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ღ Finding Cinderella- 19 ღ

-Tristan-

I was having a bad feeling.

You know the one: a twist inside your stomach that tells you something is about to go wrong. I had no idea why I was feeling this way suddenly, but I wouldn't let it ruin my day.

The ball made a loud thumping noise on the court as it bounced harshly off my hand. Every time I attempted a slide in the opposite direction, Grey would coordinate his movements with my own. As expected from a football player, he was fast. He kept trying to steal the ball from me, and my shoes squeaked as I tried to find an open space in their defense as quickly as possible.

I quickly switched directions, rapidly whisking the ball behind my back. After that, everything happened so fast—two quick spins and a slide later, I was escaping Grey and the other opponents' defenses.

The hoop was finally in front of me again, and before anyone from the opposite team could block me again, I speedily headed onwards and performed a slam-dunk.

Several whoops followed, mostly from the female crowd sitting on the bleachers. A loud whistle came from across the court, and a plump guy with a blue tracksuit moved forward.

"Good game, boys!" Coach Condor's voice boomed. "Since Team B won, they will receive the highest mark for this test."

My teammates crowded around, giving each other pats on the back and exchanging handshakes with the opposing team.

When gym class was over, we hit the showers and changed into fresh clothes.

"Man, how did you do that trick?" Grey asked, brushing his damp blond hair with a towel. "I swear I didn't see that coming."

"It was just muscle memory." I grinned and gulped water from my bottle.

"For real, though, with your agility, you could be a shooting guard for the Wolfpack. Right, Justin?" Grey asked the guy who was tying his shoelaces on the seat beside me.

Ah, the Wolfpack, one of Broadway Heights' powerhouses. The team held a four-year winning streak, the longest among high school basketball teams in the state, and for most of the kids here, being part of the team would be an honor.

"You were a starter in middle school, and you looked cool. All of the girls fell at your feet," Grey reminded me.

I smiled at the memory. "Yeah, but nah, playing B-ball isn't my thing now." I grabbed my backpack and hoisted it over my shoulder. "Besides, I have other plans. Engaging in sports falls at the bottom of my list."

The three of us walked out of the room and headed to the cafeteria to grab some bites. I still couldn't shake off the creepy feeling I had.

"Anyway, how's the Finding Cinderella operation going?" Grey asked as he slung his arm over my shoulder. "Any luck?"

I shook my head.

"She's playing you, man. Maybe she wants to prolong the torture, see how long you can endure," Justin said, laughing.

"Yeah, yeah." I pulled away from Grey and stepped in front of them, walking backward. "But listen, this is going to sound ridiculous, but I'm having this feeling—"

Someone bumped into my back. Muttering a curse, I turned to see a skinny dude scrambling from me to his friends. He looked familiar. Must be in one of my classes.

"Shit, sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to. These idiots pushed me."

I gave him an apathetic nod and signaled my friends to go on.

"Wait, Hartford," a skinny dude called behind us. "Aren't you friends with Kylie Harris?"

I pivoted to him. "Why do you ask?"

"She's in the clinic right now."

"What?"

"I saw someone carrying her to the clinic just a while ago. She must've fainted or something. I know you aren't in charge of her or anything, but I thought you should know."

I felt my face go pale. This might explain why I'd felt so uncomfortable.

"Hey, T! You're leaving?" Grey yelled when I began to sprint through the crowd.

"I gotta check on Kylie," I answered.

A burst of adrenaline raced through me as I ran. It didn't take me long to see the clinic's entrance. I reached for the doorknob, but when I heard it wiggle, I stopped halfway. The door flew open, and I took several steps back, scowling.

No. Fucking. Way.

"Thanks, ma'am," the person said before shutting the door behind him. He turned his head to me, and in a flash, the upward curve of his mouth fell. My brain buzzed with all sorts of thoughts, and I had no clue where to start.

Eventually, I raised my head and demanded, "What did you do to Kylie?"

"Not even a greeting, huh? Where are your manners, Hartford?" Erik smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"What did you do to her?" I asked again, emphasizing every word through gritted teeth.

He let out a snort. "Damn, T. Don't accuse me like that. I didn't do anything, all right? In fact, I was the one who saved her. You should thank me."

"Whatever," I said and walked past him, purposely hitting my shoulder against his.

"I didn't know you cared for her," he said, and I paused. "I thought you hated each other's guts. It's obvious from the way you treat each other. Or more exactly, from the way she treats you."

Without looking back, I clenched my fists and said, "Yeah, I may fight with her a lot, but if you lay a finger on her, you'll be facing me."

"Are you trying to imply that I'll do something bad to her?" The indifference in his tone was ever-present, and it was pissing me off more and more. "Come on, man. Don't say bullshit like that. You hardly know me. Think twice before you react."

I turned to face him again and gave a dry laugh. "Did I touch a nerve?"

"I'm not that kind of guy, and Kylie knows that."

