I stopped in front of her locker and watched her rummage through it noisily. I opened my mouth for a "Mornin' Mar", but she beat me to the punch. "Tristan."

Surprised, I paused. "Mornin' Mar."

"I wanted to thank you for the rescue scene at the dance."

"Not a problem."

"And apoligize for being such a jerk."

"That's my line." I felt like my whole stomach was being battered from the inside. And I don't mean by cute little butterflies, I'm talkinby possessed pixies with sledgehammers. I tried to rein my grin to a hybred smirk and smile. "So what happened with Dean?"

"We broke up." It was short. It was the "I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it" tone Dad used when he was taken off an account. I know it well.

"Rest period?"

"No, regular plain ol' break up." She shifted her books around in her hands.

"Um." I looked at my shows, fiddled with my tie, and wrung my hands. "So...now what?"

"I make my mom do the grocery shopping." She shut the locker..

"So, he changed a lot?"

"Yeah, he fell in with a new crowd."

"He was acting like me." I said simply.

She rose her eyebrows, surprised at my blunt honesty. I was surprised I had said it myself. This honesty thing with girls is a new leaf in the book of Tristan DuGrey. I coughed a little as she processed my words.

"Well, maybe. But he didn't have your charisma to pull it off." With that she began walking to her first period.

I blinked and looked after her. "Mary, did you just flirt with me?"

If Tristan had been standing in front of her he would have seen a cheshire cat smile pull at the tips of her lips.

After school, 3:20:

I ran my fingers through my hair and chatted with Todd.

"She was fine. I was really pleased with her." He prattled on. "So, you got a chick to kick it with this weekend? That's the only reason you'd ditch a Chilton dance. Right?"

I sipped the SmartWater that was packed with my lunch and shrugged a shoulder. I looked over his shoulder at the front of the school from my first class seat in the parking lot.

"What the heck are you looking at!" Todd tried to follow my gaze to where a throng of students were sitting, waiting for rides. "There is no one there. Well, she's kinda cute..."

How could his gaze brush past untouched beauty? Rory's hair was pulled back with a sensible clip and her eyes darted quickly down the pages of a thick book. Her yellow backpack sat beside her.

I leaned farther back in the leather seats of Todd's Jag. "So, what are your plans for the afternoon?" I asked.

"Oh, homework, studying..." He smirked, making sure I knew he was being sarcastic. "You?"

"Oh, same." I looked at my messenger bag. "I wonder if I have any books."

"They're good foot rests."

"So I've been told. But I prefer the paper weight method."

"So, you going to that black and white ball thing? All the available chicks'll be presented to society." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestivly.

"Trot out the ladies." I smirked and sipped my coke lazily. "Wuddya think of Mary Gilmore?" I gestured to her.

"Ice." He shuffled around his glove department. "Don't bother."

"I'llcatch ya later."

"Later DuGrey."

I hopped out of the car without the assistance of a door and sauntered to where she was. I sat down on the bench next to her.

She didn't look up.

"And she's reading again. How novel."

Her nose dove from the book and her hair flew around her as her head snapped to look at me. "Don't do that."

"Did I surprise you?" I asked innocently.

She shut the book deliberatly. "No. I meant re-use conversation openers."

"What?"

"When I was in line for the dance. You used the same line."

Ouch. "You think so much about me that you remember every word I say? I'm used to it, but from you Mar, I must say that I am so very touched." I put a hand over my heart. "I'm gonna write all about that in my diary tonight."

"Let's try that again." She suggested with a small smile.

"And she's reading again. How novel." I repeated.

"And I think I said something along the lines of 'Bu-bye Tristan'."

"You said "Good-bye Tristan." I automatically corrected.

Her smile widened. "You think so much about me that you remember every word I say? I'm used to it, but from you Tristan, I must say that I am so very touched." She put a hand over her heart. "I'm gonna write all about that in my diary tonight."

I smirked. "Touche."

"I thought so."

"Did you get the novel thing? Because... " I trailed off but she didn't say anything. "I think you cut me off there. If you don't cut me off I sound like I don't know what I'm talking about and then it doesn't work." I bit my tongue to stop rambling but she smirked.

"Do you?"

"Well-"

"There, I should have written the script."

"I think you said something about being desperately and madly in love with moi."

"You're right. I talked about liking cheap slobby guys. How did you guess I was talking about you?"

"So maybe I thought you said cute sweetie, ear infection you know."

Her lips tugged into a little smile and she looked down.

"Sorry for being such a jerk before. I mean, I was pretty mean." I raised my eyebrows expectantly.

"That's ok. I mean, I think."

"Meaning it's retractable?" I let a grin slide easily over my features

"Yes, I can take back my forgiveness as it suits me."

"So, why are you, were you, being so nice to me today?"

"You were nice first." She said simply.

"Yeah, but-"

A bus rolled into in front of us and she stood. "I'll catch you later."

"I can drive you home."

"My mommy told me never to get into the car with strange boys." She picked up her backpack. "See you tomorrow."

"Hey Mar?"

"Rory." She corrected.

"Yeah, her too." I smirked. "Are you gonna eat lunch in the library?"

"Sure."

"See you there, we can catch up on reading. There are some chapters in that book you recommended I don't get."

"What book I-"

I flashed the titleof the sex ed. bookand grinned.

She blushed but grinned too. "Good-bye."

"Later Mar."

I blew out a long breath slowly and listened to "Beautiful Soul" on repeat. I knew if someone walked in my room and heard what I was listening to I would never live it down. But I didn't care. This was the background track for the rescue made in heaven.

I looked down at the notepad I had scribbled all over. I was in love with Mary. I was going to show her. I just needed a plan, any plan would do. No...not any. This has to be special.

Her attitude had warmed considerably. I knew I couldn't do anything to mess this up. I had to go Project Perfect.

I continued to write.

Lane's House:

"He's changed a lot." Rory conceded as she bounced on Lane's bed.

"You're here to tell me about biology." Lane said loudly before shutting the door. The words had been for her mother's benefit. "So, what happened with Dean?"

"You saw him at the dance, ever since he met those new friends of his he competely changed. I mean, he's like a jerky Tristan or wanna-be Jess or something." Rory bit her bottom lip and chewed on one of the snickers she'd smuggled up to the bedroom.

"What about Tristan?" Lane flipped through the old yearbook that Roryhad borrowed from one of her lab partners to show Lane pictures. "You like him don't you?"

"No!"

"You answered too quickly." Lane snatched another snickers and took a big bite.

"Did not."

"And you're defensive."

"Am not."

"And arguementitive. You like him."

"He is a jerk, and because of him I had to kiss Paris."

"Fond high school memories." Lane leaned on the bed, supporting her chin in her hands. "He's super nice to you."

"Just because he wants me to be another notch on his bedpost. And I assure you those bedposts are whittled to stubs. They probably have a hard time keeping his big head up at nights."

"You like him."

"Do not."

"Denile is not just a river in Egypt."

"Mark Twain."

"What?"

"Mark Twain said that."

"Oh, go ahead Ror, spoil my perfect parter line with a factoid."

I know it seems like these chapters are fluffy dialogue but I have to have it all because it all comes in later. So please please bear with me. I was really really pleased with all the comments that said my story isn't a huge "cliche" I promise I have some semi-original ideas and it's all comin' back soon!

It's Christmas Eve everyone! Wowee, only in sunny California do you get a balmy 75-80 degree christmas. I'm wearing a tank top! Gosh I love Californa. Merry christmas everyone!

-ThoughtsPen