Suspense:
"Do you have a boyfriend Sienna?" Madison asked, putting down her magazine to look at me innocently.
I didn't blame her for asking me. We after all were having girl time. And part of girl time consists of talking about boys. Obviously.
Melody looked over at me with a small smile. I knew exactly what she was thinking. She was glad me and Madison were bonding. Her former best friend and present best friend were bonding. The world couldn't get any more perfect.
"No boyfriend for me currently," I answered honestly. I continued to paint my toe nails the bright, summer orange color I picked out.
"I know. Very strange fact isn't it?" Melody asked Madison with a laugh. "Sienna with no boyfriend? Single Sienna? How is that possible?"
I peeked up at Melody to see a goofy smile on her face. I rolled my eyes.
"Sienna, you're cute and the nicest girl I've met. How can you not have a boyfriend?" Madison asked, fully wonderstruck by this fact.
I let out a laugh, wanting to shake Melody and Madison for thinking this. I let out a sigh and looked over at the two girls. The sun was beaming down at us as we continued our girl talk while gaining a summer kiss tan. What a glorious summer day huh?
"Well, truth be told before I came here for the summer I was talking to a guy," I admitted with a shrug of my shoulders. Melody has heard this story before but it didn't stop her from gushing from the news along with Madison.
"Oh a boy," Madison said coyly, sending me a smile. Madison was a cute, bubbly girl. She actually reminded me of me back then; before I went to New York. I was actually disappointed that Alex wasn't interested in her anymore. She would be good for him.
"Yeah, a boy," I couldn't help but repeat with a laugh.
"But it's complicated," Melody finished for me, sending me a 'your welcome' smile. "By the way, are you still talking to him?" she asked curiously. I haven't mentioned Brenton to Melody since the time I told her about him when she came back from camp.
"Um...not really," I answered nonchalantly.
"How come? Aren't you fond of him too?" Madison asked. Obviously only Melody was informed of the Brenton situation.
"Well, the thing is he's somewhat of a player," I explained, setting down my nail polish to look at Madison through my sunglasses. Madison nodded in understanding.
"Ah, one of those," she muttered. I looked at her and smiled.
"Honestly, Madison. Alex is a good guy," I stated, catching her off guard and surprised I knew who she was thinking of. Honestly, it wasn't too hard to guess who. She looked at me curiously.
"He's a nice guy and you'll be good for him."
"Yea but he doesn't seem to be one of those guys looking to settle down right now."
"You're right but you guys can still be friends. He's a good friend to have," I suggested, not wanting to be too overbearing with Madison. Madison and I aren't close friends yet. Melody nodded in agreement with my statement.
"Yeah maybe…" Madison whispered to herself. She looked a bit confused but I let her think it out herself. I already told her my own advice.
I turned back to painting my toenails as the he sound of a car pulling up in front of my house took our attention.
"What's Tristan doing here?" Melody and Madison asked at the same time. I let out a laugh as I kept my attention on painting my nails. I heard a car door slam shut.
"Hey Tristan. What do you have there?" Madison asked curiously, cocking her head to the side.
I looked up and caught Tristan's blue-grey eyes. I sent him a smile as he walked over to us with two smoothies in hand.
"Hey Madison. Melody," he flashed a smile before settling on the corner of the towel I was occupying. He passed my smoothie over to me and I gratefully smiled at him.
"What? That's your smoothie?" Melody asked surprised with a shocked look. "Telling Tristan to get you drinks now?" she asked dubiously.
"Well, he was already at the smoothie place so I asked him to get me one," I answered as if it were obvious. Which it wasn't since they didn't know I was texting Tristan on and off during our girl time.
"Well thanks for the memo. Smoothies would have tasted good right now," Melody pointed out with a jokingly tone.
"Sorry," I apologized, offering my smoothie over to her for a sip. She gladly took it of course. I smirked before turning back over to Tristan. I leaned over, wrapping my arms around his shoulders to give him a quick hug. "I'll pay you back," I reminded him, giving him a look that told him not to argue with me.
