A Moment with Her

Threaten

    A few weeks have gone by and Ripley has become more and more sociable with her new classmates.

    After the first day of school, Jason went up to her and apologized for the way he acted. He cornered her into following him on i********: and since then he's been sending her memes and videos of things that she doesn't find all that funny. If it weren't for the fact that he's in two of her classes she would have just ghosted him but for now, she humors him by double-tapping the things he sends and occasionally sending him an "LOL". 

    Ripley and Sarah share a class and since there first meeting have boded and have been getting rather closer. Both girls often enjoy spending time with one another after school, whether it's getting frozen yogurt or even sitting together during her first lunch period when Elias and his friends share second lunch on both days.

    Ripley has gotten more comfortable with Dany, Steven, and the rest of the gang. She's even starting to understand the names to some of the metal bands that they're always bickering about. Although something recently has started to bother her… despite sharing around three classes with Elias, she's noted that he mostly ignores her unless she starts a conversation with him first. 

    When she first met him she thought he was just a grumpy guy and growing up around a bunch of military folks, she wasn't phased but now she's starting to wonder if she did anything to upset him? Because after the first two days he's just gone cold with her and that makes her feel a bit awkward since she feels like these people are only being nice to her because he brought her there. Sometimes she even wonders if they all laugh at her behind her back when she's not around… Like her "friends" did before. Maybe they secretly wonder why she's still there…

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Elias POV:

    'Don't be weird Elias.. don't be weird. I held my breath as I repeated that mantra in my head. The past few weeks have been torture a part of me wants's to interact but ever since the first day Lily told me she thought I was being too clingy and that she could tell I made her uncomfortable, so I stopped initiating any proper conversation. Instead, my crush on her grows as Ripley rambles on to Steven about some conspiracy theory that he made up.

    I can't help but enjoy the gentle brush of her arm against mine. Ripley was nice, smart and funny sometimes I think about asking her out but then Lily reminds me that she thinks I'm too introverted for her and maybe she's right? I mean today in English I could form a sentence when she showed up today. 

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(A few hours ago)

    She was wearing a bright yellow sundress with silver hoop earrings and a simple stone necklace with a tribal symbol in the center. Her hair was pulled back in a loose braid that reached down to her lower back. She was beautiful and when she walked into class, I couldn't help a smile as her eyes meet mine but by then my tongue stopped working and the moment was lost to me. It didn't take long for Jason to appear and start his usual pestering. If that dumbbell of a douch could take a hint he could have noticed how Ripley was just being polite the whole time he spoke to her; although according to Lily I'm no different.

I saw her rub her shoulder when he left and she began digging into her bag to take out a sweater that she slipped on.

Ripley was adorable, and she made me feel like a fool. 

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    During our English class, our teacher started handing out a series of loose-leaf papers stating that the students were to pair up with a partner and produce a project on differentiating literary and cinematic adaptations on any of Shakespeare's pieces. The teacher further explained that the students were supposed to accomplish this project by the end of the Quarter. When the teacher said this an exciting mutter danced across the room as people began to look for a partner. I could see Jason attempting to make eye contact with her and when I turned my head Sarah was staring right back at me. I couldn't help but shudder at her gaze. 

     The next thing I know I feel a gentle touch on my wrist and when I look Ripley gives me a questioning look asking me without words if I would be her partner so I nodded my head. Ripley then extended her phone towards me with the Contact information all set up for me to fill in. 

    When I took the phone from her hand, I couldn't ignore the way how her fingers gently brushing against my wrist. Without dwelling too long, I took the phone and typed in my information before handing it back. She then gave me a slight smile before typing away on her phone. When I heard my phone ring I looked down only to see a notification with the words;

Ripley :) 

glowing across my screen before disappearing.

"Alright, I guess it's safe to say that we're going to kill it," Ripley says.

"Oh, I'm sure of it. Were essentially the Dream Team," I say sarcastically. This made Ripley give him a small laugh.

"So when do you want to meet up?" she asks him.

'Oh, this was something I hadn't thought about. What if I embarrassed myself or said something to rough again?

"Um, we could try after school today how about a coffee shop?"

"Sure but I have to stop by my house first so that I could let my dog out for a bathroom break."

"Oh, yeah sure. Do you want me to go with you or meet up at the coffee shop?" 

End Of Elias's POV:

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    "Um," she knew it would be easier if she just took him along with her but she didn't like the idea of bringing a boy she hardly knew to her house. After the incident that happened last year, Yadiel would have a fit if he found out and it's not like she could hide it from the security cameras by the door, anyway. 

"Nah, it's okay I'll meet you there, which one do you want to go to?"

"Oh, how about the one near Burks Village?"

"Never been there but if you send me the address, I can google map's it".

"Perfect I'll see you there".

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(Back to Lunch)

    When Ripley was done her and the girls got up to go to the bathroom but before they got went in Dany stomped her foot and let out a huff;

"s**t! I have to talk to my teacher about my essay" she huffed before looking at Lily and Ripley "Can you guys come with me I promise It's going to be quick". Without hesitation Lily and Ripley said "Sure" and so the three of them went towards the teacher's cluster.

    Once there, Dany went in while Lily and Ripley stood outside waiting. 

    After some time had passed Lily started with;

"So you and Elia seem close?" she inquired, but Ripley didn't feel comfortable with her question.

"I guess" She replied vaguely. 

"Do you like him?" Lily asked, fluffing her hair.

"Um, that's a bit personal don't you think?" Ripley responded only to see Lily's face drop in surprise, "Why? do you like him?" Ripley then asked.

Lily dropped her head once before looking back up; "Well we're not a thing or anything but we've flirted "Ripley's eyes widen, "Oh, wow" she was taken back. This made Lily's confidence boost.

"Have you told him how you feel?" Ripley asked.

Lily blush and then patted down her skirt.

"Well no, but I know he likes me back", she said earnestly.

"How?" Ripley asked curiously.

"Well it's the little things," She said smiling "Like one time I walked out of the bathroom and I bumped into him and he nodded," she said proudly.

Ripley started feeling uncomfortable, but she didn't want to make her feel bad.

"What else?" She continued.

"Well, we talk a lot during class and one time we even stayed up until 2 am talking over Face Time" Ripley couldn't help but feel bad for Lily but she seemed so happy so she responded to her statement with, "That sounds nice but don't you think you should talk to him about how you feel. I mean, wouldn't it be easier to know if he's stringing you on or not?" Lily then brushed her off.

"No way that's so embarrassing!"

"What's embarrassing about asking a guy to be upfront with you?"

"No, If a guy likes me he'll ask me out" Lily responded.

"Lily it's the 21' st century you can ask the guy out or at least confront him about what's happening. Because the sooner you know the easier it'll be to move on"She reassured.

"Oh, I don't know" she responded. Then Ripley placed a hand over her shoulder and said, "That's okay you don't ever have to do something you don't want to do"She said smiling down at her.

Lily still felt threaten by Ripley but she would be lying if she didn't feel better after talking to her.