Oh freaking hell - thanks heaps for the loadsa reviews you guys sent me! Very inspirational! And the getting lost idea is cool; maybe I'll incorporate it into this story.

Some parts of this chapter is just totally confusing - sorry!! My bad.

Chapter 10: Honesty is the best policy

Rory didn't know where she was heading; all she knew was that she had to get away. She had to get away from Tristan; she had to get away from all that he was making her feel. And, oh… was that rain? She felt her cheeks, and was astounded to figure out that it wasn't rain, it was tears. She was crying. She was crying over that jerk! Rory rubbed her cheeks stubbornly, commanding herself not to cry, but deep down she knew it was useless.

Tristan could easily track Rory, as the marks she left behind were so obvious. Branches snapped from their usual place, leaves stepped on, and the snapped twigs. Soon enough, he was within shouting distance.

"Rory, stop! It's not what you think," he proclaimed loudly.

Rory sniffled quietly, and turned around to see just how far away he was. She shouted back at him, furious at him for lying to her and herself for actually caring what he did. "I don't see how you'd know what I think."

Tristan scowled even as he kept running. "It's written all over your face."

Rory scoffed. "Tristan, I don't need to hear any more words from a fabricator."

She glanced back again, and it was unfortunate that she did, since a tree root now blocked her way and she was doomed to trip over it. She closed her eyes immediately as she felt herself falling down, but instead of the cold rock-hard ground she was expecting; she was held against a tightly bundled warm wall of muscles. Tristan had put on an extra burst of speed and caught up with Rory just in time to save her from a bruised body.

Tristan frowned down at the little chit. "You do know that you could have killed yourself don't you, running at that speed in this forest?"

She bared her teeth at him in the most feline grin she could muster, and pulled herself away from his impromptu embrace. "I would rather kill myself than be around scum like you," she bit out, her eyes flashing dangerously. Rory lowered herself slowly to the floor, feeling that she needed a little break from that unexpected bout of exercise.

"And we're back to the petty insults," said Tristan dryly, as he crossed his arms over his chest, perhaps as an act of deviance, or perhaps even to put a little distance between himself and the fire-breathing dragon before him.

Rory blinked furiously, trying to quell the future onslaught of tears. Tristan glanced down at the girl who sat on the forest floor, and was surprised to see that her eyes were twinkling frenziedly with what he suspected was tears. He didn't think she was the type to cry over frivolous and unimportant matters.

He bent down before her, his right knee on the ground, for he could never stand to see a girl cry over him, even when it wasn't really his fault. He brought his hand up, gently brushing away the fat tear that trickled down her rosy cheeks. Rory's breath caught at the strangely gentle gesture, but pushed his hand hurriedly away in what could be perceived as symbolic. By that simple action, she was pushing him away from her life.

Tristan sighed, and wondered if she would believe him even if he told her the truth. Breathing deeply, he said softly but full of feeling, "I apologize for everything I've said or done that has hurt you."

The vague reminder that he knew he had hurt her and still believed he could, was more than her battered pride could stand.

"What makes you think that anything you say or do could hurt me?" said Rory in the most disdainful voice she could conjure.

Tristan looked at her in surprise. Now that he thought about it, was Rory crying just because she saw him in a most compromising lip-locked position with that hussy of a counselor? But then again, if his theory were right, that would mean that Rory was… jealous. That was impossible, right? He could almost laugh out loud if the situation hadn't been so serious.

"Mary, are you jealous?" he asked her in that blunt manner he carried with ease.

Rory scoffed at him, as she felt her cheeks getting hotter. "Of you kissing Eve? In your dreams, Tristan." Almost as if in an afterthought, she added, "And don't call me Mary."

Tristan sat down besides her, his legs straight out in from of him as he leaned back against the tree trunk in what was essentially a comfortable position. His face was thoughtful as he contemplated what he should say to Rory. Maybe it was time to tell her what he really felt. Maybe…

He cleared his throat and it sounded extremely loud to him; it was his death sentence. "Mary, remember what I said… that the most important factor in a relationship is honesty, and it seems that we don't have much of that right now."

Rory squirmed on the ground, and turned to look at him square in the eye. If looks could kill, he would have been a pile of dust on the ground. She had stopped crying, but the evidence was still left behind. Her eyes were shining suspiciously and there were tear trails down her cheeks. "You want me to be honest, is that it?"

He nodded.

"Fine. I was crying over how wrong my judgment of you was. I was crying because you told me a lie straight to my face without even hesitating once. I was crying because I was actually thinking that I'm beginning like you as more than a friend." She paused, taking in a shaky breath. "Be rest assured though, that my inappropriate thoughts are replaced with some that are more fitting."

Tristan bit his lip in surprise. His Mary was actually thinking of him in that way? Okay, maybe not his Mary, but… still… He had dreamed of it for so long, but dream was all he ever did. Now that it actually was reality, he didn't know how to act and what to say. And when he was shocked…

The old Tristan came back, infuriating smirk and all. "You know, Mary, you should find out the truth before you proclaim me a liar."

Rory scowled. "The truth was right in front of my eyes, Tristan. What else am I supposed to believe? You were kissing Eve, after you said that you had no romantic inclination towards her."

Tristan could scream at the complications of the situation, and after that shake Rory for losing faith in him. "'If you had only got there a few seconds before, you would have seen that it was Eve who kissed me, not the other way around."

"You're kidding," said Rory, aghast. She wondered if that was really true, and mentally berated herself for not thinking of that earlier on. She could have been saved from this most embarrassing situation.

"I wouldn't kid about something like this," said Tristan seriously.

Before she could stop herself, a beatific grin worked its way onto her face. She knew that there was something odd about the defensive stance that he had crouched into. She knew it, she knew it, she knew it! She almost wanted to launch into the demented happy dance that she and her mum had 'invented' one day a long, long time ago. She was ready to do something even more drastic when she caught herself, but then thought, 'what the hell, you only live once', so she leaned over, and placed a juicy kiss on Tristan's fairly astonished lips.

His mouth quirked itself into a smile as he asked, "What was that for, Mary?"

Rory shrugged rather insecurely. "Oh, you know… just for being you." She wanted to smack herself for that lame sentence.

Tristan smiled as he heard the words come out of Rory's mouth. Maybe it was time…

"Hey Rory -" he started off.

But he was interrupted when Rory stared at him in disturbance. "That's the first time you actually called me by my real name without meaning it to be snide or insinuating."

Tristan brushed her comment off with a wave of his arm and an insinuating smirk although it didn't really match his usual standard. "Don't interrupt me, Mary, or I'll do something that you might regret." If his heart beat got any faster; it would probably jump itself out of his chest. Eew gross.

"Oh, okay fine," said Rory tersely, speculating whether she would like what he was going to say next. His tone of voice had suddenly gone much more solemn.

Tristan took a deep breath. "Would you like to go out with me?"

TO BE CONTINUED…