Finding Rory

Chapter 7: A Thousand Years

"I still can't believe that you know Tristan!" Steph exclaimed as she and Rory were dancing.

"I think we're all a bit in shock here," Rory chuckled.

"So, what's going on with you two?" Steph asked, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Nothing like that!" Rory replied with a laugh. "We're...friends."

"You didn't sound very sure of that. Are you friends like you and Logan are friends?"

"Oh god, you know about that?" Rory groaned, now blushing furiously.

"Logan and Colin are friends, so yeah. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Rory answered hesitantly.

"Why are you settling for Logan?"

"What?" Rory sputtered.

"You know that he's headed for marriage with Odette, and you know that he can't give you what you deserve. Why are you doing it? I'm genuinely curious."

"I...don't know. I've been thinking about that a lot lately. He's been calling and texting the last couple of weeks and wants me to come visit, but I haven't returned any of his attempts to talk. I think I've started to realize that I don't want what he and I have. I want more, and I don't want it from him. I think I've just been scared - I needed something stable in my life. Tristan's been helping me straighten out my life and get my head back on straight. I feel like I've lost who I am, and I'm just starting to find it again."

"You deserve better than Logan. Colin and I were just talking about that earlier in the week, although we had no idea that "better than Logan" had already appeared in your life in the form of Tristan Dugrey."

"No, he's...that's all in the past. He doesn't still have feelings for me, does he?" Rory asked.

"God, you are oblivious. He's always had feelings for you, Rory. Just...well, do you really want to know what I think?" Steph hesitated. Rory simply nodded her affirmation.

"Regardless of what you think about Tristan, you need to break it off with Logan. But don't hurt Tristan - if you really don't think you could be interested in him, let him know soon. Don't string him along. He's a good man. I think he could be really good for you."

"He has been already, even just as a friend," Rory whispered, lost in her thoughts as she considered what Steph had told her.

Both girls lapsed into silence as they continued to dance, and Steph squealed as The Shape of You by Ed Sheeran came on.

"This is my favorite song!"

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"Those guys are getting awfully close to Steph and Reporter Girl. I'd advise you two chumps to go dance with your girls before someone else does," Finn laughed. "As for me, I'll go find a lovely redhead to try to woo for the evening."

"He's right," Colin admitted as he saw the looks the two girls were getting from the other men on the dance floor. "I'd say we have less than 60 seconds before those idiots start trying to touch. Let's go save our women."

"She's not my woman," Tristan grumbled.

"Yet. Keep the faith, mate," Finn said as he walked off.

"Come on, let's go," Colin encouraged as they got up and headed out to the dance floor.

Tristan walked over to Rory and watched her for a minute, smirking as he watched the way her body moved to the music like it was the most natural thing in the world.