CHAPTER 7 - Early Birthday Presents

"So I'll schedule your surgery for next week, depending on when Doctor Schulter is working." Rory heard someone saying as she walked into Tristan's room on Tuesday evening.

"Ok, that's fine I guess." Tristan replied.

"And after the surgery you'll have to stay here for 4-6 days, depending on how fast you are recovering. Then you'll have to start therapy, exercising your legs and hip each day shortly after."

Tristan nodded, "Ok. Whatever will get it working again," he said with a slight smile.

"Ok, then I think we're done here. I'll come and talk to you again in a few days to see how you are feeling about the surgery and we'll sort some other things out." the man said as he gathered some papers that were lying on Tristan's bed.

"Sounds good." Tristan replied.

Rory waited for the man to leave before she placed Tristan's dinner down on his bed. "Who was that?" she asked.

"Some doctor." Tristan said looking up at her, "my grandfather came in today to talk with some of the doctors, since my parents aren't back yet, and he wanted to find out about the surgery and stuff."

"Oh." Rory paused before continuing, "Well, you were the talk of the town today. I don't think I heard a full sentence without the name Tristan in it." she said with a smile.

"Oh really?" he grinned.

"Yeah...it got pretty annoying actually," Rory said slowly with a smile, looking him in the eye.

Tristan nodded his head, the grin never leaving his face, "Oh it did?"

"Yeah..." Rory said nodding in agreement. She sat down in the chair next to his bed and got lost in thought for a minute before Tristan tore her from her thoughts.

"Are you nervous at all... like about college?"

Rory looked up, this was one topic she would never have expected Tristan to be bringing up. "Why, where's this coming from?" she asked, concerned.

"I guess I was just thinking about it," he said, his voice low, "I mean I am stuck in a hospital room alone all day, I'm a senior in high school... pretty soon your mind starts to wander."

Rory nodded, "Oh," she replied.

"But are you... nervous at all?" he asked.

"Well yeah, I guess. I mean, there's always that chance that you won't get in and you find yourself saying 'what now,' but I think in the end it'll all work out."

Tristan nodded. "You still hung up on Harvard?" he asked her seriously.

Rory looked up at him with a changed face. She looked small to him, like she was a little girl again.

"I don't know." she barely whispered, "I mean for a while it was all I thought about... and now I'm kind of afraid to tell anyone anything different because that's all they know me for, Harvard... like my mom has wanted me to go there, my grandparents have gotten used to it, and I..." Rory stopped, she had never told anyone what she was just about to confess to Tristan

"You what?" he asked with curious eyes.

"I just don't know. I mean, lately I've been thinking a lot about Princeton. I know it's just come out of the blue, but one day I found myself looking at Harvard brochures and I just can't picture myself there, walking the campus."

Tristan nodded, not saying anything.

"I know they would be fine with it if I were to change my mind, but I just can't bring myself to tell them. My mom is just so excited, and I know she would be just as excited if it were Princeton, but I don't know. Part of me is just worried about getting in... and I know that's normal once you send out your letters, but..." Rory ran a hand through her hair, "I guess, I just... I don't know... I feel so lost."

Rory took a deep breath and started to stand, suddenly nervous. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm telling you all this. I've never told anyone that before and I-" Rory started pacing around the room.

"Rory," Tristan said.

She looked up at him, her face young once again.

"It's okay, you can tell me stuff..." he said, not once breaking eye contact, "you can trust me." he said slowly.

Rory nodded, "Thanks Tristan," as she looked at him she noticed something in his eyes. Something that wasn't there all the years before when she would throw dirty looks his way. He had changed, somehow in some way, he had changed. "I've got to go," Rory found herself saying. Although she had not said much, she felt as if she had confessed her whole world to him, like he now knew everything and there was no going back. Rory started to feel crowded in his room, she needed to get out.

"Rory," Tristan said.

"No, I've got to get back to work. It's fine, I'll talk to you later." she said throwing him one last glance before leaving the room.

Tristan sighed. She always did that. They'd take one step forward, being honest and talking, only to take two steps back. He was at a loss as for why Rory was so afraid. It was as though she was fine talking with him, but once she said something of importance about herself then she would need to shut down and run away. Part of her didn't trust him. That was the only way to explain it, she wasn't letting him in, she didn't want him to get to know the real her, and a part of that worried Tristan because more than anything he wanted to know the real her.

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It was now Thursday and Rory hadn't talked to Tristan since she last worked, which was Tuesday. She felt bad for leaving him like that. There was really no explanation for what she'd done. She had told him something no one else knew, and part of that scared her because it meant that she opened up to him and had trusted him enough in order to tell him. She was scared because Tristan was never the type of boy you could just trust and pour your heart out to. He went through girlfriends like they were socks, except for Lindsey who was crazy enough to stick around. But Rory's feelings toward Tristan had changed, he seemed different to her. He was definitely a different person than who he was in school. Part of her was afraid that once he went back to school their time together would have meant nothing, and she didn't know what to do or say to make that feeling go away.

