"Just don't hurt her." Finn warned putting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it a little hard.

"Don't worry, I won't."

"I'll take you word for it. Now how about a beer before we have our movie marathon?" Finn asked.

"Movie marathon?"

"Mate, you really don't know Rory at all do you?" Finn shook his head in amusement. "You're about to be in for a surprise." he told the confused boy as he walked away towards the bar.

"I don't like the sound of that. Should I be scared?" Tristan asked Jess who came up beside him.

Jess let out a chuckle, patting his shoulder and walking away towards the kitchen, "Be prepared Dugrey. To get through a Gilmore Girls movie marathon, you need stamina."

"Hey!" he called to Jess. "I so have stamina! Ask the girls at Chilton!"

A/N: Well guess who's back? I hope you guys liked this chapter! We needed a little Trory interaction, don't you think? Don't worry, they'll get together soon enough. AND this won't be the only heart to heart the couple have. There will be one more coming up that's even more serious.

Let me know what you think!

Muah,

Kim