You wrote "Don't Forget"

Chapter 13- Once in a Blue Moon

I had given up on finding Luke. At this point his face was becoming a faded, fleeting memory and I was okay with that. I mean, he was just a stranger, I knew nothing about him other than the fact that he had a dog named who liked popcorn a lot and that he knew Stacy.

I had started considering Luke to be a sight one sees once in a blue moon and then never again.

When I walked to the Hot Lounge that day, I had not expected the boy I was slowly starting to forget, to be sitting on a table - sipping a Candy Cane Cocoa. He didn't seem to notice me.

I considered what the appropriate form of greeting would be in this situation.

'Hey, hot dude whose dog got lost. You totally went awol. I am disappointed that you never called me. Are you okay?' didn't seem like a particularly good idea.

I sighed and turned my gaze away from Luke's table towards the counter. Stacy was standing there, her eyes focused intently on me. I felt myself shift beneath her gaze. Her eyes repeatedly flickered between a completely oblivious Luke to me, as if expecting both of us to burst into flames.

"Is anything the matter?" I asked her, furrowing my eyebrows. She kept staring at me, her stony visage chipping away a little.

"What would you like to order, stranger?" She asked, coolly.

"Stacy, quit the act. You know what my name is. Stop playing with me." I said, sounding exasperated.

"Don't get cocky, stranger. I won't feel guilty about tossing out problematic people around here." She said, her hand gesturing towards the door. I could never be sure whether she was joking.

"Cold coffee." I said, my voice as flat as hers. There was no point in getting worked up about this. Stacy was just Stacy, she found satisfaction in my misery. She was truly a fully certified sadist and I, being me, couldn't' give her the satisfaction.

"So, Luke is here. What are you planning to do?" She asked, her eyes piercing into mine. I felt like she was staring into my soul and shivered.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zilch. Why would you even think that I would plan to do anything in the first place?" I lied straight through my teeth, feeling a blush creeping up on my cheeks.

"Don't play with me, kid. Spill." She said, handing me my coffee.

"I swear-" I started. She shot a glare and that silenced me.

"I am not sure how to approach this." I said, looking down at the floor. When had I, Tristan Williams, the famed hoe of the school who changed boyfriends like uniform, ever been nervous about talking to a guy? Never was the answer.

This had never happened before. Even with Martin, I had made the first move. I always made the first move. I never questioned it or doubted it,I just rolled with it.

What was wrong now? What had changed?

Stacy clicked her tongue, shaking her head slightly. "Pathetic." She commented.

"Why, thank you. That is just what I needed to hear. You are great at pep-talks." I scowled, giving her a menacing grin.

"Kid, get over yourself. He's a human, you're a human. As far as I am aware, he is not a cannibal and won't eat you. Just go and say hello and see where the conversation takes you. Now, get your privileged butt away from my counter and towards that boy you are crushing on." She said, her eyes looking pointedly at Luke.

"I am not crushing-" I started but she interrupted me.

"Save it for someone who cares, stranger. Now go before I pour burning coffee over you." She said, offering me a glare of comfort. How cute, she was such a sweetheart.