Tristan gently shook Rory's shoulder. "Do you want to go to class today?"
Rory rubbed her eyes, and lifted her head. "Do I have to?" Tristan knew
that he was going to melt every time she begged for anything. "No, Mary,
you don't have to do anything you don't want to."
Rory smiled, and leaned against Tristan's shoulder again. Lorelei had begged Rory to skip, sit in her room and cry. But Rory had been adamant that she not miss school, just because Dean was gone. She remembered the conversation well-
Lorelei-How about you skip, and we go torture Luke and Jess today?
Rory-That way everyone at school will know that I'm upset about Dean? No way. I've got to face this. Lorelei-But you should be able to take a break. We should make a sick day, like boyfriend troubles. How many days should you have that excuse? Rory-You know that those days would be misused. Lorelei-Why? Because you need nine months of them? Wouldn't life be better without Chilton though? Rory-Yeah, then having Grandma coming down on me, plus not getting into Harvard. I have to get over Dean, and moaning about it won't bring him back.
Rory sighed. Tristan lifted his head enough off hers to kiss the crown of her head. "Thanks, Tristan. This is just what I need." Tristan lifted her up, and had her leaning against him. "So you need some more?" Rory was disgusted. "I thought I did."
Tristan was crushed. He'd tried so hard to be careful, and now just one comment out of his big mouth, and she was against him again. Tristan let her sit on her side of the seat, watching as the landscape raced by. Despair filled him, and he tried his best to keep it out of his voice. "I take it that it's not me that's making this easier?"
Rory sighed, turned around, and kissed his cheek. His hand slowly rose to cover the place she'd kissed him. He was completely surprised. "Of course you do. You just say the stupidest things sometimes, that's all." She wrapped his hands back around her waist, closed her eyes, and leaned against his chest. She imagined he was Dean. "Now just keep your mouth shut for a while, and you'll be forgiven."
Tristan knew that he was only there to comfort her while she was upset about bagboy leaving her, but he didn't want to miss a moment of this bliss, since it would disappear before tomorrow morning, he was sure.
Rory closed her eyes, and remembered Dean, the way he'd laughed, the way he'd cried, the way he'd loved her, and always tried to be there for her. She smiled, hoping it would go back to that way when she returned. Then she saw him in Czech, meeting a pretty girl, and holding her hand, kissing her, and hearing the girl say, "But what about Rory?" Dean would answer, "Who's Rory?"
Tristan was dozing lightly when he felt someone start kissing him passionately. Tristan smiled, and kissed back. Now if only she was like this all the time! He slowly pushed her away. "So Dean's flying across the globe, and you're scared he'll meet some girl, and forget all about you." Rory nodded. "Stop worrying! If he is at all in love with you, he'll realize no girl at that school , or on this planet is as precious as you are. If he does come back with someone, you wouldn't have wanted him back anyway. He would have cheated on you. This is the ultimate test of your relationship Rory." Tristan paused for a moment, before saying the words that would ruin his chances completely. He knew he had to, because she needed to see where she stood with him, even if it wasn't where he wanted to be.
Rory heard his words in amazement. "I'm here for you, if he breaks your heart and throws it away, or if he's stayed true and kept loving you through college." Rory thought, He must really love me if he's willing to let me be happy, no matter what's going on with Dean. Rory smiled. "You've really grown up, Tristan. I wonder what they did to you out at boot camp." Tristan smiled. "Well, let's just say that I'm a lot better at sports now." "Why does that not surprise me, Tristan Dugrey?" Skipping class to coming to it on time? You didn't even manage to do that your first morning back!" "Well, I thought a lovely like yourself needed more of my attention than Chilton."
Rory leaned back against him, sighing. "Thanks, Tristan. But, somehow I think you're going to get what you want. I don't see Dean coming back." Tristan smiled. "I just want you to be happy, Rory. And if it means going back to," here Tristan resisted the urge to say "That bolthead," he finished, "Dean, then that's what I'll support you in doing. As long as we're friends."
