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It was supposed to be a happy day. A day for celebration, and a day for looking ahead. But Tristan couldn’t look ahead. At least not yet, not until Claudia broke her silence and decided to forgive him. Fifteen days. That’s how long it had been since he’d last spoken to her, and although he’d sent her numerous texts and more than a few pleading voicemails, he still had yet to receive a response.
And yet still, even with her completely ignoring him, he made the effort to give a wave whenever he passed her in the halls at school. Of course she never responded, but what really hurt him the most was the way she just looked right through him, as if he were a non-existent entity that she couldn’t bother to acknowledge.
Yet now, on the very last day of school and exactly two days before graduation, Tristan was determined to get back in her good graces. After parking his car in the parking lot, he moved purposefully towards the front entrance of the school.
Although there was confidence in his demeanor, Tristan couldn’t have been any more nervous, and on crossing the threshold that led into the crowded halls, his heart began to palpate with uncertainty.
Having always been overwhelmed by crowds, Tristan hastily walked through the halls, navigating around a group of jocks before sidestepping a couple that was glued at the hip. As was usual for a Friday, the halls were buzzing with excitement, but with graduation on the horizon, everyone seemed to be especially exuberant and happy.
So happy, that Tristan felt a little annoyed; maybe even disgusted at the way everyone was excitedly chattering and laughing. Everywhere he looked people seemed to be smiling, and that only made him even lonelier.
With a straight face and a heavy-footed walk, he continued toward the staircase. On reaching the second level, he made for a beeline for Claudia’s locker. Luckily for him, she was standing right in front of it, and with a leisurely gaze that was just as admiring as it was lustful, he took a moment to check her out.
Rather than simply look, Tristan fully appreciated, taking note of the way her tight black jeans clung to her long, slender legs. He also noticed that the fabric perfectly hugged her curvy backside, but as his eyes lifted to take in her top, a yearning look spread across his boyishly handsome face.
Featuring a sexy yet tasteful off the shoulder cut, Claudia’s top was made of velvet that was the color of red wine. Just fitted enough to emphasize the soft swell of her breasts, Claudia’s shirt was undoubtedly soft. But it was her tight, thick curls that fell to the middle of her back that made Tristan’s fingers long for a touch. When he finally came within speaking distance of her, a fluttery feeling began to spread through his stomach. But as Claudia continued to pretend that he wasn’t right next to her, a wave of sadness began to course through his body.
“Hey, how’s it going?” The smile he gave was wan, stance adjusting as he nervously shifted his feet.
“Hello.” Rather than direct her response at him, Claudia spoke into her open locker.
“So I guess you’re still mad at me…” Eyeing her closely, Tristan waited for her response.
“Not really,” she said.
“Seriously?” His limbs tingled with hope.
“Yeah, seriously.” Having finished cleaning all of the papers out of her locker, she stuffed them into her backpack, then hoisted it onto her shoulders before slamming the storage compartment shut.
“Well awesome. That’s great. Because I thought you were really upset at me.”
“I was.” Now face to face with him, Claudia looked deep into his eyes. “But with school finishing up and graduation in a few days, I figured it was time for me to let it go.”
As Claudia began walking, so did Tristan, and together they made their way to English class.
“I mean, I just don’t see the point of carrying on feuds, do you?”
“No.” Focusing less on her words and more on the unique scent she exuded, Tristan happily followed alongside her.
“So, can you actually believe it’s the last day of school?” Claudia’s voice held an excitement that was palpable. “Three more months, and we’ll be moving off to college. It’s pretty unbelievable when you think about it, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” Tristan said as they entered the classroom. “Pretty weird how quickly this year has gone by.”
“You have any plans for summer yet?” Having reached her desk, Claudia took a seat, then gestured for Tristan to sit beside her.
“No, not yet. Why, what about you? Do you have any plans?”
Claudia nodded. “Me and Kimi are thinking about taking a road trip to Seattle.”
“Wow. Is Ethan coming along, too?”
“Probably. I mean, knowing how attached he is to Kimi, I’m sure he’ll want to tag along.”
“So just you three, huh?” The pause he gave was loaded with expectancy, but after several long moments and no response, Tristan spoke again. “Well, cool. I hope you guys have fun.”
With a pen in hand and a notebook in front of him, Tristan began copying the journal prompt that escort was displayed on the chalkboard. But he barely had time to jot down a few words before Claudia reached out to touch his hand.