"Do you girls know if Alex is home?" Tristan asked, looking over to the neighboring house. I couldn't help but notice Madison turn stiff at the sound of that name.
"Um, I'm not sure," I answered. Madison returned my smoothie back to me which was practically half empty. I gave her a look that she happily ignored.
"I'll be right back then," Tristan said as he stood up, leaving his smoothie next to me. "Keep my smoothie safe from Melody."
"Hey!" Melody protested, crossing her arms over her chest. Tristan simply laughed as he crossed the lawn over the Alex's house.
"Oh, do you think he's going to invite Alex over here?" Madison asked more to herself than to us. She looked quite worried.
I shared a look with Melody but she simply shrugged. Was it just me who was getting just a little bit annoyed with Madison and her boy problem? I'd say get over it or at least do something about it but she's doing neither.
"Hey, if he does invite Alex over maybe it's your chance to act normal and casual. Let him know that everything is cool between you guys," I suggested before taking a sip of my smoothie.
"I don't know…" she hesitated, looking back and forth from Alex's house to us. "Aubrey was telling me to act cool and collected, have him want me back but…"
"Oh my goodness!" Melody exclaimed, startling me. This definitely caught Madison's attention as her wide eyes looked at her best friend. Melody continued, "You're not taking boy advice from Aubrey are you? I told you, do not listen to that girl. Yes, she's a cool girl and one of our friends but—"
Melody continued to explain to her best friend about Aubrey but I had no interest in listening further about Aubrey. I zoned them out as I got up, heading back into the house to retrieve the money I owed Tristan for his smoothie—whether he wanted it or not.
It shouldn't have surprised but I was a bit shocked to see Tristan and Alex outside on my lawn with Melody and Madison. I let out a huff before walking out the door and over to my friends.
"Here," I stated, practically stuffing Tristan's money in his face as I took my spot on my beach towel next to the two boys. I looked over at Madison to see her trying to preoccupy herself with her magazine. I looked back at Alex and he gave me a shrug of his shoulders. The previous day Alex was telling me he wanted to be friends with Madison but she wasn't making it easy for him. I could tell why.
"So…any fun plans for today?" Melody asked to no one in particular to help diffuse the tension coming from her best friend Madison.
"Work with this girl in an hour," Tristan offered after a few awkward moments of silence. He looked over at me with a mock annoyance. I frowned at him which he simply returned with a smile and a casual arm over my shoulders.
"Dolly assigned us to close up tonight," he informed me though his eyes were observing his best friend Alex and Madison.
"Okay," I said absentmindedly as my eyes watched the same scene.
"So how has your summer been so far?" Alex attempted to start small talk with Madison, who was obviously not over him and trying to rid her feelings for him.
Unfortunately, she had a difficult time just being friends with him. Alex seemed to have no problem but then again we were talking about Alex. Somewhat of a playboy; prone to random hookups; no real relationships. Not to mention the one instance at the bonfire with the kiss between me and him. What made it easy to get over the awkwardness and continue to be normal friends was that Alex had an easy time with getting over awkward times.
"It's been good. Yours?" she said in a clipped voice, sending a glance towards my neighbor before going back to her magazine which she was pretending to read.
"Relaxing. Loving it," Alex answered with too much effort in his smile.
I fought the urge to grimace, having a wave of sympathy for the guy. He was really trying and he had the best intentions. I actually commend him for letting Madison know he wasn't interested in her anymore rather than lead her on.
"Tomorrow's the summer festival!" Melody stated to both me and Tristan. She was clearly aware that Alex and Madison were having a conversation, as awkward as it was.
"I'm excited!" I couldn't help but exclaim with a wide smile. "We don't get that back in New York."
"The summer festivals have grown since you left. You'll love it," Melody gushed. "They now have psychic readings, haunted mansions, the Ferris wheel…"
"Ah, we all know you and Derek will be on that the whole night," Tristan joked with a laugh.
"Not the whole night," Melody grimaced at him.
