Sweet Dreams

Chapter 13: Some Look

I grab my shoes and take off my socks. I don't want them soaked or stained. I almost forgot about them.

"You ready?" Tristan asks as he turns the van off. "Yeah." I answer.

I climb out the van and enter a down pour. My hair is drenched by the time we make it to the porch. Tristan knocks lightly, and a figure stands infront of the door.

"It's Tristan." he says and the person on the other side unlocks the door and opens it. I can't quite see what they look like, but I know they're shorter than me and a little bigger. I'm guessing it's his friend.

Once inside, lavender kicks my nose and dim light shows their face. She has bright blue eyes and thick, brown hair. She has a ring in the middle of her nose like a bull. But she's beautiful.

"Chris, this is Ryley. Ryley, this is Christina. Shes with me, long story. "

She nods her head and she looks like she wants to say something. "Why the suprise visit?" I guessed right.

Tristan switches his weight from his left leg to his right."It's a long story. I'll explain to you later, if we can stay here that is."

"Of course." she whispers. " Just have to be quiet because my mom needs rest. She just got back from treatment."

Tristan looks at his shoes and bites the inside of his cheek. My stomach turns. I know the feeling.

"I'm sorry about your mom." I blurt. She looks at me and I feel her piercing eyes shoot through my skin.

"You can sit." she says after clearing her throat. Tristan falls into a couch behind him.

"I'm wet." I say.

"It's fine. Go ahead." I sit next to him, probably too close.

"I'll be right back." she gets up and walks behind us, down a hallway I assume.

"Are you okay?" he asks. "Is this good for the night?"

"Yeah." I say. I'm ready to relax.

She steps back into the living room with towels draped over her arm. She hands me one and then to Tristan.

"Thank you," I say as I take it. I wipe off my face and take down my hair to dry it. It unfolds into ringlets as I take it out the towel. I look up and meet her eyes. She gazes into mine.

"Um, is it cool if I take a shower?" Tristan asks, breaking the silent stare.

"Yeah, go ahead." she looks down and stands up. She walks with him down the hall and I hang the towel over the couches arm.

When she comes back, she has another towel and sets it where Tristan sat. She sits on it and pulls her hair over her right shoulder and pulls her knees to her chest.

"So, what happened? I know you don't know me, but I also know Tristan will exaggerate. Its safe for you to tell me, I promise." she smiles. I look down into my hands as they start to tingle.

"Um," I cleary throat."Well, I was invited to a party. I don't really remember what happened there or why we left, but I woke up at a house that wasn't mine. And he was there and said we had to leave because it," she shifts her body to where shes completely on the couch, and her hands drop to her ankles. Her knuckle grazes my thigh. "He never told me why or what happened the night proir, just that he was taking me home. But I couldn't go home. " I continue, " So we are currently 'running' if you will."

She stares blankly at my hands as they dig into my leg. I look up," If you don't mind me asking, why couldn't you go back?"

My feet go numb and my chest burns. I've been trying to let go what happened, or why but this, the reason we're leaving is because of what was going on. It's hard thinking about putting in words of what happened. But I know I'm away, and I'll never go back.

"My father," I swallow air. My throat gets dry as I feel the next words threaten tears to my eyes. " He wasn't right after we lost my mother. "

I find my head drop to the floor and I try sucking the tears that manage to escape back in.

"You don't have to continue. I know it's hard explaining trauma, especially when you've just left it. I don't know what you've been through," If she only knew..." But it's over now." she smiles openly and she touches my hand. Its warm and gives my left arm goosebumps.

"Yeah." is all I can say. I don't want to think about it. I need it out my head. I need it gone. But saying it won't make it go away no matter how much I want it to.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

I nod my head.

"Do you need anything? " Just as she finishes, Tristan walks behind her. He sits in the chair she did earlier.

"You can get out those wet clothes if you want. " she says. Tristan looks at her. She doesn't look away from me. I feel tension rise as I glance up at him. Its dark, but I can feel his expression.

"I don't have any other ones."

"You can use some of mine." She gets up and Tristan's eyes follow her as she guides me down the hallway. We walk into a dark room with the only light being a purple light attached to the ceiling. It makes the room glow, but only certain colors. Images flash by my mind of the party and how the walls and ceiling looked. Just like this.

She walks to a dresser and pulls out clothes that glow under the light.

"Here." she gives me the clothes. " I can wash your clothes."

I say thanks and then walk into the bathroom. Tristans clothes also lay on the floor. "Wow." I roll my eyes and grin. I grab his and put them with mine. I turn on the hot water. It feels absolutely amazing as it heats my cold skin. I close my eyes and let it run off my face down my neck and stomach. Its the first time in a while that I open my eyes and see clear water, not diluted red.

I wash my hair and body and soak in the scolding shower. I can't believe I'm in a strangers home, washing away my mind.

After a while, I finally step out and dry my body. The cool air suspends my pores. I get dress, but find myself looking into the mirror. I realize she probably hasn't seen my scarred hands. I hope she doesn't freak out like most people...

I grab Tristan and my clothes and step out the bathroom as I turn off the light. I step out and see Ryley crouched on the floor infront of her room.

I try acting like I didn't see her, but she looks up and stands, wiping her eyes.

"I'll take those. " She says as she walks up to me. I hand them to her and wait for her to return. When she does, she grabs my hand and takes me into the room we were in earlier. Once in, she closes the door.

She wipes tears off her face again. I wonder if Tristans asleep.

"I'm sorry, Christina." she says. My stomach turns and I swallow.

"Why?" I ask, trying to sound calm.

She looks down and I do too, I notice her hands on mine. I hurry and pull mine from under hers and put it into my lap.

"I tried to make him stay," I furrow my eye brows. I clear my throat," What do you mean?"

"He left. And he said he won't be back." she connects eyes with me. I feel like a weight in my stomach falls that I didn't know was there.

"What?" I ask too bluntly. "Tristan? He left?"

"Yes. He said he couldn't get caught with you because he would be taken away for kiddnapping. I'm sorry."

My painful tears blurry my vision. I stare into the empty air and forget to blink until my eyes burn.

She breaks my thoughtless gaze by touching my wrist.