Transfer Student (Part 2)

“Y-you,” was all Lilian could stutter out. He blinked with recognition, “Y-you,” his face quickly turned to surprise. 

“You’re one of the transfer students?” he asks. She stares at him in disbelief, “Well yeah, I’m pretty sure my dad established that before I spat meat in your face.” Her hand flies to her mouth. 

The boy looks equally as shocked as she does. His shock quickly falls into grim anger.

“Wait, where are you-?” but before she can finish her sentence he turns and storms up the stairs. “Hey, I didn’t mean-” but another door above slams and Lilian knew he was gone.

Lilian made her way back to her room in a daze. So he must be the Governor's son. She had heard that Governor Johnson had a son but had thought nothing of it and completely forgotten about it. 

She closed her door and sank to the floor. This was going to be even more awkward now that she was living with a guy she had sprayed chicken at who also happened to be the fucking Governor of New York’s son. 

When she finally got up the courage to stand up she caught a glimpse of her clock.

“Shit! I’m late!” She stumbled around looking for her painted high-top converse. She practically ran down the hallway in the direction of the dining room. 

She practically skidded into the dining room to find everyone sitting around the table as the food was served. They all looked up to her stuttering, “Er- sorry, I got a bit lost on my way,” not knowing what else to do she bowed and rushed over to sit next to Tracy. 

God, did I actually just BOW? Was all she could think, heat rising to her cheeks as everyone went back to their meals and conversations. 

Tracy cracked a smile in Lilian’s direction for which she was thankful, returning the gesture with a small chuckle. 

“You didn’t actually get lost did you?” she murmured to Lilian. Lilian looked up quickly but Tracy was smiling. Lilian relaxed, she didn’t know anything. 

“You caught me,” Lilian laughs, “I just totally forgot and ended up late,” Lilian says, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. 

Tracy nods, “Yeah I was almost late too, I only remembered because of the alarm I set.”

Lilian could barely keep from smacking a palm to her forehead. She should have thought of that.

“Have you finished unpacking yet?” Tracy asked. This time, Lilian really did smack her forehead, “Gah, it completely slipped my mind, I haven’t even started!” Tracy laughed, “You must be a mess today,” Lilian nodded, “I can come to your room after dinner and help if you like,”

Lilian considered it. Her mom had said it was about time to get some friends. It wasn’t that she didn’t have friends, she did have her two best friends Joss and Laury, but she wouldn’t be able to see them for the next few months. 

“That would actually be amazing, thanks!” Lilian smiled thankfully at the girl. Tracy did seem pretty nice, and not one of those girly girls who made fun of her artsy look and the green streak in her short dirty blond hair. Tracy was on the soccer team and Lilian had seen the anime stickers on her luggage. She had a feeling the two of them would get along pretty well.

She looked down the table to see the boy from earlier. He was staring at me unreadably. He held her gaze for what felt like forever but turned out to only have been a few seconds. Then turned away sharply and Lilian was forced to continue eating the annoyingly expensive food.

Tracy didn’t seem to be as torn by disdain though, which became evident when she groaned with delight over her mouthful scallops. Lilian couldn’t help but laugh which earned her an eye roll from the other girl.

“You said what!” Tracy exclaimed bug-eyed, turning incredulity towards Lilian. Lilian laughed, “I know! I can’t believe I said that to him!” 

Tracy was almost in tears from laughter. Lilian rolled her eyes and went back to her retelling of what had happened in the stairwell.

Once she had finished Tracy sat down on Lilian’s bed next to a pile of rumpled clothing. She shook her head, “So basically, you spat meat INTO the Governor’s Son’s face, interrupted his personal concert, and now he’s shooting you creepy death stares?”

Lilian nods at her, “And I’m living with him, and going to his school for the next 4 months,” 

Tracy scoffs, “Plus your dad’s are friends. Girl, you are seriously fucked,”

For some reason, this brought her back to the last conversation she had with her parents. Her mother was fretting over the spill on Lilian’s shirt and her father was going over proper etiquette she had heard from him a million times.

“Lilian, are you listening to me?” he had scolded her. 

“Er, yeah,” she had replied, whipping her head away from the car window. He sighed, “I really need this to go well alright? This is going to strengthen the bonds between me and Governor Johnson, which creates bonds between the states. So I need you to try your best to get along with everyone. Especially the Governor’s son.” 

Lilian had nodded absently, hardly listening anymore but now she was contemplating the situation. She really needed to fix things between her and the Governor’s son. What was his name? She could never remember diplomats' names, let alone their children’s.

Long after Tracy left, Lilian was still contemplating how to get to talk to him. They were starting school tomorrow, and she might be able to talk to him then, but there was no guarantee. Plus, it was very likely he would avoid her. Did the Governor know about either of the incidents? He probably wouldn’t like to find out that Governor Garrington’s daughter was sneaking around his penthouse when she wasn’t supposed to be. It would make her father seem incompetent.

Despite this fact, Lilian got up and quietly left the room. She found herself meandering the hallways quietly. The lights of the streets glowed 20 stories below. The speckles of light from the last lit windows in the buildings around her were like replacements of the stars which had been outshone by New York City. 

She continued to the dining room, hardly aware of what she was doing. She couldn’t help but notice a light still on in what must be the kitchen. She crept over curiously, cautiously pushing the door open.

The light that hit her quickly blinded her. When her eyes adjusted the first thing to register was the figure sitting on the counter. 

“You?” the figure said with disdain. Lilian jumped with surprise, “Y-you!” 

“We really must stop meeting like this,” said the governor’s son, jumping down from the counter, “In fact, we really must stop meeting at all.”

He turned around and headed away from her. Lilian jolted forward and grabbed his wrist.

“Wait!” he turned his face finally taking an expression… of anger. It was enough for Lilian to let go as though she had grabbed a hot pan.

“I-I’m sorry about… er, spitting in your face… and then interrupting your private concert.”

The boy laughed, though it was devoid of humor. He turned all the way towards her, “I wasn’t mad about that,” Lilian was acutely aware that her jaw had dropped.

“Then why have you been treating me like a piece of gum on your shoe?” she asked before she could think. 

This time when he laughed, it was real. His eyes lit up and his handsome face showed charm I hadn’t seen before. As quickly as it had appeared he turned away and walked to the other side of the room. He pushed at the wall, opening a door Lilian hadn’t even noticed before. 

“Wait!” Lilian called out again. She swallowed and asked quietly, “What’s your name?” He gave her a look of curiosity as though it should be obvious. Although, I guess most people already knew his name.

He turned away and Lilian wilted for some reason. Unexpectedly, he turned and answered her before disappearing down the door.

The encounter echoed around the halls of her brain as Lilian tossed and turned in her sleep. Tomorrow was her first day of school somewhere where she knew nothing and no one, and the name of a mysterious boy whom she had just met was echoing through her head.