STORY WRITTEN IN 2016 under revisionSTORY WRITTEN IN 2016 under revision
Skylar
It was so different being in the company of Ryan. He was so open and genuine. And also very nice. We had walked to a local burger joint and he ordered a basket of fries and two meaty burgers along with a special sauce and our drinks.
I reach for the fries just as he does, causing our hands to touch.
He chuckles when I pull away. "This is the second time you have done that, Skylar."
I shake my head. "I clearly reached first." I tell him. "I think you're starting to do this on purpose."
He doesn't have any shame in his game as he pops a fry in his mouth. "Well maybe I am." He smirks. "If it gets your attention, I'll do anything on purpose."
My hands are sweaty as he speaks. Since we got here, I've been trying to finish the notes and have a healthy friendly conversation with him. But from time to time, he would always send flirtatious hints my way. I didn't know what to do with them.
I mean, he was a nice guy and easy on the eyes but I like someone else right now. I don't want to be one of those girls who enjoyed hopping from one guy to the next.
I reach my hand out again to get a fry and slowly dip it in ketchup as he speaks again.
"So, Skylar," He leans forward, removing his cap from his head, letting his golden locks hang free. Without the cap, he looks even more handsome. His jaw is defined, nose sharp, and indigo eyes so beautiful I let out a soft gasp. He seems to catch my gasp and tilts his head. "What? Do I have something on my face?" He quickly ask, his hands scanning his face like crazy.
A smile emerges from my face. "No, no, you're fine." I say, tossing my pencil and notebook to the side so I could finally eat my juicy burger.
"What was that gasp for?" He questions.
I shrug, not sure if I should say. "Um..you just have really nice eyes." He makes a face at me and I mentally slap myself. I sound creepy. "Uh, that wasn't meant to sound weird or anything, um..."
He chuckles and shakes his head. "No, it's cool. And I can say the same about you, your eyes were the first thing I saw since you started coming to that class."
I fidget a little, how long had he noticed me? He takes note of my movements. "You do that a lot as well." He says. "Are you nervous?"
I nod, surprised at how easy it was for me to answer his questions. "I don't tend to do this often and it's all new for me."
"Hmm," He hums. "It's cool I guess. You don't have to be nervous. I'm not some creepy dude who will stalk you or anything like that. I just want to get to know you and talk...maybe exchange numbers, etc., etc."
If he was nervous too, I can't tell. He is so relaxed and open. "Okay," I answer, feeling secure that he could be a possible friend or whatnot.
He smiles. "Alrighty, then." He takes his burger in his hand and takes a bite. "Tell me about yourself."
I quickly shake my head. "My life is pretty boring." It seriously was. I lived a normal life. Nothing too exciting ever happened. Well, nothing exciting that I'd like to share.
He shrugs. "I enjoy boring things." He smirks. "C'mon, bore me."
I smile a little, shrugging and allowing myself to relax in his company. "Well, I lived with my parents in a few towns past this one."
"Cyprus Creek?" He ask, his dark blonde eyebrows moving along with his question.
I shook my head, staring deep into his blue eyes. "No, the one next to that. Holland." I state and immediately his eyes blossom, the swirls of blue twinkle.
I sip my drink as I watch his lips move. "My grandmother lives there and works as a librarian at the local library."
Being that the library was a place I knew very well, I had a picture of who he may have been talking about. "Ms. Lucie?" I ask.
Throughout my high school years, I wasn't the normal teenager that partied and occasionally snuck out of the house or threw amazing parties when my parents would leave for vacation. No. I was the kid who would ask for permission to go the library and check out maybe five or six novels and read them all within a two week frame.
His smiles lights up the entire restaurant. "Yes! I can't believe you know my grandmother." He says.
"She's an amazing lady." I compliment. Ms. Lucie was one of the few people that I could confide in and dish out all my problems too.
Ryan's lips quirk up. "Her grandson isn't too bad either, right?" He wiggles his eyebrows at me and I let out a laugh.
I nod. "Yeah. You're not too bad."
