Rory walked through the doors of Chilton slightly nervous. To be more specific, she was nervous to see Tristan. Last night she had seen a side of Tristan she didn't think existed, a side that made her realize something she'd been fighting to recognize for a long time. She had feelings for him.

After they had arrived back in the home theater they'd began watching A Christmas Story. Half way through the movie Rory had found herself resting her head on Tristan's chest as she snuggled under a blanket with him.

First she was grabbing his hand as if she was his girlfriend and then she was snuggling into him like they were in love. She didn't know what was wrong with her, she felt safe with Tristan but at the same time he scared her. She'd never felt that way before.

Once she realized she'd been cuddled into his side for a good forty five minutes, her cheeks were blushing profusely. She'd apologized countless times and Tristan had assured her that it was more than alright, not letting her get up from the position she was in.

Not that she minded, although it made seeing him again awkward especially since she had left her uniform in his bedroom. This morning when she realized it, she'd never been more glad that her grandmother over thought everything, buying her extra uniforms.

Quickly she made her way to her locker attempting to stay out of Tristan's path. She'd never been more grateful for his idiot friends distracting him.

She opened her locker to find a small square box wrapped in Christmas tree wrapping paper with a small bow on top of it. Usually, she would have opened it right there but that would risk being in the hallway longer than necessary. Instead she quickly exchanged the books she had in her bag for the books she'd need for her classes, she grabbed the present and made her way to her homeroom.

Turning the corner she ran into something and almost fell before two arms wrapped around her waist. She looked up and her eyes met two familiar blue ones 'Of course.' She thought.

"Hello Mare." Tristan greeted his arms still around her waist.

"Hi."

"Falling for me?" He teased gently letting go of her.

"What? No!" Rory exclaimed nervously.

Eyeing her strangely, Tristan smirked. "I was joking."

"Oh, I know…So was I."

He knew he shouldn't. He could tell that she was obviously nervous and uncomfortable with the situation but he couldn't help the words that came out of his mouth. "So you are falling for me?"

Rory looked up at glared at him. "I've got to get to class."

"The bell doesn't ring for ten more minutes."

"So? I like to go early and read."

"Right well, don't let me stop you."

"Uh, thanks." Rory said as she quickly walked away.

Tristan watched her walk away and tried to ignore the pang of hurt he felt. He thought that he had shown her he wasn't just trying to get into her pants. He'd shown her a side of him that he didn't show anyone and she still didn't want him. The moment she had grabbed his hand the night before he had developed a hope that her feelings towards him were changing, that maybe she could be feeling about him what he felt about her. Apparently, he was wrong.

"Take this." A voice from behind said breaking him out of his thoughts.

"A present for me? Paris, you shouldn't have."

"I didn't."

"Then what is that?"

"Your secret Santa present."

"Why do you have it? Do you know who it is?"

"I've got my theories but I'm not positive who it is. I was walking by Mrs. Toll's room and she asked if I could give it to you, apparently it was in her room when she got here this morning."

Tristan took the present from her and sighed, usually he looked forward to getting his presents but this time Rory was clouding his mind, more than she usually did.

"What did Rory do this time?"

"What?"

"That's your 'Rory' face."

"I don't have a 'Rory' face."

"So if it isn't Rory that's bothering you then what is it? Are you going to be a daddy?"

"Can we have one conversation without you commenting on my sex life?"

"Then tell me what's wrong."

"No."

"It's a girl…Of course it's a girl." Paris thought out loud. "But is it a flavor of the week or Rory?"

"Rory? Why do you insist it would be Rory?" Tristan questioned. Truth was he knew Paris could read him, she always could. Even when she had a crush on him, she could always tell what he was thinking. He blamed it on being in every class with her since preschool.

"Yep, definitely Rory. But why…"

"It's nothing."

"Fine, don't tell me. I won't tell you what I know."

"Since when did you become a gossip?"

Paris just scoffed and walked away from him.

He looked down in his hands and unwrapped the circular shaped present. It revealed a tin with a picture of a Santa and Mrs. Clause smiling brightly. 'Even Santa Clause has a women!' Tristan thought to himself before opening the tin and instantly smelled the sweetness of cookies.

There were a few more than more than a dozen cookies sitting neatly tucked away in wax paper to keep them fresh. An assortment on gingerbread people, sugar cookies in different shapes, spritz cookies, peanut butter cookies with chocolate kisses in them along with several other types. They all looked amazing.

The note was taped to the bottom of the tin lid:

Why should Santa be the only one who gets cookies on Christmas? Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Your very own Cindy Lou Who

He put the lid back onto the cookies and turned to walk towards his locker to put them away before making his way to another uneventful AP Calculus class.

-----------------------

Rory arrived in the classroom five minutes before the bell rang with her present in hand. She set in on the table and stared at it. She really wanted to know who her secret Santa was. They repeatedly had given her gifts that she loved and had really put her into the holiday spirit.

"It's not going to open itself."

"Paris." Rory acknowledged.

"What's wrong with you?" Paris questioned, even though she knew the answer.

"You care?"

"Slightly."

"You've really gone soft since you started dating Jamie."

"Shut up, I have not."

"You have! You actually mildly care about something that's wrong with me. That's a major change."

"I don't want to watch you be miserable all day long. It'll get on my nerves."

Rory smiled, maybe Paris and her were friends after all. "Right.."

