Chapter 2

A week has passsed and I have yet to see Rory. I think she's avoiding me. I don't know why though. I didn't do anything wrong this time. I've tried calling her and every time I get the answering machine. Her roommate picked up once. When I asked her if she knew what was wrong with Rory, all she said was that she was always distracted. I've got to find out what's up with her.

I've been avoiding Tristan at all costs this past week. With all my homework, I just can't let myself get distracted. I walk into the library and sit at the only available table. After about 10 minutes of working on my paper, I feel eyes bore into the back of my head. I turn around and my eyes meet those blue ones. These intense eyes can only belong to one person: Tristan.

As I walked into the library, my eyes suddenly flew upon a head of brown hair. Then our eyes met. I wouldn't let her get away this time. I needed to talk to her.

"Hi Mary."

"My name is Rory, or have you forgotten?" she spat back.

Ahh, the banter was back.

"So where have you been... Mary" She rolled her eyes at me.

"Well for your information I've been busy."

"What? Too busy to even call me back and tell me you were swamped?"

"No, I just didn't' feel like talking to you"

"Ouch! I'm hurt Mary. And here I thought you were dead or something," I joked as I placed a hand over my heart.

"Well as much as I would love to stay and chat with you-"

"Awww, I'm touched. I always knew you loved me"

"As I was saying," She glared at me, which only made me smirk, "I'm going now"

With that she turned around to leave. I followed her out the door and soon fell into step with her.

Why wasn't he leaving me alone? Didn't I make it quite clear that I didn't want to be around him? Oh, but you do! SHUT UP! I was having a nice week when all of a sudden I see him and you come back. Well too bad, you're stuck with me

"Rory. RORY. RORY!" Tristan had been calling my name and I was jolted back to reality.

"Oh sorry. Just spaced out"

"That's been happening a lot lately. Well anyways as I was saying, we need to talk."

"Tristan, I'm not up for it."

"I'll buy you coffee"

"Coffee! Did you say coffee! OK come on!" I dragged him to the little coffee shop a block away from campus.

Caffinated Café

After I watched Rory down 3 cups of coffee I finally spoke up.

"Um, Rory, what's been up with you lately?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you've been... I dunno... weird."

"Hey aren't I always weird! Come one Du Grey, you know me better than that."

"Indeed I do, and something's wrong" I was concerned. She was never this distant.

"It's nothing, I'm just stressed that's all."

I decided to let it drop, she obviously didn't want to talk about it.

Rory's Dorm Room

I walked in, dropped my stuff at the door and listened to the messages.

"Hi Rory! It's Lane. Guess what? I get a week off! Whoo! So I was thinking I'd come visit you. Umm give me a call, bye!"

I smiled at myself, a week with Lane was just what I needed.

"Hey hun, its mom. Well I was hoping you were in. Luke's not giving me coffee again! I was hoping you were home and then you could have bugged him for me, well guess not! Oooo, Luke please! bye hun."

I just chuckled to myself. It was so like my mom to just call me to get coffee out of Luke. The rest of the messages were for Laura. I went to the bathroom and took a shower.

a week later

"Ahhh, I can't believe my mom let me come out here... by myself!"

"Haha, Lane, You're a grown women now, she can't do anything."

"True but still... it's my mom. Ooo, so how are things with Tristan?" She had this gleam in her eye, this couldn't be good.

"What do you mean? Tristan's fine I guess... I wouldn't know."

"Awww, come on Rory, I know you like him!"

"I... I... do not!"

"Sure... that's why you stuttered. Since when?"

"I don't know when! It just kind of happened. It's not suppose to happen. I mean it's Tristan for crying out loud! I'm not supposed to like him... Yeah he's cute- "Lane just gave me a look "OK, he's hot, but still. He's the Evil one, Spawn of Satan, I'm not supposed to like him."

"But you do."

"Yes..." Ha! I knew it! Bout time you came to terms with it! OK, you were right... now will you go away? Now? Hell no, things are just starting to get interesting.

"So anyways, are you going to tell him?"

"Tell who what?"

"Rory, come on! Are you going to tell Tristan?"

"I dunno... I mean. I know he used to kinda like me... but that was soo long ago."

"Ror, if you don't tell him, I will!" Lane got up and started toward the door.

"OK! I'll tell him... just not now."

"When?"

"When hell freezes over?"

"Not good enough! How about now!"

"OK, fine fine fine. I'm going."

"And I'll be here and waiting to hear the news when you get back!"

"Oh, I bet..."

