The next day, Rory drove all the way to Hartford to Tristan's place. She forgot to give him a call before she left the house to tell him that she was coming over and she didn't bring her cellphone along with her in the car. When she got there, she rang the doorbell and a butler answered it.

"Can I help you?" he asked with a warm smile

"uh, yes. Is Tristan home?" she asked

the butler nodded his head, "yes, is he expecting you? Please come in, it's cold outside," he said and Rory came in

"maybe…I don't know, I forgot to give him a call," she replied

"ah, please wait in the living room, do you want coffee?" he asked kindly

"sure, thanks…"

"I'm Smith,"

"thanks Smith, coffee would be nice," Rory smiled

"well, then I'll tell Master Tristan that you're here and I'll have Joy give you coffee, excuse me," Smith excused himself and Rory went and sat in the living room. Few minutes later, a lady, whom Rory assumes is Joy and handed her the coffee and Rory thanked her. Rory drank the coffee and waited for Tristan.

*Knock, knock*

"come in," answered Tristan and Smith opened the door, Tristan looked up at the butler from his work

"Master Tristan, you have a visitor waiting for you in the living room," he said

Tristan raised his eyebrows, "name?"

"didn't say," Smith said, shaking his head

Tristan shrugged, "thanks, I'll be down in a minute,"

"I hope it's not anyone from Chilton…" he prayed as he headed down to the living room and stopped his track when he saw her.

"Rory?"

Rory looked up and saw Tristan standing there in his white shirt and brown short, which made him look casual instead of a preppy rich looking teenager

"oh hey Tristan, sorry I didn't call to tell you that I'm still coming over," Rory said with small apologetic smile

Tristan sighed, "it's okay, I was also wondering if you're still coming over without the phone call…"

Rory nodded

"so you were absent yesterday…" he mentioned

"my mom called me in sick," she said

"but I saw you in Starbucks last night," Tristan smirked

"ah, guilty as charged, for cutting classes," Rory rolled her eyes and smiled, "I expected you that you did your research?"

Tristan nodded, "of course I did but there is something missing and I was looking for you yesterday but then,"

Rory nodded, "so we better get to work so we can be finish as soon as possible,"

"trying to get rid of me huh Mary," Tristan smirked

Rory rolled her eyes, "one and a half year in Military school, you still haven't change Tristan,"

"you think,"

"yeah sure," she scoffed and folded her arms, Tristan's eyes flew to her arms when the bluish bruise caught his attention

"hey, where did you get that?" he asked

"what?" Rory frowned and looked down on her arm, she saw a bruise and touched it, and it hurt a bit

Tristan saw her winced when she touched it," did your arm hit something earlier?" he asked

Rory shook her head, "I don't remember…so, we better get to work now,"

"uh, okay, let's go to the study room," Tristan suggested and Rory followed him to the study room.

Then the two of started working on their research for an hour and Rory started to get exhausted, Tristan saw her wearing out and he decided to call for a break

"Let's take a break and I'll be right back," he said and left the room. Rory took a long sigh and leaned back on the chair. She looked down on her arm and pulled up her sleeves and saw that there is not only one bruise but also three more bruises hidden under her three forth sleeves. Then she heard Tristan's footstep, she rolled down her sleeves and he came back with two mugs of coffee

"hey, here," he handed her one of the coffee mugs

"thanks," she said and drank her coffee. Tristan stared at her and there was an eerie silence between them

"uh…um Rory?"

"hmm yeah?"

"well, I wonder if we can be friends…I mean, try to get along with each other you know…" he said timidly

"I thought we were friends Tristan," Rory frowned

"oh, well…I thought we weren't because I kept torturing you for the past years and…I thought…you…um…you hate me?"

"oh no Tristan," she shook her head, "I never hate you but…well not hate but strongly dislike…but I would never hate you, you know, hate is a strong word…"

Tristan nodded, he was glad that she didn't hate him

"so, friends?" he said, Rory smiled, "sure, friends,"

Tristan smiled back and they resumed their work.

Few hours later

"where are your parents Tristan? I haven't seen them around," Rory asked when she returned from the bathroom

"out of the country, as usual," Tristan shrugged

"as usual? So you're alone here for like how long? You don't have any siblings?"

"no sibs, yes I'm alone but I have the maid and the butler with me and I'm used to it because both of my parents are workaholic,"

Rory felt bad for Tristan, "oh Tristan…"

"it's okay Rory…it would be better if they are not around because they argue a lot whenever they are together and it makes everything a shit,"

Rory frowned, "what? Your parents are fighting?"

"long time now, and I never liked my dad, can we drop the subject now please?" Tristan asked, feeling annoyed

"uh, sure," she said and looked away

"I'm sorry Rory, I just don't feel like talking about them,"

"it's okay Tristan, I understand. It's getting late now and I better head home," she said not looking at him

Tristan nodded his head, he could see that Rory was upset, "I'm sorry Rory…"

"it's okay, I said that already didn't I? I better go now, I'll see you in school on Monday," Rory left immediately without giving him a look and Tristan only sat there on the couch.

*AN: I'm running out of ideas now!! To those who gave me ideas about Rory surviving, they were nice ideas but I'll still have to think about it. And guys! Please REVIEW for me!!! Oh yeah, I might take a long time to post up the next chapter...because my school is holding me behind from writing but don't worry, I won't stop writing. Take care!!*