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CHAPTER 12

He sat next to her and watched her sleep. As much as he wanted to know what had made her cry he didn't want to wake her. She just looked so peaceful and content when she slept. There was a small smile on her lips, which meant that her dream was a good one. It was better to be happy in a dream than to cry when awake he thought to himself.

---

Blue eyes met blue eyes as Rory looked at her roommate sitting on the sofa next to her. His eyes were so intense. There were so many unidentified emotions in those eyes.

"I'm going to kiss you now Rory." Tristan said as he placed his lips on hers.

Rory felt someone move and opened her eyes. Tristan was sitting there but he wasn't kissing her. She brought her fingers to her lips realizing that she had been dreaming.

"Good morning sleepy head. Was that dream about me?" He asked with that smirk on his face.

"What dream?" she asked with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"You were smiling in your sleep. You must have been thinking of me."

"You wish Tristan." She joked around but the look on her face didn't match the tone of her voice.

"Hey, is something wrong? You don't look so happy."

Dean's phone call came back to her then. Suddenly she remembered that Lindsey was pregnant. She felt like crying but kept her tears inside.

"I got a phone call this afternoon."

"From who? Is everything okay at home?"

"It was from Dean."

"Oh!" Tristan said. He was kind of disappointed when he heard bagboy's name. "What did he want?"

"Well, he's staying with Lindsey. They're going to work things out."

He couldn't help but notice the hurt look on her face when she said that. "How are you feeling about all that?" He asked with real concern in his voice.

"That's not all! Lindsey is pregnant. They're going to be a family."

"How do you feel about all that?" He asked again.

"I feel like such a fool Tristan! I gave one of the most special things to a guy that I don't even love. Not to mention a guy who's married and about to be a father. Now I'm still alone and I don't know what to do. I knew he should stay with his wife but why did he lie to me?" She had started to cry again. The tears just kept on coming and wouldn't stop.

Tristan didn't know what to say or do. He pt his arms around her and started to stroke her hair. Maybe a hug would be comforting. He just hated to see her cry. He never wanted her to be sad. His biggest wish was that she'd just be happy.

"Everything is going to be fine Rory. You are not alone now nor will you ever be. You've got friends and family who love you a lot."

"Yeah but will I ever be lucky enough to find True Love? To find the one guy who'll love me no matter what? That's what I want." She said between sobs.

"You'll definitely find someone Ror. Any guy would be lucky to have you. It will all happen when you least expect it, you'll see." He responded to her. In the back of his mind he wanted to say that there was a guy who already loved her no matter what but he knew that it wasn't the time and it would all just confuse her way too much. Plus he wasn't sure he wanted to risk the friendship that they had started to build.

"You're just trying to make me feel better Tris. But Thanks anyway."

"You'll see Ror, you'll see."

They were silent then. She just sat there while he held her. She couldn't help thinking how strange it was that she was so comfortable with Tristan. They had barely been friends when he'd left Chilton and now just a few weeks after they'd met again they were getting along incredibly well. She could even say that they were friends. It was unbelievable how much he had changed. To her he seemed less like the sex-crazed guy she had known and more like someone who could become her great friend.

"Earth to Rory."

"Huh?"

"Where were you just now? On some foreign planet somewhere?"

"Yeah, some planet with little green men."

"How 'bout we go grab a bite to eat?"

"Great idea I'm starved! But only if there's coffee."

"There will always be coffee for you, unless you drink it all. Now go get dressed."

She headed off to take a shower and get dressed. This would be a good way to get her mind off of everything.

---

They went to a cute little Italian place where they both ate like there was no tomorrow. She drank numerous cups of coffee while he drank soda. Then they shared a huge piece of chocolate cheesecake. Neither one of them mentioned Dean or any of what had happened. They kept the conversation light. Just trying to get to know each other better.

"Tell me more about your mom Ror. What is she really like?"

"Well, she's a lot like me but she's the crazy one. We both share an addiction to coffee. We both love junk food. My mom is just great. She's my best friend. We've always been close. I guess because for the longest time we were all we had. Sometimes she's still all I've got and I'm still all she's got. We tell each other everything, we laugh together, we cry together. It's all great." That brought back so much. Rory really missed her mom. She wasn't used to being away from her so much.

"Sounds wonderful. You must miss her a lot then huh?"

"I really do but she understand that I have to do this. What about you Tristan, what about your family?"

"What family? I wouldn't exactly call what I have, a family. When I was living at home it was more like we were just four people living in the same house. My parents weren't exactly the most feeling people. They just wanted me to be perfect and do what a Dugrey man would do. Go to college, run the family empire, have a son who would some day take it all over and keep the name alive. I was just a big disappointment to them so they sent me away."

"I'm sorry to hear that. But you said four people, who's the fourth?"

"That would be my older sister. She was the only person that I could talk to and be myself with in that house. We would talk for hours about everything. She would back me up when I argued with my parents. I was so lucky to have her there with me."

"You really miss her don't you? Where is she now?"

"I miss her like heck. She's living in New York now. She owns a huge clothing and beauty product boutique."

"She sounds great. When was the last time you saw each other?"

"Two months ago actually. She is supposed to come to town in the next two weeks though. Maybe you'll meet her."

"I'd really like that."

They talked some more. She told him about her grandparents and their usual Friday night dinner and about her father. They talked about their friends and the things they loved to do and music and movies. After a few hours of sitting in the restaurant they headed home.

Rory couldn't believe the kind of man Tristan had become. He was definitely not the same person she went to school with. Sure his ego surfaced at times but he was no longer the womanizer. He had grown up a lot. She was really glad that they had become friends. She just knew that they'd have a great friendship.

---

As Tristan lay in bed that night he suddenly had an idea. He came up with the perfect surprise for Rory. It was something that would most definitely cheer her up.

A/N: Chapter 12 done...I'll post the 13th soon. I'll just let you wonder what that surprise is. Please review.