“Hey.” Her voice was soft, lips pulling into a gentle smile as she looked at him. “I was going to ask you along. You know that, right?”
Just briefly, she stroked her thumb against the back of his hand, and as Tristan’s gaze lowered to watch this tender moment in action, Claudia steadied her focus on his face.
“You want me along?” With his gaze still focused on her hand, Tristan noticed how small it looked in contrast to his larger one.
“Of course.” Her eyes brightened as she said this. “That is unless you’ve got something better to do the first three weeks of July.”
“I don’t,” Tristan said while looking up at her.
“Great. So then you’ll come with us.”
As Tristan smiled, so did she, and with a slowness that seemed to indicate reluctance, Claudia removed her hand from his. A few minutes passed, and then a full half hour, but the ghost of Claudia’s caress was still there; reminding Tristan that the memory of her touch was inescapable.
* * * *
The last bell rang loudly, signaling not only the end of the day, but the completion of the school year. Shoes squeaked on the floor, laughter echoing through the halls as students poured into the corridor from every direction. The smell of sweaty gym clothes mingled with hairspray and deodorant, creating a fragrance which could only be described as unadulterated teen.
But even with the smell of fellow youths surrounding him, Tristan could still pick out
the scent of *her*. She was close, of that he was for sure, but as his eyes scanned the various faces that surrounded him, he found himself wondering just where she was hidden. Along with being fairly tall, Claudia was the only black girl at Browning High, so it shouldn’t have been difficult to locate her in the crowd.
By the time he’d exited the double doors that led down a wide staircase and into the parking lot, Tristan was truly baffled as to why her scent was still lingering around him. But as Lucas suddenly moved into his line of sight, Tristan suddenly figured it out.
Slowly, and with a look of suspicion on his face, Tristan moved closer to Lucas, who was casually leaning against the stair railing. Focusing entirely on his cell phone, Lucas failed to even notice that Tristan was watching him. But as Tristan continually moved closer, Lucas glanced up to stare him down.
“You got a problem?”
Rather than immediately respond, Tristan allowed a few beats of silence to pass between them.
“You smell like her.”
“Excuse me?” No longer leaning, Lucas was now pulling himself up to full height.
“Claudia.” His nostrils flared, taking in the feminine scent that was embedded in Lucas’s clothes. “You were with her recently, weren’t you?”
“What’s it to you?” Lucas’s brows drew together. “She’s not your girlfriend, so why do you care?”
“I thought you two broke up,” Tristan said with a stony expression. “So unless you got back together, why would her smell be all over you?”
“What are you talking about?” Lucas sniffed his flannel jacket before declaring, “I don’t smell like anything at all.”
“You can’t smell it, but *I* can.”
“What?” Lucas frowned for a moment before declaring, “Claudia wasn’t even wearing perfume today. So how the hell did you know she was with me?”
“She has a distinct scent,” Tristan said. “Everybody does, but the average human being is unable to consciously pick it up.”
“You’re a freak, you know that?”
“Oh that’s excellent,” Tristan said. “I tell you that I have extra-sensory perception and all you can do is call me a freak.”
“Extra sensing *what*?” Lucas’s face became pinched. “What in the *fuck* are you even talking about?”
“Forget it. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Oh, so what’s that supposed to mean? That I’m like stupid, or something?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Tristan replied.
“Well I’m *not* stupid,” Lucas declared. “I’ve got a fully functional brain, just like everyone else.”
“Look, I’m not here to insult you, okay? I just noticed that you smell like her, and I wanted to find out why that was.”
“I’m not telling you anything,” Lucas defiantly stated. “You wanna find out, you ask her yourself.”
Equally annoyed with one another, both Tristan and Lucas stayed rooted to the spot, as if both were reluctant to turn their backs on the other.
“I’ll never understand what she sees in you,” Lucas said with eyes that were beginning to narrow.
“Funny you would say that, because I was thinking the exact same thing.”
“Oh yeah?” Lucas stepped closer until their faces were a mere few inches apart. “Well I guess it’s good to know that we can agree on something.”
All around them, students continued pouring out of the entrance to the school. While most were chattering and laughing, some were throwing around Frisbees or horsing around escort bayan on the lawn. But they may as well have not been there at all, because Lucas and Tristan were cloaked by a blanket of hostility. Yet even with his attention squarely focused on Lucas’s face, Tristan sensed that Claudia was in the immediate vicinity.
