Speak Now

Chapter 6: A riddle a day

Silence is a true friend who never betrays.
-Confucius

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Tristan is waiting for me once again, this time leaning against the parking lot wall, texting rapidly on his phone.

Sunlight washes his hair aglow like iced honey, and I shift unsteadily on my feet. Last time Tristan and I talked here, his girlfriend and her cronies surrounded me like a pack of hyenas.
Fortunately there's no sign of them yet.

"Hi." I say, and Tristan looks up.
"Hey" he smiles, and again I notice the crinkles at the edges of his eyes, bringing light to the fact that he must smile a lot.

"I uh, wanted your number."

If Tristan had announced that he wanted to take me to Australia I wouldn't have been more surprised.

My number?

"Why?" I blurt out, watching him shift from one foot to another, like he had something up his jeans.
So hyperactive.

"Why NOT?" He counters back, still smiling,"After all we're partners,no?"

Oh, I think in relief, Jeez Maddie, what did you think?

I look away from his twinkling eyes and suddenly catch Adrian's eyes. He's getting into his dad's car, leg still out, as he watches me.

That's because Tristan is his competition for team captain, I realise.

"Seniorita?"

I look back at Tristan, who holds out his phone for me,"Your number?"

"Oh" I blush,"I uh I don't exactly remember my number."

That's because I never need to ever give it to someone, but now the fact embarrasses me.

"No problem. Gimme yours so I'll type mine in."

I nod and wiggle out my phone from my jeans and hand it to him. His fingers slightly graze mine and I jump away, but he doesn't notice and types his number in.

"There you go." He winks, as he hands me back my phone,"By the way has anyone asked you a riddle today?"

The out of the blue questions catches me off guard,"What?"

"Riddle." He plays out the word,"One riddle a day, my mother says."

The last sentence he sings and it's so off key, I laugh,"Well, no. No one has actually."

This brings out a cheeky grin, dimples dominant,"Well what do you call an alligator in a vest?"

I shake my head,"I have no idea."

His eyes twinkle,"Really? It's easy. Think over it."

I ponder for a moment and I'm still stuck when I see Adrain still watching me. He raises his eyebrows in question and I shake my head.

"Investigator!"

The word pops out louder than I expect, and I hug my hoodie, embarrassed.

"That's clever." I laugh nervously, and look at Tristan. His sea green eyes pierce mine and I want to look away but I can't.

That's when I notice it. The purplish spot below his eye, like a concealed wound. Now that I've seen it, it looks so large and ominous, it's hard to notice anything else. I wonder how he got it.

"Well,mon cher,I'd love to talk riddles with you but your....friend is waiting for you. "

He nods toward Adrian who's now walking towards us in small, quick strides.

Tristan glances at me and smirks,"You better call me today, to discuss the project."

"The project? But we've got loads of...."

"Time? No mon cher, time is one virtue we don't have. Plus, the early bird gets the worm, no?"

Adrain catches up to us and I gasp slightly in surprise as he touches my arm,"Hey, you okay?"

I nod, but I'm still looking at Tristan who now wears a mask of complete and utter indifference.

"Call me today Madeley or else I'll be at your house in a jiffy."
He grins briefly at me, before walking off to his car, ignoring Adrain completely.

"What was that all about?" Adrain asks.

"He wanted my number." I explain,"to  dicuss our history project."

He nods,"Well you want a ride? I can drop you off."

I point at my bike,"I've got this old thing to take back."

"I'll place it in the back seat."

"Is there room? And won't your leather seats get dirty?"

Adrain shrugs, and then grins,"Not your problem, sweetheart. Now, you want a ride or not? Don't shatter my ego."

I smile and let him lead me to his car, where Miranda fidgets in her seat to wave at me.

I let a smile break out on my face and I wave back.

♤♤♤♤

"Tomorrow's FRIDAY, Maddie."

Miranda giggles on the phone,"Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Nope" I say pretending not to notice my friend's interest in my 'date' with her brother, as I open up my wardrobe doors.

The sight of the beige and light coloured clothes diminish my spirits as I wonder if I'm so boring as to dress the same every day. The thought of wearing a dark and bold colour, something noticeable, both intimidates and excites me.

"Well, Adrian seems to be ecstatic about it. " Miranda says, drawing her syllables,"Aren't you?"

"It isn't what you think."

"Really? Then why aren't I invited?"

"You're welcome to come." I say, and then wonder if I mean the words, if the prospect of being on a date with a boy has made me so indifferent.

Apparently I'm wondering a lot of things today.

"Yeah well..." Miranda sighs,"My brother told me specifically not to ruin his night."

"You wouldn't be ruining anything." I roll my eyes. I glance at a skirt which is a darker shade of beige, and I feel the material with my fingers. Soft and supple.

"You know," she announces,"I'm completely okay with my friend going out with my brother. Just promise me you won't get so googly eyed as to forget me."

"I wouldn't forget you Miranda." I smile,"Also, it's not a date. It's just..."

"Two people trying to see how much they like one another."

"We've only known each other three weeks!" I protest. Kneeling down, I grab at something to go with the skirt, picking up tops and shirts.

"True love needs no time to prove itself."

"Oh my GOD." I laugh,"You're crazy."

"Am I?" Miranda teases me,"Oh Mom's calling me Maddie, gotta go. See you tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye."

I fling my phone on the bed and sigh at the mess of clothes spilled out onto the wooden floor of my room.

Suddenly a knock on the door startles me and I whirl around, expecting to see Mom but a boy with shaggy brown hair grins down at me, his smile stretched tight across his face.

"Well well well...." Tristan says, as he peers at me,"Look who hasn't made good on her promise."

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A/N

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