Finding Tristan ✓

18: Unexpected Turn

"We've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how they made you feel."

Kylie

I couldn't seem to get my mind off of Luke today. His attitude seemed really different during lunch, and he even proposed that the all of us had a friend's night out. Although, Lynn, Ace, Ashley, and I didn't hesitate to agree with him. We all needed to let loose from all the stress for once. I didn't know if I should have invited Tristan with us or not, but I did send him a text anyway since he had to stay with a teacher during lunch to do test buybacks for history class.

But we all appreciated the effort that Luke was placing in order to stay positive. He really did go through a lot during the few weeks that he went missing. His battered face and stomach were still slowly healing, but unfortunately the scars he had would stick with him for the rest of his life. "Hey, I also invited Tristan to join us at the movie theatre tonight, so I hope that you guys don't mind him coming along with!" I chirped happily and took a bite of my grilled ham and Swiss cheese sandwich, the mayo making my tastebuds hum in satisfaction.

"It's no problem Kylie! Either way, we technically have a double date already going on with another couple and two third wheelers!" Luke laughed and nudged Ace in the arm. The blonde boy sheepishly smiled, a blush crawling up his cheeks as Lynn entwined her fingers with his. Ashley brushed her crimson bangs off to the side and kicked me underneath the table.

"Ouch! What was that for?" I hissed for a brief second as my right ankle started to throb slightly.

"Sorry! I just have a hard time sitting still today! This morning, I had two chocolate mocha frappuccinos on an empty stomach!"

"And yet you were coping with Nick getting all up on your grill pretty well today!" Luke piped up humorously from my left. We all laughed together as a group and enjoyed ourselves during lunch. After a while, the bell rang and we had to disperse off to our own classes. I had English and geometry class with Ashley, so I was most definitely going to be sticking with my best friend for the rest of the school day.

"I swear to god Ashley, you and Nick would make a great couple!" I whispered eagerly underneath my breath. "Not to mention, I've heard that you guys have been flirting around with each other lately! Is that true, or is it some bullshit that his friends are making up?" The red head frowned at me in mere confusion.

"Girl, I have no idea what you're talking about whatsoever. Plus he's one of those horny players, and I for sure don't want to waste my experience with first love on that asshole." The red head frowned at me before getting back to reading. Each day, our English teacher would make us read for twenty minutes before actually starting class. It was always an awfully boring start, but it was supposed to help us become better readers by having us be able to really focus in more on a story's context.

It was practice for those who tended to slack off and zone out all the time during lectures in class. The twenty minute reading sessions also benefited me during the reading assignments we received every night for "Romeo and Juliet". Ms. Wallenberg gave us plenty of homework every night and packets to fill in. We all were supposed to get everything done and turned in on time, regardless of the amount of work that was being given to us. This old woman had a sweet personality, but she also had very high expectations of her English students.

Later during the day, the bell rang once more and we transitioned to our fourth hour class. Ashley followed after me, and she didn't seem to be doing all too well. After all of that coffee, she may have felt like she was truly crashing. I could tell that she was really hanging on in there, but at the same time Ashley looked like she wanted to go straight home. "Come on bestie, it's only one more class and then we can get back to my place and get some rest!"

"Yeah, okay.. You don't see me complaining either, so obviously I will definitely get through this!" She said half-heartedly and rubbed her eyes, letting out a long yawn. We walked into math class together and my best friend quickly sucked in a breath. "Shit, do we have a test today?"

"Christ, Ashley.. Language..! And yeah, we do! Did you not come prepared at all?" I muttered and took my seat at our usual table at the back of the class.

"What else can I fucking say? Why else would I panic about something like this?" Ashley whispered nervously and sat down next to me. The red head placed her head on the table and sighed in clear disappointment. "I need to talk to Mrs. Milton. I can't take the test today either; I need more time to study and stay after school with her to go over the essential learning targets again. . . ." Ashley was cut off as soon as the teacher walked in and passed the tests out.

"No calculators on the first part of the test! Once you are done, please turn in the white packet on my desk and move on to the yellow sheet. There are two sides, and that will be the only time you will be able to use your calculator! Be sure to double check your answers, and good luck!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Lynn has softball practice tonight, and Ace has football practice tonight. Man, we're down three people already since Ashley wasn't prepared for her math test today either." Luke frowned at his shoes and shifted between his feet with his hands stuffed in his pockets. I pat his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I mean hey, that still won't stop us from hanging out together tonight. It will just be you, Tristan, and I this time!" I said enthusiastically and hitched my backpack over my shoulders. Gratefully enough, Tristan stopped his car by us in the parking lot and he kindly gave Luke and I a ride home. Luke entered his house leaving my boyfriend and I alone together.

We shared our sweet little time to ourselves and enjoyed each other's warm company on the living room couch. Tristan and I exchanged loving words and heated kisses while watching a television show on Cartoon Network. I could feel the butterflies erupting my stomach, my heart was going ballistic and my entire body felt warm and fluffy. This was what love truly felt like; it was as if you were on top of the world, and that no one could stop you from cherishing what was yours. Tristan was my very first love, and I knew that we were going to get through everything together, whether if it was hardship or suffering, we were both a team.

Within the next two hours, it became pitch black outside. Tristan and I had ended up dozing off to sleep. We paid no attention to the small knocks that were banging against the front door. The television was left on, and it was nearly at its highest volume. We completely had forgotten about tonight's hang out due to our exhaustion.

But soon enough, Tristan and I had no idea that we were going to have to pay the price for our careless actions.