All I Want

I Like Me Better

The buzz of Tristan's cell phone receiving a message made him panic a little bit, and he quickly glanced toward the front of the class. Getting caught with a phone in Mr. Apertif's class was an automatic Saturday detention, but thankfully the teacher had his back to the class and was writing on the board unaware.

Tristan took a quick glance at the message. 

"Are you okay?" it read. It was from Paris, which confused Tristan, but then he realized she might already know about Presley's reappearance at Chilton. 

He was about to type a talk to you later type of response as he really didn't want to get into it right now when her second text came through. 

"I can't believe he's back. " 

No, Tristan realized she was talking about Anders or, as he'd been introduced to him at the age of eight. Anderson Belmont Beach III. 

"Where did you see him? " Tristan texted back, looking down at his phone as he waited for Paris to answer. 

Rookie mistake. 

"Mr. DuGray, what is so interesting that you find my class not gaining your full attention?" Mr. Apertif asked as he walked towards him, his hand extended for his phone. 

Tristan reluctantly gave his phone to the teacher, who replaced it with a Saturday detention slip. 

"You can pick this up after class, " Mr. Apertif said as he walked back up toward the front of the class and placed Tristan's phone in a basket on his desk. 

In the school newspaper office, Paris was about to send another text to Tristan in response to his question about where she'd seen Anders when the very subject of their conversation appeared before her. In response, she quickly pocketed her phone. 

"Can I help you with something?" She asked in her usual Paris candor.

"You don't remember me?" Anders asked her. 

It seemed like a trick question to Paris. Neither Anders nor Presley had ever really given her the time of day when Tristan had been a part of their trio.

"Should I?" Paris asked cautiously. 

"Probably not. We didn't really hang out. But I still remember you, which, I think, makes me the better person," he stated as he handed over his schedule for her to sign. The principal says I have to have your approval to join the paper. What do you say, Paris?" 

"Why?" Paris asked, genuinely confused and definitely annoyed. 

"Why do I have to ask your permission? Yeah, I don't know. But rules are rules." 

"No, I mean, why do you want to join the paper? You were never interested in it when you were here before." 

"Ah, so you do remember me," he said pointedly. 

Of course, she remembered him. Next to Tristan, he'd been one of the best-looking boys in the school. At one point in her life, she'd even harbored a little bit of a crush on him until he'd hurt Tristan. All bets were off for her after that. 

"You didn't answer my question," She reminded him. 

"I was the editor at my last school. I'm not looking to usurp your place. I just like to write, and I'm pretty damn good if I do say so myself. I would be a huge asset to your paper." 

"You write?" Paris replied, unable to hide her shock. Anders had always been so uninterested in school, often stating his father would be handing over his company to him with or without a college degree.