Notice Me

by Lili Lam

What do you possibly say to two adorably cute guys standing on your doorstep hugging onto two sleeping bags with grins wider than a Cheshire cat? Go away? Scram, get out of here? I had no idea what else to do, it would be so wrong of me to tell them to go away and slam the door on them. My heart wouldn't be able to handle the distraught looks on their faces if I said this was meant to just be the three of us hanging out for Troy's birthday. So I did the only logical thing and invited them in.

  "Come in?" I asked with a slight grimace, a bit unsure of what I was doing and whether or not this would turn out to be a good idea. Of course I planned on asking Troy if it was ok with him that the guys crash his birthday get together. After all, this is 'his' weekend. "Thought you guys had pack stuff to take care of?" I inquired curiously, remembering that Tristan told me he'd be busy tonight.

  Shaking his head, Tristan answered leaning over to peck me on the lips. "Dad was able to wrap things up in under an hour."

  "Mm, I'm starving is that pizza I smell?" Luke asked with wide eyes while running his hand over his flat belly.

  "Yea, the pizza just got here. There's plenty in the kitchen." I announced basically telling the two to go help themselves.

  "Hey Lise, who was at the..." Troy began as he walked through the living room towards the foyer. "Door." He finished after spotting Luke and Tristan at my side. Troy didn't seem delighted, but he still plastered on a friendly smile and greeted the guys with a handshake. "Hey guys how's it going?" It wasn't a prim and proper type of handshake, but more like the manly lean my body towards you while I grab a hold of your hand type of greeting.

  "Hey, what's up." They both greeted. Gee, you'd think they'd at least try and make their voices sound the least bit happy to see him. "Happy Birthday man." Tristan added.

  "Thanks, but technically my birthday's not till tomorrow." Troy corrected with a laugh. "You guys hungry?"

  "Uh, yea why don't you two go eat." I suggested tilting my head sideways towards the kitchen. "I want to talk to Troy for a sec." This will be my opportunity to get Troy alone and ask him if he minds these two stalkers joining in on our fun.

  Tristan looked at me like I just asked him to help me kidnap the President. He quirked an eyebrow up at me while he placed his sleeping bag onto the ground. Luke didn't have to be told twice as he began making his way to the kitchen to stuff his face. Crossing my arms over my chest, I pursed my lips and gave him a 'well, what are you waiting for' glare.

  Standing there for another full minute, before rolling his eyes Tristan finally decided he wasn't going to win this one with me. He stomped away to the kitchen unhappily, glancing wearily at me over his shoulder. What exactly does he think I'm going to do with Troy?

  "Sorry." I mumbled to Troy sheepishly. "I swear I didn't invite them over." I cried holding my hands up defensively. "I know that this is totally your birthday weekend and you can say no if you want to. I swear I won't be upset and neither with Anya." I rambled on and on before Troy stepped towards me and grabbed a hold of my upper arms giving me a slight shake.

  "Breathe." Troy ordered and I suddenly inhaled a deep breath. "It's fine with me if they want to hang out with us." He answered giving me a sincere smile.

  "Are you sure?" I questioned searching his face for any sign that he was lying to me. After four summers at camp together, I can thankfully say I know Troy well enough to know if he's lying.

  "Positive." He nodded grabbing me into a hug. "I promise I don't mind at all." See, I told you Troy's a great guy! I'll have to quiz Tristan and dig deeper to find out the root of all the hatred between them. It can't all possibly stem from one simple soccer game, can it? There has to be a reason deeper then that. Tristan's far from egotistical to let something that petty get in the way of his judgment.

  "Now let's go finish eating, you know I hate cold pizza." He admitted while slinging his arm over my shoulder and leading me to the kitchen.

  When we walked in immediately all eyes were on us, especially Tristan's who zoned right in on Troy's arm. I could instantly see his jaw tighten and his nostrils flared the tiniest bit, which indicated to me that he was slightly pissed off. Coyly sliding myself away from Troy, I walked over to my plate of pizza on the island and continued eating.

  "So what are we doing tonight?" Luke asked with a mouth full of pizza. Damn that boy can eat. You'd think he was raised by a pack of wolves or something. Wait, he was!

  "Well we're watching movies and, wait for it..." Anya drawled out trying to create some sort of suspense. "Facials!" She cried happily.

  A groan came from both Tristan and Luke. "What too manly for a facial?" Anya drilled angrily. "You know, if you don't want to join in on our festivities, you're more then welcome to go home." That seemed to shut them both up quickly as they continued chewing quietly. When we finished eating we set up our sleeping bags in the living room.

  We decided since there's way more testosterone here at our little sleep over, then we better make it an action movie night instead of our usual chick flicks. If it was just Troy, we might have been able to tag team him into watching our love movies. But, since it's three against two, the odds didn't look like they were in our favor.

