The students murmured among themselves, and Stephanie, unable to regain her composure, stormed off with Stacy trailing behind her.
"Well thank you Alice , you are my hero ." I said while smiling at her.
"It was nothing, it is that I despite people who behave like her . She should use her influence to promote something good and healthy out there instead of spreading lies about a person. "Alice said .
"Well Stephanie doesn't like to be embarrassed in front of her fans , she might come back for you . " I said to Alice while heading to my chair.
"If she comes back for round two , I'm afraid that this time Alice will beat her . " Tristan said as they all three followed me and went down to sit in front of me and Alice.
"Beat her , I would love to see that day comes . And I would surely cheer out for you ." I said with a smile. Everyone just looked at me.
"Guys do I have something on my face ?" I asked them and they kept looking at me .
"Golderine your smile is beautiful. This is the first time I ever saw you smiling." Caspian said while looking at me as if he wants to eat me . And I just stopped smiling at that moment.
"Caspian you ruined the view ." Alice said while giving Caspian an angry look .
"You should smile more Golderine , when you smile you are like a warm sunshine during winter and people just want to get closer to it in order to feel warm . " Tristan said . Alice and Caspian just looked Tristan with amazement.
"Since when do you know how to smooth talk , I didn't know that you can say sweet words like that . I felt that you were reading out a love poem to her " Caspian said while looking at Tristan. After saying those words Golderine face turned pink and she just took out her book to avoid any questions. Luckily for her no body saw her ,their attention went to Tristan.
"Yes Tristan , I have never heard you say those sweet words to anyone. I even though you were gay ." Alice said while looking at Tristan.
"Well , what you thought is indeed correct and I have no reason to hide . You just didn't ask me ,you assumed that I was a gay and you will all keep your mouth shut about this . No one will ask me questions. " Tristan said and we all looked at her with a mouth wide open . Golderine's face that turned to blushing pink return to white quickly .
"Okay , it seems that this week is for dropping bombs. A handsome guy like you who is fit turned out to be a gay , how did it happen." I was truly disappointed.
"Golderine you look like you are disappointed even your voice is highly pitched. "Caspian said.
"What ? Me ? Disappointed , oh please . I'm not disappointed. I just wondering who made Tristan realized that he was a gay . I'm sure his experience was heavenly sent ." I said trying to avoid their eyes . I am disappointed. How can a person say sweet words that can make your heart dance and within seconds they are gay . I almost caught feelings .
" Well I said don't ask me questions , and the person was heavenly sent and hell sent so, It is a story for another day " Tristan said.
"Okay ,we shall wait for this story of yours ." Alice said with a smile.
The bell rang, signaling the start of morning classes. Mrs Douglas entered classroom and attempted to keep things "fresh." I was now seated between Alice and Tristan, while Caspian ended up at the far side of the room.
Mrs. Douglas began her lessons on European history, but my mind refused to cooperate. I glanced at Tristan, who was diligently taking notes, completely unfazed by the earlier drama. It struck me how comfortable he seemed in his own skin. He had just admitted something deeply personal, yet he carried himself with ease. Maybe I envied that confidence.
I couldn't shake the small pang of disappointment lingering in my chest. Why did it matter so much? I barely knew Tristan, and yet his words from earlier kept replaying in my head. Warm sunshine in winter. I shook the thought away and tried to focus on the chatter around me.
Alice leaned over and whispered, "You okay? You've been zoning out."
"Yeah, just tired," I lied.
She raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Instead, she scribbled something on her notebook and slid it toward me.
"I saw you blushing earlier. Got something to say about Tristan? "
I shot her a glare and scribbled back. "Absolutely not. Just surprised, that's all."
Alice smirked, clearly unconvinced. Before I could retaliate, Mrs. Douglas called out my name.
"Miss Golderine, would you like to share your thoughts on the impact of the French Revolution?"
