Don't Let Go

Chapter 5

Tristan's mom walked into the room. She hid the anger in her face well.

"Tristan." she said under her breath.

"Would you care to tell me why you left the game early?" she asked through gritted teeth. No one in the room said a word. I stood wide-eyed - wanting to get out of the house but knowing I could not because Tristan's mom blocked the door.

"For all we knew you could have been dead." she continued, angrily. 

"I texted Lizzie." Tristan defended.

"Why is she here?" his mom changed the subject, and glanced angrily at me.

"She gave me a ride home." Tristan said, sounding bored. His mom's face was disapproving.

"Mom don't be like that." Tristan pleaded.

"Be like what?" she started. "Wherever this girl is involved you seem to be in some kind of trouble." his mom finished.

"Hannah." he stressed my name. "never did anything wrong." 

"You can leave." his mom demanded to me.

"Hannah wait -" Tristan said as I began walking out the door. I didn't turn back.

"Tristan she's not good for you." I heard his mom say firmly as I ran down the stairs. Tears started to fall from my eyes and I just wanted to get out of there. I jumped into my car and sped off. I reached and home and found that Aaron wasn't there. Thankfully. I didn't want to deal with him just then.

I curled up in front of the TV and half-heartedly flipped through the channels. 

The doorbell rang.  I ignored it. Aaron had a key. If he was too lazy or too drunk to unlock the door himself, that was not my problem. I waited but heard no key going into the lock and no door opening.

I sighed and got up. I wrapped a blanket around me and trudged towards the door. 

Too lazy to look through the peep hole, I opened it.

"Tristan." I breathed. He was standing in front of me completely out of it.

"I'm so sorry Hannah." he whispered. I shook my head as if to say his apology was not needed.

"I don't really know..." he paused, "why I'm here." he looked around dazed and then turned to leave.

"Wait." I said without meaning to. Then I opened the door wider, and gestured for him to come inside. He glanced at me for a few seconds and then looked ahead, as he walked in.

I shut the door slowly and he waited until I lead him to the family room.

I saw down, criss-cross apple sauce on the couch. Tristan sat across from me and stared at the table in the center of the room. His face was hopeless and innocent. I wanted to give him a hug and hold him forever and tell him that everything would be okay. I wanted to make all his problems go away. But I couldn't do that. I couldn't do anything - without the fear I would scare him away.

"Do you - want something to eat or drink?" I asked, unsure of what I should say. He shook his head after a moment.

"Hannah I just came here to apologize." he said, as if he himself was unconvinced by that statement.

"Can I ask you something?" I asked, for the second time that night.

"You can ask, I don't if I'll answer." he said, and for a split second there was a grin on his face. I smiled too, remembering he had the same thing the last time I had asked him that question.

"Do you have - like - trust issues?" I frowned. I know I was being too blunt, but I wanted to understand him!

"Why do you always get to the point." he said in a light tone, rubbing his eyes with his hands.