CHAPTER 75

Unlike what he had half expected, Gerard didn't immediately crack down on any supernatural as far as he knew since Erica and Isaac were still comfortable in school, although being a little exposing.

The two of them were reveling in their new life and the thrilling sensations and the confidence boost that came with it. 

Isaac went from a frail wimpy kid with constant eye bags suffering from social anxiety to one of the better lacrosse players and having the attention of a good number of the female students showered on him. The boy practically turned into an Adonis in the span of a week. 

'No hate though.'

On the other hand, Erica went from the recluse weird wrinkled girl suffering from a severe case of epilepsy to a bombshell straight out of a porn site in the same timeframe. 

Every step she took turned heads and the number of boys lining up to try their shots with her was ever extending. In fact she drew more attention than Isaac which was a given her new fashion choice of tight short leather clothes and seductive red lipstick and a complete cosmetic overhaul. 

At least the one thing they did in his opinion was that they stayed the fuck away from him and acted as if they had no idea who he was other than the basic student acquaintanceship. 

Whether it was an order from Derek or because they probably did not want to be in a familiar zone with their natural enemy; whatever their reasons were, Tristan fully supported it. 

'But then again, they really might have nothing serious to be worried about.' He thought. 

Anyone who had the information and paid attention to the nature and the duration of their change will come to the obvious conclusion that they are new betas, so maybe they are not the only ones Gerard is looking for. 

The Argents surrounded the school on the night of the winter formal, a good while before Isaac and Erica's transformation, so they obviously have it on good grounds that there are older betas in the school who were involved in the whole Kate fiasco. 

'As if trying to kill Jackson's master, whoever the sucker is, is not already a full course on my plate.'

"You've been staring at Isaac and Erica for a while now, something on your mind about them?" Boyd asked as he separated some of the greens in his lunch, already having caught Tristan's extended stare at the new sensational duo's direction. 

Malia looked at the direction Tristan was staring and shrugged in indifference at it knowing she could probably guess what was going through his head. 

"Nah, it's nothing." Tristan replied offhandedly and focused back on his plate. 

Boyd being naturally curious like the rest of the student body about the transformational changes of the subject duo, made his curiosity known. 

"Do you have any idea what might have happened to them?" He asked. "It's definitely something groundbreaking than simply changing your skincare routine." 

"And how would I know? Maybe they picked up some Taoist books and started practicing self-improvement. I heard they have good meditation and self esteem practices." Tristan spoke while taking a cursory glance at their direction. 

Boyd groaned after hearing Tristan's reply. "I seriously can't tell if you are being sarcastic or actually being serious." He was about to drop it but upon seeing Erica's looks and thinking that there was no way Tristan would be interested in Isaac, he came to his own conclusion and his mouth automatically flowed with the thoughts in his head. "Are you checking out Erica?"

The table which was only filled with the systematic sound of cutlery hitting plates immediately disappeared as the two silent female occupants put down their cutleries and looked between Boyd and Tristan. 

'Couldn't think of anything else to say, eh Boyd?' Was what his face said as he looked at his first male friend. 

Due to being too immersed in whatever his mind was concocting, Boyd failed to realize that gaze he was receiving and continued unperturbed. 

"I mean, I get why everyone is suddenly tripping all over for her." He said as he looked at the girl who currently had a small smile on her face as she ate an apple, somehow painting a seductive picture with very simple actions. "Just the story of a regular unpopular girl turned high school vixen is bound to draw the egos of guys like magnets since everyone suddenly gets this drive to quickly claim this polished gold."

The more he spoke the more the intensity of the looks reduced but that in no way inspired any feeling of safety in Tristan for his friend. 

'Just shut your damn mouth, Boyd. It's already bad you indirectly made it about me so why are you putting yourself in such a malicious crosshair?'

Conveniently oblivious, Boyd still gave his astute opinions. "She's definitely up there with Lydia in the hotness category, but I think she has her beat in spiciness. Dunno, but I feel like she really got that dangerous air around her. Guys dig mysterious girls too, you know."

