Stranger

three

The droning voice of Alice's English teacher was the only sound in the classroom. Half of the students appeared to be asleep, the other half distracted by the objects surrounding them such as pens, cell phones, notebooks, and anything that was more entertaining than Mr. Quart's lesson. Alice was part of the 50% who were half asleep.

"Alice," Cole whispered into her ear as he leaned over his desk, tapping her on the shoulder.

"Hm?" she mumbled back, glancing over at him through sleep-filled eyes.

"Hey, so I was thinking maybe tomorrow after school I could help you with your French," he offered.

"Oh, yeah, that would be great," she smiled at him sleepily before yawning.

Cole couldn't help but roll his eyes. He was the 1% that actually paid partial attention to the class.

***

"So, I hear that Cole is going to tutor you," Clara said conversationally as she sat on Alice's bed, flipping through a magazine she had found downstairs on the coffee table.

"Yeah, pretty nice of him," Alice replied with a slight shrug, doodling in her school notebook instead of finishing her homework.

"Yeah, nice," Clara smirked, flipping a page. "Like, nice enough that he's trying to get your attention or something."

Alice frowned, glancing up at her best friend. "What are you saying?"

A giggle came from Clara's bubblegum pink lips, a look only possible through several layers of lipstick, and somehow, she just managed to pull it off. "You're so clueless. He obviously likes you."

"Because all guy's help their crushes with their homework." Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm not buying it."

"But this isn't the first time I've thought this, I just never said so. I didn't want it to ruin your friendship or anything."

"He doesn't like me. Friendship: not ruined," Alice sighed, too busy daydreaming about Bentley to worry about Cole liking her. It was doubtful anyways, the three of them had been friends since they were five.

"So what I'm hearing is, you're in denial. That must be because you don't like him..." Clara hummed, seemingly deep in thought.

Alice shook her head. "I don't like Cole."

"Well that's disappointing."

"Sorry?" Alice replied before her eyes lit up, finding a way to change the subject. She pulled out her phone and leapt onto the bed beside her friend. "Check out this guy I met online."

Clara's mouth fell open as Alice pulled up the picture Ben had sent her the previous day. "He's just so...gorgeous," she sighed, the doe-like look returning to her eyes.

"Yeah, well he's mine, so lay off," Alice teased.

"How old is he?"

"Twenty one."

"Ooh, a little older. Hot," Clara giggled. "Where does he live?"

"Here in Cali."

"You have to go see him!"

"Are you sure? What if he doesn't like me?" Alice asked worriedly.

"What's the worst that could happen? You'll never know unless you go see him," Clara pointed out.

"Fine, I'll ask him if he wants to meet up," Alice said as she let out a sigh.