Rory walked in to Tristan's room on Thursday afternoon to find Trevor standing, getting ready to leave.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow then." Trevor said as he turned around.

"Ok, see you." Tristan replied.

"Oh, hey Rory." Trevor said as he walked out, "I'll catch you later."

Once Trevor was gone, Rory walked the rest of the way in. "So, what's tomorrow?"

Tristan's cheeks reddened and Rory took notice. "What's tomorrow?" she said with a smile.

"My birthday." Tristan said looking down, almost embarrassed.

"YOUR BIRTHDAY? Tristan, I didn't know that."

"Yeah well, it's not a big deal or anything."

"Oh no, this is definitely a big deal. Delia will want to know so she can buy you an extra special present!" Rory said with a giant smile on her face.

Tristan looked up, "Rory, I swear to god, if that woman gives me a man thong I will get up and walk out of this hospital." he said, almost looking scared.

Rory laughed, "But you can't walk... so that means you won't be able to run away from her when she goes in for the birthday kiss."

Tristan winced, "That's not even funny."

"Oh come, lighten up."

"You wouldn't be saying that if Delia came in and tucked you in every night."

The smile on Rory's face widened, "Yeah, I guess you have reason to be scared," she said as she sat down.

Tristan looked Rory in the eye, debating on whether to bring up Tuesday's incident or not. He wanted her to know that he was there for her, and that she could trust him. He just didn't know how to convince her of that.

"So, about the other day..." Rory began, not knowing exactly what to say.

"About the other day..." Tristan said, trying to fill the silence.

"I'm sorry I ran out on you like that... I just got caught up in myself, and didn't know what else to do... and it was kind of mean to just leave you like that."

Tristan leaned back into his pillows, "It's ok, don't worry about it."

"No, I feel bad. You didn't do anything wrong... you just listened to what I had to say, which was nice... of you." Rory said those last few words slowly, unsure of herself.

"It's okay, no problem." Tristan didn't know what else to say. He looked up at her and could tell she was genuinely sorry. "It's okay Rory, really. You have nothing to apologize for."

Rory looked down at her hands, "Well as long as we're okay then."

"We're fine." he replied.

Rory looked back up at Tristan, looking relieved and refreshed, "So...the big day is tomorrow."

"Ahh... no." he replied, running a hand through his hair.

"Are your parents gonna be home for it?" she asked.

"Probably not, but what else is new." Tristan said rolling his eyes.

"Oh," Rory was quiet for a minute, "Do you want anything special?" she asked.

Tristan looked up at her, his blue eyes looking full, "I already got what I wanted." he said slowly, keeping her gaze.

Rory didn't realize her body moving closer to him. "And what was that?" she asked, oblivious of the obvious answer.

Tristan leaned in so his forehead was pressing against hers. Rory didn't move, she hadn't even felt her body move toward him. "You." he whispered. Rory eyes locked with his and Tristan grabbed her in a kiss. Electricity was running through her body when his lips met hers. Rory had felt nothing like it before. She had always gotten that little feeling when he was around, excited butterflies with a touch of nervous nausea, but when she kissed him she was filled with pure excitement, like there was no where else she'd rather be. Tristan reached his hand out to her hips to inch her closer when suddenly the door to his room flew open.

"Tristan, your grandfather has come to see you now." Delia's booming voice quickly filled the room. Rory quickly pulled apart from Tristan, keeping her eyes with his. She looked up at Delia self-consciously and quickly got up from her seat, "I better get back." she said as she quickened her pace with each step, staring at the floor until she was safely out of the room.

"Ummm," Delia was unsure of what to say, "your grandfather is here," she said as Janlan DuGrey's footsteps were heard coming from down the hall.

"Ok, thanks." Tristan said, staring at his now fascinating blue and white stripped sheet.

Delia walked out of the room, not believing that what she just saw was real. "Man, oh man" she said to herself with a smile. She made her way down to the front desk to see if Rory had gotten back yet. Chloe was the only one sitting at her desk; Rory was obviously trying to avoid her.

"Chloe, you will never believe what I just walked in on!" Delia exclaimed like she was back in high school.

"Rory kissing Tristan?" Chloe looked at her with no expression.

"How do you know?" Delia said, looking bummed that she couldn't be the one with the gossip.

"Rory came by real quick... she was muttering something to me really fast... it sounded like 'ohgodIjustkissedTristan' and then she said something about you... and ran down the hall."

"Oh, damn. I wanted to tell you." Delia replied, "was she excited? Or did I totally ruin everything?"

Chloe smiled, "She looked like she was in shock... but a good shock."

"Oh god, I know I should've just let the grandfather go by himself. How great would it have been to hear that story." Delia laughed.

"You're horrible." Chloe looked up grinning.