The New Girl

Chapter 5

         Elizabeth

      I stare up at the ceiling in the dark. I think about Tristan. I think I like him. But I don't want to. I knew all too well of the consequences of letting people get close to you. They'll leave you in the blink of an eye. And as much as I don't want to, I'm going to need to stay away from Tristan Blake.

Monday

     I look in the mirror and sigh. Today's the day Mission Stay Away from Tristan is in effect. I take another deep breath before slipping out my window to avoid my passed out drunk father sleeping on the couch. I step onto the lawn and I freeze. There he is. Standing at the end of my driveway leaning against his car. I quickly turn and start walking to school. I couldn't face him. Not after what I promised myself. "Elizabeth!" I picked up my pace. "Elizabeth, please!" He caught up to me and grabbed me by the arm

      "Let go of me!"

      "Not until you tell me why you're avoiding me!" I shake my head. I can't let him get to me. Why did I let him get to me? It's so easy to tell of everyone else. Why does it have to be him. I realize I didn't speak for a minute when he says, "Elizabeth, look at me." I shake my head again and he puts his fingers under my chin to tilt my face up to look into his eyes. I don't have to look up to a lot of people, and I hate that I have to raise my eyes to his level. I scan him. He looks beautiful as always. His dark hair contrasts his piercing blue eyes it looks almost magical. I let out a shaky breath. "Why?" he asks so gently I almost cry.

      "I don't want to be around you." trying to sound strong. But I don't. I sound weak. I sound scared. I sound pathetic. "I know I'm just a challenge. That's what it is to the other boys, and I know you're not any different."

      "You said I changed my first impression!" He's yelling. Great, just what I needed.

      "You did, but that doesn't mean that I want to be your friend. What you did was an amazing gesture. But you can't be my friend. I won't be your friend. I can't let you-" I realize what I'm about to say and shut my mouth and turn away.

      "Can't let me what?" His words are gentle, but his eyes tell another story. He's pissed. And I understand why, but I'm not going to be another notch in his belt. I won't allow myself to get my heart broken by someone I know is bad news.

      "Nothing, just forget it."

      "No Elizabeth, tell me. You can't let me what?"

      "Just forget it, Tristan! I'm going to be late to school if you don't let me go, so please just drop it!" He drops my arm.

      "Fine," he says tightly, "but this discussion isn't over." I return his look with my own steely gaze and stalk the rest of the way to school.

      Fortunately, I make it to class on time. I tried to concentrate on school, but I couldn't. Why was he talking to me? I know for a fact that he has all the girls in the school drooling over him, just waiting for him to ask them to come over. He could have anyone he wanted and he keeps running into me. A tiny part of me hoped that it was because he actually liked me. But the logical part of my brain stepped in and sneered, "You're the shiny new toy. A challenge. What kind of player doesn't like to gloat about f*****g the new girl?" I sigh. Just get over him. He could never like someone like you.

      My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the bell.

Third period rolls around and I see Tristan at his desk. Not wanting to be near him, I make my way to an empty desk across the room and sit down. I feel his eyes on me during class and I just pray to God that he wouldn't talk to me.

Walking to my locker I wasn't confronted by him,making me relax a little. Okay, maybe he's given up. The thought made me both sad and relieved at the same time. Suddenly I felt someone grab me and pull me into an empty classroom. I face the person. Tristan. Of course.

Before I have the chance to escape he traps me, backing me against the wall, putting his hands at the sides of my head and bringing his knees to the wall. He's so close, and the fact that his scent alone can make me weak in the knees is not a good sign. God why can't he smell like every other sweaty guy in the school?

"What do you want?" I already knew, but he was dead silent.

He looks at me, his eyes darker than I remember, "you know what I want." His voice hard. 

"Fine, you want to know why I don't want to be near you, here it is. I've been let down by the people I loved most. I'm not going to tell you who they are of what they did because you're not my friend" I'm fighting tears at this point. "You're just going to be another person to let me down. I know you're a player. And in that description is heartbreaker. Even if you're just my friend, I know you'll let me down. There's always going to be something more important than me. But I know a part of you still wants to get in my pants. And I refuse to give up my virginity to someone who just thinks I'm another notch in their belt!" I feel tears stinging my eyes and I avert his gaze. 

The room is silent. Uncomfortably silent actually. A minute passes and he hasn't said anything. "If that's all you need, I should be going." I try to find a way out of his hold, but he keeps still and for once in my life I wish I were shorter.

"I know I've put off that rich-boy-player vibe, but I promise I wouldn't ever dream of hurting you." He looks so sincere. "Can we please be friends?"

