I took one more second to process that I had to spend an hour in the same room as Tristan. We were at a rather large school and I hadn't had a class with him since elementary school.

Before he can notice I was staring, I snapped out of my thoughts and made my way to a table in the middle of the class. If Tristan noticed me, I wasn't looking at him to realize it.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, the door creaked as Walter stepped in.

His eyes instantly shone and he plastered a smirk on his face when he saw me.

I set my backpack on the chair beside me as he walked in my direction, clearly indicating that I didn't want him sitting next to me.

I saw he was going to sit next to me anyway when Mr. Pennded broke the silence of the room, "everyone will sit at their own desks Walter, find another table to sit at."

At least he was good for something. I thought in relief.

Walter clicked his tongue in annoyance and took a seat at the table a few spaces from mine.

Mr. Pennded dragged on about the rules of detention for the next five minutes or so before the room went silent again.

It was expected to remain silent until the hour was up.

Detention blows.

Time went by slowly until we were about three quarters done with detention. Once and only once did I look behind me, pretending to check the time on the wall. Tristan noticed my movement and looked up at me.

His eyes were the same blue as I remembered when we were 12. We held eye contact for a moment until I broke it by turning back around in my chair.

Mr. Pennded rose from his desk a minute later and announced he was going to the restroom. "No one is to leave their seats. When I return, if anyone is talking, they'll get to spend the rest of the month with me in detention."

The second the door closed behind him, I heard a thump from beside me and felt a presence in the chair next to mine.

Looking down at the floor I realized that Walter had shoved my backpack to the ground so that he can sit next to me.

"One to a table Walter." I said in an annoyed huff.

"Do you know you smell fucking fantastic? Like damn strawberries." He took a strand of my hair and brought to his face to sniff.

I swatted his hand away and tucked my hair behind my ear.

"Fuck off Walt."

"Adelaide, you're hurting my feelings" he fake pouted.

"Well then It's a real pity I don't give a damn." I said mocking a sympathetic look on my face.

He only smirked at that and reached for my hair again. I moved to swat his hand away once more, only he caught my wrist in a firm grip.

I furrowed my brows at his hand and opened my mouth to say something when a deep voice from the back corner of the room cut me off.

"Are you deaf Walt? I believe the lady told you to fuck off."

I turned my head to the side and recognized the voice to be coming from Tristan. He sat leaning forward in his chair, studying Walter's hand still wrapped around my wrist.

Walter let out a chuckle deep from his throat. "Loner boy suddenly has a voice now huh?" he then released his grip on me and stood up out of his chair to face Tristan.

Tristan also stood up, taking a step towards Walter who was slowly doing the same, "I may be a loner here but at least I'm not a self-entitled prick."

"Big words coming from the asshole who walks around the place like he's too good for everybody here."

"You been watching me sweetheart? That's real cute."

"I think it's time someone knocked you off your high horse."

They were nearly standing chest to chest. Tristan has a good inch or two on Walter and he had broader shoulders. Walter was still a football player though, I had no doubt he could hold his own. They both had their fists curled in a ball at their sides.

The few other students in the room were silently watching. I swear all they needed was some fucking popcorn.

Before it could escalate any further, I stepped in between them and faced Walter.

"Are you stupid Walter? The teacher's going to come back any minute. You're not doing this."

Walter didn't even look down at me. He kept his glare glued to Tristan like he was playing out exactly how he was going to throw a punch.

I turned around to face Tristan, and although his glare matched Walters, he stopped to look down at me.

And in that moment it was like we knew each other this whole time. It was like he was my best friend again. It was like I could ask him to step away from this and he would actually listen to me. It was like I had never lost him.

The moment ended when I heard the door creak and I cringed as I heard Mr. Pennded's voice.

"Ah, Adalaide, Walter, and Tristan. It looks like detention for the remainder of September for the three of you."