“Hey, guys. Is everything okay?”
Simultaneously, Lucas and Tristan turned their heads to look at Claudia, and on noting the nervous expression that was on her face, the tension in their bodies eased up.
“Yeah, everything’s cool,” Lucas said before backing away from Tristan.
“You sure?” She looked from Tristan to Lucas, and then back again before lifting a brow.
Rather than respond, Tristan remained silent. But as he realized that Claudia was waiting for him to give a response, he hastily mumbled some words.
“Look, I gotta go. See you later, alright?”
With a turn on his heel, Tristan made his way down the steps. Yet instead of a smooth and steady walk, his gait was jerky and reluctant. His legs felt wobbly and there was a tightness in his chest that made it difficult to breathe, but despite all of the signals that his body was giving him, Tristan continued forward.
A few minutes later, he was starting up his car and maneuvering it out of the school’s parking lot. But as he approached the curb where other cars were picking up students, a voice inside of him told him to pull over. He was only idling there for a few seconds when his gaze came to land on Claudia, who was now standing on the lawn with Lucas and Kimi.
Without any hesitation, Tristan slid out from behind the wheel of his car, then made his way towards the lawn. Claudia was first to notice him, followed by Lucas and Kimi, who had halted their conversation to watch him slowly approach.
“Hey, Tristan,” Kimi said as he came to a stop in front of them. “I was just asking Claudia if she’d seen you around.”
“Oh yeah?” Tristan stuffed his hands into his pockets, then snuck a look at Lucas, who was giving him the stink eye.
“Yep. So is it true you’re coming along on the road trip?”
“Yes, I am,” Tristan said.
“Good, because we need another guy to keep Ethan company.”
“Well it definitely sounds like fun, so I can’t wait.”
“Oh yeah, it’s gonna be a blast.”
“So what’s up?” Claudia asked Tristan. “I thought you were heading home.”
“I was.”
Claudia gave him an inquiring look.
“Uh, the reason I came back is because I wanted to see if you need a ride home.”
“Oh…well that’s sweet of you to ask.” Just briefly, Claudia turned her head to look at Kimi, and after receiving an encouraging nod in return, she looked back at Tristan.
“*Do* you have a ride home?” Tristan asked. “Because if you don’t, I’d be happy to drive you.”
“Already making your move, huh Whitefeather?” Lucas interjected. “Claudia and I broke up only two weeks ago, and you’re already trying to get into her pants.”
“Lucas…” Claudia started to say, but as he threw a glare her way, she instantly quieted down.
“Do you have like *any* shame at all, or are you completely heartless?” Lucas asked him.
“Claudia and I are friends,” Tristan said. “There’s nothing wrong with me asking to drive her home.”
“Oh, bullshit,” Lucas said. “I’m a guy too, remember? I know how we operate.”
“Give him a break, Lucas,” Kimi interjected. “She’s single now, so he’s perfectly within his rights to spend time with her.”
“Was he within his rights when he took her into the backseat of his car and made out with her at prom?”
“We didn’t make out,” Tristan said. “And I already acknowledged that what I did was wrong, so you can stop bringing it up.”
“Okay, stop.” Now it was Claudia’s turn to talk, and after pinning her eyes intently on Tristan, she spoke some firm words. “I need to talk to you. In private.”
“Okay,” Tristan said, and as she led him away from Kimi and Lucas, he trailed behind her.
Once they reached an oak tree a few yards away, Claudia came to a stop and turned to face Tristan. Then, with a softness in her eyes, she began to speak.
“I think It’s really sweet of you to offer me a ride home, but I’m gonna have to pass.”
“Why?” A hunched posture had taken over Tristan’s body.
“Because I’d feel bad if I accepted,” Claudia said. “I mean, I know that Lucas and I are broken up and everything, but I’d feel kinda weird accepting a ride from you when he’s standing right in front of us.”
“Oh…” Tristan’s head lowered, lips pressing tight as he stared down at the grass.
“You’ve gotta understand that Lucas is hurting right now. It’s not just the fact that we broke things off, but he’s feeling really insecure about not going to university. So the last thing I want him to think, is that I’m choosing you over him.”
But that’s what I want, Tristan thought. I want you to choose me over him, can’t you see that?
