Here's part two...still searching for a title... (thanks Mystic for your suggestions, btw) :) Please let me know what you all think. :0)
~malka
[email protected]Part Two
By the time three o' clock rolled around, Rory was practically busting at the seams, she was so eager to see Lane. After getting through a day of Tristan's annoying little remarks and Paris's condescending looks and Chilton in general, she couldn't wait to have a little part of her right there at Chilton, helping her survive it all. And that's what Lane was. A part of Rory. Not literally, of course.
Rory sat at the bench/bus stop near the school's far left entrance, eyes fixed on her novel, but for once, she wasn't really paying attention to the words on the page. Every few seconds she glanced up to check for the bus. Everything was already set up at the candy sale, and it didn't open its doors officially until five o' clock, so the only thing she had left to do was wait for Lane. Well, that and about five hundred class assignments, but they would still be there in the morning.
Then she heard the sounds of the bus approaching and looked up, smiling in anticipation. At the bus pulled to a halt a few feet away from where she was sitting, Rory climbed to her feet, bouncing on her toes.
"Rory!" Lane screamed as she jumped off the bus, holding her band hat in her right hand.
"Lane!" Rory returned, throwing her arms around her friend.
"I feel like I haven't seen you in weeks," Lane said enthusiastically.
"I know!" Rory exclaimed.
"Sorry about the uniform," Lane apologized, glancing down at herself. "Jim Davis' retainer got stuck in his tuba and we spent an extra half hour alternately trying to free him and stop him from ramming his head against the piano." She inhaled. "Needless to say, practice ran a little late and I only had time to throw my books in my locker before coming here."
"It's fine," Rory reassured her. "Chilton parents love uniforms. They're the epitomy of brilliance to them."
"Wow, so this is it, huh?" Lane mused, gazing around at the lush campus. "Wow," she repeated. "It's so....so...." She waved her arms, trying to dig up the correct adjective.
"Big," Rory supplied, nodding.
"They really stress vocabulary here, don't they?"
"It's second most important, behind chivalry and modesty," Rory smiled.
"So I guess math is at the bottom of the list then."
"Right after bargain shopping," Rory said seriously. "Come on, I'll show you my locker."
"Ooh, smart school lockers," Lane said excitedly as the two began the walk inside. "Is is true they're made of real gold and shine brighter than the sun?" She fluttered her hands around as if in awe.
"We're forbidden to disclose that information to outsiders, but since you're about two feet from the entrance-- Weeell, let's just say you might wanna shield your eyes," Rory told her. As they walked down the hallway towards her locker, Rory noticed a familiar figure leaning up against it and stifled the urge to groan out loud. "From Medusa."
"Mary!" Tristan ackowledged as they neared him, straightening up. "Stopping just to say hi to me? I'm flattered."
"You were leaning on my locker," Rory reminded him, although she knew he already knew that.
"So what's the big news that you had to rush right over and talk to me?" Tristan continued as if she hadn't spoken. He seemed to notice Lane for the first time. "Hi, I'm Tristan," he extended his hand. "You must be....Curious George?" He gave her uniform a once-over.
"Curious George?" Lane repeated, glancing at Rory with a confused expresssion.
"The outfit," Tristan explained. "Like the little monkeys whose owners play organs."
"Curious George didn't wear clothes," Lane informed him.
"Huh," Tristan shrugged. He leered at Rory. "Interesting idea."
"We were just leaving," Rory turned.
"Oh? Where to, Mary?" He said casually, falling into step beside them.
"A magical world where elves dance on their heads," Rory said flatly.
"Oh," Tristan stopped. "Ok. Yeah, ok, not a problem. I can take a hint," he shrugged, smirking.
"That would be a first," Rory said pointedly.
"I just thought, you know, you might wanna walk together, is all," he called to their retreating forms.
"And you were thinking this because a wily coyote recently dropped a large anvil on your head?" Rory asked without turning around.
"But I guess we'll have enough time for chatter at the Candy sale," he continued, unfazed. "Seeing as how we'll be working together."
Lane and Rory stopped short. "What are you talking about?" Rory demanded.
Tristan smirked and took his time catching up to them. He pulled out a small slip of paper--his table assignment--and held it close to Rory's face.
"No," Rory groaned. "That is not possible."
"So I take it 29 is..." Lane trailed off.
"Is our table," Rory confirmed.
Tristan smiled at them both. "See you at five, Mary." He dissappeared around the corner. Lane and Rory exchanged glances.
"Now, that was rude," Lane shook her head. "He didn't even say good-bye to me." She nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I can see how Dean would have cause for concern."
"What do you mean?" Rory asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
Lane shot her a 'duh' look. "Oh, c'mon, Rory, the guy was practically falling down at your feet and worshipping. I was looking around for the stone altar and animal sacrifices."
"He insulted my best friend and threatened to sell candy with me," Rory protested. "That passes as a sign of devotion nowadays?"
"It's not what he said; it's the way he said it," Lane asked wisely.
"He hates me!"
"Hate is not the opposite of love," Lane told her. "Or, 'There's a thin line between love and hate.' Your call."
"That Cliche-of-the-Day calendar of yours is really getting a workout." Rory joked, but truth be told, she was starting to feel uncomfortable. "Anyway, whatever, let's just drop this, okay?"
"Fine by me. So where to next?"
Rory checked her watch and was surprised to find that it was almost 5:00. "Wow, time did the flying thing."
"First class, I hope," Lane said seriously.
"Would Chilton time fly anything but?" Rory pointed out.
"To the candy sale?" Lane guessed.
"To the candy sale," Rory confirmed.