Tristan just ate his food unperturbed while also listening to what Boyd was saying. Regardless of his personal feelings, he had to say Boyd was shockingly right in his observations. 

"And how does all that make you think I'm checking her out." Tristan couldn't help but voice his curiosity. 

"Other than me thinking she checks out a lot of boxes for any guy, I mean apart from hanging out with Isaac, no one's said anything about her being with another guy. I think you could totally get her if you want, there's not a lot of girls like her in Beacon Hills High." He returned to his food with the same affable attitude, ignoring the stares he was getting, unfortunately… 

"Is that the type of girl you like, Tristan?" Allison, who had been silent for the most part, finally spoke. 

Boyd raised his head and waited a few seconds before the consequences of his words finally clicked in. He wanted to speak in a weakly constructed defense but the three bored, yet somehow threatening, look they gave him made him sew his lips up. 

Not appearing flustered by the question, even when knowing Malia was interested in his answer just as much as Allison was, he gave Erica a brief appraising glance before turning back to his food. 

"No doubt, she's become really beautiful but it's not as if it's just about having a beautiful face. Even if we can work on compatibility, I don't think there's any instance of me approaching her for anything substantial, talk less a relationship."

"That's also not a definite answer to the question of if she's your type." Allison pressed, unrelenting. 

Tristan sighed in irritation, explicitly directed at everyone on their table and those listening in, so he just sprinkled a dash of effort to make his point clear. 

"Based on looks? Yes, definitely. She's a lot of guy's type. As for whether I see myself starting a relationship with her in any way? That's practically impossible for a scant few reasons. One being she's not Malia. Simple, absurd, and true…" He looked at the three of them, noting all their expressions, fully disregarding Boyd's sour look, not surprised at Malia openly radiating the smugness she was feeling, and Allison looked a little down but waiting for him to finish speaking. 

"… As for another, it's because I don't care about her, in any meaningful definition of the word. I mean it's an honest no-brainer that at least any modicum of affection, even the tiniest bit, is the most needed catalyst for any relationship to start, whether good or bad."

Not to mention Boyd who looked like he ate a live eel, he too felt uncomfortable speaking in such a way that was uncharacteristic of him. These types of talks were the ones he would have with Malia in the comfort of their room. And it stays in there. 

Deciding to end it there as he felt he made himself as clear and crisp as universally possible, he added a closing remark. 

"It's actually pretty simple and it applies to everybody else. For me to be in another relationship, the girl has to make me care about her enough to subconsciously consider it and then show me or make me feel like she's better than Malia in every damn way."

"…"

"That's… you sound ultimately whipped man, no offense."

Tristan laughed at the way Boyd phrased his words. He might've sounded like that to anybody who had listened to his words but that was when someone tried to interpret it in some overly complicated way. 

Does he like Malia? An indisputable fact. Has he ever met a girl he was sexually and romantically attracted to more than Malia? No. 

If there comes a day where he meets a girl who he likes and said girl meant so much to him that it completely undermines all the emotions he had and years spent together with Malia, he doubted he would have any other decision than falling for her. 

Elias had once said to them, the younger cubs in the pack, that falling in love was one of the most helpless feelings one can ever experience. You just have to accept it for all it is, both the joys of oneness and the heart wrenching pains of separation. 

He could fight a lot of things, humans and supernatural creatures alike, but there was nothing he could do in the face of an inevitability and he was fine with that. Why fight what you have no power against? Only a conceited fool would do that. 

….. 

That was all based on the assumption that he finds another girl he loves more than Malia. 

As for being factual, if asked whether that was any chance, no matter how small, that he would love someone else more than Malia, then his answer would be a simple 'no'. That was an inevitability of itself. 

..... 

No one said another word and just went through their food. While on a few tables away from the, Erica had an irritated scowl on her face after hearing all that was said. 

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