GHOST SQUAD

CHAPTER 41-DREAM

Tristan had only gotten a few distance away when two things happened. First, he ran out of breath which made him realize that he was way out of shape. Or that he was now way older than he had once been.

Second, was that something buzzed in his pocket. He rested his hands on his knees, catching his breath. Then, he dug into his pocket and brought out a small phone. How the hell had that gotten there? He turned the phone around only to realize it was Knave's call. 

Tristan pressed the green button and spoke, "Did you put a phone in my pocket?" 

"You're welcome," Knave replied. It was pretty noisy on his end but Knave spoke loudly enough for Tristan to hear him. A bit too loud. "So, where are you off to?"

"Uhh," Tristan hesitated. "Aria?" He wondered if Alice had told him anything.

"Cool," He replied. "I'd love to see how you'd reach her without an address." Tristan heard Alice's voice in the background but could not make out her words amidst the noise. Knave chuckled, before giving out the address. 

"Thanks, Knave," Tristan said, cursing himself for his stupidity. 

"See ya!" Knave replied, hanging up.

Tristan stood still for a minute, deciding his next course of action. Not wanting to screw things up further, he tried to calm himself and headed up to the nearest taxi stand.

Of all the places Tristan imagined Aria could be, he had never imagined finding her in the park. She had never seemed that type. Then again, it had been years since he last saw Aria and people changed.

What surprised him even more was that instead of the benches, Aria had chosen to sit in her Ferrari. His Ferrari. It looked rusted and old because it was, but still well-maintained and just how he remembered it. A sudden wave of happiness rolled through him. He was confused as to whom he was more happy to see. Aria or his car? The answer was painful, yet clear—the former.  

As he approached the love of his life, he felt as if he had just touched a live wire. He felt alive and dead at the same time. Part of him was dying to run to her, while the other part remained conflicted as to whether or not she still loved him. Pushing aside all his thoughts, he made his way further.

Aria's head rested on the headrest. If she were not squeezing and releasing her stress ball, Tristan would've been fooled into thinking she was asleep. 

Aria kept her eyes closed even as Tristan sat in the passenger seat. Once he was settled, he turned to face her and waited. His heart beating a thousand miles.

"You really thought it was wise to leave Alice alone at this hour?" Aria asked, not even turning her head.

 Tristan said nothing. He was too busy catching up on seeing how familiar yet different she looked. Her features were still pretty much the same. However, there were a few lines on her face that reflected her age. He wondered if he looked the same.

"Cat got your tongue, Knave?" Aria asked, and this time, she opened her eyes and turned to face him. 

Tristan saw her expression change from curiousness to wonder. From shock to disbelief. From sadness to joy. Tears started pooling in her eyes.

She swallowed hard. "Tell me, is this real?" She asked, sounding desperate. "Are you really here?" The pain in her voice was raw enough that it clawed at his heart. Not to mention how she was looking at him. She looked like she was trying hard not to blink, as if that might somehow make him disappear.

Tristan had to clear his throat to form words. His own emotions were on a free rollercoaster ride. "Why won't it be?" 

Tears were now flowing from her eyes. "I have dreamt this dream many times for it to break," She reached out and touched his cheek. He closed his eyes, lost in her touch. "Can you please come out of the car?" She asked.

The sudden request caught him off guard. "Excuse me?"

She let out a little laugh which reminded him just how much he had missed that soft tone of her laugh. "I want to hug you properly," She replied.

That made him laugh. Without another word, he did as asked. She followed suit. They stood opposite each other now. 

"I never gave up hope, you know," Aria said. "I always knew you'd come back to me!"

"I had to," He said. "I had made a promise."

She nodded. "Besides, life can't be that cruel, can it?"

"I think me being here answered that question," He said.

A tear escaped from her eye. "You know, I have dreamt of this so many times and I have always known what I would do, but now that it's actually happening, I find that I have no clue of what to do!"

"Perhaps, you could start by doing what you said in the car?" He suggested.

She laughed now. A real laugh. Then, she threw herself against him, grabbing him in a tight hug. He did the same and all his emotions came crashing forward. He started crying. 

"My mother..," He cried. "She's...," He held onto her tightly. 

"I know," She whispered. "It's going to be okay, I promise!"

He believed her. It will get better now that she said it. Everything will be okay now that he has her.

"I feel like I'm a twenty-year-old boy stuck in a thirty-year-old body," Tristan admitted. They were sitting in the backseat of the Ferrari. 

Aria, who was resting her head on his shoulder, looked up at him. "FYI, you're thirty-three but yeah, I think I get you."

"You're changed," Tristan said, trying to wrap his head around this new reality. One where they were no longer teenagers trying to find their way.

"Of course I changed, Captain Obvious!" Aria teased. "I'm not Mendaline,"

"I'm glad!" He said.

They were silent for a while, before Aria called out, "Tristan?" 

"Mhm?" He answered, taking her hand.

"What now?" She asked.

"Now we get married, I guess?" He admitted, surprising her as well as himself with such abruptness.

Her answer made it clear that they were both sailing on the same boat. "We have already lost a lot of time, so I don't see why not," She looked at him. "You don't happen to have a ring on you, do you?"

She almost sounded hopeful. "Do we even need a ring?" He replied. "It's the emotions that matter."

"It's a yes from me!" She said, sounding determined.

Tristan laughed. He was about to reply, when his/Knave's phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket to see Knave calling again. "Yup?"

"Are you with Aria?" He asked.

 Tristan could hear Charlie and Mendaline bickering in the background. "Um, yeah?" He replied, looking at Aria, who looked on expectantly.

"So is marriage on the cards?" He asked. Tristan could almost feel him smirk.

"Just get to the point, Knave!" Mendaline chided.

He chuckled. "I'm texting you the hospital address, better come soon and see your niece!" With that, he cut the call.

Tristan tried to compose himself. Excitement and happiness surged through him, making it hard for him to remain seated.

Aria must've gotten the hint since she asked, "Alice?"

Tristan nodded. "We're the Uncle and Aunt to a baby girl!"

Aria squeaked in delight. Without wasting another second, she hopped onto the driver's seat. "Strap yourself, I'm driving!"

Tristan did as asked, and they rode off to what he believed was a new future for everyone.