"Oh, that's right. That was only last summer that you guys ditched all of us and we found out later—" Alex jumped in, apparently his small chit chat with Madison was over.
"Okay, fine that was only last summer. You guys don't have to remind me every second," Melody stated with a death glare to the two boys.
"What? You and Derek were making out the whole night on the Ferris Wheel?" I assumed which resulted in laughter from the two boys, Melody guiltily nodding, and Madison with a confirming nod.
"Oh Sienna, I bet you wished that boy back home were here so you can go on the Ferris Wheel with him," Madison smiled, with all good and innocent intention.
I didn't know why but my cheeks instantly flushed. Tristan and Alex shared a perplexed look but shrugged it off a second later; choosing not to voice the question of what guy? Melody looked at me with an apologetic smile for her best friend's slip of the tongue. I simply forced a smile, ending the conversation before it could go anywhere. I was not going to be discussing Brenton in front of the guys.
"It's going to be a long night," I grumbled more to myself than to Tristan but he felt the need to respond.
"At least you're not alone." Tristan scanned The Grub to only land on one lonely customer at the bar. Other than that, it was very silent and empty for the evening.
"Where is everybody?" I puzzled, standing beside Tristan as I dropped the wash cloth on the counter in front of us.
"Dolly was saying a new pizza parlor opened up on Main Street. I'm guessing everyone's there to check it out."
"That good, huh?"
"Apparently."
Just when I was about to pass the time by refilling the napkin dispensers, Landon entered the place. The blonde haired teenager spotted both of us and immediately approached.
"Is it dead here or what?" he questioned, folding his arms across the counter separating us. Tristan and I both nodded in agreement. "I passed by that new pizza parlor. Packed."
I immediately glanced over at Tristan to see his blue-grey eyes looking at me with triumph. I rolled my eyes. Landon's voice brought me back to him as I looked away from Tristan.
"Sienna, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the other night at the party," Landon apologized with a grimace as he recalled the night Lex tried to pick a fight for me for stealing her 'boyfriend'. I rose my eyebrows in surprise at Landon's apology; I wasn't expecting it. Based on Tristan's reaction from the look he was giving his friend, he was surprised too. "Lex can get a bit jealous and when that mixes with alcohol…"
"It's not a pretty sight. I get it," I finished for him, sending him a reassuring smile. "It's totally fine. Apology accepted."
"Thanks. You know I wouldn't do that to you. I'm glad you understand. You took it pretty well," Landon admitted with an appreciate smile. We all knew the type of girl I was back then and back then if I were put into the situation, I would have been pushed around and bullied; someone who didn't know how to stand up for herself.
I'm glad it was obvious now that I wasn't that girl anymore.
"Well, I can handle myself now," was all I could say as I looked down a shrugged a shoulder. I looked back at Landon and glanced over at Tristan who was both looking at me. I sent them a reassuring smile.
"So you're not still hanging out with that Lex girl are you?" Tristan questioned out of curiosity, looking back over at his friend.
"Nah dude," Landon shook his head as if it were a nightmare just thinking about it. "Those days are over. But apparently your days are just beginning." He sent Tristan a look that had me confused.
"What do you mean?"
"I overheard one of Lex's friends eyeing you at the party. She may come onto you," he answered Tristan's question. My ears perked up at this news as I observed Tristan's face.
"Yeah, if I ever see this girl," Tristan laughed, not at all fazed at this prospect. He clearly wasn't interested. And oddly enough, I felt better after his response.
Landon laughed and nodded his head. "Well, I just wanted to come by and apologize," he stated, looking back at me as he took his arms off the counter, ready to leave.
"Well thanks for the apology," I smiled as I walked around the counter and gave him a hug.
"If Lex or anybody gives you a hard time, you know where to find me," Landon laughed, his chest shaking against me.
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind," I laughed as I pulled away. Landon waved over to Tristan and with that, left The Grub.
"So how come you're not interested in Lex's friend?" I questioned as I appeared beside Tristan. I waited for an answer as I continued to wipe down the counter with my wash cloth.
