Dormant

Chapter 18

Trigger Warning: use of a homophobic slur and derogatory language.

Tristian

"It's not that easy, mom." I chuckle into the phone as it sits between my ear and shoulder, my hands running through my laundry pile for a shirt that isn't so wrinkled.

'Sure it is. You know what exactly you aspire to be! Find ways to portray that. I know you can do it, Tristian'

"Thanks for the encouragement." I shout into the phone as I throw a shirt over my hand. I quickly say my goodbyes to her and rush out of the apartment, not before giving Andy a kiss on the cheek.

I arrive at the library, searching for books to help me wrap my head around the fundamentals of photography. My fingers graze each color and texture of each row, searching for one the catches my eyes.

"Aha," I say in a low voice, gently pulling out the book from its row and taking a seat right where I found it.

I'm nose deep in a book when I get a sudden ping from an individual text message from Violet, telling me that they found Natasha safe and sound, no thanks to me.

I play with my bottom lip and instantly respond, trying to ease the sudden tension between her and I.

'I had things to do. We all did what we could. Glad she's safe, tell her I said hi?'

'Tell her yourself. She's finally sobered up.'

I growl under my breath and check out the book as fast as I can. I'm just going to check and see if she's okay, then leave.

I find myself standing outside Violet's rusty apartment door, tuning in on the amount of voices coming from inside.

Unfortunately for me, Violet is the one who opens the door. Instead of her usual blank expression, her eyebrows are furrowed and her stare is hard, which kind of intimates me but I'm careful not to let it show.

In a quiet but cold voice she says, "You can come inside."

The noise quiets down once I enter, and I wish I could just crawl inside of a hole and die.

Natasha is the center of attention with her ankle brace, laid back on a reclining chair. Next to her is the infamous Emelet, and the rest of the crew settled in the living room.

"Hi." I say awkwardly, feeling uncomfortable with everyone's eyes on me.

Everyone except for Natasha greets me with a one word response, and immediately brings all attention back to her.

I was really wishing it would be left at that, but Natasha's knew girlfriend feels entitled enough to take her first jab at me.

Her dark brown hair holds so much volume I kind of get jealous. "Finally nice of you to show up."

I frown, my eyes immediately meeting Violets. She shrugs, walking off into the bathroom to leave me hanging.

Great.

"I'm sorry, who are you again?" I chuckle humorlessly, digging my hands deep in my pockets. "You haven't even known Nat for a full week, yet you waltz in here thinking that you can—"

"Tristian, stop." Natasha warns.

She leans forward, as if she's ready to jump out of her seat any second. "Why are you even here? You didn't bother showing up when Natasha needed you the most."

I scoff, looking around the room and see that no one is quick to jump to my defense. No looks of sympathy, no urges for Emelet to stop.

"That's a really good question. And seeing how I'm very unwelcome here, I think I'm just going to leave." I'm out just as fast as I arrived, nearing the stairwell until I hear her call out for me.