Mess To Be Made

9

"That's what you're wearing. Seriously."

Rachel scoffed at Lindsay, looking down at her own outfit. A pair of black, ripped skinny jeans and a Rolling Stones t-shirt she had cropped. A red bandana tied up around her dark hair like a headband. Black converse. "I'm a band groupie."

Lindsay, who was dressed as a slutty Tinkerbell—an extra small, sparkly neon green dress, nude heels, and her auburn hair done up in a perfect bun—shook her head. "Can you at least wear a skirt or something? Show some leg."

"I don't need to show skin," Rachel grumbled, grabbing her phone expectantly.

I smirked. "Yeah, because you've already got your hookup nailed down for the night."

Rachel's eyes snapped to me, but she had no rebuttal. Liam asked for Rachel's number last Saturday at Sean's Varsity Basketball party. Since then, they had been texting nonstop. They hung out one day the past week during lunch, but they were both going to be at Landon's Halloween party tonight and there was no doubt in anyone's mind Liam was planning on making a move.

"Yeah, he's psyched about her," Sean said during Spanish on Tuesday. "Asked me multiple times during practice what I knew about her since you're my friend and she's your best friend."

"That's sweet," I said, although my eyes were still sneaking glancing at Tyler.

It had been two weeks since Tyler started school at Whitewood, and for two weeks I analyzed him during class. I found my eyes constantly drawn to him, smiling when I saw him fidget. I don't know why that entertained me so much.

After I drummed my fingernails along his desk in English his first day, that had become a routine.

If he was in his desk before I got to Spanish or English class, I would walk by and clack my fingernails twice against the wood before walking away.

It never got a reaction. I didn't expect it to anymore. But I still enjoyed it. I looked forward to it even.

I had noticed that he'd made a friend. They sat together during lunch in Tyler's Suburban and I would see them together during passing periods. His friend looked oddly familiar, but I had no recollection of his name, no clue where or how I could know him.

I ran into Tyler and his new friend alone in an empty hall one day. School had ended but I forgot one of my textbooks in my locker and was heading back to grab it. They were leaving the library, heading straight towards me.

I wore my signature smile, directed at both of them as we got closer.

"Hi, Tyler," I purred.

He blinked, unfazed, as he kept walking. His friend's eyes grew wide, but he followed in step as they walked right by me.

"Aw, I don't even get a 'hello'?" I taunted.

Tyler stopped, only for a second, turning his head slightly to the side so I could barely make out his profile. He replied, without an ounce of energy, "Hello."

Then he kept walking.

Hello.

That's it. That's all I got. I bit the insides of my cheeks, shaking my head, and made no further stops or conversations as I retrieved my textbook from my locker, got back in my car, and sped out of the parking lot.

Fucking hello.

"I don't know why everyone's focused on me," Rachel said now, adjusting her headband in the mirror, "When Allie's literally dating someone."

"A date," I corrected.

Yes. Spencer and I had gone on a date last night. It was fine. He took me out to dinner. We talked. He opened the car door. He offered his jacket when he thought I was cold. He did all the things you expect, even hope for, a guy to do on a date.