Tristan's dorm

I was sitting at my desk trying to do my essay... the main word being "trying," when a knock came from my door. I got up and opened it. To my surprise, there was Rory. Only she wasn't herself. She seemed... what was it, nervous? Then she did something that I never thought would happen in a million years. She reached up and kissed me. After the initial shock I responded. The kiss was over way to soon. She pulled back and looked at me. All I could do was smirk at her. She blushed and looked down at her feet.

"I always knew you wanted me Mary."

"Well Joseph, I guess you were right."

"Do you want to come in?"

"Yes."

An hour later

"So where does this leave us?"

"Well I was hoping together..."

"You read my mind."

He leaned down and kissed me. I couldn't believe what I had done only an hour ago. I had thrown caution to the wind and kissed him. That was so unlike me.

"I have to go. Lane's here and she might send a search team if I don't get back"

"All right," He got up and walked me to the door, "Call me when you get back OK?"

"Mmmhmm." I stepped onto my tip toes and kissed him again. "Bye"

"Bye Mary"

I pinched myself after she left. I wanted to make sure it wasn't a dream. That I was indeed with the woman of my dreams. Who would have thought this would happen. I certainly didn't. I mean I had always dreamed of it, but I never thought it would happen. I was determined to not let this chance slip by me. I went back to my essay and the words just flowed out of me.

Rory's Dorm

"So you actually kissed him?"

"Yes! I can't believe I did that... but I did."

"Yay! Ooo are you going to call your mom and tell her?"

"Yeah, after I call Tristan though."

"Didn't you just spend an hour with him and just came back from his dorm?"

"Yes, but I promised I would. hehe" I was giddy. I was giddy happy. I hadn't been this way since I first started going out with Dean.

"Oh, God." Lane just rolled her eyes.

I picked up the phone and dialed. The phone rang a couple times before it picked up.

Rory/ Tristan:

T: Hello?

R: Hi!

T: Hey gorgeous, what's up?

R: Well you told me to call you when I got back, so I did.

T: Haha, yeah after you filled Lane in on all the juicy details, am I right?

R: You know me too well.

T: That I do. So what are you doing tonight?

R: Sleeping, for one thing.

T: I mean before that...

R: Me and Lane are going out for dinner. She's leaving in a couple days and I promised her I'd take her sight seeing

T: Would the sights include me? I smirked to myself

R: I don't know, if you're good, maybe.

T: Aww! I said in a disappointed tone I promise I'll be good...

R: haha, well how bout the three of us go out for lunch tomorrow?

T: Deal, OK, I'll let you ladies go then. Bye Ror.

R: Bye Tris.

click

I hung up and looked at Lane,

"So, where to?"

2 weeks later

We were in Tristan's dorm, just lying on his bed and cuddling when, all of a sudden I didn't feel to well. I got up and as soon as I did, I collapsed back onto the bed. Tristan looked at me worried.

"Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I just stood up to quickly. I'm fine really." I smiled to re- assure him.

"OK. Hey, are we going to go out or are we just going to lay here all night?"

"I'm in the mood for pizza... and coffee!"

"Haha, all right, pizza and coffee it is. Let's go."

Rory's Room

I walked in and was surprised to see Laura in the room. She was never there.

"Hey Laur, what's up?"

"Oh, nothing. So how are things with Tristan?"

"Good good," I just laughed, "Umm, are there any messages for me?"

"Yeah, your mom called again. I think you should call her back this time... she sounded desperate."

"She just probably wants me to bug Luke to give her coffee." I chuckled as I went for the phone. Just as I reached it, I felt a pang of dizziness hit me. Not again. I just stood there and grabbed hold of the table until the floor stopped spinning.

"Hey, Ror, are you OK?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Just got a little dizzy."

I picked up the phone and called my mom. The phone rang at least 7 times before the machine finally picked it up.

"Hi, you've reached us, only we're not here... or we couldn't find the phone, or- Hey Luke! give me my coffee back! Luke - Just leave a message. Beep

"Hi, mom. It's Rory, Umm I'm just calling you back and-"

"Hey Ror, I just couldn't find the phone"

"I figured so much. So what's up?"

"Just wanted to see how things were in Trory Land..."

"By that, do you mean how things are between me and Tristan?"

"Ahh, so smart! No wonder you got into Harvard."

"Things are good mom." I smiled to myself and saw Laura wave goodbye as she slipped out of the room.

"Ooo! Rory and Tristan sitting in a tree, K- I- S- S- I- N- G! First comes love, then comes-"

"Mom! Please, after 2 weeks, you would have thought that'd be old by now!"

"Nope, Hmm... your favourite step- dad is depriving me of coffee again. Gonna go and get some now! hehe, bye sweetie"

"Bye mom."