Rory looked up at Tristan in surprise. That was another thing she'd never expected to hear out of Tristan's mouth. "My, aren't you full of surprises today!"
Rory smiled, and leaned against Tristan's shoulder again. Lorelei had begged Rory to skip, sit in her room and cry. But Rory had been adamant that she not miss school, just because Dean was gone. She remembered the conversation well-
Lorelei-How about you skip, and we go torture Luke and Jess today?
Rory-That way everyone at school will know that I'm upset about Dean? No way. I've got to face this. Lorelei-But you should be able to take a break. We should make a sick day, like boyfriend troubles. How many days should you have that excuse? Rory-You know that those days would be misused. Lorelei-Why? Because you need nine months of them? Wouldn't life be better without Chilton though? Rory-Yeah, then having Grandma coming down on me, plus not getting into Harvard. I have to get over Dean, and moaning about it won't bring him back.
Rory sighed. Tristan lifted his head enough off hers to kiss the crown of her head. "Thanks, Tristan. This is just what I need." Tristan lifted her up, and had her leaning against him. "So you need some more?" Rory was disgusted. "I thought I did."
Tristan was crushed. He'd tried so hard to be careful, and now just one comment out of his big mouth, and she was against him again. Tristan let her sit on her side of the seat, watching as the landscape raced by. Despair filled him, and he tried his best to keep it out of his voice. "I take it that it's not me that's making this easier?"
Rory sighed, turned around, and kissed his cheek. His hand slowly rose to cover the place she'd kissed him. He was completely surprised. "Of course you do. You just say the stupidest things sometimes, that's all." She wrapped his hands back around her waist, closed her eyes, and leaned against his chest. She imagined he was Dean. "Now just keep your mouth shut for a while, and you'll be forgiven."
Tristan knew that he was only there to comfort her while she was upset about bagboy leaving her, but he didn't want to miss a moment of this bliss, since it would disappear before tomorrow morning, he was sure.
Rory closed her eyes, and remembered Dean, the way he'd laughed, the way he'd cried, the way he'd loved her, and always tried to be there for her. She smiled, hoping it would go back to that way when she returned. Then she saw him in Czech, meeting a pretty girl, and holding her hand, kissing her, and hearing the girl say, "But what about Rory?" Dean would answer, "Who's Rory?"
Tristan was dozing lightly when he felt someone start kissing him passionately. Tristan smiled, and kissed back. Now if only she was like this all the time! He slowly pushed her away. "So Dean's flying across the globe, and you're scared he'll meet some girl, and forget all about you." Rory nodded. "Stop worrying! If he is at all in love with you, he'll realize no girl at that school , or on this planet is as precious as you are. If he does come back with someone, you wouldn't have wanted him back anyway. He would have cheated on you. This is the ultimate test of your relationship Rory." Tristan paused for a moment, before saying the words that would ruin his chances completely. He knew he had to, because she needed to see where she stood with him, even if it wasn't where he wanted to be.
Rory heard his words in amazement. "I'm here for you, if he breaks your heart and throws it away, or if he's stayed true and kept loving you through college." Rory thought, He must really love me if he's willing to let me be happy, no matter what's going on with Dean. Rory smiled. "You've really grown up, Tristan. I wonder what they did to you out at boot camp." Tristan smiled. "Well, let's just say that I'm a lot better at sports now." "Why does that not surprise me, Tristan Dugrey?" Skipping class to coming to it on time? You didn't even manage to do that your first morning back!" "Well, I thought a lovely like yourself needed more of my attention than Chilton."
Rory leaned back against him, sighing. "Thanks, Tristan. But, somehow I think you're going to get what you want. I don't see Dean coming back." Tristan smiled. "I just want you to be happy, Rory. And if it means going back to," here Tristan resisted the urge to say "That bolthead," he finished, "Dean, then that's what I'll support you in doing. As long as we're friends."
Rory looked up at Tristan in surprise. That was another thing she'd never expected to hear out of Tristan's mouth. "My, aren't you full of surprises today!"