I look up at him carefully. "Why do you keep pushing me about school?" I ask him.
He sighs. "Because…because you love school." He holds up a hand. "Hear me out Ace. I'm not saying you should go back gung ho without taking time to just live, but that's what summer is for and you know it. I know you're hearing it from all sides, and I know you don't want to hear it from me too, but I'm not telling you what they are."
I pull back carefully to stare at him blankly. "My mother, my father, my grandparents and most of my friends are telling me to ignore what your father told me –
"Rightfully so, he's an ass. Go on."
I sigh. "He knows what he's talking about Logan."
"Not this time. I've read your stuff, you could very well make it."
"Whatever. They're all telling me that I belong in school. I come to you hoping for a little comfort, some understanding from my boyfriend, you know? And you tell me the exact same thing!"
He winces. "Except I'm not telling you the exact same thing Rory. I'm telling you that you love school. Not necessarily the getting a degree part, but you love learning. You thrive under a deadline. I've seen it." I feel his hand in my hair. "I'm not saying what they're saying Ace, I promise. All I'm saying is not to give up such a huge part of yourself because my father shook you up a little. You don't have to be a journalism major simply because you told your mom when you were five that you wanted to be an overseas correspondent. You love to read, major in lit." He lightly touches his lips to mine and I meet his eyes.
I blink a few times before realizing he's serious. "Logan, Yale is not the place to be indecisive." I whisper. "Yale is for the focussed, the goal-oriented, the –
"I'm sorry, have you met me?" he cuts me off. "Or any of our friends for that matter? Not everyone at Yale is as driven as you and Paris Gellar. Some of us are there because it's got an amazing reputation and highly qualified professors. College is about figuring out who you are, and who you're going to become. Most students don't wind up with the degree they thought they were looking for when they arrived." He pauses, and glances around. "I'll tell you a secret if you promise not to tell my dad."
I smile softly. "What's that?"
"I haven't been a business major since my second week. I'm studying History."
I lean closer to him. "I already knew that."
He pulls away sharply. "You pardon?"
I shrug. "You were a source, I did a check. Surprisingly, it wasn't easy to find. I checked all the usual places, and your major wasn't listed. I ended up having to track down your faculty advisor. Your GPA is surprisingly high." I stare at him blankly. "What?"
"Not even Lanny knows I'm in History. He's been my roommate since freshman year. As a point of fact the only other people who know are the Dean of Students and my faculty advisor." He shakes his head. "Rory, you love to learn, you love to study. Your face lights up every time you find out something you didn't know, every time you understand a new theory. We'll get a condo near campus and you can take a light schedule so that you can finish off your community service."
I feel my eyes go wide. "You're asking me to move in with you?"
He nods. "Yeah, I guess I am."
"And to go back to school?"
"You're still technically enrolled, right?"
"You won't tell my mom or my grandparents? You'll wait until I'm ready for that part?"
"Just you and me."
"This is a colossally bad idea."
"I wouldn't say bad so much as slightly less intense than you're used to."
I lean forward, and capture his lips with my own. "Can we still spend the summer as though I'm not going back? Being self-indulgent sloths who live only for one another?"
His hands rest lightly on my hips. "I can arrange that."
As his lips descend on my neck, I pull back quickly. "So long as I don't miss my community service shifts. Ever."
He grins. "I really missed you Ace."
I narrow my eyes at him. "You're lucky I'm falling in love with you." I clip darkly.
He nods. "I really, really am. Especially since I'm definitely falling in love with you."