"Doubt that." Yeah, she might have known him, considering she'd liked him a long time ago, but ever since that ninth-grade incident, I'd known there was something about him that wasn't quite right.

He narrowed his eyes as if trying to read my mind. "What are you trying to say, Hartford?"

"I don't trust you, Taylor. I've never trusted you."

He closed his eyes briefly as a light chuckle escaped him. "I know. I know. I'm cool with it. It's not like I can do anything to earn it. Kylie trusts me, and that's all that matters."

"Not for long," I muttered.

"Just a piece of friendly advice: you gotta take care of her."

Something in his tone immediately bothered me. Something venomous and secretive laced through his words.

"What are you—?"

Before I could ask completely, he spun around and walked away.

Something important popped into my mind. I opened my mouth to call him back, but then I shut it. Erik was the only person, except me, whom Cinderella had danced with, and chances were that he knew a thing or two about her. Screw it. Just one conversation with him was enough. Another talk and I might end up punching his smug face.

Cold, citrus-scented air surrounded me as I entered the room. There was no noise except for papers flapping on a table near an open window. Silently, I walked around the room, looking for Kylie. I found her in one of the curtained stalls, lying peacefully on a white bed.

I was about to proceed in her direction when an elderly woman popped out from another room, making me jump.

"Nurse Lloyd," I breathed, breaking into an uncomfortable grin.

"Oh, Tristan, it's you. May I help you with something?" she asked in her raspy voice.

"I'm just checking on Kylie. What happened?"

She turned her gray-haired head toward the patient. "She has a high fever from fatigue, and she must've been exposed to the rain, which would've worsened her condition even more."

"Yeah, she was out in the rain," I said, remembering the time in the coffee shop. That idiot clearly didn't know how to take care of herself.

"Well, there's nothing to worry about. All she needs to do is take her medicine and rest."

I nodded, smiling. "Okay, that's good to hear."

"Don't you have class at this hour, Tristan?" Nurse Lloyd asked.

I looked at the wall clock. "Nah. I have ten minutes to spare before the next class. Is it okay if I stay here for a while?"

She gave me an amused look. "It's absolutely fine." As she grabbed a stack of folders from the table, she added, "Anyway, it's good to have you here since I have to deliver these files downstairs. Could you watch the office for me?"

"Sure. No problem."

After giving me a pat on the shoulder, the nurse went out. I grabbed a chair and sat beside the bed where Kylie was snoring softly, her one hand resting on her stomach. All the muscles in her face were totally at peace; it was like watching a mannequin.

Who would've thought that this girl, who always acted like a behemoth during the day, could seem a little more childlike while she slept?

I pulled the blanket further to her chin and touched her forehead to check if her temperature was any better. Nope, still hot.

As I stared at her, I realized there were some things I'd never noticed about her until now. For example, Kylie had an elegant, strong bone structure, with cheekbones so sharp, you could slice bread on them. Even though her forehead was large and her nose was small and a bit crooked, the little flaws made her look better than an airbrushed model. My eyes moved down to her thin, peach-colored lips, parted as they puffed out warm air.

When she shifted a little in bed, her short hair fell over her cheeks in a mess. I swept the strands off her face, and then my heart almost soared out of my chest as I came to a realization:

Holy crap, I'm checking her out!

Heat rose to my face. Even if she couldn't see me, I couldn't help turning my head away.

After a moment's recovery, I gazed back at her. She was still sleeping soundly, but sometimes she would jerk her leg or rattle off something incomprehensible. I was glad she wasn't awake, or else she wouldn't have hesitated to whack me in the face with a pillow.

Swallowing a lump in my throat, I tried to collect myself once more, but my heart began to grow restless. Even if I didn't want to believe it—I never wanted to believe it—it remained at the back of my mind.

The feeling that she could be the girl I had been looking for.

-Kylie-

White.

Everything around me was white.

"She's conscious," a distant voice reached my ears.

Blinking, I turned my throbbing head to the side and saw a mass of red curls looming over me. Julianne was staring at me with her wide eyes.

"Hey," I managed to say through a dry throat.

"Hey, yourself," she said with a scowl as she stood up straight. "How dare you get sick and leave me alone with those idiots in our classes! See? This is what you get when you don't listen to me."

I forced a smile. "Gee. I'm sorry, Grandma. It won't happen again."

"Sis! Are you feeling better now?" Lacey exclaimed, sliding the curtains aside to enter the stall. Her face was full of concern as she gripped my arm with her clammy hands.

"Yes. I'm fine. Don't worry," I said. "How did I get here, by the way?"

Julianne and Lacey looked at each other and shrugged.

Remembering the last person who had been with me, I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment. God, carrying me must've been like carrying an orangutan to a vet for Erik. Still, I hoped I hadn't been a burden to him.