I froze. My mind raced to recall anything . Luckily for me I make sure I touch my books when I return at home so it easy to answer .
"It inspired revolutionary movements across Europe."
Mrs. Douglas nodded approvingly, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Alice stifled a laugh beside me, and Tristan gave me a small, amused smile.
The rest of the class passed uneventfully, though I couldn't help but steal glances at Tristan. I found myself wondering what his story was. Who had he loved—or maybe still loved—that made him embrace who he was so openly?
More lesson came and ended until lunch time came and passed and before we even knew it school was out .
Ater school,we all headed to the library to work on a group project. The place was unusually crowded, and finding a quiet corner was a challenge. Eventually, we claimed a spot near the large arched windows overlooking the courtyard. The sunlight streamed in, casting a golden glow over everything.
"So," Caspian began as we settled in, "we're supposed to create a presentation on the Industrial Revolution. Who wants to do what?"
"I'll handle the research," Alice said, pulling out her laptop. "I'm good at finding the obscure stuff."
"I'll do the visuals," Tristan offered. "You know, slides, graphs, that kind of thing."
"Caspian can handle presenting," I suggested. "He's got that obnoxious confidence people actually find charming."
Caspian grinned. "Obnoxious? I'll take it as a compliment."
"And what about you, Golderine?" Tristan asked, his gaze meeting mine. "What's your role?"
"I guess I'll help organize everything. Make sure it all flows," I said, feeling suddenly self-conscious under his stare.
"Fair enough," he said with a nod.
We got to work, the table gradually filling with books, notebooks, and laptops. Despite the earlier tension, the atmosphere was surprisingly cooperative. Caspian cracked jokes to keep things lively and teased Tristan, and Alice kept us on track with her meticulous notes. Tristan, however, was focused and quiet.
By the time we wrapped up, the sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. We packed up our things and headed outside. The crisp evening air felt refreshing after hours in the stuffy library.
"Anyone up for grabbing coffee?" Alice suggested. "We deserve a treat after all that work."
"I'm in," Caspian said immediately. "But only if they have those chocolate croissants."
Tristan nodded. "Sounds good to me."
I hesitated. "I think I'll head home. Got some other stuff to do."
Alice frowned. "Come on, Golderine. You've been so quiet today. Join us for a bit."
Before I could decline again, Tristan chimed in, "It'll be good to unwind. Besides, you've earned it."
His words, simple as they were, tipped the scales. "Okay, fine. But only for a little while."
The café was cozy and warm, with the scent of coffee and baked goods filling the air. We found a booth in the corner and settled in, each of us ordering something different. As we waited, the conversation turned back to Tristan's earlier revelation.
"So," Alice began, resting her chin on her hand, "are you going to tell us about this mysterious person who was both heavenly and hell-sent?"
Tristan chuckled softly. "You're relentless, you know that?"
"It's her specialty," Caspian added, grinning.
Tristan sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Fine. But don't expect some grand romantic story."
We all leaned in, intrigued.
"It was during summer camp," he began. "I was fourteen. There was this guy—Lucas. He was… everything I thought I wasn't. Confident, funny, good-looking. We spent a lot of time together, and I started feeling things I didn't understand at the time. Long story short, we kissed one night by the lake. It felt like magic. But the next day, he acted like it never happened. He avoided me for the rest of camp."
"That's awful," Alice said, her voice soft.
"It was," Tristan admitted. "But it made me realize something important. I liked guys, and that was okay. Lucas might've been confused or scared, but I wasn't going to let his fear define me."
There was a moment of silence as we absorbed his words. I felt a surge of admiration for Tristan. Despite the hurt he'd experienced, he had come out stronger.
"You're braver than most people I know," I said quietly.
He looked at me, his expression unreadable. "Thanks, Golderine."
The night came with laughter and a newfound sense of closeness among us. As we parted ways, I couldn't help but feel grateful for these unexpected friendships. Maybe, just maybe, this year would be different after all.