Marked Since Birth

Chapter 3

Something felt off. Tristan felt... Off. He was different, that's for sure, but it wasn't just that. It was a mix of things. I sighed and focused back on what I was doing at the moment. Pedaling. Focus on breathing. Focus on the road. Focus on the buildings passing by in a blur.

Street after street, building after building, car after car pass by me. I keep it going. I like the feel of my heart beating out of my chest. My pulse quickening, but my breath staying in check. I could only keep going for so long.

The park came up within a matter of a few minutes, and I had to stop. People were staring, but I didn't care. I dropped to the grass, my bike landing the opposite way, and laid there. I'm not sure for how long, but eventually my phone buzzed in my pocket. Damn. I should have gotten Tristans number.

I checked my phone. Two new voicemails. One from Julie, and the other from Sharon. A caller ID suddenly popped up with Ryan face as the background. A simple message.

" get home now or else ill tell police you ran away AGAIN".

I sighed, and messaged him back " i'll be home at 2".

A few seconds later, a message came back. " fine. Not a min later".

I still stayed, laying there in the grass. The morning dew soaked the back of my shirt and into my hair. I couldn't go back. The voices in my mind and myself were arguing. Julie needs me. But i'll just get even more hurt. I can't get called on by the cops again. But they don't really need me. I can't leave Julie. But she doesn't need me. I need her. You don't deserve her. She's too innocent. But she can defend herself.

It wouldn't stop, the arguments. The back and forth voice chatter between me and my mind. There was no end to it. I finally had to just give up, let my mind win. Honestly, Julie could take care of herself now. And the fosters wouldn't give her away anytime soon. So, there was no use in me staying there. I was half tempted to just up and leave.

But, my mind jumped back to just an hour ago. The gunshot. The scream. The screeching tires. Then, the sirens of cops. The dead body in the grass. Only a yard away. A yard away from where Julie had stood.

I shook my head. I needed to head home. I grabbed up everything and checked the time. 1:45 p.m. Damn. I was gonna be just a little late... by 15 minutes. I was gonna have to call him. I was on the complete opposite side of town, and there was no way I was gonna make it back in time.

Before I put in the numbers, his face popped up on the screen. I picked it up. " you better be home in the 15 minutes i'm giving you". He said

" I didn't realize just how far I went. I'll be home about 15 minutes past 2. That alright with you?" I asked him. I heard his deep sigh. But, almost as if something inside him flipped, he was screaming over the phone, and I had to hang up to avoid anyone noticing.

I looked around to make sure, before pushing off and pedaling home.

This time, I was gonna take my time. I didn't care anymore. This time, they could wait for me. This time, the buildings weren't blurring together. Instead, they were simply moving past slowly. The cars were honking behind me, but I didn't care. Instead, I let myself drift on the roads. I let my tires roll freely, rather than pushing them to higher speeds. I let my mind drift back to that boy. To Tristain.

I had read plenty of stories on how people found their lover. From library books to school. Public bars to one night stands. There was even a couple that met when the husband had tried to rob his new wife. It was quite a story.

The man, Jake, had finished going through every app, every love shape ad, everything, and finally he gave up, saying that he was gonna rob someone and let himself get caught by the cops. It just so happened that the person he was robbing was his lover, Terry. When she dropped her purse and turned to pick it up, he saw the same mark as his on the back of her neck. He had dropped his gun and hugged her, crying and saying that he finally found her. She had been reluctant and asked to see, to simply make sure. Jake showed her, and she cried.

They both got married within that year, claiming they were perfect for eachother.

The only issue was, that man had his X on his stomach, and he had plenty of people chasing after him.

But, at 6:04 a.m this very morning, Jake was dead on the ground, his blood spilling from his stomach. He died looking out the street. He died seeing the people who shot him. He knew who they were.

I started thinking over everything.

Jake had died staring out at the street, which means he would have seen whoever shot him. So why hadn't he at least tried to run? Why had he been so close to Julie?

Either way, Jake lived across the street from us. He never really hid his past from us. He told us everything, from the drug runs he did to the one guy he had accidentally shot to get information out of.

That took me back though, to the "murder scene" that had happened at my home. Why hadn't Terry come out? Hadn't she been home?

I got home soon enough. 2:46 p.m. He couldn't be that mad.

The police tape was still around, and a few cops were hanging about as well, writing a few things on their notepads.

The garage opened as I came up the driveway, and there stood Ryan, arms crossed and foot tapping. He had that look that sent a shiver down my spine every time.

Looks like he could be that mad.