Chapter 8
It was 7:30 and Tristan was supposed to pick her up at 7. He never did have any sense of time. She didn't even know why she was so worried because it wasn't like he viewed it as a date. Or did he? Since school started that September she had been getting strange signals from him. She was just so confused. Finally she heard his car in the driveway and placed the finishing touches on her makeup and outfit. She hoped he liked what he saw.
The first thing he saw as she opened the door was the smile that had been absent since the death of her parents in late September. He loved that smile and returned it with a sincere grin of his own. She really did look beautiful that night. Her hair was half up and she had left some curls out to cascade around her cheeks. Her long lashes and flawless complexion provided the perfect canvas for her artistic hand. Her eyes shown brightly as they met his and both were filled with a sense of electricity. She had on bright pink pants, which she wore with light pink socks and Mary Janes. But the shirt is more what grabbed his attention. He had given it to her as a birthday present in April and she had said she would wait until the perfect moment to wear it. He had been worried that she wouldn't like it, as it was a bit more revealing than her usual style. But it screamed to him one day at the mall. It was black and low cut. The sleeves were mesh but you really couldn't tell. Across the bust small bright pink crystals spelled out love. He didn't know why he had bought it. He supposed that it had to do with the fact that he was in love with her. But she hadn't gotten it, or pretended not to so he had lain to rest his fears of being discovered. He had never seen her more beautiful.
She was in love. That much she knew when she opened the door to find her personal prince charming gazing up at her almost lovingly (she convinced herself). His curly brown hair was glistening in the moonlight and his eyes had never shown as brightly. His mouth was twisted into that infuriating smirk, which she would never admit she loved, and he was wearing a pair of khakis and a light blue sweater which looked somewhat familiar (possibly because of her giving it to him last January as a birthday present). He looked amazing as always but something was different in the way her regarded her tonight. She hoped she didn't have anything in her teeth and self-consciously tugged at her sparkly belt.
"You look beautiful tonight Abby. The people at Centennial wouldn't believe it was you."
"Well thanks for the self confidence booster their Trist...I never knew that you cared what I looked like. But I can change into my "boring old self" if you'd like". Abby stated good-naturedly.
"Hey that's not what I meant and you know it. Besides you are always beautiful to me. Even when you got your wisdom teeth out."
"Please don't remind me about that. I still feel horrible for throwing up all over your suit. I hope your dad wasn't too mad."
"Ehhh. He's my dad remember, the one who thinks you're a bad influence on me anyway. I'm sure he would have been pissed but I gave it to the butler when I got home that night." He replied with a wink and a gentle squeeze of their now entwined hands.
A smile between the two was shared and all the pre-date jitters had subsided. Now all the two cared about was catching up and moving forward. As the night wore on however it became aware to both of them that the relationship had changed. Tristan began to think that maybe on some level his deep feelings for Abigail were returned. Abigail began to think that Tristan wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him. Conversation lapsed into a silence heavy with unspoken I love you's. The tension towards the end of the date became almost unbearable. Neither party knew what to say and it was getting really awkward for Abby and Tristan.
Finally he had had enough. He needed to tell her about his feelings before he lost his nerve.
"You know how you said I could tell you anything Abs?"
"Yes of course and that offer is still on the table if you're up for it" Abby replied with a sweet smile which Tristan gratefully returned.
"Well, I just don't know how to put it. I mean I am supposed to be this lady's man or whatever but we both know I get tongue tied around a beautiful lady."
"Hey, I'm not going to judge you. You're always going to be Tristan to me."
"How do you tell your best friend you are in love with her?" he whispered softly
"What did you just say?" asked Abby she was sure she had just heard a declaration of love but she could just be hearing things. I mean its what she has wanted so badly she must have heard wrong.
"I said how do you tell your best friend you are in love with her." He stated again this time with a little bit more conviction. He took the silence as a bad sign and sat back in his chair looking defeated. He hadn't gotten his dream girl. Maybe he misread the signs; could it be that he and this angel sitting across from him were destined to remain friends?
Luckily a small voice spoke up from what seemed to be a black hole now separating them. "Well, I guess you just tell her and hope that she feels the same way."
Tristan smiled, Abby had just been waiting for him to tell her. "Ok, that works for me. Abigail I am in love with you. I don't know how long its been going on for and I honestly cant say when it started but I am in love with you." Letting out a sigh of relief Tristan smirked and winked at Abigail.
