Dormant

Chapter 6

Tristian

My plan was somewhat set in motion after giving Natasha and her friends a lift home 2 nights ago. I just needed to weave my way into their little friend group and truly ruin her. A small part of me wanted confess everything I've ever felt about her right then and there.

I hadn't seen her in months, so I wasn't used to being close to her like that. I can still identify the same bold perfume she's been wearing since sophomore year. I hated how pretty she looked hating me. I hated how she had the audacity to avoid me after everything she did to me.

Who did she think she was trying to avoid me? Trying to pretend like what happened in high-school didn't happen? Like it didn't matter anymore? Like I didn't spend years trying to hate her all the while loving her?

She doesn't know what it feels like to feel the way that I did. But she will. By the end of this school year, she'll wish she never met me.

I was at a local café with Andy and his friends, trying to get out of having any social interactions with them. The group consisted mostly of men, with just 3 other girls other than me present. I spotted dark red hair in the distance, standing beside wet curls.

I smirked to myself after noticing Violet and Monte, making their way over to the rest of the group. I watched as they sat down, eyeing Violet's hand that rests on Natasha's shoulder.

I frowned, involuntarily sitting up in my stool, my hand falling from under my chin. I didn't know if it was jealousy, anger or something else, but I felt something in that moment. Watching the way her friends made her laugh so easily, her contagious smile practically lighting up the room.

"Wishing you were the one making her laugh, huh?" Andy says in my ear, nudging me out of my delusions.

I flash him a clean snarl, my hair hitting him right in the face as I do. I avoid looking in her direction for the next 20 minutes, and sigh in relief once I realize we're getting ready to leave. We all walk together in a large group and I trail behind them like a lost puppy.

As we near the exit, Natasha's group does at the same time. I'm not the only who notices as Andy's friends seem to recognize a few people in the other group.

I watch as they engage in a conversation, everyone but Natasha and I speaking to each other. We avoid eye contact and make sure to keep our distance beside the group. One of the guys in Natasha's group notices me in the back and frowns, looking over to Andy and his friends.

"You know Tristian?" He points his chin in my direction, causing everyone to look over at me. I'm surprised after I realize everyone is looking over at me.

"She's my cousin." Andy looks over at me with a small smile. I can see the confusion dawn over the other boys face, as well as his other friends.

Andy turns back to his friend with raised eyebrows. "How do you know her?"

"A friend of a friend." His gaze flickers over to Natasha, who shifts nervously from all the staring.

"Anyway," Andy chuckles and grabs my shoulder aggressively, practically shoving me out the door. "We should get going now."

I do my best to avoid Natasha's lingering stare, as well as Andy's continuous questions on my relations to Natasha's older friends.

***

Natasha

Tommy shuts the car door abruptly, turning to me in the back seat. "You could've just told us she was Andy's younger cousin and we wouldn't have been so cold to her from the start."

"I didn't even know Andy existed until now. Even if I did, I wouldn't have told you guys." I huff, staring out the window as he pulls out of the parking lot.

Every time I try to avoid Tristian, she finds her way back to me with ease. I always think I'm clear for the rest of the semester after not seeing her for 2 days, and then she just appears. At the worst times possible.

It was hard enough dodging her on campus, but now that she's cousins with my friends' best friend? It's like she was planning the whole thing out.

"Why not?" Violet glances over at me. Her question draws the attention of everyone else in the car. Everyone stares at me in expectancy, except for Tommy who does is usual glances in the rear view mirror. 

My mouth hangs open as I fail to respond. I refuse to let my new friends find out about my high school years, and how I used to be a completely different person. I knew they would see me differently, I was so sure of it.

"Uh..." I muttered, getting all tangled up in my own words.

"Do you know her from high-school, Nat?"

"No! I-I just.." I was always a terrible liar. I could feel my brown cheeks warm under all the attention I was getting. I grew anxious, feeling my heartbeat suddenly quicken.

"We're not interrogating you, Nat. Chill. We just wanna know why there's tension." Logan says from the seat behind me, rubbing my shoulder in comfort.

"Well, I don't want to talk about it." I huff, I cross my arms and sink into my seat.

"Nat-"

This time I'm sure to speak in a stern voice, so they can get the hint. "Leave it."

It's quiet for the rest of the ride back to my apartment complex, and I spend the rest of my night wrapped in a tight cocoon that is my blanket.

The next morning I gather enough courage to head to campus for an early study session all on my own. I was nose deep into a textbook, while my fingers moved vigorously across my notebook. I hadn't realized that 2 hours passed so quickly, and I was nearly late to my first class of the day.

I shoved my books into my back pack just as I was exiting the library, only to walk right into someone else, my books, notes, and papers scattering all over the floor.

"Fuck!" I hiss, dropping to the ground in a hurry to gather all my stuff back together. I look up in annoyance, only to feel it grow stronger after locking eyes with the last person I wanted to see right now. Why does the universe hate me so much?

She doesn't say a word as I glare at her, and instead gets onto her knees to help me. Her pale lips twitch into a small smirk of amusement once she feels the irritation radiating off of my body.

We both stand at the same time, keeping our eyes trained onto each other. She tilts her head up, her eyes gazing down at me.

She holds out a stack of papers that she managed to neatly gather together, parting her lips as she analyzes my demeanor. "Here."

"You just won't stop until you've completely ruined my life, won't you?" I say in a low tone, a scowl making it's way to my face.

"Who said I wanted to do that?" She gasps sarcastically.

I snatch the papers away from her and adjust the strap of my backpack on my shoulder.

"Just stay out of my fucking way." I ram my shoulder into hers as I leave, careful not to show any signs of pain once I feel my own shoulder begin to ache from her defined shoulders.