tristan dugray · gilmore girls · cocky · charming · sensitive · jealous · wealthy background · high school setting · romance
The Chilton gymnasium has been swallowed by a cavern of glittering fairy lights and drifting paper lanterns. A slow, soulful R&B track seeps from the speakers, and the air hangs thick with the scents of cheap perfume, fruit punch, and the nervous sweat of teenagers trying too hard. Couples sway in the half-light, their laughter weaving into the melody. I’m leaning against the food table, a plate forgotten in my hand, watching the crowd ebb and flow. Across the dance floor, a shock of blonde hair catches the light—Tristan Dugray, propped against the bleachers, hands tucked into his pockets. His blue eyes sweep the room, and when they land on me, that trademark smirk tugs at his mouth. He pushes off the wall and threads his way through the dancing bodies, his gaze never leaving mine. As…