Abigail was shocked. Her dreams had just come true. Her best friend, the guy she had been crushing on since before she ever even liked guys had just declared his love for her. She smiled the biggest smile she could and grabbed Tristan's hand. "What took you so long! I was getting worried that you may never love me the way that I love you!" That was all the invitation that he needed he closed the distance between them and gave her an earth shattering kiss. When the need for oxygen began to outweigh the desire to keep their connection, Abby reluctantly pulled back and rested her forehead on Tristan's. Both of them had the biggest smiles they had ever seen on and were excited and open to their new relationship.
"That was...umm...I'm at a loss for words here...."
"The sentiment is returned Tristan...that was the best kiss I've had in my life."
"Hey did I ever tell you about the time that Crissy Mc. Gongre threw up in my mouth."
"Uhhh what?" had the kiss really been that bad? Abby pondered this for a few seconds while another lapse took place in the conversation. Maybe Tristan hadn't felt the tingles going off like she had? Tristan was used to getting what he wanted and then throwing it away when he got bored with it. Was he already bored with her? He had always seemed like the type who liked the chase more than the reward.
As Abby began to feel the self-doubt bubbling up like an eternal spring, Tristan was about to shoot himself. Had he seriously just said that to the girl he loved more than anything, right after that mind-blowing kiss? Well it was mind blowing after all, and that was bound to create some type of nervous response from him. Tristan Gregory Maudlin was never good with attachments. Of the people he was close to Abby was by far the closest to him. He admired her strength, her wit, her beauty, but most of all he enjoyed her company. How would that change now that they were starting a relationship? He never wanted to lose her but he was also afraid that she would get sick of him and leave him to nurse his broken heart. While this didn't really seem like her character, after all they'd known each other forever, since he wasn't close to anyone else, he was nervous that he would somehow blow the relationship. Finally, unable to stand the silence surrounding the two like a dark cloud, he burst out laughing. Neither were quite sure why but somehow Abby had joined in and while there was still self-doubt and self-hatred floating about, the two best friends (and maybe something more) eased back into normal conversation.
"That was so awkward Tristan." Breathed Abby, not sure if he was laughing because of the dumb comment he had just made or because of the kiss the two had shared.
"Abby, I am so sorry I just got so nervous after we kissed and I was trying to say something suave or debonair. You know something that would make you swoon. Leave it to you to make me into a blubbering baboon."
"Tristan, you know you don't need to try to impress me. I love you just the way you are." Tristan smirked, "Annoying smirk and all, I wouldn't change a thing."
And with that the two began another heated make out session.
It was 7:30 and Tristan was supposed to pick her up at 7. He never did have any sense of time. She didn't even know why she was so worried because it wasn't like he viewed it as a date. Or did he? Since school started that September she had been getting strange signals from him. She was just so confused. Finally she heard his car in the driveway and placed the finishing touches on her makeup and outfit. She hoped he liked what he saw.
The first thing he saw as she opened the door was the smile that had been absent since the death of her parents in late September. He loved that smile and returned it with a sincere grin of his own. She really did look beautiful that night. Her hair was half up and she had left some curls out to cascade around her cheeks. Her long lashes and flawless complexion provided the perfect canvas for her artistic hand. Her eyes shown brightly as they met his and both were filled with a sense of electricity. She had on bright pink pants, which she wore with light pink socks and Mary Janes. But the shirt is more what grabbed his attention. He had given it to her as a birthday present in April and she had said she would wait until the perfect moment to wear it. He had been worried that she wouldn't like it, as it was a bit more revealing than her usual style. But it screamed to him one day at the mall. It was black and low cut. The sleeves were mesh but you really couldn't tell. Across the bust small bright pink crystals spelled out love. He didn't know why he had bought it. He supposed that it had to do with the fact that he was in love with her. But she hadn't gotten it, or pretended not to so he had lain to rest his fears of being discovered. He had never seen her more beautiful.
She was in love. That much she knew when she opened the door to find her personal prince charming gazing up at her almost lovingly (she convinced herself). His curly brown hair was glistening in the moonlight and his eyes had never shown as brightly. His mouth was twisted into that infuriating smirk, which she would never admit she loved, and he was wearing a pair of khakis and a light blue sweater which looked somewhat familiar (possibly because of her giving it to him last January as a birthday present). He looked amazing as always but something was different in the way her regarded her tonight. She hoped she didn't have anything in her teeth and self-consciously tugged at her sparkly belt.
"You look beautiful tonight Abby. The people at Centennial wouldn't believe it was you."
"Well thanks for the self confidence booster their Trist...I never knew that you cared what I looked like. But I can change into my "boring old self" if you'd like". Abby stated good-naturedly.
"Hey that's not what I meant and you know it. Besides you are always beautiful to me. Even when you got your wisdom teeth out."