A figure from afar caught my attention, and I narrowed my eyes to see more clearly. A guy in a gray shirt was hunched over the nurse's table, his head buried in his arms. My mouth froze open the moment I recognized him.

"What is he doing here?" I asked with a glare.

Julianne twisted her torso to look at Tristan and back at me. "Isn't he nice? He totally skipped his last period to watch over you."

"What!" Abruptly, I sat upright. Pain exploded in my temples, and I moaned. "Aw, damn. My head."

"Don't force yourself, idiot. You're still recovering," Julianne reminded me.

"Wait, is my face clean? No markers, crayons, anything?" I cried, touching my face in complete terror.

"What are you talking about? It doesn't have anything except for that drool on your mouth."

I quickly wiped the corner of my mouth with my hand, exhaling in relief. Last year, while I'd been sleeping in class, Tristan had drawn a large mustache and a third eye on my face with a marker for our classmates to see. Jerk.

A groan from him made us turn. Straightening his back, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Why is it so noisy?" He yawned, running his fingers through his messy hair. Seeing me awake, he added with a sleepy smile, "Of course, it's you. You're the only one in this room who can produce so much noise."

"Fantastic. The ogre has awoken from its slumber," I deadpanned. "We'd better leave."

Pulling off the blanket, I swung my legs out of bed and got up. My knees shook, my vision suddenly spun, and I immediately grabbed Lacey's arm for support.

"Kylie, you're still weak. You don't have—"

"I'm okay, Lacey," I insisted. Julianne gently placed her hand on my back as she ushered me, and I felt like a patient in a nursing home.

"Here, let me help." Tristan walked toward us and turned his back to me, bending his knees slightly.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" I exclaimed. Was he going to fart in front of me? Oh gross. That wasn't the kind of medicine I was looking for!

"I know you won't be able to walk long distances for now, so I'm offering you a piggyback ride."

"Excuse me?"

"C'mon, don't make me wait."

"But I didn't ask you to do it. I'm not a kid anymore, T. I can handle myself."

"Don't be so stubborn, Kylie. I'm sucking up my pride right now to offer you some help. Stop complaining and get on already."

Wow. That was a surprise. But riding on the devil's back? That just screamed madness. I couldn't even bear to picture it.

"I won't."

"Yes, you will."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I said, "Why do you always like to argue with me?"

"Why do you always have to argue with me?" Tristan barked back.

"Sheesh. You're being immature right now."

"You're also being immature right now."

"Hey! You can't just copy what I—"

"Um, guys?" Lacey cut us off tentatively, stepping in between us. She looked at me, then at Tristan, before sighing. "Can you two stop with the bickering, please?"

Smirking, Tristan raised his eyebrows at me, and I did nothing but roll my eyes. There was no freaking way I would ever ride on his back.

ღ

"Oh my God, this is so embarrassing," I muttered as I lowered my head and closed my eyes.

Yes, I was allowing him to carry me out of the school building where many people could see. I had lost the debate earlier because my two kind friends voted for Tristan and not me.

Speaking of them, Julianne and Lacey were tracking us behind, laughing their lungs off at my predicament. Spinning my head, I shot them a glare that said, "You're dead to me," but they only laughed even harder.

As I said, I had such kind friends. Goddammit.

"I hate this," I said out loud. "I swear I'm never going to be sick again. I'm going to take care of myself from now on—drink plenty of water, get enough sleep, whatever I need to do to avoid this."

"Could you shut up for once? You talk too much," Tristan complained.

"Hey, you were the one who initiated this, so suffer the consequence." I pinched his right ear, and he pulled his head away.

"Knock it off, Kylie."

With a devilish grin, I looked over his shoulder to see his annoyed reaction. Not only were the tips of his ears turning red, but his cheeks were as well. Sweat was running from the tips of his hair down on his pinkish neck, and I suspected that he was having a hard time carrying me. Oh yes, he should suffer.

We walked for a couple of feet in silence, and I almost dozed off when Tristan faked a cough.

"Kylie?"

"What?" I grumbled.

"May I ask you something?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shoot. You'd still ask me anyway."

"You're so snappy. I just wanted to ask where you were during the Val..." He paused as if thinking twice about what he should say, and then he shook his head. "Never mind."

Good.

At the parking lot, numerous students were watching us in bewilderment. Two of the most notorious archenemies in Broadway Heights doing a piggyback ride? I wouldn't be surprised if this ended up on the front page of the school paper. Julianne was one of the writers, and this situation was obviously her kind of entertainment.

I sighed. Although I had said that I hated this, the warmth—his warmth—spreading through my body told a different story. For some reason, it felt welcoming and... safe at the same time. My heart continued to beat wildly, and I felt butterflies—no, screw butterflies. I could feel the entire zoo erupting in my stomach.

Feeling utterly mortified, I couldn't do anything but bury my face in his back. From his shirt, I could smell the familiar scent of detergent, and faintly... Tristan's scent. Strange how it all reminded me of a distant memory.

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