Chapter 5: Superman's side-kick

'Ahhhh forget it!'

Rory pushed her laptop away from her and pulled out her cell phone. After quickly finding the number needed, she pressed talk and put the phone to her ear.

'Hey. Where are you?'

'Well funny you should ask…'

A knock came from her bedroom door causing her to jump.

'Mind if I come in?'

Laughing she hung up and the door opened.

'You hung up on me! You're so rude!'

'What are you doing here?'

'I wanted to see my beautiful cousin.'

'No.'

Colin laid down on her bed and began tossing a pillow in the air.

'No what? I haven't even asked you anything.'

'Yes but from past experience I'm gonna go ahead and stick with no.'

He dropped the pillow and sat up.

'Ya know you'd think you would be slightly nicer to me after what I did for you today.'

With a sudden feeling of guilt, Rory sighed and sat down next to him.

'Your right, I'm sorry. When do you ship off?'

The entire family knew of the boarding school threat that her Aunt Susan had made at the beginning of the school year, and Susan like every other Hayden, never went back on a threat. Neither Rory nor Colin had mentioned it to their friends, so as not to worry them. Weren't they in for a surprise?

'See that's the reason why I'm here…I'm not going anywhere.'

'What? How? You're mom said … did Charleston not suspend you?!'

An excited hope filled her.

'Oh no he did.'

'Ok I'm confused, explain.'

'Well see I gave the secretary my Father's new cell number, you know the emergency line? Strictly for family use?'

'You're dad doesn't have a second line.'

'No but I do … or rather you're mom does but that's beside the point. So I had the secretary call said line, at which point she got his voicemail and was forced to leave a message informing Mr. McCray that his son was involved in an incident at school and has been suspended for the remainder of this week and next.'

'Ok first, further explanation regarding you being able to get a phone line in my mothers name, will be discussed later. Second, how exactly do you plan on keeping you're parents from knowing you're not going to school every morning?'

'Well I figure if I can get them to believe that I'm at school for the next two days I'm in the clear.'

'Uh-huh right ok, and next week genius?'

'Well my amazingly beautiful cousin, that's where you come in. You're parent's are going out of town, for the next couple of weeks right?'

'Yea, and?'

'And you, so small and fragile will be home all alone? Afraid and in need of your big, strong, cousin Colin to stay with you?'

'Look whose got a Superman complex! Sorry to break it to ya kid, but you ain't no Clark Kent. You're more like … the side-kick Robin.'

Colin shook his head.

'Rory that's Batman.'

'Oh.'

She looked confused for a moment, while sorting through the very little amount of knowledge she possessed regarding comic book heroes.

'Well then who's Superman's side-kick?'

'He doesn't have one; We're getting off topic!'

'Because you're plan would never work!'

'Why is that?'

'Well for starters, I've stayed home alone since I was like twelve! And second they'll insist that I stay at you're house. Which, I refuse to do!'

'What's wrong with my house?'

'My parent's leaving gets me away from one Hayden for three weeks, and as much as I love you're mom, I'm not willingly walking into the arms of another.'

'Fair enough. Anyway you won't have to because it will work. If it comes down to it I'll make something up. But if they ask..?'

Trailing off he nudged Rory with his shoulder. She sighed and rolled her eye's.

'If they ask, I'm a big baby who needs her big bad cousin to stay with her.'

Smiling he hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.

'Yes! You're awesome, I owe you big time!'

'Ewe get off of me!'

Colin stood up and walked over to her laptop.

'So what were you calling me for?'

He minimized her English paper and opened up internet explorer.

Rory shifted uneasily.

'Oh uh, nothing. Just wanted to ask you how everything went.'

Colin turned around in the chair and looked her over. She sat fidgeting with the corner of a throw pillow.

'What's going on now?'

'Nothing.'

'Liar. Try again.'

She threw the pillow behind her and sat up straight.

'OK so I might have done something really stupid. And before you jump to some crazy conclusion I'm not like pregnant or smoking crack or anything. I just might have jumped ahead of myself and made a choice that was just a little bit … well dumb.'

'Is this about Cooper?'

Disgust contorted her face and she shook her head.

'No. It's Tristan.'

The fifty different thoughts that flew through his head in that instant were completely visible to Rory. The mixture of anger and disgust that settled on his face made her laugh.

'Ewe, nothing like that pervert. See I was really upset with him because he told Sean about Cooper instead of just letting me handle it. And I was upset because Sean told you, and you were going to be shipped off to the middle of nowhere; and then what Paris said was making me think to much. And-'

'Your babbling.'

'Right. Anyway, so Tristan came over earlier, and I told him I didn't want to be friends with him anymore.'

She spit the last few words out in a jumble. Colin's head jerked back in surprise.

'You said what?'

'I told him that-'

'Yea I got what you said Rory. Why would you do something like that?'

'You're angry?'

She was confused, and surprised, and just a little angry herself.

'Well aren't you the brightest crayon in the jumbo box.'

'Colin come on, you have to understand – he lied to me!'

'He didn't lie, he did what was best for you.'

'God I'm so sick of everyone thinking they know what's best for me! I broke up with Cooper in case you've forgotten!'

'I know and that's great, but I also know that if it weren't for the fact that Tristan told Sean, I would have never found out and you wouldn't have ever seen what an asshole he really is. And we both know that you wouldn't have broken up with him otherwise.'

Rory sat quietly and bit her lip, then with sad eyes she looked back up at Colin and smiled.

'Fair enough. I still don't feel like I can trust him.'

Standing up, Colin gave a thoughtful nod.

'I guess I can understand that. I mean you've always been completely honest with him, right?'

The knowing look he was giving her had her jumping to her feet.

'That's not fair! The situations are completely different!'

'Really? And why is that Ror? Because you're you, and he's him?'

She glared at him, anger radiating off her like fire. Colin sighed and stepped toward the door.

'I love you, but I've gotta break it to ya Princess, you're wrong. Go over and apologize to him.'

'What?!'

Waving he opened the door.

'We're so having a movie night! I'm thinking all things Mavric. See ya later roomy.'

With a smirk he walked out the door, leaving a fuming Rory behind. With a huff she turned the lights off, laid down and closed her eyes.