The Bertinelli Family's Revenge

Chapter 15. After Dinner

Third Person's POV

After dinner, Ryan quickly took Tristan away from her family and their questions. 

"Where are we going?" Tristan asked as she led him away to the backyard. 

"Outside. I thought a walk would be fine." Ryan told him. He nodded and smiled as she dragged him around. 

Ryan led the boy outside to the back patio. 

"We have a beautiful orchard and flower garden. Do you walk over there?" Ryan asked as they stood awkwardly on the patio. 

"Of course." He handed her his arm like a prince in a fairytale causing her to giggle but take it non the less. 

She took the lead and showed him the way to the garden. In the increasing dark, it was a little hard to navigate but the grand lights the house used lit up enough of their walkway to be doable. 

"Did you like dinner?" Ryan asked once they got to the actual vast amounts of trees. 

"It was wonderful. Thank you for inviting me." Tristan spoke politely. Secretly he had eaten his dinner riddled with anxiety. The fact was he had to sit in a room with 6 of her overprotective male relatives with enough rumors surrounding them to supply a newspaper for months. On top of that, he could feel the other three identical girls' gazes on him. He could never tell if it was a good or bad thing. 

"I was glad you came and sorry about my Dad interrogating you. If it makes you feel any better they did it with Riley's boyfriend Ashton." Ryan tells him sensing some of the anxiety he has. 

"And he stayed?" Tristan jokes. 

"Well, your still here." Ryan points out. 

"Who would pass up free food?" Tristan asks completely serious. 

"Wow. So you wouldn't even stay for me?" Ryan places her hand against her chest feigning shock. 

"Of course, I would stay for you." Ryan laughed a little but looked up at Tristan when she didn't hear his laugh. He only looked at her with a straight face. Ryan sobered up seeing his expression.

"What?"

"I said I would stay for you. I would stay anywhere for you." He looked at her. He really looked at her. He saw how her blue eyes were delicate but held a certain edge to them that he was dying to figure out. He loved how her black hair was always simple but made her stand out in their expensive school. Her height was average among girls but compared to him she was small and he loved that. 

He bet that if he were to hug her she would disappear into his arms and he wanted to keep her forever. Her petite little dimples were something he noticed when they first met how they crinkled when she talked but when she smiled they brightened her whole demeanor and he longed to keep every smile all to himself. 

Oh, how he loved everything about her. How she tapped her foot to the plot of her book, how she laughed at her own jokes. She always kept one small piece of her lunch aside until everyone else at the table finished in case someone was full. She was always the last one to speak up but with the brightest ideas. 

"Tristan," Ryan said bringing him back to reality. 

"Ryan." He copied her. 

Tired of waiting Tristan brought his hands up to cup her cheeks. He looked into her eyes waiting for any sign of displeasure. Seeing none he leaned forward until he was a breath away. 

"Are you sure?" He asked her out loud not wanting to get any mixed signals. 

"Hurry up." Ryan really only ever felt brave in her head but something about Tristan made her feel like she could do anything in the world and succeed. Maybe it was how supportive he was of her. How he always checked in on her, how he looked for her first in a room and gave her a sense of security she never had experienced. 

Tristan taking no more prompt pressed his lips on hers. He moved against her gently not wanting to scare her off. She moved her lips unsurely against his trying to copy what he was doing hoping it would be right. 

Tristan backed away from the kiss first. He kept his hands on the sides of her face not wanting to stop touching her in case it really was a dream. 

She licked her lips and looked up at him. 

"We should get back to the house before your brothers send out a search party," Tristan suggested sensing the light was going to go out soon along with any warmth in the air. 

"Yeah." Ryan agreed robotically. Together they walked back to the house in silence. The silence wasn't comfortable or awkward it was a happy medium. 

They walked inside and Tristan said goodbye to William and thanked him for having him over. Not seeing anyone else on his way out Ryan and him walked out to his car in silence. 

"Well um goodbye," Ryan spoke not looking up at him. Tristan looked at her in awe at how shy she was acting. 

"Goodbye, Ivs." He leaned down and pecked her on the cheek. "See you tomorrow."

"See ya." Ryan whispered barely audible and walked back inside.