The One Who Grounds Me (Book 1) (EDITING) (Completed) √

Chapter Forty-One

Tiana

The next morning I dragged my small suitcase out of my room gingerly. Cathy was in the kitchen gulping down a glass of water. When I entered the hall, she turns around leaning her bottom against the kitchen sink.

Her eyes scrutinized my bags. "Never thought you would take me seriously yesterday." She said, po-faced.

"I'm not moving out."

"Oh? Then where are you going?" Cathy tightens her hold on the plastic bottle. "Don't tell me you're going on a romantic get away with that sex buddy of yours."

"You're incorrigible."

"Incorrigible with what? What do you expect me to say huh? You are never home these days! You're always off somewhere with that strange guy you met! What about me huh? I'm i not important!" She demanded, shaking her fingers at me accusingly.

"So what, this is all my fault?"

"Yes!"

"Cathy you've been acting like a fucking bitch for days now! You don't even talk to me. All you ever do is criticize and talk shit about me whenever I'm going out."

"That's because a scumbag like him doesn't deserve you."

"You don't even know who I'm dating! Jesus Cathy! I'm fucking tired of you breathing down my goddamn neck!"

"Breathing down your neck?! I ain't breathing down your neck. I'm just tryna look out for you!" She yells at me.

"Look out for me? If you were looking out for me then you wouldn't have jumped to conclusions!" I said starkly.

The cab driver honks his car downstairs.

Cathy clinch her fists. "I'm not jumping to conclusions."

"Yes you are! You just assumed that I'm leaving with my lover, which I am not! My fucking mother is lying in the hospital dying! I need to go back to Jamaica to sign a bunch of consent forms so that she'll be able to get the treatment she deserves! Or I'm probably going there to collect her dead body!" I snapped.

Cathy grimace. "Tiana...."

"Go fuck yourself." I said.

Grabbing my bags, I pulled them behind me as I stride out of the apartment. I heard something thuds to the floor. A few minutes later. I heard a painful wail escaped Cathy's lips. I didn't care. I have other shit that needs my attention.

One hour later

"Hey you alright?" Tristan asks one hour later. We were settled down in our seats, ready for take off.

I reclined on the uncomfortable seat. "I'm good. Just a little bit tired." I lied. Of course I wasn't alright. I can't help feeling guilty for what transpired between Cathy and I, a couple minutes ago. As much as I said i didn't care. I do care about Cathy. Just these past couple days she has been acting like a major bitch. I just don't know what she is thinking anymore. "Anyways why did you purchase tickets for first class seats?" I asked, turning my head to face him.

"I needed space to stretch my legs." He answers. He was engrossed, in the magazine he was reading.

"You could have gotten me a regular seating ticket."

"Nope. No way in hell. What's the use of having billions of dollars if I'm not gonna spend it?"

My head loll to sides. "This is probably three times the money I was gonna pay for my tickets."

"Stop whining. You gave me the go ahead remember."

"I did. But I never told you to purchase first class tickets!" I sputtered.

Tristan flips his magazine close. He turns his attention to me. Cupping my cheek, he pulls me in for a chaste kiss. My eyes fluttered close, when his lips touched mine. I could never get tired of kissing Tristan. He pulls away way too quickly for my liking. I grunted in protest. Tristan chuckles.

"You're so adorabubble!" Tristan gushed.

I pressed a kiss to his cheek, his five o'clock beard grazed my cheek. "Are you sure about this Tristan? You can still back out you know." I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

Tristan squeezes my leg. "Abso-fucking-lutely."

"You curse like a sailor you know that." I said, inhaling his fragrance.

"Pot calling kettle black."

"I'm doing no such thing." I tried pressing closer. But the arm of the chair, was keeping me at arms length.

Tristan's fingers began to rub my leg, soothingly. "Seriously, I've never been so sure about anything before." He said.

I pulled away. Meeting his eyes, he wasn't lying. I nodded my head. "Alright." I said after a moment of silence.

"Was Cathy alright with you, leaving?"

"I don't want to talk about Cathy." I said, moving away. I leaned back in the chair, staring straight ahead. I could feel his gaze still on me.

"Did something happen between you and Cathy?"

I gripped the chair arm. "Won't you let this go?"

"Nope."

"Tch!" I threw up my arms in surrender. "Fine okay! Cathy is upset with me.... I don't know what the fuck has gotten her panties in a twist but she hates the fact that I'm spending so much time with you."

"Wait she knows about me?"

"No.... she only knows that I'm seeing someone, she doesn't know that it is you."

"Oh?" Tristan said. I turned to look at him. Tristan's expression was impassive. I could tell he was hiding something from me. I could just feel it.

"Please take your seats, we are ready for take off." The air hostess said, over the microphone.

"Have you decided where you wanna stay?" Tristan asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"We can always stay at my mother's house. Not like anyone's there and it will save money." I said, tightly.

"We can always stay at an hotel."

"I don't want you wasting your money on me Tristan....." I rest my head on the back of my hand. ".... I'm not worth it."
"You're worth it. You should really stop downgrading yourself." Tristan said. His big hands covers mine.

You're the only one who thinks so highly of me.

😭 another chapter. I'm almost there. Aren't you proud of me? I've known these characters for months! Soon I'll have to say goodbye to them.... No! No! 😭😭

Planning to publish my cast lists and a authors note. Stick with me pumpkins!