"And just where do you think you've been young lady? School let out an hour ago." I heard as soon as I shut my front door.

It was my idiot brother Carson, who was currently checking his nonexistent wrist watch.

"Carson, you're not dad."

"Yeah and you're lucky as hell I'm not dad. Because dad doesn't know you've been in detention for the last HOUR, DAAAAAD!"

"No! Carson shut up." I lept towards him and threw my hands over his mouth.

"thew ma tores fer tha reth of tha wek." He tried to say through my hands.

"I am not doing your chores for an entire week."

He muffled a scream through my hands so high that his voice cracked something awful.

I heard dads office door open and his footsteps from the ceiling above us.

"fine okay. The whole week, just shut up about it you big baby."

"kids? Is that you making all that noise down there?"

"yeah dad, sorry." I shouted so he could hear me from upstairs.

"I'm in a meeting. Try to keep it down please." He shouted back. I heard his footsteps from above us again and his office door shut closed.

"Good lord Carson," I said as I rolled my eyes, "sometimes I can't believe you're older than me."

"I know, I got the good genes in the family." He said as he flipped air over his shoulder, as if he had long hair.

I called him a doofus under my breath and he spoke up again, "mom called, she says her and Braedon say Hi."

Mom and my other older brother Braedon live in Florida. Braedon is attending college out there and Mom moved after her and dad got a divorce when I was in the 8th grade. They're the reason why me and Carson took a trip to Florida during the summer. Dad stayed behind of course and drowned himself in work.

"okay," I said, "I'll just call her tonight."

I went upstairs to change into some leggings and a sports bra then threw on loose tank top over it. Most days after school I enjoyed going on runs. I only exercise so I can eat junk food guilt free.

During my run I thought back to everything that happened during detention. From Tristan actually acknowledging me, to him defending me against Walter. The whole thing completely threw me off guard.

I mean, the dude went nearly five years without a single word, nada. I spent the first few weeks of the sixth grade trying to get him to talk to me, but he flat out ignored my reaches. Even if we made eye contact, he would look away.

But recently he's been holding my attention. He didn't look away today when I looked at him first. I was the one who broke that contact first.

I wanted to thank him when we were released from detention, but he was the first one out the door. When I went into the hallway after him, he was long gone.

Maybe he didn't do it for you Ada, maybe Walter just pissed him off in general.

That wouldn't surprise me to be honest.

I didn't want to overthink this, but I was. What if this year could be different? What if maybe, he would let us be acquaintances instead of strangers. It was worth a shot, wasn't it?

There was only one way to find out. Even if he ignored me, at least I wouldn't be surprised. I had nothing to lose.

At school the next day I was walking with Leah and Maylan joined us shortly after.

"I heard a rumor about you." Maylan said to me and she linked her arm through mine as we all walked together.

"About me? What do you mean?"

"A little birdy told me that Tristan defended your honor during your detention yesterday."

"That's not really what he did," I mumbled but they didn't seem to hear me.

Leah gasped at loud and turned to face me.

"Tristan Presley? What happened, why didn't you tell me?" she spoke quickly.

"Because I knew you would react exactly as you are now. It wasn't a big deal and it probably wasn't even about me. Walter pisses a lot of people off."

"No he doesn't, just you. This school almost worships him." Maylan added.

"Well, maybe the school should worship someone else... like Jesus, or Allah." I suggested.

"You're trying to lead the topic astray. He totally did it for you Ada. Maybe he fell in love with you all those years ago and it scared him away. Only now he's ready to face his fears and he's in love with you once again. And he wants to marry you and make you the mother of his future children. Oh my god, can you just imagine how beautiful your babies would be?"

I ignored her rambling to shoot a glare towards Maylan, who in turn mouthed a silent "im sorry" in my direction with a shrug.

—————————————

After school, I was the last to enter the detention room. Today was a little more full of students, so Mr. Pennded's rule of one-to-a-table didn't apply.

I walked past the first few desks and saw the table Walter was sitting at. He looked up as I came closer and shot me a wink. I gave him a disgusted frown in return and walked straight past his table.

To the last one in the corner of the room.

Tristan looked up as he recognized me standing by his table. I had seen him earlier, a grumpy expression stuck on his face. He had the same one now. He took a second before removing his backpack off of the chair next to him without a word.

As his knuckles wrapped around the handle of his backpack I noticed that they were bruised and scattered with subtle scabs.

I set my stuff down beside him and sat in my chair for the day as Mr. Pennded began his introductory rambling.

He then proceeded to bury his head in a book, and we remained silent as we were expected to.

I pulled my notebook from out of my backpack and carefully ripped a page out. I took my pen from the pocket on the side and began scribbling words on the sheet. I could feel Tristan's curios gaze on me but chose to ignore it for now.

Why so grumpy? I passed the note to him.

He read it... and then he ignored it.

I sighed out loud and took the paper back. I had meant to stop trying there but then after another minute, out of boredom I suppose, I tried again.

This time I didn't scribble a note, I doodled.

I chewed on my bottom lip in concentration. I wasn't the best artist but I did my best.

I took a moment to observe my master piece. It was the classroom we were in now. I drew Mr. Pennded at his desk behind a book he was reading. He didn't have a regular looking head, instead I replaced it with a bowling pin. I skipped over everyone else in the room and drew the desk the two of us were sitting at. I was there, a stick figure with a dress, and Tristan was sitting next to me, with a frowny face. I wrote my name over the stick figure with the dress and wrote "Grumpy" on the top of Tristan's.

I scooted the paper towards him. He gave me a suspicious side eye before shaking his head and unfolding the paper.

And he smiled. Not a full smile I'll admit, more like he lifted the corner of his mouth in slight amusement, but still. For the first time in ages, I made Tristan Presley smile.

And that made me smile.

A/N:

Update- some readers have pointed out that I spelled 'nada' as 'natta' (which I did) but I promise it's not because I'm uncultured, I'm just illiterate sometimes.... YIKES.