Of course she could see it, he knew this without a doubt. But Claudia wasn’t bayan escort the type of girl to stomp on a man’s heart. She was sweet and kind, not to mention gentle and sensitive, so it only made sense that she was taking Lucas’s feelings into consideration.
This thought had no sooner gone through his mind before Claudia reached out to touch his shoulder, and as his eyes lifted to meet her own, he saw her offer a little smile.
“So I hope you understand…”
“Yeah, I do.” Tristan nodded before adding, “Sorry if I came off as insensitive. It’s just that I really like you, and I guess I got a little ahead of myself.”
“No worries,” Claudia said. “I actually think it’s really flattering that you’re so interested.”
“You do?”
“Yeah.” Her features softened even further, eyes hardly blinking as she gazed at his face.
“Well cool,” Tristan said, and for a moment he glanced away, as if thinking over the words that he wanted to speak next. “So is it cool if I text you later? Just to say hello, not for anything special.”
The smile on Claudia’s lips widened. “Why don’t you call me, instead? It’s been awhile since we talked on the phone.”
“Okay, sure.”
“I’ll be at Kimi’s until five, but anytime after that I’ll be free to talk.”
“Cool.”
“Talk to you later, then.”
“Yep. Later, Claudia.”
As he watched her walked away, he wasn’t quite sure what to feel. On one hand he felt hope, and yet there was also a twinge of resentment that he felt towards Lucas. Try as he might to kid himself, she *did* still have feelings for him. Not exactly surprising, considering that they’d barely broken up, but he couldn’t help feeling jealous that Lucas still had a piece of her heart.
No longer standing next to the oak tree, Tristan was now walking back to his car. After sliding behind the wheel, he turned the key in the ignition. But instead of driving off, he took a moment to gaze at the crowd of teenagers. Almost immediately, his eyes came to land on Claudia, but since her back was facing him, he didn’t get to make eye contact.
Project your thoughts, a voice inside of him said. Let her know that you’re looking at her.
For a moment he found himself wondering if she would actually be able to feel him sending thoughts. But as soon as this thought went through his head, he realized there was no reason why she couldn’t. They did share a special kind of connection after all, and he knew she was open minded about these types of things, so why not put it to the test?
I’m staring right at you, Claudia, Tristan thought while intensely concentrating. If you can feel me sending this thought, turn your head and look at me.
A few moments passed, then several more before Claudia’s stance shifted. But instead of only turning her head, she turned her entire body, then immediately pinned her focus on Tristan’s car.
Validation, he exuberantly thought as her eyes locked with his. There’s definitely a soul tie between us.
Peering directly into each other’s eyes, they simultaneously gave each other a little wave. But it seemed that Claudia was slightly puzzled, because a funny little smile broke out across her lips. Tristan started to return it with a smile of his own, but Claudia was suddenly pulled away, disappearing into the crowd with Kimi, who was guiding her towards a group of chattering female students.
Heart pounding, pulse racing, Tristan sat there for a few moments, thinking over what had just taken place. He hadn’t imagined it, she had actually picked up on his thoughts, and now that he knew they were linked on an extrasensory level, it only cemented the strong feelings that he had for her.
Placing his hand on the stick shift, Tristan put the car into gear, then drove off out of the parking lot. But even as he maneuvered the car onto the street, that feeling of excitement remained, filling his chest with a warmth and lightness that spread through his entire body.
* * * *
Three hours later and with a belly of pizza that she and Kimi had shared, Claudia lay on her bed, staring at the cell phone that was in her hand. For the past twenty minutes, she’d been trying to work up the courage to call Tristan, but everytime she dialed his number, something made her backtrack and cancel the call. Not out of fear, necessarily, but a lack of understanding about how she was going to broach the subject of what had transpired.
Thinking back on it now, she still found herself in a state of wonderment. She wasn’t quite sure just what exactly had happened between them, but it seemed that Tristan had utilized one of his gifts to mentally communicate with her. She guessed that telepathy was the correct term for it, but she had *felt* his thoughts, rather than *heard* them.
Turning onto her back, Claudia recalled the unusual moment when she had sensed him calling out to her. She distinctly remembered a tingling sensation in her head, as if someone had been tickling her brain with a feather, but what had been most strange of all, was the uncontrollable urge to turn around.
It hadn’t been instinctual, like the feeling she got when somebody was eyeing her up and down or intensely checking her out. With Tristan it had been different, perhaps supernatural, if she dared used that word.