CHAPTER 10

Tuesday evening came quickly to Rory. She avoided Marty long enough. She promised herself this time to set things straight with her current beau. Mustering fake enthusiasm, she entered Marty's room like the weekend's events didn't happen.

"So I figured we'd cover chapters 8 to 12. It's your turn to cover the first half," she plopped her textbooks on his desk while she awkwardly tried to take off her coat.

"Okay," Marty replied. His melancholy left Rory discouraged.

Rory was quickly falling from her state of cloud nine. The novelty of studying and making out with Marty were wearing out as she thought about her own needs. She could pretend that his kisses were steamy and bold like Tristin's but it wasn't. His kisses were comfortable, almost akin to a junior high kind of romance that seemed to blossom between them. Every night she left, the thought of sex always filled her thoughts. She cannot bring herself to spend a night in his bed. It wasn't from lack of trying. She was just relieved that he never pushed her.

"Is everything okay?" Rory tried to lift up his spirits by sitting on his lap and kissing him squarely on the lips. All he did was pull away.

"Rory, we can't do this," he said, shoving her aside. "I can't do this."

Rory was befuddled. "What's wrong?" She got up from his lap and gave him his space. Does he know what transpired between her and Tristin?

"Nothing," he said, getting up himself, pacing back and forth by the small window letting the afternoon rays shine through.

"Oh," Rory muttered. Silence pulsated with tension. "Okay… uhm, I'll just go to the library then and…"

"Stay," he cut her off abruptly. "I'm sorry. Just stay." His voice softened after his harsh command.

Rory was rooted to the spot. Schizophrenia could not describe the tension in the room. She paced herself slowly towards the desk.

"Marty…" she spoke to him.

"Kaylee is leaving," he responded in the same time. She remained quiet and let him finish his thought. "She's leaving this Friday and I… I was thinking of throwing her a going away party for her."

That surely wasn't what Rory expected to hear.

"She is?" Rory pondered. "When did you find out?"

"Sunday," he said as he covered her out. "She wanted to tell me Saturday night but she was babbling nonsense."

Rory looked away from him. She wished he wouldn't ask her.

"Would you be with me when I see her off?" He looked at her with mournful eyes. "I was thinking we'd go to dinner this Thursday, after our exam. Tristin will bring her over…"

Was he baiting her? "I can't go."

"Can't or won't?" Marty grilled her.

Oh boy. "I… I promised Paris I was going to hang out with her that night." It's a lie of course but evading contact with Tristin was a priority she was finding harder to do since Saturday.

"Fine," he said, there was a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I thought that you'd at least say goodbye to her since she considers you a friend."

Maybe Rory was just getting paranoid about the whole situation. What does she have to lose?

"Okay, fine. I'll tell Paris that we'd reschedule," Rory conceded like a petulant child. She sighed and put her hand on her forehead.

"Thanks," he whispered back. Apologetically, he asked, "So, what chapters do I have to cover again?"

oooo00oooo

Tristin stared at his phone for the longest time. He hadn't slept in the last couple of days courtesy of Marty and the women in his life.

Tristin smirked. And who said the good guys didn't get the girls?

Leaning up against his window, his thoughts reverted to Rory. He knew his acting skills bordered passable but what became apparent between him and Rory that weekend transcended acting.

He knew all the buttons to get any lady hot and heavy; the feather touches on the small of the back, the kisses on the nape. What he didn't calculate was her electric touch making him tingle all over his body. Nor did he count on getting addicted to her taste. Her sighs and moans still echoed in the recesses of his brain causing him to take a real cold shower days after the party.

Like an addict he searched for her. He called her cell. He called the apartment. All were dead ends with a voice mail message or Paris sympathetically telling him she's not home.

"Is she around?" he knew Paris wouldn't give the phone to Rory even if she were in the room.

"Well, she just stepped out. I think she said something about going to the library… You tried her cell?" she replied like she was reading a script.

"I did but I can't seem to get her to answer my calls," desperation filled his voice.

"Do you want me to tell her to call you when she gets in?" she sounded a little panicked.

"Please," he sighed.

"Do you need me to talk to her?" Paris asked, almost convincingly concerned.

