𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 **𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐮𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫**

hard times

The school day went by too fast for Eloise's liking, she felt there was so much that she could have learned from. Eloise grabbed her bag from the floor of the last class and kind of stumbled out the entrance door. She gripped onto the railing and groaned as her hands shook. 

Eloise knew this wasn't a panic attack, she's felt those and they aren't the same, these shakes came from stress. She tightened her grip on the railing, causing the shaking to go onto her forearm. She groaned frustrated at this and let go of the railing suddenly and darted for the sidewalk. 

"Eloise, wait up," Tristan said, coming towards her with a couple of boys behind him. Eloise turned around aggravated and answered, "I'm walking home today." 

Tristan handed his keys to the boy nearest to him and said, "Great because I'm walking home today too, bring my car to my house, Danny." Danny, a tall dark skin beautiful boy, nodded at such and started towards Tristan's car. Eloise turned and walked onto the sidewalk.

"You know you seem very mad, but I'm afraid to ask why," Tristan said. Eloise looked at him and smiled, with this she put her arm through the space between Tristan's body and his arm. Tristan looked down at her with a smile and continued to walk on. Eloise eventually laid her head on his arm and Eloise said, "Did you wash the sweater?"

"Yeah, just over the weekend," he said, laughing at what he said with some pride. "Hm, it smells nice," Eloise said. Tristan smiled to himself then looked down at her and then at her house that was a lot closer than he remembered through walking. Eloise unlinked their arms and started for her doorway, but stopped looking back with a smile, saying, "Aren't you coming in, dumbass?" 

Tristan kind of jumped and ran to be next to her, saying, "I was just waiting on an invite, asshole."

Eloise laughed and pulled her house keys from her blazer and unlocked the door, walking in first. Then stopping a few feet from the open door, Tristan followed her gaze to see her father on his side, reeking of alcohol and puke on the floor, his breathing normal.

Tristan stood beside her and could see the water welling in her eyes but she quickly turned her head to look at the opposite wall and scratched her neck as her breath hitched. She blinked a couple of times and looked back at the floor. She handed her backpack to Tristan and said, "Start going upstairs and putting out our homework, I'll be up in like 10 minutes." 

The maid walks in to greet Eloise but is stopped by the awful sight on the floor, "Oh I'm sorry you had to see this, I'll clean it up right away."

"No, don't worry, I will. You should take the rest of the week off truly, and I'll ensure it's a paid vacation leave," Eloise said, staring at her father's body. 

"But-".

"Go, please," Eloise said, watching her father intently still. 

She started towards the kitchen and reached for paper towels, Tristan following her there, "I can help clean up, E, it's no biggie." 

"No it's fine, he's my problem, Tristan," she said finally getting a paper towel and heading back to the foyer. Tristan stopped her, sliding their backpacks to the floor and grabbing one of the paper towels. "We could finish it faster together, don't worry," Tristan said. 

Eloise looked back at him, "Oh my God, can you just let me handle it?" Tristan heard the pain in her voice and watched her lips quiver. Suddenly she lifted her hands to her eyes and let out a pained cry, Tristan tried to pull her into an embrace but she kept fighting it.

He kept on holding her back and head close and her pushes didn't phase him, until she stopped and her head was just buried into his chest. He could feel her tears hit his button down and pulled her even closer. She eventually let him go and he took that as her signal for him to also stop. She avoided eye contact with him and looked to the floor and said, "I'm gonna clean this up now." She turned and squatted near her father and wiped his clothes and his mouth. Tristan watched her tears stain her father's face and he squatted near her to clean up the puke.

"You know, my grandpa used to come in like this, I hated that he'd always come and ruin the important holidays and events," Tristan said. Eloise looked from her father to Tristan, and almost whispered, "He's gonna be gone in a couple of days anyways, so you won't have to worry about having to help me clean up this shit again." 

"Eloise, I don't mind it," Tristan said. 

Eloise didn't look at him or answer, she started to drag his body to the living room. Tristan ran to the garbage and sprayed the floor with Lysol, then ran to assist Eloise with her father's feet. 

He had no shoes on and filthy socks, both with a bunch of holes in them, they laid him down gently and watched as he shifted to a more comfortable position. 

Eloise wiped a tear from her face and grabbed both of their backpacks, starting up the stairs to her room.

Tristan followed along and sat down on her bed as soon as she opened the door.

"E," Tristan said.

"I'm sorry you had to see him like that, usually he cleans up better but I guess he had a bit too much fun," she said while unzipping her bag.