Notice Me

Chapter 3: Ignorance Is Bliss (Picture of Anya)

"Do you really think it was all meant to be a joke?" Anya questioned as her baby blues gazed up towards the ceiling thoughtfully. She was sprawled out across my bed with her arms folded underneath her head, while I moved around my room trying to tidy up. The way her voice rose up a slight octave made me believe she didn't think this was some sort of bet; that the joke wasn't on me this time.

My hand was frozen midair ready to put a book back in its place on my bookshelf, when I turned around to face her. I stared over at her with an uneasy expression. "C'mon Anya, really? Before yesterday I didn't exist to Tristan, now all of a sudden by some miracle, he's interested in me? Something's not right here and I'm not that gullible."

"It's just, you didn't see the poor guy's expression, Lise." Anya insisted, sitting straight up on the bed slapping her palms down on the mattress. "He seemed so distraught!"

I snorted, yea I know how attractive of me. "Tristan distraught over me? Yea right!" I barked with a laugh as I rolled my eyes and went back to arranging my bookshelf. "Can we talk about something else?"

I didn't want to discuss this anymore. The more we speak of it, the more I wanted to march myself across the lawn and bang on his door demanding an explanation. I at least deserve that much don't I? We got home from the beach a few minutes prior after only spending a half-hour there. I tried to stay as long as I felt comfortable, but being under Tristan's constant scrutiny was not my idea of a good time.

How was I supposed to get a tan if I couldn't even lay out without feeling like I was under surveillance? The paleness of my skin isn't doing my newly blond hair any justice. After our little incident, I threw myself down on my towel next to Anya. She didn't question me about what happened right away, because she somehow grasped the fact that I was on the verge of bursting into tears.

I was grateful she knew me well enough to not pry until I had enough time to calm down. At first, Tristan seemed hesitant to leave the side of the beach we were on. Anya told me he stood there for a good five minutes with a torn expression plastered to his face. That Tristan mumbled something that seemed a lot like he was cursing himself out before making his way over to join his friends.

A while after he went away, I finally swallowed the lump in my throat and told her everything that occurred. "I almost died when he grabbed your face and planted one right smack on your lips." Anya sighed dreamily. "If it counts for anything it looked like he really wanted to kiss you."

"Tristan Evans doesn't just go around kissing random nerds." I reassured her. "There's an ulterior motive to all this and I don't even want to know what it is."

"He hasn't taken his eyes off you." Anya whispered leaning in closer to me as she propped herself up on her elbows.

I didn't need her to tell me this; I could literally feel the intensity of his gaze burning into my skin. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of even looking his way. I meant what I said when I told him to leave me alone. I'm perfectly content with living my life drama and hater free.

Surely I don't want to develop a fan base from a hate club created in my name by the popular girls who feel as though I'm trying to step on their toes. Shrugging my shoulders in an 'I don't care' response, I stood up and brushed some sand off my legs. I began to fold up my towel, not really in the mood to be here anymore.

"What do you say we get out of here?" I suggested calmly, but my eyes were pleading with her to say yes.

If we stayed here any longer I was sure to hurl chunks with the way the contents of my stomach were turning violently in circles. I felt physically sick as I thought of Tristan and his boys laughing at my expense. Being the understanding friend that she is Anya agreed, which is why we're currently back at my house.