My favorite Mary

Chapter 3: A walk in Central Park

Rory's POV:

Rory has been in New York City for a couple of job interviews and she is staying with Paris. Who is even more high-strung than she was in college. 

I decided I needed a break and some fresh air. I am going to go for a walk in Central Park. I need to clear my head and figure out what I want to do for my future. 

She decided to ride the subway rather than drive she grabbed her purse and then left. She walked to the station and made her way to Central park she was so lost in her thoughts she almost missed her stop.  

I may just take Head Master Charleston up on his offer and go back to school and get my Master's degree and move to Hartford. 

I am going to spend another week with Paris and if I don't get a job by then. Option number two go back to school. 

She walked from the subway station to the park. She was walking and looking down not really paying attention to where she was even going. She was completely lost in her thoughts and didn't realize she was in the way of the joggers. 

Tristan's POV:

The class was boring today. I feel weird because I am pretty much one of the oldest students here. Luckily for me, I don't look my age. Maybe twenty-five I definitely don't look like a college student. 

I am frustrated and I need to clear my head. So I decided to go for a run and hopefully run some of this frustration off. I am going to go for a run in the park and grab a coffee after. I change into my athletic shorts and a tank top. Place my earbuds in and take off. 

As I am running I don't see this woman who steps out in front of me. She isn't even watching where she is going. 

I barely miss her by swerving to the left. I stop and turn around. "You might want to actually look up when you are walking I almost ran over you." 

When she looks up my heart stops. I see the same blue eyes that have haunted me for the last fourteen years.

"Mary? Is that really you?"

"It's Rory Bible Boy. Long time no see and sorry I wasn't paying attention. Just got a lot going on in my head and was distracted."

"It's okay. I am sorry for being rude I was just watching out for you and wanted you to know how dangerous it can be to be walking while being distracted. So, what is going on in that head of yours Mare? Listen, why don't we grab a coffee and find somewhere to sit down and talk."

"I don't want to bother you with my problems Tristan. It's just been a rough few years. Besides, we should catch up I mean I haven't seen you since junior year." 

"Well, it isn't a bother being that I made the offer. I am a counselor and I hope I can be a friend. So, let's grab a couple of coffees and head back to my place that way anything said will be confidential. We can also catch up on our lives since junior year, deal?"

She smiled and shook her head. He walked her back in the direction he just came from and grabbed three cups of coffee and walked her back to his loft. 

When he unlocked his door he waved for her to go in first. She looked around and was surprised to see the home so beautiful and it had a warm feeling. It had yellow wallpaper with dark brown suede couches. 

He had movies lining one wall and books lined the other. Dark wood furniture and it was a very large open room. It wasn't what you would expect from a single bachelor. 

"Nice place Bible boy. Did you decorate it or maybe your wife?"

"Thanks and I decorated it, Mare. Since there is no wife or even a girlfriend for that matter. I haven't dated anyone seriously since I left Chilton."