"Hey…" he said

Rory was too surprised to speak but she managed after she took a deep breath

"what are you doing here?" she frowned

He didn't say anything, he only stared at her before he started to speak again, "because you're here…"

Rory's frowned deepened, she was confused, "Tristan…"

"Rory… I'm tired of you of running away…I just want to know why," he said sadly

"know what?"

"why you are leaving Chilton,"

Rory shrugged, "I left Chilton already, and if that's what you wanted to know why, why did you have to come here all the way from Hartford?"

He shrugged and looked down and picked up the book and the paper. He held them and glanced the paper and saw it was a drawing of her while reading a book. He liked what he saw, she looks so innocent, beautiful and calm.

"Tristan? Answer me,"

"no, you answer me," he looked back at her, "is it about me why you left Chilton? Is that how you are going to avoid me?"

Rory's face softened, the frown was gone. She stared at him, into his eyes. She saw that he was longing for something and that she knows what.

"no, I didn't leave Chilton because of you. I left Chilton because I'm not planning to go to Harvard anymore…"

"you're not going to Harvard anymore? So you're going attend another school?"

"no,"

Tristan frowned, "what? I don't understand…"

"I left Chilton, not going to college, not going to another school…no more education,"

Tristan stared at her as if she was insane. He always knew she was a hard working person and then in a sudden no more education. What is this Rory? Is this a lie?

"and I'm not lying," she added

Tristan's confused face remained and she can see that. She sighed and went over to the bench, he followed her and sat beside her.

"Tristan, let me tell you something," she said

"is it going to be good or bad?"

"well, either,"

"oh well,"

"Tris, of what you said, at my grandparents' place, it took me on a surprise…they were the answers that I wasn't expected. I took time thinking of everything you've said…it was nice thought but I cannot accept it…correction, I don't want to accept it and it scares me,"

"why? Why would it scare you?"

Rory paused

"because I was also afraid to admit that I also have feelings for you,"

Tristan's heart jumped when she said that but he could sense a 'but'

"I'm sorry Tristan…I've made my decision for so long and I don't want to get hurt anymore. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you that night, I was also confused about my feelings, I kept denying and it frustrates me. I enjoyed being with you, I was glad you were there when I needed someone and you helped me get through them but this one…we're both going to get hurt and I don't want to get hurt anymore and I don't want to hurt you either…can you understand that?"

"you don't want us to have something more than a friendship because you don't want us to get hurt?"

Rory nodded her head

"but I don't understand…what will hurt the both of us?"

Rory hesitated to tell him and Tristan saw that, he wanted her to tell him so badly

"Rory, please tell me, I wanted to know everything because I love you…"

"I know that you love me Tristan…but I just don't want to in love anymore,"

"but you are in love,"

Rory was taken back. But you are in love… he said.

"no, I'm not, no…I don't want to be in love anymore!" she fought the feeling when he said that

"Rory…you cannot fight it…why can't you accept that?"

"that is because I don't want to hurt another person anymore!" she said

"and what would hurt me if you love me?" he asked

"that I would leave you in one day and would never come back again!" she cried

"Rory…? What does that mean…?" he hesitantly asked her, "what do you mean by leaving one day and never coming back again? Rory? Rory, tell me!" he grabbed her on her arms

"Tristan…" she said with tears in her eyes,

"Rory, please tell me," he begged

"I'm sorry…"

"no, don't be, tell me,"

"Tris…"

"what?"

"I have leukemia."

*A/N: 'sniff' Rory's dying...'sniff'*