Tristan: Mine, all Mine Book 2(Mature 18+)

Chapter 10

Serenity opened the rickety back door and poured the dirty water from the mop bucket into the yard. The grass had gotten too high and desperately needed cutting. She was not looking forward to that task. No way in hell was she doing it today. It was too damn hot.

"The walls are closing in on me," Tristan was singing to the lyrics of the song 'Melting Away/Heartbroken', "I feel like my heart is shattering. I was so stupid to let you get away... I should've fought harder for you to stay..."

"Gotdamnit!" she said as she slammed the back door and rushed back to her room. She shut the stereo off with her foot and flopped herself down on her bed. She put her hands to her head and screamed her aggravation.

She wanted him. Needed him. She wished she could call him. She needed to talk to him. She wanted to see him. She wanted to ask him questions. She needed him to tell her that it mattered. That she mattered. That he was drowning in unexplainable emotions just like her.

She rubbed her eyes and miserably moaned. She wished she could go to sleep but it was too fucking hot. She needed to escape. She wished she could call Kara but she didn't want to speak to her. Fuck Kara. Kara had been so disrespectful. She didn't deserve any of what her best friend had said to her, none of it. No matter what her feelings were about Tristan or what she'd done. Still, she sure could use a listening ear right now. She wished she had more friends.

Her eyes snapped open as she heard her phone ringing in the living-room. Could it be?

She shot up from the bed and raced to the living-room. She dug her phone out of her purse and sighed with disappointment when she saw who was calling. It wasn't Tristan, of course. Or Kara. It was Leon, her mother's boss. What the fuck did he want?

She pressed the answer button and answered. "Hello?"

"Ren?" he spoke in that unmistakable gruff, Southern tone.

"Hi Leon," she said as she fell back on the sofa. She rubbed her throbbing temple and cleared her throat. "What's up?"

"I'm calling from the restaurant. Your mother's here babe."

Serenity's heart jumped with relief and she cautiously sat up on her side. "She is?"

"Yeah. She's not doing too good."

Of course she wasn't. Hopping up from the couch, Serenity went around the living-room and kitchen, closing the windows. She grabbed her keys and purse and made her way to the door, locking it on her way out. "What's the matter?"

"Someone put their hands on her Ren. Someone beat her up real bad."

*******

The walk to the restaurant was the longest walk Serenity had ever taken in her life. It took only ten minutes to get there on foot but today it took her nearly twenty. Her feet felt like they were weighted down with bricks of stone. Her heart felt like it would burst out of her chest. A panic attack threatened to grip her and seize her in place. But she kept moving. She had to get to her mother.

Upon reaching the plain, one-story brick building with the flashing 'Leon's' sign out front, Serenity stood outside the door for minutes, gripping the metal handle so hard she was surprised it didn't fall off. She was scared shitless of what she'd find once she went inside. How bad did her mom look? Would it be as bad as last time?

Exhaling slowly, Serenity pulled the heavy glass door open and went inside. She looked around the restaurant in search of her mother. It was an unusually slow day for the diner. Normally by this time, the place would be crawling with rambunctious teens and business people who'd just gotten off work. There were a few people peppered throughout but the activity was low. She was grateful for that. Despite being an addict, her mother was a proud woman and wouldn't take too kindly to being a sideshow for patrons.