Title: Odo Et Amo

Author: Me

Rating: PG 13

A/N: Sorry I've taken sooooo long to update. I sorta lost interest for a while and it's taken a while to get back on track… newai. Thankyou all sooo much for your encouraging reviews, they're really appreciated.

Muisje: thankyou for pointing out my mistake. I've only been learning latin for a semester so I'm still pretty bad at it. Lol. I would change it but it might be too confusing seeing as it'd be the 3rd time I've changed it. Thankyou again :)

Chapter 20: Another Phone Call

Rory walked in through the front door. Absent-mindedly, she strolled into the living room and plonked herself down on the couch. She fingered at her skirt hem. Outwardly she seemed quite calm or at least collected, but inside she was a rage of thoughts and emotions. She wasn't sure what to think of her situation with Tristan. She didn't really like him… or did she? Lately she'd sorta been considering her situation with Tristan. She wasn't so sure anymore that she disliked him quite so much. I mean he wasn't annoying all the time. He could be all right when he felt like it…

Finally she plucked up the courage to read the message Tristan had left. She had no idea why she was so nervous; it might only be a message to say hi. But then again, it wasn't everyday that Tristan rang her up early in the morning… She prepared herself mentally and then quickly grabbed at the piece of paper beside the phone. It read:

Message for my dearest daughter, from he who claims to be Mr Tristan Dugrey.

Rory,

Wanted to know if you'd be at school today because there's something I really want to ask you. But I 'spose I'll see you at school soon anyhow so don't worry about returning the call.

Tristan 

"So he really was asking me to the dance…" Rory thought to herself. "I suppose I had better reply him properly, it would be the only polite thing to do. Damn my concience! Do I really want to put myself through such an awkward situation?!? I suppose I don't really have a choice."

She bravely picked up the phone and dialled Tristan's number…

*Beep beep beep beep…* (engaged)

"Trust Tristan to be on the phone the one time I'm brave enough to ring him."

Rory paced the room anxiously. She'd have to call him later. Unfortunately Rory wasn't too good at being patient, so before long she was dialling Tristan's number again.

*beep beep beep beep…* (engaged)

Rory plonked herself down on the couch once again. *sigh* maybe she'd tell him tomorrow that she couldn't go to the dance with him. But then again, maybe she should go since she didn't have a partner already. "Nah." Not going would be less uncomfortable.

"Whimp." A voice echoed in her mind. "Slack, scaredy-cat, rude, pathetic-"

"Stop!" another voice echoed. "You don't want to go, so why should you? Don't listen to your concience!"

"You'll regret it… you'll see…" The voice of her concience warned

"Your concience just wants to make you unhappy. It doesn't know what it's talking about!"

"Pick up the phone Rory…" Her concience told her, "Pick it up, Rory… you know you should… it's the right thing to do… you'll feel better..."

"FINE! Alright, alright I'll do it." Rory told her concience- as odd as it may sound. Reluctantly Rory got up and walked over to the phone. Just as she was about to pick the phone up…

*Brring brrring brring*

Hesitantly Rory picked up the ringing phone and answerwed it.

"…hello…?" Rory answered timidly.

"Um, hi. Is that you Rory?" the male voice asked.

"Ah- yeah. May I ask who's calling…?" Rory questioned.

"Can't you recognise my voice?"

"Obviously not…" Rory's voice was evidence of her confusion.

"Guess."

"Um, how about no…?"

"Come on Rory. Guess."

"why…?" Rory asked carefully

"You dunno who u am do you?" The caller let out a teasing laugh. "I know who you are and you don't know who I am!"

"Ok… and I'm just going to put the phone down slowly and hang up on you…"

"NO! Don't do that!"

"Then tell me who you are."

"Fine. Spoil sport. It's James."

"*sigh*I hate you, did you know that?" Rory laughed

"Glad to know I'm so loved."

"So, why the phone call?"

"Will you go to the dance with me?" James blurted out.

"…"

"Rory…?"

"And again I'm just going to put the phone down slowly and hang up on you…"

"Don't Rory." James said firmly. "Just answer me."

"Um, well I'm just a little… shocked. I just need a bit of time to get over the shock." Rory laughed nervously.

"So, can you come?"

"No." Rory winced and waited for the painful reaction.

"Ok. Cya." James' voice was emotionless.

"Don't you want to know why?"

"No, not really." James sounded angry.

"I'm sorry that I gave you the wrong impression James. I only really like you as a friend, a really good friend of course."

"So why can't we go as 'really good friends'?" James challenged.

"Because, because, because I like Tristan and I'm going with him!" Rory immediately clapped her hand over her mouth when she realised what she had just said.

"Oh, of course. Why I didn't realise that! I mean you two looked so in love the other day when I saw you yelling insults at each other. Silly me! Good bye and good riddance to you!"

*Beep beep beep*

A/N: well hope this is beta than the last few chapters. Look forward to reading all ur reviews!! Reaching the 100 mark, YAY!!

~ME~