I still don't own the GG...

18

"Rory, Tristan is a Dugrey. That was his way of showing you that he was interested. In case you didn't know, my parents didn't exactly teach us how to show our emotions."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Rory didn't understand. Why did it make a difference now how Tristan had felt about her in high school?

"I just thought you had to know. It also brings me to this. How do you feel about my brother?"

"We're good friends. I like being around him we have fun and he understands me."

"That doesn't answer my question. Don't try to hide it Ror, I see the sparks between you."

"I guess I can't lie then right? I do have feelings for him. As for when or if I'll tell him well, it's unknown."

"What's this if? Why wouldn't you tell him?" Kat was confused. If she really cared for her brother why wouldn't she do everything possible to be with him?

"Here's the thing: I'm probably going to have to leave North Carolina in the next month..."

CHAPTER19

"Did you just say that you are going to have to leave North Carolina?" Had Katherine heard right? Was this girl, whom her brother loved, walking out of his life again?

"That's what I said. I have to go back, school starts in a little over a month."

"Screw school. You can always transfer here. You could even take a semester off or something." Was this girl crazy? She had just told her that she had feelings for Tristan and now she was talking about leaving?

"You don't understand. My life is over there. I have to continue my education at Yale, it's just how I am."

"What about my brother?"

"There's nothing going on between me and Tristan. I have feelings for him but he doesn't know that, and as long as I keep quiet it'll be easier to leave. I'm extremely grateful that we ran into each other after all this time and that we're good friends but I have to go back."

"Even if it means not having Tristan in your life anymore?"

"I know that he'll understand. Only this time it'll be different from when he left for military school. We're friends now and we can keep in touch. I can even come back for a visit or something." It would hurt her to leave him but she knew that she had to do this. She had to go see her mother, Lane and her grandparents. Her life was over there.

"It's your decision but I honestly think you're making a huge mistake." Kat told her in a softer tone. Sure Tristan was her brother and the last thing she wanted was to see him hurt once again but this was Rory's decision and it would have to be settled between Rory and Tristan without Kat putting her nose into the mix.

"Thanks for that...and I hope it'll be okay in the end." Katherine had managed to put a little doubt in her mind. Was this really the right decision? Sure it was...this was college and her future.

"Have you told Tristan yet that you're leaving?" Kat could just imagine how he would react.

"No I haven't yet. I'm no going to tonight because we're going out to have some fun and I don't want to be all sad but I will...tomorrow."

"Good idea. I'll even let you two have some time alone."

"Thanks Kat." Rory said as she hugged the older girl.

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Back at the apartment Rory went straight to her room. She wanted to have some time to herself before she had to start getting ready to go out. Making the decision to leave again was definitely a hard one but she knew it was the right one. When her mother had brought up the subject of Yale it had surprised her because that had been the farthest subject from her mind.

She had thought of all the reasons to go back and all the reasons to stay, she had even made lists but in the end she knew that it was the best thing to do. Ever since she was a little girl she had wanted to go to college, back then it was Harvard but once she had decided on Yale she knew it was the right decision. She had become good friends with Paris and it was a good reason to go back. Plus Yale was closer to Stars Hollow and Hartford, which were where she could always find Lane and her mother –her best friends - and even her grandparents. Then there was Luke's. Luke had been a great part of her life and she missed him a lot. He whole life was there.

On the con side of going back she had come up with a couple of things. The biggest of them, surprisingly to her, was Tristan. Spending a month with him was great. She had learned what it was like to be friends with him and she had developed strong feelings for him. Then there was Dean. If she went back she'd see more of him. She didn't really think that they'd ever be friends again and she knew that even if she was mostly over the whole thing seeing him would only bring it all back.

Not knowing how Tristan felt made things easier for her because they weren't together and it wouldn't hold her back. She knew that she couldn't tell him. Telling him how she felt would only make things too complicated for the both of them and that's the last thing she wanted. She didn't want him to try and convince her to stay. Not saying a word would save the both of them a lot of heartache when she left. It was going to be so hard.

The tears were threatening to flow as she thought about the feelings she had. Why was it that every time she had feelings for someone it didn't work out? Was in because her and Tristan weren't meant to be? Why couldn't she have run into him in Hartford? Why did it have to happen in North Carolina where she couldn't stay? This sucked royally.

She managed to finally fall asleep. She knew that she would need a nap if she would be any fun that night.

At 8 o'clock she woke up to get ready. Kat had told her that they'd be leaving at around 9:30, which gave her plenty of time to get ready. She took another shower and then started on her hair. She decided that leaving it down like she usually did was probably better because it wasn't that long and she didn't have the patience to start trying out hairstyles. Tired of her usual straight locks she opted for a soft wavy look. Since her hair was different she also made the decision to wear a little more makeup. She put on a soft gray eye shadow and light charcoal eyeliner. It was darker than what she was used to but it matched her mood. On her lips she opted for a less bold sparkly lip-gloss. With her outfit she put on Kat's black-heeled sandals. As a finishing touch she put on a silver chain with a charm of her zodiac sign and silver hoop earrings.

The image in the mirror revealed a different Rory. It wasn't a look that she would wear every day but for a night out at a club it was appropriate. She just wanted to have some fun and forget everything for one night. For tonight she'd try to put Yale out of her mind.

