Running up beside him, I touch his arm and get a shock. The spark that came between my fingers to his arm was bright white. Never have I seen anything like it, only when I was a kid and my dad talked me into rubbing my feet along the carpet with socks on and then touch metal. He quickly pulled away from me, considering his eyes I could see that he was confused as much as I was.
"I just wanted to say Thank you, for my picture. It is wonderful." I say in the smallest voice I could find. The rejection of him pulling away hurt me more than I thought it would have. So, I started walking to the lunchroom.
The thought of food made my stomach hurt worse. Looking around I found not a table that I wanted to sit at so, I decided to go outside. Making my way to the breezeway, I found that it was beautiful out. The sun shining bright the temperature just perfect with a little breeze. Sitting on top of the picnic table, I stretch back on my hands and turn my face to the sun. It was as if I was getting recharged. My muscles relaxed and my bones filled with warmth. My head was not filled with worry or anything besides how great this felt. I did not know that I was not alone, until I felt someone sit next to me.
My body jerking up right and my eyes open I see Tristen sitting next to me. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you. I thought you heard me coming out the door." He said sheepishly.
"No, no it's okay, I was in my own world for a moment," I responded. Wrapping my arms around myself as if to shield due to the vulnerability that just happened. Keeping my head down I use my right toe of my shoe to kick at a loose piece of the seat.
"I would also like to apologize for yesterday. I was not myself and I think that I took that out on you." Tristen spoke very professional.
"Ugh, no problem. We all have those days," I answered. After a moment of silence between us I could not take it anymore. "Can I ask a question though?"
"Yeah," he said.
"What is the deal between you and Marcus and the rest of you?" I asked.
This made him quiet for a bit. He was looking away from me and not really focused on anything really. "Well, let's just say that both our families run in the same circles. And within those circles I am higher ranked than him and that is not something that he likes." Tristen spoke in a very non- caring way. "It's silly really, it's not like we can do anything to change it or that it affects us at all right now in our lives." That made my brain work, that last part does not make any sense to me. I guess my nodding of my head was not a good enough reply.
Tristen stood up and started walking around in front of me. My eyes never left his face. The way his hair moved in the slight breeze, and carried his cologne to me. My heart started beating faster. How long his eye lashes made his face seem softer. I could be here all day watching him think. He stops and locks eyes with me. Coming closer with each step, I could feel the heat pumping all through my body. Tristen raised his hand as if he was going to touch my knee, I could feel this pull. As if I was being tugged by gravity or something to his hand. It was like a need to feel his touch, to be connected. The heat that I felt before around him started again.
A loud whack echoed throughout the breezeway. Startled I jumped, Tristen turned and we both see Sasha standing in the door way with her hand on the door in a fist. Did she just punch the door? Tristen stepped back and in front of me, as if to block me from her sight. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" she said. "Did I just interrupt the love birds?"
"Love birds" what is she thinking. There is no way that Tristen could ever be interested in me like that. "Sasha, will you just leave?" Tristen asked.
"No, no I will not," she answered. "You would think of all people I have the right to know what's going on between you two." Now I was really confused. I looked over Tristen's shoulder at her to try to make sense of all this. "What? You didn't know that Tristen and I are plighted?" Now I was totally lost. As I stepped down from the table, I look at him hoping that I would get answers. Right now, my head was all kinds of messed up. He just starred at Sasha, not even giving me a glimpse.
"Oh, girl vocabulary lesson here, Plighted means betrothed. You know promised to marry someone some day in the future." Sasha sarcastically said. I turn to face her now, it was not coming together for me. I could not place the words coming out of her mouth to being true in any way. "Engaged!" she yelled at me. "Both of our fathers made the deal back when we were kids it's a done deal sweetheart. Not that I would have chosen Tristen myself but, its whatever."
Engaged, he was promised to her. And she was to him for the rest of their lives. How is that possible? They do not match at all, in any way. Not just that, they are kids for heaven's sake. I just do not understand. Making myself move right in front of him, making it to where he must see me, and he wouldn't. Tristen would not look at me, he kept looking at Sasha. Why wouldn't he? She was to be his wife. Turning to her I say, "You really are proud of yourself huh? I really wish you both the best." I walk over in front of her, "For your information we were just talking, something that I have noticed that you two do not EVER do together. Problems in paradise?" You could see her face turning red. I push past her out the door.