"Yes! I mean… No."

He paused, almost spilling his heart out to her. Trust. The word pops again.

"Can you just tell her that we need to talk. The sooner, the better," he said. "Tell her… tell her that .." he can't seem to relay to Paris what he wanted to say. "Damn it, just tell her I called."

Frustrated, he tossed the phone back on his unmade bed. His voice echoed through the fraternity house screaming an obscenity that is all too commonly heard in the hollowed walls.

Tristin had to get a grip. He disrobed and put on a pair of running pants and a heavy sweater. He dialed Kaylee at home and told her that it was an honor for him to drop her off at the airport Thursday night so she can catch a red-eye if she decided to leave earlier than planned.

oooo00oooo

Villa del Sol was abuzz tonight. A lot of the upperclassmen were already in full swing drinking the night away. Rory smirked. They did have the right idea.

She told Marty she would meet them at the Mexican restaurant. And she was glad she did. She asked the maitre'd how long it was going to take to secure their table.

"Your party can be seated in about fifteen minutes. Are they all here?" the lovely Hispanic asked.

"Not yet but will it be okay if I waited for them by the bar?" Rory asked.

"That's fine. We'll call you when your table is ready," she smiled back.

Rory headed for the bar. She dismissed the looks she got from the men when she got there. Tonight was one night she really didn't want to be friendly especially with the opposite gender.

"A margarita, please? Salt," Rory ordered from the bartender.

He nodded to her and prepared her the drink.

She withdrew the little leather bound diary she bought for Kaylee. The pages of the book were handmade with bits of pulp and floral petals peppering the pages. She took the fountain pen she purchased and tried to write a little note on the first page to personalize it. What should she say?

The bartender shot her a sympathetic stare like he knew something was wrong with her. She handed him a ten-dollar bill and he gave her back her change.

"If he's worth it, he'll be the one coming to ya," his thick Bostonian voice comforted her.

Rory flashed him a smile of gratitude.

"Hey, starting the party without us?" Marty asked from behind her, planting a small kiss on her cheek. His hand lingered on the small of her back.

"Hi Marty," she looked up to him, smiling. "I was just trying to write something in here for Kaylee."

"She's going to like that," Marty smiled. "You're so thoughtful."

Again, Rory was at a loss of words.

The little disc given to Rory started flashing and Marty noticed it.

"Guess our table awaits?" he pointed out the obvious.

Rory shoved the little book and pen back in the festive bag before grabbing her drink. Slowly, she followed Marty through the crowded room.

"Rory, Rory!" the British lit voice called out her name. Swinging around, Rory saw Kaylee, waving at her frantically. She smiled at her before she looked up to see Tristin.

"Hey," Rory greeted. She saw Tristin squirm. It definitely let her know that it wasn't only her that was uncomfortable.

Kaylee wrapped her arm around Rory's waist. She leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Don't worry. I didn't tell Marty."

Rory's eyes shot up to meet with her eyes.

"It's my last night here. Let's not make a scene," Kaylee spoke once more.

Kaylee had more poise than Rory ever could surmise herself.

The greeter showed them their booth. Rory sat across from Kaylee and Tristin. Marty blocked her in.

As soon as appetizers were served, going away presents were given to Kaylee. She gushed graciously. Conversation revolved around Kaylee's trip back to Oxford. Apparently, she won't be able to perform at the Conservatory's ballet performance that spring but she was looking forward to throwing herself back to work.

Everyone stuck to neutral topics. There was laughter, forced at that. Rory tried her best not to look Tristin's way but her eyes reverted back to him. There was no warmth in them; just a dull glaze of annoyance. Whenever he spoke, Rory jumped. She wanted to apologize. She wanted to explain things but she can't seem to find her voice where he was concerned.

Kaylee noticed the tension between Tristin and Rory. As much as she knew that Rory tried to pretend that there is nothing between her and Tristin, she knew that Rory shouldn't lead Marty in circles.

"Uh, Rory, I have to go powder my nose. Would you like to join me?" she invited.

Thank God. "Sure," Rory smiled at the men and excused herself.

As soon as Rory and Kaylee reached the restrooms, Kaylee locked the door behind them.