"Are you going to tell me or not?"

"I think I…May possibly like Tristan."

"And?"

"What do you mean 'and'? That's my problem!"

"That's not a problem! A problem is people starving, a problem is not getting into college, a problem is being trapped in a room with Madeline, Louise and a new copy of Cosmo. You, don't have a problem."

"Then what is it?"

"A very evaded realization."

"It's a problem!" Rory insisted.

"Why? You like him, he likes you. You're both complete morons…It's a match made in heaven."

Glaring at the girl next to her Rory sighed. "Thanks."

"Open it." Paris said motioning to the box in front of Rory.

Rory shrugged and grabbed the small square box off the table. Unwrapping the paper she found a square velvet box with a small clasp on it. Opening the clasp she pushed the lid up to reveal and ornament in the shape of a star. The silver star had her name written across it in perfect blue calligraphy. "It's beautiful."

"It's expensive."

"What?"

Taking a closer look at the ornament she nodded, her suspicion was right. "Those ornaments are sold in a little hole in the wall shop in downtown Hartford. They're all hand made there. It usually takes a while to get one, there's always a long waiting list for them."

"Wow." Rory said staring in amazement at this star. "I can't accept such expensive things from this person! It's just a school secret Santa project."

"Whoever has you wouldn't spend the money on it if they didn't have the funds to do it. Plus, I stand by what I said yesterday, you're secret Santa seems to like you." Paris explained. "Besides at least you enjoy your presents, I on the other hand don't."

"What did you get this time?"

"A book-"

"You like books."

"A book full of recipes on how to spice up the traditional potato pancake."

Rory stifled a laugh. "You don't strike me as the type of person to stand over a stove cooking."

"I'm not."

"If it makes you feel any better I'm not either."

"You're not?"

"I suck at cooking. In fact, cooking or baking of any sort may possibly be the thing I am worst at."

"Other than admitting that you like Tristan?" Paris grinned.

"I thought you would have let that go." Rory mumbled.

"You laughed at my present."

"That's not childish at all."

"I'm not singing the you and Tristan sitting in a tree song am I?"

"You know I'd expect the teasing from Madeline or Louise but not you."

"I know! I'm losing my edge." Paris said then glanced over to where the door was. "I just saw Brad…I bet if I catch up to him I can make him cry before homeroom." She said before getting up and leaving the room.

Rory lightly laughed before bring her attention back to the perfect star ornament she had received, it was beautiful. It was easy to tell why it would be expensive, the handy work on it was remarkable but still, she felt strange receiving such an expensive gift.

She noticed a small note attached to the velvet box:

A beautiful girl deserves to have a beautifully decorated Christmas Tree.

Yours Truly,

Santa's Helper

Either Paris was right when she said that her secret Santa liked her or they were just a really nice person. Regardless, she was glad that Paris hadn't seen the note or she would never hear the end of it.

-----------------------

The end of the day bell rang and Rory made her way to her locker. As she opened it she felt someone come up beside her and whisper in her ear "You left your uniform at my house."

"Why are you whispering?"

"Do you really want to Chilton gossip mongers to know you left clothing at my house?" He questioned, his voice still hushed.

Rory knew he was right, the rumors that would start if people heard she had left clothing at his house. "Good point."

"Do you want to get them today?"

"It's a Friday afternoon, Tristan. Don't you have something better to do that hang out with me?"

"What's better than hanging out with you?" He asked smirking but when he caught her glare he quickly elaborated. "I have nothing planned."

"Nothing? No dates, no plans with your friends? I doubt that."

Truthfully, every time he did have a date he found himself comparing the girl to Rory. Rory's eyes were bluer, Rory's curves were sexier, Rory wouldn't allow me to make a comment like that…The list went on and on. "I swear on my baby, I have nothing planned."

"You're car, Tristan?"

"She's not just a car!" He defended.

"She?"

"Her names Mary." He divulged. It wasn't actually intentionally to be named after her, it happen to be the first name to pop into his head when he'd got the car over the summer.

"It is not!"

"It is."

"Why?"

"Her full name is Meredith but Mary's the nickname."

"I find it disturbing you name your car and talk about it as if it's a real person."

"Mary has always been dependable, I have no reason to treat her as a mere object."

"That's so weird."

"You have your quirks, I have mine."

"I don't name cars."

"You named your coffee maker."

"My mom did."

"So you don't call it by it's name."

Rory pouted, he'd got her there. "Ok so we're both weird and name inanimate objects…What was the original point of this conversation?"

"Your uniform."

"Well…If you're willing to put up with me for a few hours you could just drop me off at my grandparents house later."

Tristan grinned, not only was she spending time with him. It was her suggestion in the first place. "I'm sure I can think of something for us to do."

"It better not be dirty!"

"It won't."

"I meant dirty like in sexual not dirty as in sanitation."

"Oh, well then I make no promises."

"Tristan!"

"Come on." He said as she finally closed her locker. "We'll stop at my locker then we'll leave. I got these amazing cookies from my secret Santa I may be willing to share."

Rory inwardly grinned, glad that he liked the cookies. She hadn't met one person who had been able to resist Sookie's Christmas cookies and apparently Tristan was no different.

This is by far my least favorite chapter. It's a really lame ending but I couldn't think of a way to wrap it up. I intended to post this the other day but then I got busy with something and forgot then I had it finished. If I had to guess, I'd say about two chapters left.