He's about to speak but a ringing sound sets off and he stares down at his phone. "Oh, crap." He begins to pack up his stuff. "I gotta go. I have a class that starts in less than five minutes."
He shuffles around, getting all of his things. I pick up his notebook that he allowed me to copy from, even if I wasn't finished getting all the notes.
He shakes his head as I try to give him back his notebook. "Nah, keep it and finish. Give it back to me tomorrow."
I gulp. "Are you sure?"
He nods, stepping away slightly from the table and tossing his cap back on. Tipping it slowly, he says, "It was nice talking to you, today, Skylar. Hopefully, we can do this again." He smiles my way and pulls out a few bills and neatly folds them then slips them under my notebook.
I smile back and watch as he walks away. I stare at his back. Surely I would see him again. I had to return his notebook. It was inevitable.
Whoa.
I don't have that class tomorrow. How would I return his notebook? I don't even have his number.
I panic while shuffling out my seat and making a mad dash for the door. Thankfully I get outside in time just as he is about to cross the street. "Ryan!" I scream, surprised that my own voice was this loud.
He hears me momentarily and turns around. "Yeah?" He raises his thick eyebrow.
"We don't have that class tomorrow." I tell him. "And I don't have your number." I fidget as his blue eyes seem to absorb the light from the sun.
He shifts slightly and a smirk is settled on his face, the dimples sinking. "Are you asking for my number, Skylar?" He wiggles his eyebrows playfully and I can't help the stupid grin that won't leave my face.
"Maybe..." My hair blows slightly in my face and I move it away just as he starts to chuckle and walk off, again.
"It's on the very last page in my notebook." Wait. What?
My mind is dissolved in confusion. "Wait. How did you know I would ask for your number?"
He turns back around. "I didn't." The sun hits his face in the most perfect lighting... "I just had confidence that you would go through and find it."
"That's ridiculous."
He smiles and I literally almost melt. "Confidence is key, baby." He proclaims. "Gotta go now. See you later!" Before I can get another word in, he's already making a mad dash across the street to make it to his next class.
I walk back inside the burger joint and find my seat and quickly flip to the last page in his notebook. Surely enough, his number was there with a little note attached to it.
There's a party on Friday and I'd really like if you would go with me, Ryan.
I trace his beautiful inked handwriting and nibble on my bottom lip.
Was this his way of asking me out?
No, a party wasn't considered a date. Was it?
I stare at the little note and decided that I would think about it.
It was just a party.
****
The week went by in a blur. I hadn't heard or seen Tristen at all. And it made me question what was going on. I mean, we had a pretty intense night last time we were together. But was that it? Was that all? It makes me question his motives all over again. I don't want to be that girl that is just there for....those purposes.
I wanted something more. I wanted to talk to him, get to know him. That was supposed to be first. Talking, getting to know each other. But on the night we met, I was out of my mind drunk. But I don't want to be this girl. I don't want to lay around waiting for him. This was my year to start over. To start fresh. To have fun and live up my first year to the best of my abilities.
I walk to my bed and pluck my bag from the bed. I dig through it until I find the piece of paper that I tore with Ryan's number on it. I took out my phone and quickly put his number in, sending him a quick text.
Hey. Is that invitation still up to go to the party with you tonight?
I read the text over and over, trying to make sure that I didn't send any flirtatious hints so he won't get the wrong idea. I wait for a few minutes and my dorm door is nearly slammed down by my two friends.
"Get dressed, girl! We just got invited to another party!" Maddie struts in, her blonde hair moving gracefully with her.
Lily walks in next, her outfit making my sweats and tank look completely foolish. "Yeah, and I heard their parties are the best. Super chilled and laid back. No fights or nothing. Just straight partying."
Just as Lily finishes off her sentence, my phone vibrates and a message pops up.
Finally! I've been waiting all week for your text. I thought you lost my notebook for a sec. But I'm glad you can make. I'll send you the address. See you later ;)
Lily huffs and I can see from the side that she is coming closer to me. "Who are you smiling to? Is that Tristen?"
