(𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘)

Even though Dante was buying narcotics for a friend, I wasn't entirely sure of my feelings about it.

When I approached the front door I rang the doorbell, I realised her parents weren't home today but her car was in the driveway.

After a few moments the door opens, she's wearing a white long sleeve button-up shirt, and a short black skirt, a really short skirt.

Without saying a word, she takes hold of my hand and drags me inside before shutting the door.

She drags me up the stairs to her bedroom while remaining silent, then she shuts the door once more.

"You got home fairly early from your brunch," I mutter.

"Yeah, Tabitha started feeling nauseous," she informs me.

"Is she okay?" I inquire.

"Mhm, she's with Kate at the manor," she tells me. "But I need to talk to you about something,"

She stands in front of me and sighs loudly as I take a seat in her chair. I see her start to fidget with her fingers, but she covers them by putting them behind her back.

She begins, "I've been feeling pretty bad about what happened to Josh."

"Olivia it wasn't your fault—"

"No listen," she cuts me off, "Just listen,"

When I notice a slight crack in her voice, I can start to understand why she was so silent when I first arrived.

She murmurs, "Josh didn't deserve this, and I know we didn't mean to hurt anyone, but we did,"

"But if us together makes people want to end their lives, maybe," she pauses.

I am well aware of what is about to be said, even if I do not want to hear it or acknowledge it; I know she's gonna say it.

"Maybe, we shouldn't be together any longer, Tristan,"

I have to swallow the lump in my throat before speaking, "Is that what you want?"

"I just want what's best for Josh," she laments.

"That's not what I asked," I tell her. "Is that what you want?" 

She closes her eyes, avoiding my gaze as she says, "Yes Tristan,"

I don't believe her, but I knew better than to pry. I don't display any emotion because my walls are re-building under this very relentless pressure, faster than I can allow my brain to trigger any emotion.

"Fine" I reply.

That's all I say, but that's all I want to say. I want to scream, I want to tell her we can still be together and help Josh, but I can't. I can't promise her something I can't guarantee.

I want to give her a hug and reassure her that there is a solution and that things can be different. But I can't because my brain won't let me, despite the fact that my heart is screaming at it to give it some control.

"I'm sorry," she says. Her voice has a faint cry, and when I hear it my heart stops briefly, hurting my chest the slightest bit before it resumes normally.

I try so hard to comfort her, but my body prevents me from doing so, I am internally struggling to tear down the barriers that are keeping me in as I claw at the hard surface to be allowed out. However, I fail because I leave.

I simply walk out of her room, and out of the house, leaving her. My body wouldn't let me turn around, my heart ached physically, and I couldn't do anything about it. Perhaps Josh was correct. I was just like my brother. Running away from my problems.

── ·✩· ──

My heart feels still, it's felt that way for the last three days. Much more so considering that it hasn't been used in those prior three days.

I never thought I'd be back to this point, feeling sick after a breakup. My brain kept replaying my walking out on her, showing her that I didn't care to fight for what we had. I would go to her house today but I can't move.

The best way to relieve stress is to cry, and I haven't done that. Instead, all of that guilt, anxiety, and struggle has just been stuck inside of me. It's begging me to let go, but I can't.

I remain silent on my bed after hearing a knock and say, "It's open."

I watch as my mother walks in with a worried look on her face, "Tristy, you have to get up," she tells me and I shake my head in response.

"Mr Garcia invited us to dinner at his house, he said he hasn't seen you in a while, he's worried," she tells me.

She hasn't told them yet.

"When you go, tell him I'm fine," I mutter then turn myself away from her.

"Tristan, you are going I don't care how you feel, I allowed this for way too long,"

"Wyatt will bring your clothes and when I come back you better be dressed," she tells me before she walks out.

Just a few minutes later, Wyatt enters my room.

"Mater Tristan, your clothes are here," Wyatt tells me shortly after bringing them and hanging them up for me. I give them a quick glance before looking away.

I hear Wyatt sigh before feeling the bed dip in, "Master Tristan, you remember Claire?" he mutters.

"You recall how much you held yourself responsible for what happened?"

"Don't talk about her," I warn.

"She's the source of all of your problems," he states.

"She has nothing to do with this," I tell him.

"You've blamed yourself for everything after that incident," He pauses, being very careful with his next words "I believe you think you don't deserve love, so you're gonna let something good go to waste," he mutters.

"I'm not saying go beg for her to take you back, but just don't let what's there vanish before you can rekindle it," he says.

I remain silent as I watch him get up and walk out the door. I think about it for a while then I look at the clothes once more before sitting up.

I stand up and dress. I totally remove the tie and roll up the sleeves to my elbows. I wore the black button-up shirt that came with the suit, but instead of suit trousers, I wore black jeans.

I go downstairs and there I see Kate, she wore a short black dress with a slight slit by the thigh.

"You clean up nicely," she tells me with a reassuring smile, "Ready to see Olivia again?"

I gave a tentative nod. But just hearing her name caused my heart to begin to beat for the first time in three days.

When my mother enters the room, she is wearing a dress that resembles Kate's but is longer and in her favourite colour, red. I can't help but smile a little bit.

Just then I stop, "Where's Dante?" I ask and Kate shrugs.

"He hasn't come home since Thursday," my mother says.

That's the day he dropped me off at Olivia's.

"He texted me saying he'd be spending the weekend with a friend, he'll be home by Monday," Carlos chimes in.

I enquire, "Of all people, he sent it to you?"

"Can we all try to respect each other for this one night?" my mom asks.

I look at her and nod, "Of course,"

── ·✩· ──

I was preparing what I'd say and how I'd act as we drove here, but as I pull into her driveway, I feel my stomach plummet.

I have nothing in my head, it's blank, the one time I want my brain to work it doesn't.

I experience fear as an unexpected sensation overtakes me. It feels like a cold sensation in the back of my neck, though I'm not entirely sure why.

I didn't know whether to anticipate her to be in her room curled up or to find her there acting normally as if nothing had occurred.

Why wouldn't she explain to her parents what happened?

"Tristan, reality check, we're here," Kate says, dragging me out of my drowsy thoughts.

"You sure you're okay?" she asks.

I pull a small smile and nod a bit, "I'm fine," I tell her.

I wasn't certain I was fine, but I knew I would be.

We walk towards the front door and my father knocks.

After a brief moment, the door opens revealing Olivia's mom. She has the brightest smile on her face and it makes me of all people smile back, genuinely.

She pulls me into a big hug, "It's so good to see you," she says as she releases me.

"All of you," she states before welcoming us inside.

"Tristan," Mr Garcia says to me as I enter the house.

"Haven't seen you in a few days, everything okay?" he asks, wiping his hands into the kitchen towel.

"Yeah, everything's fine," I say.

If it's one thing the Garcia family did is made me feel welcome, and welcome to stay here any night, they make me feel as though I'm their son. This is probably strange to say but that's how it feels.

"Olivia's up in her room, you can go up, we'll call you guys down when dinner is ready," he says and I nod.

It's only been three days, yet I can already feel my jitters beginning as I climb the stairs. Perhaps it's from my heart racing so quickly, or perhaps it's from the anxiousness coursing through my body.

── ·✩· ──

𝗼𝗼. ⁞ 𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐒 !

Hey guys, that concludes chapter forty-six, I can't say I hoped you guys liked it because I literally broke up my characters. But Chapter forty-seven is coming soon.

Don't forget to comment your feedback and vote.