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When Rory walked out of her room at 9:25 Tristan couldn't take his eyes off her. She was absolutely hot. To him she was always beautiful and sexy but this was different, this was hot and sexy. If only he'd had told her how he felt then he could take her in his arms and show her just how sexy she was. Maybe he could dance with her tonight at the club. That would be a great way to take her in his arms without having to tell her how he felt. It would be the perfect excuse to feel her next to him, to feel her heartbeat through her shirt, to feel her soft breath on the side of his cheek. God, how he loved her. He had to figure out a time to tell her. Maybe he'd do it tomorrow.

"WOW! You look great Ror."

"Thanks Tris, so do you." She whispered as she felt the slight blush come to her cheek.

"Such a modest girl, you don't have to blush Mar, you always look good."

That comment only got her face even redder. She hated how she couldn't control anything around him. Why was he making her feel this?

"So, is Kat ready?" rory asked him to change the subject.

"You don't know Kat, she's so slow when it comes to getting ready to go out. We might as well sit down."

They both sat on the sofa in silence waiting for Kat. Finally at 9:45, after waiting an extra 15 minutes Kat emerged from the bathroom ready to go.

Once at the club the trio made their way to the bar and then to a table. The music was good but none of them felt like dancing yet. Then after a few faster songs a slow one came on. Tristan turned to Rory and was about to ask her to dance when a strange guy beat him to it. At first Rory was confused but for fear of hurting his feelings she reluctantly agreed to dance.

Tristan was disappointed and not to mention green with jealousy but he knew that he'd have his chance to dance with her. Unless of course that guy decided that he wanted to dance with her all night. He knew that Rory wouldn't though. He took this as the perfect opportunity to have a talk with his sister.

"Kat, you know you're my favorite sister right? And you know that I love you and that I'm really glad you're here right?" He started with a small smile on his face.

"Ok little brother, first of all I'm your only sister and second of all how could anyone not love me, but I know that tone, what do you want?" She had grown up with the guy, as if she wouldn't know that tone and that look.

"Well, you see, I kind of want to have some time alone with rory tomorrow, if you don't mind??" he looked away when he said this.

"And why is that might I ask?" She had a feeling that she already knew the answer but she decided to ask anyway.

"I think it's time for me to tell her how I feel."

"Great, I can manage to stay away for the evening." She knew that Rory was planning on leaving but maybe if Tristan told her how he felt she'd decide to stay.

"Actually you can stay at the apartment, I'll take her to dinner. Thanks Kat, it means a lot." At that exact moment the song ended and rory appeared at the table.

"So Ror, how was the dance? Was it hot?" Tristan asked her with a smirk to hide the jealousy he really felt.

"Next time, please don't let me do that. I didn't even know the guy and he put his hand on my butt and then he called me sweetheart."

"What a pig! I have a solution. How 'bout we dance every single slow dance just so that he doesn't ask you again?" Tristan asked with his most charming smile. This was just the excuse he needed to hold her in his arms.

"Thanks Tris." She hoped her smile didn't reveal just how psyched she was that she'd dance with him all night.

Suddenly a slow song came on and Rory grabbed his hand. The made their way to the dance floor where he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist. Rory suddenly felt so safe and comfortable that she put her head on his shoulder. This was by far the best moment they had ever shared. His arms made her feel like everything in the world was okay, it made her forget where she was and what had happened in the past. The only thing on her mind as they danced was the warm fuzzy feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. She had fallen in love with Tristan Dugrey. Another thing hit her then. She was going to leave this behind. She was in love with someone and once again it wouldn't work out. She quickly put it out of her mind and decided to leave in the moment.

The moment lasted all through the song. Tristan loved the feel of her head on his shoulder. It felt so natural to hold her in his arms. He couldn't wait until tomorrow when he'd be alone with her and she'd finally hear that he loved her. He decided this was the time to ask her out to dinner.

"Rory, will you go out to dinner with me tomorrow night?" this was said in a whisper in her ear.

"I'd love to Tristan, there's something I want to talk to you about." She was glad that he'd asked her out, it would give her the opportunity to tell him her plans for Yale.

The song ended and Kat joined them on the dance floor for some dancing. The trio spent the rest of the night dancing to all the fast songs and then Kat would dance with different guys during the slow ones while Tristan and Rory danced all of them with no one else but each other.

At the end of the night they were all exhausted. Nobody protested when they decided to head straight for bed.

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the next day Tristan went off to work and Kat joined him at the store. She just knew that rory needed some time on her own before going out with Tristan. She thought a lot about what she was going to say to him and she knew it would be hard. As much as she loved him she couldn't change her mind. She had to do this for herself.

At 7:15 on the dot Rory and Tristan headed off to the restaurant. He had decided to take her out to a semi formal restaurant where they served some of the best Italian meals in the state. During the meal they made small talk neither one ready to say what they had come to say. When dessert was served Tristan looked at her, she was so beautiful, then he remembered that she had wanted to talk to him.

"Ror, what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" he asked her looking deep into her eyes.

The question kind of got her off guard. How did he know that she wanted to talk to him? Oh yeah, she'd told him when he had asked her to dinner. Suddenly she didn't know how to tell him. How was she supposed to start? What was she supposed to tell him exactly?

"Hey rory, are you okay? You know you can tell me anything right?"

"God, Tris, I don't know how to start." She could feel the tears coming to her eyes but she held them back.

Looking across the table at her Tristan took her small hand in his. This was worrying him, why did she have tears in her eyes?

"Take your time okay? We have all the time in the world right?"

"No we don't...Tristan...ummm...I have to leave North Carolina..."
I'm gonna be mean and end it now...sorry! I have to go to work now and I can't finish just yet. Was it too rushed? What'll happen next? Will he tell her? Can he make her change her mind? Tell me what you think! :)