TROUBLED || thirteen reasons why

022.

Tristan leans against her locker as Caroline and every other student at Liberty reads the blog posts about Tyler Down's testimony for the Baker case.

"Damn it, Tris, listen to this. 'Down openly admitted to have stalked and taken pictures of Hannah Baker outside her window-'"

"Caroline." Tristan snaps when she sees Tyler Down pass by them and walk a little faster.

Caroline looks back to Tristan with wide eyes, "Oh shit, do you think he heard me?"

"Fuck if I know." Tristan huffs as she hears the bell ring,  "I have to get to class, Porter says if I'm late one more time, he'll make me come to weekly 'check ins' with him again."

Tristan makes it to class just in time and sits in her usual seat by Trey. During the class, however, Tyler Down walks through the door and sits two seats away from Tristan, next to a self proclaimed 'punk' boy named Cyrus. Tristan gives Trey a funny look, but he only shrugs in response.

Tristan leaves Porter's class along with Trey by her side, ignoring the man's calls for them to work on their group project. She sees Alex Standall trudging down the hall with his cane. Tristan looks around before she steps next to him and smiles, "Hey, Alex. Here let me help."

She tugs his backpack off and swings it on her shoulder. He shakes his head at her, "Tris, you don't have to do that. I can carry my stuff."

The girl shrugs as they continue to walk down the hallway, "Yeah but we're friends, right? I just want to help, that's all."

Alex nods and looks behind Tristan at Trey who was still behind her. He glance back at his friend with an eyebrow raised, "Uh..."

Tristan looks behind her and realizes that Trey was still with her, and she snaps her head around and smiles at Alex, "Oh! Alex, I don't know if you guys know each other, but this is Trey. Trey, Alex. I met him in Porter's shit of a class."

Tristan can tell through Alex's judgmental eyes that he didn't like Trey. They stop at Alex's locker and before he can turn the dial to unlock it, Zach runs behind them and goes to grab the backpack on Tristan's shoulder, "I can take that, Tris. You can go, I got it."

Tristan pulls the backpack back to her and shakes her head, "I'm fine Zach. I want to help Alex."

Zach rolls his eyes at the girl and fixates his eyes on the boy behind her, "What are you doing, McPhail?"

Trey shrugs, "I'm just here with Tris,"

Zach raises his eyebrow and glances down to Tristan, who won't look up at him. The girl can tell he has something to say, but is biting his tongue. He shakes his head and scoffs, "Yeah, okay. I'll catch you after fourth, okay, Alex?"

Alex nods and they watch as Zach moves past them and into the crowd of people. Alex looks at Tristan and rolls his eyes, "You two are acting like five year olds."

Tristan glares at her friend as they start to walk to his next class, "Shut up."

Tristan Foley walks into the hallway after her last class of the day. Her bag hangs off her shoulder and her face is in her phone, not caring the least about anyone around her.

"Tris!"

She turns around to see Zach Dempsey squeeze in between people as he rushes to get closer to the girl, "What?"

He stops in front of her and takes in a deep breath, "You gotta ride home today? I have room for one more, how 'bout it?"

"You're seriously asking if I want a ride from you?" Tristan questions, trying to find the humor in the situation.