"Does there have to be a reason?" he laughed as he moved around me.
"I'm just asking," I replied innocently as I looked up into my best friend's face. I was silently challenging him. He had nothing to hide right? So why couldn't he just answer the question that I unexplainably had the desire to have answered?
"Sometimes you're just not interested in some people and its better if you just remain friends," he answered as if it were no big deal. He shot me a look asking if I were satisfied. I repeated his answer in my head a couple times before concluding it was valid.
"Makes sense," I commended as I walked away from him. I started to refill the stack of cups in the back counter. It's been so empty that Tristan and I passed the excruciatingly long night with cleaning and refilling and organizing.
"So there is a guy?"
I let out a gasp as I turned around to see Tristan passing behind me. He bent down and opened a cupboard, trying to find something.
"What?"
"Earlier today Madison was saying something about a guy?" he answered, recalling earlier this afternoon when Madison made the little slip about Brenton back in New York and the Ferris Wheel. I silently groaned.
"Uhm…No, there really isn't a guy," I said lightly, lying through my teeth. I went back into the front counter with a box of straws, ready to refill the container.
"It's always helpful to get a guy's advice you know," Tristan reappeared before me, continuing the conversation I tried to leave.
"There's no problem to get advice about."
"Well, you can tell me about this guy. I'm curious as to who Sienna has her eyes on. Knowing you, you're picky with your guys," Tristan stated the truth. I let out a sigh and turned towards him. He was leaning his side against the counter, scanning his eyes around the restaurant for any new customers. None at all. He returned his gaze back at me.
I disconnected our gaze as I looked away from him. I've been denying it this whole time but it came to a point where I couldn't stop lying to myself. No matter how much I thought I liked Brenton back in New York, I couldn't deny the guy right in front of me. Coming back to California made me realize some things, and one of these things was that I couldn't rid my feelings for Tristan.
But even if I did act upon my feelings, the other night Tristan made it known to me that he was alright with being friends. Just friends. And who can ignore the fact that I was leaving in the summer anyways. If something did happen between me and him, what would come of it in the end with me going back to New York?
Not to mention the fact that he still thinks I want to be just friend with him…Do I want something more? And if I did, I'd have to make the move. Something I wasn't all to accustomed to.
I looked back up at Tristan, deciding on the right words to say. He took in my long silence and confusion and curiosity crossed his face.
"Honestly," I began, placing my elbow on the counter as I cocked my head on my shoulder. "There is…or there was a guy back home but it doesn't matter."
"Why's that?" he questioned as he took a seat on the counter stool. I mimicked him. It wasn't as if we had anything to do anyway with an empty restaurant.
I was about to say that I don't like him anymore. But I stopped myself because that would have been a lie. It was because I liked Tristan more. Possibly because I haven't seen Brenton since the beginning of summer. Or because I've been spending time with Tristan lately.
"I don't like him as much anymore," I shrugged a shoulder at the lame excuse I mustered up.
Tristan stared at me for a couple seconds, raising his eyebrows at hearing my response. I simply stared back at him, wondering if he would question in further. Because if he did, I wouldn't know what to say. My heart beat fast and hard as I watched him.
"Another staring contest I see?"
Both Tristan and I looked up in surprise to see our employer, Dolly, looking at us with an amused look on her face. I was slightly scared.
I let out a light laugh, hoping in silence she wouldn't say anything embarrassing like last time. I spoke too soon.
"I got advice for you, kid," Dolly began as she looked at Tristan. "Just make a move. Ask Sienna out on a date or something. No need for anymore staring contests. Plus it's no good for the suspense."
"Suspense?" I echoed, looking up at her.
"Yes," she confirmed, looking over at me. "I'm secretly wondering how long it'll take for you two. Well, it's not secret now. But yes, suspense for me as I have to catch you guys in staring contests. I'm like the outsider, chanting 'make a move and hurry up'." She snapped her eyes back at Tristan. "So you better make a move."
