Medicine Man

Penny nods. “I mean, yeah. If you’re into dark hair and dark eyes and good bone structure.”

“Exactly.” I nod too. “He’s got good bone structure. You don’t get that often.”

Good bone structure and dark hair remind me of someone but I squash that thought because this is about Renn, not me.

“Stop it. I’m trying to eat my breakfast,” Renn snaps.

“You hate your breakfast,” Vi offers.

“Ohmigod, has the impossible happened?” Penny shuts her book and gives the conversation her full attention. “Are you not interested in a human of the opposite sex?”

“Do you want me to slap you? ‘Cause I’m not afraid to slap you,” Renn mutters, darkly.

“Hey, quit harassing her,” I tell the girls. “Renn doesn’t have to like every good-looking guy. She can hate some.”

She sits back, waving her hand at me as if acknowledging my statement. “Thank you.”

I smirk. “Yeah, so why do you hate him? Did he do something to you?” I sit up, suddenly getting serious. “Oh my God. What’d he do to you?”

The three of us, apart from Renn, focus on the guy who’s sprawled in his seat, popping grapes, watching us, like we’re a movie or something. He’s still got that little smirk on his mouth. Grudgingly, I admit that he does have good bone structure. Not to mention his hair’s all messy, strands falling over his forehead in careless abandon.

Even so, we’ll kick his ass if he did something to Renn.

“No way! Renn! You know you can complain, right?” Penny’s all charged up now.

“Yes, we can go right now,” I say, determined.

I’m ready to stand when Renn almost shouts, “It’s nothing, you crazy idiots.” At last, she looks at the new guy. “Hey, asshole. Stop staring at me. I told you I’m not interested.”

“You told him?” Penny’s confused.

So am I. “When did this happen? How much have I missed?”

The guy isn’t afraid or deterred. His smirk only grows, overcoming his entire mouth. He crosses his arms across his chest, and I see a peek of tattoos circling his biceps, under his black t-shirt.

“Tell me your name and I’ll stop,” he says in a voice that sounds lazy, just like his demeanor. Careless and reckless and all the less-es.

“My name’s none of your business,” Renn snaps.

He takes a sip of his juice and leans forward. “Yeah, I thought that too. But then, last night you came to me and you started stripping. I didn’t wanna interrupt you and ask then. That would’ve been rude,” he explains. “And the name I’ve been calling you in my head is probably turning my mom in her grave. She taught me to never objectify women. So yeah. Tell me your name. That’s the least you could do after interrupting my sleep.”

To say that we’re all shocked is an understatement. The tables around us have gone quiet. Well, they weren’t talking much to begin with because mostly everyone has been focused on the new guy. But still. Now, the place has gone completely silent, or rather the pocket in which we’re situated has.

Penny’s gaping. Vi’s pressing her lips together to keep from laughing out loud. And well, I’m the same way. Because the impossible has happened. Renn’s blushing. She’s gone as red as her hair.

That’s totally making her angry, though. Because her eyes are flashing. She might have even growled too.

“I never…” She breathes deep. “Never, ever came to you, you pig!”

He chuckles. “Right. It was a dream.” He spreads his palms as if apologizing charmingly. “Forgot to mention that. But it doesn’t change the fact that I’ve seen you naked. You might as well give up your name.”

Renn growls some more.

I can’t stop anymore. I laugh and so does Vi. Penny’s not far behind. All around, people are chuckling too. The new guy’s enjoying himself, I think.

Just to mess with my BFF, I call out, “Renn. Her name’s Renn.”

Renn whips her eyes to me. “How dare you? You’re supposed to be my friend.”

“What? He just wanted to know your name.” I shrug, chuckling.

Penny raises her hand in the air and I raise mine, and we mime high-fiving each other since we can’t exactly do the act.

The new guy tips his chin at me and I nod. For some reason, I like him. Maybe it’s the fact that he’s so easily and so thoroughly managed to rattle Renn, and he appears more or less harmless.

“I’m Tristan,” he says with a satisfied glint in his eyes.

“I don’t care,” Renn shoots back.

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means give it time. I kinda grow on people.”

“Why? Are you fungus?”

This makes him chuckle again. “Yeah, I like you, Renn.” He runs his fingers through his hair. “You’re gonna make my stay very interesting.”

She flips him the bird before turning away.

A second later, Vi murmurs, “I wonder what he was calling you in his head.”