"Look," Kaylee started. "I know that you love Marty."

"Yes," Rory coughed out.

"But I'm afraid that Tristin has taken a liking to you, too," Kaylee added, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I think you're mistaken," Rory piped in. "Last Saturday…"

"Last Saturday was an eye opener for the rest of us," Kaylee said in one big exhale. "Don't tell me that after all that's happened between you and Tristin, you're still in love with Marty."

"I am," Rory rushed to say.

"You think you're in love," she spat out. Tears sprung out from the corner of her eyes.

"There are things that you don't know about me and Tristin," Rory said carefully.

"You don't have to explain anything to me," Kaylee replied, trying to control her voice. "I was upset. Not just a little bit. I was hurt and it was because I realized I cared for Marty more than what I thought I did."

Rory can't believe what she's hearing. Could Kaylee be...?

"Are you saying you're in love with Marty?" Rory asked. Her own tears were flowing freely now.

"No!" she denied.

"Oh, Kaylee," Rory sobbed, taking the girl in her arms in a tight hug.

"He'll never see me as anything but his little sister's girlfriend," she cried on Rory's shoulder. "I can't see him hurt."

"Have you told him?" Rory inquired, handing her some Kleenex.

"Yeah, right," she sarcastically snorted. "I'm a bumbling idiot as it is."

"Kaylee, promise me you tell him how you feel tonight," Rory urged her. "Trust me. I wish I did when I had the opportunity."

"I hope you're talking about Tristin," Kaylee tried to conceal a smile.

Rory looked away. She fidgeted with a loose thread on her blazer. "I'm talking about people… boys in general."

"Tristin is smitten with you," she admitted.

"He's smitten with power and his ability to collect women like trophies," Rory sighed.

"Don't be silly. You know him better than that," she scolded Rory. "Heck, I've grown to love the lug nut and I haven't known him as long as you have."

"Kaylee, I'm not the one we're talking about here," Rory muttered.

"Bullocks. This is about us," Kaylee swore. They both tried to blot their eyes. "Promise me one thing?"

"What?" Rory listened to her request.

"Love Marty for who he is… And if you're breaking up with him, don't break his heart slow," Kaylee pleaded.

Rory just stared at the sink in front of her. What was she supposed to say?

She didn't know how long she stood there. She remembered Kaylee kissing her on the cheek before walking out of the restroom. She was surprised to realize Kaylee was mature for her age. She was naïve about life and love when she was her age. She definitely was going to miss the sprite.

Rory exited the ladies' room when chatty college girls invaded it. When she got back to the table, everyone was gone but Marty.

"Where'd everyone go?" Rory asked, sitting across from him.

"They left," he sighed. He took the napkin on his lap and threw it on his plate impatiently. "Tristin is taking her to Tweed to catch her connecting flight at La Guardia."

Rory held his hand across the table. She can't meet his eyes. "Did you tell her?"

"Tell her what?" he tensed up at her question.

"That you love her? That you'll miss her?" Rory queried.

Marty withdrew his hand from hers. "Did you knock your head in the restroom?"

"Answer my question," Rory ordered him. "Did you tell her?"

Marty stuttered. "I- I can't."

"Why?" she pried.

"Because I'm with you," he answered.

Rory snorted. "I think we should be honest with ourselves here. There isn't a we. At least not in the romantic sort of way."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I know I'm not romantic and I work a lot…"

"It's not that," Rory chuckled. "Marty, we tried but I don't think we click."

Marty blanched.

"Don't take it the wrong way!" Rory exclaimed. "I think we honestly gave ourselves a try but I think your heart belongs to someone else."

"Do you think she'd see me more as her best friend's brother?" Marty asked hesitantly.

Rory smiled a smile of relief. "I think you can make her see reason."

"I don't know," he whined. "Like you said, I'm not the most suave guy out there."

"I don't think she's looking for suave, no pun intended," Rory reassured him. "She's looking for someone who's comfortable."

He looked away dreamily. He tried hiding the blush that shaded his cheeks.

"Come on," she said as she stood up. She dropped a couple of bills from her purse.

"Where are we going?" Marty got up, a look of surprise crept to his face.

"We've got a plane to catch."