  "Which one first?" Anya asked holding up the choice of Clash of the Titans, Green Lantern, 300, and The Dark Knight. Each movie had a hot guy in it so either way, we'd all be winning in the end! Anya and I would get to drool over the actors, while they got the action.

  "Green Lantern." They all agreed unanimously, Ryan Reynolds it is. You won't hear a peep out of me complaining, because he's some serious eye candy. I totally think Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are the cutest stinking couple I've ever seen!

  Anya went over to pop in the DVD while I ran to the fridge to grab our container that was hidden in the back. The Tupperware of our homemade cucumber mask. I had to hide it way in the back because my Dad opened it up and used it, as dip for his tortilla chips thinking it was guacamole. Whoopsie! He didn't even realize it wasn't food until I came home and gasped at him in disgust. Typical guy I tell you, just shoves anything in his mouth while sitting in front of the TV watching sports!

  "I'm so not doing that!" Luke exclaimed as Anya approached him with a glob of green goop on her fingertips.

  "C'mon stop being such a baby. It'll exfoliate your skin and unclog your pores!" Anya shouted taking a few mores steps closer to Luke who was backing away cautiously. She already smeared it all over Troy's face, he was sitting happily on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn watching the previews.

  I applied my own mask and glanced over at Tristan from the corner of my eyes. I could see he was eyeing my every move, knowing he's next up to get slimed! "You going to put up a fight or be a good boy?" I teased turning in my seat to face Tristan. He just shrugged his shoulders at me leaning closer to kiss my bare shoulder.

  "I'll be good for now." He mumbled under his breath giving me a little smirk. My cheeks heated up at his insinuation of what he'll be up to later. What the heck does he mean he'll be good for now? Was he planning on being naughty later and if yes, how so?

  I was sitting on the sofa between Troy, who was shoveling handfuls of popcorn in his mouth and Tristan who was somehow watching the movie with his head resting on my shoulder. Anya and Luke were cuddled up on the love seat across from us. We were about twenty minutes into the movie when my doorbell rang.

  Who could possibly be at the door? Both of my parents have keys and I know for a fact that they didn't forget them, because they're attached to the car keys. Turning my face and planting a kiss on Tristan's forehead, I murmured "Excuse me" as I got up to go answer the door.

  Tristan stood up and followed behind me to the foyer, we all still had about ten minutes before we could rinse off our masks. Swinging open my front door, I was surprised to find Max, Jordan, Sam, and Gabe standing there. As soon as they saw our faces, they busted out in a chorus of laughter. All four of them were hunched over grabbing their bellies as Max pointed at Tristan and shook his head.

  Max literall
y had tears streaming down his cheeks as he grunted, "N-no way!" Before they all began another round of chuckles. This caused Anya, Luke, and Troy to pause the movie and come out to the foyer to see what all the noise was about.

  "Oh, hell no!" Jordan cried as they got a look at the remaining three. "You guys are so whipped it's not even funny." He teased.

  "What do you guys want?" Tristan barked out, acting as though he were mad. I'm pretty sure he wasn't though, because he had the look of 'damn it, I can't believe my boys caught me with a cucumber mask' face on.

  "We...we came by to chill, your Mom told us you were over here." Sam stuttered while trying to hold back another fit of laughs. A sudden flash blinded me Momentarily causing me to shut my eyes. "Oh, good one Gabe!" I heard one of the guys praise and then I heard a bunch of high fives.

  "Did you seriously just snap a picture of us?" I asked finally able to open my eyes, but still seeing that annoying white blotch obstructing my view.

  "Hell yea and it's going straight up on facebook!" Gabe shrieked running away as both Luke and Tristan chased him down my porch onto the front lawn. They were trying to get a hold of his cell phone to delete the picture before he sent it off to facebook, but it was too late. Their mission was accomplished.

  I don't care if anybody sees me with the mask, but obviously the guys do. We introduced Troy to the guys, but it seems that they all already know one another from soccer. The guys came in to hang out while we all rinsed off the masks and washed our faces. My parents came home and had the look of surprise to see so many people over, but they were ok with it. Such cool parents, I couldn't ask for a better set.

  "What's up for tomorrow man, you guys have any plans?" Max asked us as a group.

  "Tomorrow's Troy's birthday so we're planning on celebrating it." I answered, smiling over at Troy who seemed genuinely happy to be around us.

  "Well if you guys want, you should join us. We're going jet skiing on the bay in the morning and then to check out that new twenty and under club that opened up on Mechanic Street at night." Max suggested looking over at Troy for a reaction.

  Troy's eyes lit up, "Wow, that'd be awesome." He grinned looking at Anya and I. "Does that sound like something you girls would want to do?"

  "Heck yes!" Anya shouted excitedly, she’s such an adventure freak. She isn't afraid of anything, well besides becoming wolf food.

  I was a bit weary about jet skiing, but hey if it's something Troy wants to do for his birthday then why not? "Sure, sounds like a plan." I agreed, crossing my fingers. I hope I don't drown!

  Chapter 26: Rise and Shine