TROUBLED || thirteen reasons why

059.

Tristan's leg bounces as she sits at the police station. Clay has been in holding for an hour, and Tristan's patience is wearing thin. The girl sits between Justin and Lainie Jensen as they wait for Dennis to return from the interrogation room and tell them what is going on. 

Tristan's back pocket vibrates and she quickly retrieves her buzzing phone before looking back to her family, "I'll be right back, It's Zach."

The girl steps outside and answers her call, "Hey, what's going on?"

There isn't a voice on the other line for a moment, just deep, shaky breaths, "Tristan I... I need to talk to you. It's important."

"What?" Panic starts to rise inside Tristan. 

"Will you- Tris, please. Meet me at my house."

"Yeah," She nods into her phone as her feet pace outside the police station, "Okay, I'm on my way."

She hastily walks into the lobby and stops in front of her brother, her eyes full of panic, "I need to leave, can I have the keys?"

Justin's brows furrow, "What's wrong?"

Her eyes flick to Lainie who looks towards the two with concern, "Nothing, I just need to see Zach... His leg is hurting and his mom isn't home. I just need to make sure he's okay."

"Go ahead, sweetie," Lainie speaks up, nodding at Justin to hand over the car keys, "We'll let you know if anything happens here."

"Thank you." Tristan says as she grabs the keys from her brother's hand and rushes out the door.

Zach Dempsey sits outside his house when Tristan pulls up. His head is in his hands as Tristan approaches him and she sits on the brick steps next to the boy.

"Zach," She breathes. He looks at her and she sees the redness in his eyes. He's crying.

"I can't do this anymore, Tris." The boy blinks away the tears in his eyes and Tristan watches them fall down his face.

"What are you talking about?" Her voice is quiet.

Zach's eyes meet her's, "I have to tell someone."

Tristan's breath hitches in her throat and she shakes her head, "Zach, we don't know-"

"It's tearing me up inside," Zach chokes, "I feel so guilty..."

Tristan's stomach churns. She is terrified.

"I don't know what to do, Tris."

Tristan sits on the gymnasium floor, stretching her muscles as she grabs ahold of her foot. The other cheerleaders are doing the same or tightening their bows in their hair, anything to keep busy while Allie talks to their coach.

"Okay ladies, huddle up!" Allie shouts, the girls quickly oblige and circle around their captain. Allie smiles, "This is the biggest game of the year, girls, so we need to bring our all. We need to keep the energy up all four quarters! We've worked too hard on our routines too just half ass this game. I know we have the talent, so let's show those Hillcrest girls who's squad is better!"

The girls cheer and laugh as they start to grab their stuff and move to exit the gym and onto the field. Caroline and Tristan walk to the bleachers to grab their cheer bags, when Tristan's eye catches a glimpse of someone. Her heart sinks.

"Hey, I'll meet you out there," She smiles at Caroline, "I'm going to fill my bottle up."

"Okay, be quick or you won't hear the end of it from Allie," Caroline jokes as she jogs out of the gymnasium, leaving Tristan to wrap her arms around herself and look to the floor.