All I Want

Stupid Game

"Watch where you're going!" Paris snapped at Tristan who had almost run into her as she was exiting Headmaster Charleston's office having just dropped off all the Valentine's Day Dance information.

"Sorry, really didn't see you there," Tristan apologized but with a slight edge to his voice. He wasn't really in the mood to see Paris or anyone else. "My mind was elsewhere," he admitted.

"Thinking about Rory?" Paris asked the one single name eliciting the exact response she'd expected as Tristan sighed heavily and responded " I haven't got time for this right now Paris. I'm already late to class." 

"Fine, but just FYI, you're making things worse by not talking to her," Paris informed him.

Now it was Tristan's turn to be annoyed. " Is that what she told you? That I don't want to talk to her?"

"No, that's what I saw this morning when you breezed past her like she wasn't even there. It's a stupid game your playing, and I'm warning you it's going to backfire on you," Paris said as she started to step past him.

Tristan stopped her though by putting his hand on her arm.  "I'm not playing a game. I'm doing what she asked me to. I'm staying away from her."

"Yeah, I know you better than that. I've seen this scenario more than I care to count. You're flaunting Kennedy in front of her and shutting Rory out because she hurt you."

"Stop pretending you know me Paris. We haven't been close friends since --" Tristan started to say, but Paris cut him off.

"Since we were twelve - years -old. Yeah, I remember the day you ostracized me and cut me out of your cool group," Paris stated not even trying to hide the fact that it was a memory that made her bitter.

It took a second for what Paris had just said to sink in and when it did Tristan regretted his former words.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"When right now or four years ago when you failed to show up at my birthday party because Presley was having a party too?" Paris asked.

"Are we really planning on rehashing all this right now here in the middle of the school hallway. I was a d***. I get it."

"Good so we're back on the same page," Paris said the smirk on her face showing she liked hearing Tristan admit his shortcomings. "My point here is to think before you do something stupid concerning Rory. Think you can handle that?"

Tristan hated when Paris was right as he suspected this advice would eventually cost him down the road.

"Yeah, I can, but please stop being so smug you're not always right," he replied getting in his dig now.

"No, just most of the time," Paris shot back.

Tristan laughed now, and it felt good after his earlier panic attack that had left him feeling precisely the opposite.

"All right you can go now. I'm done with you," Paris said semi-smiling at him.

"Thank you Paris," Tristan said a genuine sincerity in his voice.

"For what?" Paris asked her gruff edge back in place.

"For caring enough about Rory and me to call me out on my BS," he replied giving her a brief hug before releasing her just as an out of breath Madeline and Louise came running up.

"Finally we have been looking all over for you," Louise said more than a little out of breath.

"What for?" Paris asked.