She turned back to me with a smile. "If he doesn't make a move, well honey…Maybe you'll have to make the move yourself."
Apparently my shocked expression was quite funny since Tristan chuckled lightly, shaking his head at Dolly's antics.
"Anyways, I can see that you guys are just wasting time here at an empty restaurant sadly. Stupid new pizza parlor taking my customers," Dolly grumbled with a shake of a head. "You guys take off. I'll close the store early."
"You're letting us off early?" I asked, recovering from the embarrassment. Although it was dark out and a few hours before midnight, it was better than staying here until closing.
"Yes, now run along you two before I change my mind," Dolly confirmed with a laugh as she made her way into the back, leaving us alone. I turned to Tristan and raised an eyebrow.
"Well, let's get out of here," Tristan stated as he stood up from the stool, pulling off his work shirt to reveal a plain white t-shirt. And with that, we both pushed aside Dolly's advice about getting together…for now.
"So I guess you aren't dropping me off at home." I looked out the car window, realizing Tristan was taking a completely different route than usual.
"Well, I assumed you wouldn't have any plans for tonight considering you would have been stuck at The Grub till past midnight if Dolly hadn't let us off early."
"True," I answered suspiciously and slowly. "Where are we going? Are you kidnapping me?"
At this Tristan burst out a laugh. He shook his head, glancing over in my direction.
"Do you want me to take you home?" he offered.
I rolled my eyes, peeved that he already knew my answer.
"Will you at least tell me where we're going?"
"Where we used to go when we snuck out of our houses."
I tried to fight it but a smile appeared on my face. It was that moment when I felt something unique in the air. Cliché as it sounded. I snuck a glance over at Tristan and let the feeling of giddiness wash over me; the feeling a little girl would feel when she got a new toy or when the boy she liked talked to her.
Before I knew it, Tristan parked the car and had the oddest feeling surrounded me. Shaking it off did nothing and the only thing to do was embrace it. Whatever that meant.
"Like old times," Tristan stated after closing the trunk of his car. He came around the front of the car to stand beside me as he zipped up his grey jacket. I nodded my head with the ever slight smile on my lips as I quickly slipped my sweatshirt over.
We made our sweet time down the never-ending sidewalk, lined with bright lampposts. The light emitting from the posts against the night created a serene, calming, and even romantic atmosphere. The sound of the lapping of water and the distant sound of waves crashing contributed to the feeling of escape.
"Was it worth getting kidnapped for?" Tristan asked through a smile as he observed my expression. I beamed a smile at him before taking in the yachts and sailboats docked yards ahead.
"Still can't get over it," I whispered, not wanting to disturb the scene before me. We stepped onto the wooden docks, our shoes thudding against the planks. I spotted one of the many benches lined along the side of the dock and my heart beat in anticipation.
I ran over to the third bench, right side of the dock. I bent down behind the wooden bench and a satisfied smile swept over my face. I had the irrational fear it would be gone but it was right here.
"What are you looking at?"
I looked up to see Tristan staring down at me with a perplexed yet interested look on his face. I motioned with a hand for him to get down and pointed to the engraving I committed with a rusty pocket knife years back, spelling my name.
You could barely see it but with the help of the lamppost a few yards away and the moonlight streaming down, hitting the dock and the waves down below, there was enough light to make it out.
"When'd you do that?" he asked surprised as he ran his fingers over the ridges of my name.
"Before I left for New York," I answered standing up. Tristan stayed crouched, observing the few engravings along this certain bench. He stood up, nodding his head as he buried his hands in his jacket pockets. We continued down the dock, unspoken union between us as we made our way to the very last bench.
"I have to give you credit for thinking of coming here," I admitted, taking my elbows off the dock metal railing. I turned around to see Tristan sitting at the very edge of the bench as if it were poisonous. Just as I was about to take a seat next to him, he slid down so his back hit the back of the bench. I mimicked him, nestled into his side as he slung his arm over the top behind me.
Author's Note:
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