"Please don't remind me about that. I still feel horrible for throwing up all over your suit. I hope your dad wasn't too mad."
"Ehhh. He's my dad remember, the one who thinks you're a bad influence on me anyway. I'm sure he would have been pissed but I gave it to the butler when I got home that night." He replied with a wink and a gentle squeeze of their now entwined hands.
A smile between the two was shared and all the pre-date jitters had subsided. Now all the two cared about was catching up and moving forward. As the night wore on however it became aware to both of them that the relationship had changed. Tristan began to think that maybe on some level his deep feelings for Abigail were returned. Abigail began to think that Tristan wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him. Conversation lapsed into a silence heavy with unspoken I love you's. The tension towards the end of the date became almost unbearable. Neither party knew what to say and it was getting really awkward for Abby and Tristan.
Finally he had had enough. He needed to tell her about his feelings before he lost his nerve.
"You know how you said I could tell you anything Abs?"
"Yes of course and that offer is still on the table if you're up for it" Abby replied with a sweet smile which Tristan gratefully returned.
"Well, I just don't know how to put it. I mean I am supposed to be this lady's man or whatever but we both know I get tongue tied around a beautiful lady."
"Hey, I'm not going to judge you. You're always going to be Tristan to me."
"How do you tell your best friend you are in love with her?" he whispered softly
"What did you just say?" asked Abby she was sure she had just heard a declaration of love but she could just be hearing things. I mean its what she has wanted so badly she must have heard wrong.
"I said how do you tell your best friend you are in love with her." He stated again this time with a little bit more conviction. He took the silence as a bad sign and sat back in his chair looking defeated. He hadn't gotten his dream girl. Maybe he misread the signs; could it be that he and this angel sitting across from him were destined to remain friends?
Luckily a small voice spoke up from what seemed to be a black hole now separating them. "Well, I guess you just tell her and hope that she feels the same way."
Tristan smiled, Abby had just been waiting for him to tell her. "Ok, that works for me. Abigail I am in love with you. I don't know how long its been going on for and I honestly cant say when it started but I am in love with you." Letting out a sigh of relief Tristan smirked and winked at Abigail.
Abigail was shocked. Her dreams had just come true. Her best friend, the guy she had been crushing on since before she ever even liked guys had just declared his love for her. She smiled the biggest smile she could and grabbed Tristan's hand. "What took you so long! I was getting worried that you may never love me the way that I love you!" That was all the invitation that he needed he closed the distance between them and gave her an earth shattering kiss. When the need for oxygen began to outweigh the desire to keep their connection, Abby reluctantly pulled back and rested her forehead on Tristan's. Both of them had the biggest smiles they had ever seen on and were excited and open to their new relationship.
"That was...umm...I'm at a loss for words here...."
"The sentiment is returned Tristan...that was the best kiss I've had in my life."
"Hey did I ever tell you about the time that Crissy Mc. Gongre threw up in my mouth."
"Uhhh what?" had the kiss really been that bad? Abby pondered this for a few seconds while another lapse took place in the conversation. Maybe Tristan hadn't felt the tingles going off like she had? Tristan was used to getting what he wanted and then throwing it away when he got bored with it. Was he already bored with her? He had always seemed like the type who liked the chase more than the reward.
As Abby began to feel the self-doubt bubbling up like an eternal spring, Tristan was about to shoot himself. Had he seriously just said that to the girl he loved more than anything, right after that mind-blowing kiss? Well it was mind blowing after all, and that was bound to create some type of nervous response from him. Tristan Gregory Maudlin was never good with attachments. Of the people he was close to Abby was by far the closest to him. He admired her strength, her wit, her beauty, but most of all he enjoyed her company. How would that change now that they were starting a relationship? He never wanted to lose her but he was also afraid that she would get sick of him and leave him to nurse his broken heart. While this didn't really seem like her character, after all they'd known each other forever, since he wasn't close to anyone else, he was nervous that he would somehow blow the relationship. Finally, unable to stand the silence surrounding the two like a dark cloud, he burst out laughing. Neither were quite sure why but somehow Abby had joined in and while there was still self-doubt and self-hatred floating about, the two best friends (and maybe something more) eased back into normal conversation.
"That was so awkward Tristan." Breathed Abby, not sure if he was laughing because of the dumb comment he had just made or because of the kiss the two had shared.
"Abby, I am so sorry I just got so nervous after we kissed and I was trying to say something suave or debonair. You know something that would make you swoon. Leave it to you to make me into a blubbering baboon."
"Tristan, you know you don't need to try to impress me. I love you just the way you are." Tristan smirked, "Annoying smirk and all, I wouldn't change a thing."
And with that the two began another heated make out session.