Even by just hearing his name sends shivers down my spine.
I shake my head. "No. It's my friend, Ryan. He invited me to a party tonight."
Maddie frowns. "What? You were supposed to be with us tonight!" Before she speaks, my phone vibrates again and Ryan sends me the address.
I read the address aloud and Maddie's eyes literally brighten. "Did you just say 541 Dr?" She asks and I nod and immediately she claps her hands together. "That's the same place we're going. It's Duncan's party. I haven't met him before but he's fucking hot."
Lily steps in. "Hey, Maddie back off. You already have a man."
She whines. "Not officially. And it's good to have options." She smirks. "Come on, let's get dressed. I want to try this new eye-shadow palette that I got online."
"I probably won't wear too much make up tonight. I think my face is breaking out again." Lily replies. I follow them into their room because that is where I get dressed whenever I went out with them.
Once we were in their glamorous room, they all went to their stations. Their room was way cozier then mine. They covered the ashy white walls with paintings and perfectly cut out pieces of magazines along with hanging a gorgeous train of lights along the borders of the room, giving it a nice pop of brightness. While their room was a pop or color and sunshine, mine on the other was void.
On the first day, I had a roommate but then she left so I never actually got to meet her. Since then, no one has come to me saying that they were my new roommate so I didn't push it. I had the room to myself but I had no clue what to do with it.
My bed was tucked in the corner with plain dark blue sheets, my desk was by the door, the only accessory on it being my laptop or notebooks. My walls were dry and bare.
But other than that, I had all the necessities like my closet, a mini refrigerator and a microwave.
"Skylar?" Lily's voice takes me to reality as she hands me a purple rag that she probably thought was equivalent to a dress.
I make a face at it. "I was thinking maybe a T-shirt and jeans. Dress it up with a pair of flats." I raise my two thumbs at her and she scowls.
"No, I'm tired of seeing you with those flannels or this," She plucks my tank top.
Maddie joins, while still doing her make up in the mirror. "Right. She's always trying to hide that banging body. That's probably one of the reasons Tristen likes you so much."
There his name is once again.
I fidget as Lily passes me the dress and I reluctantly take it from her. I don't want to ask this but I want to ask this. So I push myself and ask anyway. "Speaking of Tristen, have you guys seen him this week?"
I try to seem nonchalant about it. Not make my voice sound too needy. But I can feel the gasping need in myself. What he could do to my body was ridiculous and even if I had never felt like this before, I like it.
And I don't want it to stop right now.
But then again, I should not be worried about him.
Lily shrugs and begins changing into her clothes. "Nope. But Maddie and I were with the guys yesterday. Kent and Wes were there. And a few others but we didn't see Tristen."
"Yeah, but that boy is like a fucking mystery. He shows up randomly so there's a 50/50 chance that he will be at the party tonight." She says. Adding along, "But why do you ask?"
I stutter uncontrollably. "I...um.." Both of them look at me and I feel like I am suffocating. "Something happened a couple of nights ago."
Lily's eyes widen. "Don't tell me you and him had s-"
"No!" I quickly cut her off and her shoulders, along with Maddie's, gently relax. "But I'm just really confused now."
"Listen, boys are boys. They're dumb and most of them want to get in your pants. Yeah, Tristen has a reputation, I think everyone knows that but it's your job to watch how much you give him. Boys like him can be deceitful sometimes. You just have to watch your back."
Reputation? Deceitful?
Now an entire tornado of thoughts were recklessly taking over my mind. Was I apart of just building a reputation? I know I am not a girl that will give her body up just for the thrill of it. I wanted it to meaningful and special, with someone I truly loved and cared about.
But I was a true hypocrite to myself. How could I let him touch me like that? He doesn't love me. I haven't even gotten to the clear stage of liking yet. I'm so confused on where I was right now.
I shake my head. Stop thinking about him.
I would go to this party and have fun with my friends and Ryan.
I tugged my hair out of its regular ponytail and began to dress.
_______________
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