      "Okay big boy." I almost whisper.

He slowly backs away. "I'll see you soon Elizabeth." I catch his charming smile before leaving school.

___________________________

Tristan 

Driving away from her house I think about her. Seeing her hurting killed me while making her happy have me such joy. I knew that there was no way I could let Elizabeth Scott go.

Monday

I wait lean against my car and wait for her to walk through the front door. 10minutes pass and she still doesn't. I'm about to go up to the door when I see something coming from the window. And there I see her. Climbing out her bedroom window. Why isn't she using the door? As her feet hit the ground she freezes staring at me. After a few seconds she turns the opposite direction and walks away. I run after her, "Elizabeth!" She keeps walking. "Elizabeth, please!" I grab her arm to face me.

"Let go of me!" Confusion and anger cloud my brain. Why is she pushing me away? I thought I'd earned her trust!

      "Not until you tell me why you're avoiding me!"  She shakes her head. What can't she tell me? What did I do wrong? She keeps quiet so take her chin in my hand and say, "Elizabeth, look at me." She moves her head but I hold her chin so our eyes meet. I look into her eyes. Her beautiful bright green eyes are filled with venerability, something I'm not used to seeing from the sassy girl in school. "Why?" I don't know why my voice sounds so quiet.

      "I don't want to be around you." Her voice is shaking. "I know I'm just a challenge. That's what it is to the other boys, and I know you're not any different." The words stung. Sure that's how it started, but I thought we were passed that. I thought we were good.

      "You said I changed my first impression!" Great. I just yelled at her when she already looks terrified.

      "You did, but that doesn't mean that I want to be your friend. What you did was an amazing gesture. But you can't be my friend. I won't be your friend. I can't let you-" she pauses before closing her mouth again. What the hell? What will I do to her?

      "Can't let me what?" I try and control my voice but I'm pissed that she thinks I think so little of her.

      "Nothing, just forget it."

      "No Elizabeth, tell me. You can't let me what?"

      "Just forget it, Tristan! I'm going to be late to school if you don't let me go, so please just drop it!" I release it. It's not use trying to talk to her now. It'll have to wait for now.

      "Fine, but this discussion isn't over." She gives me that cold look again before retreating.

I get into my car and try and cool off. I know I was a grade A pain in the ass when we first met but damn! What's wrong with being friendly?

      I can't help but keep thinking about what could have happened to her? She seems so distant to everyone but Natalia at school. And going through the window? What was that all about? What was going on in that house?

      I pull up late to the school. Whatever. It's not like it's the first time.

I'm early to biology and wait for Elizabeth. When she enters she looks at me then quickly makes her way to an empty chair across the room. What the f**k? I couldn't concentrate on the lesson. All I did was look at Elizabeth, wondering what I could say to be her friend. Obviously I want more, but she seems really put off by being with someone. The class really dragged that day. I was relieved when it was over. I became quite aware bio is unbearable without her sitting by me. 

  I knew she had to pas this door to leave the school. When she passed I grabbed her hand and pulled her in. She turns around and her face hardens.

I see her look towards the door and quickly trap her against the wall to prevent her from leaving. I'm practically pressed up against her. I'm so tempted to kiss her. She would taste so sweet. I'd put money on it. She's looking straight ahead so my nose was in direct contact with her hair. The scent of vanilla and honeysuckle invaded my nose and I couldn't get enough. I don't remember when a girls scent intoxicated me so much.

"What do you want?" her voice echoes slightly in the deserted classroom.

"You know what I want." my voice is a little harder than I intended. 

"Fine, you want to know why I don't want to be near you, here it is. I've been let down by the people I loved most. I'm not going to tell you who they are of what they did because you're not my friend" I can tell that she's about to cry. "You're just going to be another person to let me down. I know you're a player. And in that description is heartbreaker. Even if you're just my friend, I know you'll let me down. There's always going to be something more important than me. But I know a part of you still wants to get in my pants. And I refuse to give up my virginity to someone who just thinks I'm another notch in their belt!" Damn. I never thought I left girls heartbroken. Wait, she's a virgin?!

"If that's all you need, I should be going." breaking me from my trance. She tries to find a way out, but I keep still knowing she's to talk to get out.

"I know I've put off that rich-boy-player vibe, but I promise I wouldn't ever dream of hurting you. Can we please be friends?" I pray to God she says yes. She doesn't k ow yet, but I want her. And for her, I'm willing to take it slow.

      "Okay big boy." I almost miss it because she speaks so soft. But I'm over the moon about her answer.

I let her out. "I'll see you soon Elizabeth." I smile at her confused look and she walks away.