Memory

Chapter Eleven- Trystan

What is he trying to do, gain affection from me? Because he's not getting any. At least, not from me.

I can feel curious glances directed our way, so I pull up my hand from my side and push him away. "Don't do that," I say to him, looking up at him. "I don't want you that close to me."

Jake snickers, folding his arms over his chest. "Then who? Dimitri?"

I am too shocked that I am speechless, my eyes wide as I glare at him.

"Hmph," Jake mutters. "I figured so." Shrugging, he shakes his head again. "I don't care about him, anyways. He's not here, so he can't protect you." He takes a step forward, and I take a step back.

Protect me? What does he mean by that?

"Don't try it, Jake," I say, looking around, then back at him. "Not here, when there so many people." I walk around him to the exit to my right. I feel him follow me closely, and I roll my eyes.

Seriously? This is so not cool.

"Hey, I'm sorry." Jake catches up to me as I open the door, walking into the loud and crowded hallway; exactly what high school hallways should look and sound like. Jake walks at my pace, looking sideways at me. "I know I shouldn't invade your space like that. But I can't resist; you're so beautiful that I can't keep away from you."

I feel my skin growing warm at his compliment, and I shake my head as I start to smile. "That's very nice of you to say," I tell him.

"Trystan!"

I look up at the sound of my name, and I see Ethan running towards me, his wild mahogany hair flailing around.

I wave to him. "Hey, Ethan! How are you?"

Ethan reaches me and nods a few times. "I'm fine. I just finished the Translation class. Man, my brain hurts!"

I am about to tell Ethan something about the class he took when Jake clears his throat, and I suspect that he does not want to be ignored. So I pat him on the shoulder and tell Ethan, "Jakey here doesn't like to be ignored. So say hello, please."

Ethan glances at Jake and nods to him. "Hey there." He then turns to me again and says, "Better get ready. The General is going to have his sessions soon."

Jake shakes his head and loops his arm around my shoulders. Ethan raises an eyebrow at him, then winks at me before turning around and walking down the hallway.

Gently, so I don't hurt him, I take Jake's arm and pull it down to his side. "None of that."

"Oh please, Trystan." Jake prods my shoulder again. "You'll have to get used to me being around you these days."

I walk down the hallway opposite the way Ethan had gone. Remembering my way through this floor on the first day being here, I turn the corner of the hallway, reaching towards the first door to my right. But I stop myself, then knock two times.

"Come in," says Forrester from inside.

I open the door, closely followed by Jake. But I turn my lips up in the beginning of a smirk and I shut the door in his face. I then smile when I hear Jake's feeble protest, then I hear his footsteps lead away from the door.

Facing forward, I look at the General. Buried in papers thrown all over his desk, I have to walk up to him to get his attention.

"Oh, greetings, Trystan." Forrester looks up, a small smile gracing his tanned, worn-out face. "Are you ready for your first lesson-training session?"

"If it's not as challenging as my shooting practice," I say, slipping out my paper target to show him. "Then I am most definitely ready."

Forrester takes the paper target, unfolds it, and glances at all the shots I made. Finally, he looks up at me and says, "Was the headshot the last one you made?"