Me & The 2 Bad Boys

Chapter 8

Mavis Pov

Upon arriving at the car park, I immediately notice Liz leaning against her red Ford, which is parked in the front row. She has her phone pressed to her ear, deeply engaged in conversation. When she sees me, she waves me over. As I approach, I can hear her voice coming through the phone.

"Yeah, she's right here," Liz says, extending her arm to pass me the phone.

"Who is it?" I silently ask her.

"Your mum," she replies with a silent gesture, and I take the phone from her hand.

"Hey, Mum," I answer.

"Hi, sweetie! Are you really sure you want to stay at Liz's house tonight?" she asks.

Earlier at lunch, Liz and I had agreed that she would persuade my mother to allow me to spend the night at her place, knowing my parents would never permit me to attend a party. With both of Liz's parents working the night shift as doctors, we have the entire evening to ourselves.

I reassure her, "Yeah, I'm sure, don't worry." A twinge of guilt washes over me for not being completely honest, but sometimes ignorance can be bliss.

"Okay, I apologize if this sudden move has unsettled you a bit. It's just a temporary situation until we secure a permanent home," she responds with understanding.

"Mum, it's really okay. Don't stress about it. I need to go now, but I'll catch up with you later." I quickly shift the topic to avoid her diving into one of her 'parenting lectures.'

As I hear her say her goodbyes, along with a list of safety tips to keep me from harm tonight, I notice someone standing behind me. I glance up to see Liz's startled face, her eyes darting uncertainly at the person who is uncomfortably close to me. I turn around to see who it is, which turns out to be a mistake...

They are too near, and as I pivot, I accidentally bump my head against their chest and stumble, landing squarely on the pavement. The impact sends a jolt of pain through my backside and palms as they hit the rough ground, leaving me feeling both embarrassed and sore.

"Oh, great," I exclaim, still sitting motionless on the pavement, wiping the dirt from my hands onto my pants.

Well, technically, they aren't really your pants.

"Watch your language!" I hear my mother scold from the phone lying on the ground next to me. My eyes widen as I remember she's still on the line. I quickly reach to end the call.

"No thanks, clumsy."

Uh oh. I can feel it; I just know it's him. Embarrassment floods over me, turning my cheeks a deep shade of red. Mortified, I avoid looking up, but from the corner of my eye, I notice his hand reaching out toward me. I glance at his face, trying to determine if he’s serious or just teasing me. To my surprise, he’s smiling, his expression almost angelic as he patiently extends his hand, waiting for mine.

It's understandable that I'm feeling a bit bewildered. Wasn't he the one who told me to stay quiet in the car this morning? And now he’s here? I might be overreacting, but it’s not every day that Tristen comes to chat with me. Of course, Liz is going to suspect something is going on. I glance skeptically at his hand, which only makes his smile widen.

"Ah, so now you're playing hard to get and refusing my help?" he laughs, raising his eyebrows playfully.

"I'm not playing anything, you jerk," I retort, grabbing his hand as I try to get up from the floor.

Lesson number one, Essel: never trust a boy. His grip on my hand loosens for just a moment, sending a jolt of panic through me as I nearly topple back down. He bursts into laughter, likely at the shocked look on my face when I realize his little prank. Thankfully, he tightens his hold just in time to prevent me from landing on my backside again, pulling me up until I'm standing firmly on my feet.

"Remind me to never let you help me again," I say, narrowing my eyes at him, but he’s still too busy chuckling.

"Wait..." Liz's voice cuts in from behind us, prompting me to turn around. "Did you just offer your hand to help Essel..." She gestures toward Tristen, her gaze now fixed on a spot on the ground as she processes her thoughts. "And did you just call him a jerk?" She points at me, her brows furrowed in confusion. It's clear she's quite perplexed right now.

"Yes," Tristen and I respond at the same time.

We exchange a glance—my expression one of embarrassment, his filled with amusement—before we both turn back to Liz, who is still trying to piece things together in her mind.

"I'm sorry if I'm being dense, but am I missing something here?" She gestures animatedly as she speaks, looking back and forth between us. "Because, the last time I checked, I don't think you two really..." She hesitates, searching for the right words, "know each other."

"You didn't tell her?" He looks at me in surprise.

"You asked me not to, remember?" I retort, a bit more sharply than intended.

"But I didn't think you'd actually take my advice."

"Excuse me?" Liz interjects, now waving her hands in the air with increasing urgency.

I let out a sigh and turn to Liz. "Do you remember that guy, Mercer, from last night?" I ask, and she nods, recalling him. "Well, it turns out he's Tristen's dad..." As I share this surprising news, her jaw drops in disbelief.

Her finger shoots up, pointing at me. "So you're... living with him?" The finger then hesitantly gestures towards Tristen.

Both Tristen and I nod in confirmation.

In an instant, her hands fly to her mouth, a mix of shock and excitement on her face. Here comes her dramatic flair—why did she even drop her theater class last year?

"Yeah, it's a big deal. Now, let's go," I say to Liz as I walk around the front of the car and open the passenger door.

"Wait!" Tristen calls out, hurrying to catch up with me.

By the time he reaches me, I’m already settled in the passenger seat, ready to close the door, but he pulls it open just in time. I can’t help but notice his well-defined biceps through his snug shirt, sending a shiver down my spine.

Tristen, why do you have to be so attractive when I'm trying to be irritated with you?

"Hold on," he says again, while Liz watches him with a skeptical gaze, still trying to make sense of the situation.

He bends down so that our faces are nearly level, just a foot apart. One hand rests on the car roof, while the other grips the inside of the door.

"What do you want?" I inquire, adjusting my seatbelt.

"Where are you headed?"

"Why does it matter to you?" I reply, narrowing my eyes at him in frustration.

"Quit acting like you're hard to get, Essel." A smug grin spreads across his face.

"Oh, for crying out loud. Not everyone is dying to be with you, Tristen," I shout, feeling exasperated.

He laughs softly. "No, I'm serious." His expression turns serious. "Where are you going?"

"To Liz's, where else do you think?" I lean my head against the seat, gazing through the windshield at Liz, who is resting her hands on the car's hood. She’s observing us both with keen interest.

"Are you really just going to Liz's? Nowhere else?" Tristen probes, sounding like he’s conducting an interrogation.

"Come on, why are you so curious? Give it a rest." I nudge his chest, but I should have anticipated his reaction; just like the first time, he remains completely still.

"Essel, I’m just trying to find out," he replies, his tone now serious, the playful smirk gone.

"Why do you care?"

"I just... want to be able to tell my parents where you are."

"You’re such a terrible liar." I shoot back, a small smile creeping onto my face. "Your parents already know I’m at Liz's, and that’s all I plan to do tonight." I recline back in my seat.

I reach for the car handle as Tristen steps back, then I close the passenger door. Liz opens the driver's side, settles in, fastens her seatbelt, and starts the engine, backing out of her parking spot. I can sense Tristen still standing on the sidewalk, watching us as Liz drives away, but I do my best to keep my gaze fixed on my fingers resting in my lap.

Clearly, I don't succeed.

Just as Liz is about to drive out of Tristen's line of sight, I glance up at him; he’s looking directly at me with a neutral expression. Perhaps my lie didn’t sway him... I can’t quite understand why I chose to omit that I was heading to Pascal's party tonight, but I did. I notice Georgia approaching him, wrapping her arm around his. Her arrival seems to divert his attention from me, and I watch as they start to walk back inside.

I assume she must be his girlfriend.

Why does this bother me so much?