CHAPTER 7
~TRYSTAN~
“Where’d you go? The food’s getting cold.” Seth glanced around after Trystan excused himself, but he didn’t see who he was talking to. The diner was full of the dinner crowd and he could barely make out the top of Trystan’s head across the room.
“Nowhere,” he said. “Just thought I saw someone.”
Seth groaned, “Oh, God. Seriously? You’re on a fucking date.” Exasperated, Seth dug his fingers into his scalp before letting out a huff of air.
The blonde next to Seth recoiled a little, “What’s the matter? What’d he do?” She glanced around as she said it, and then looked back at Seth.
“I didn’t do anything,” Trystan said, ignoring his own date, who didn’t seem to care one way or the other.
“You didn’t tell her?” Seth scolded, his gaze narrowing on Trystan.
“No,” Trystan hissed. “Drop it.” He slouched back into the booth and put his arm along the top of the seat, not touching his date.
“I will when you stop acting like a lovesick dick. You can’t live like that, man. She’ll rip your goddamn heart out of your chest.”
Trystan held his temper in check. That was one good thing about having a father like his—he could hide his feelings so that no one had a clue. Trystan dropped his arm down onto his date’s shoulders. Grinning at Seth, he said, “Not planning on it. I’ve got Beth here—”
“Betsy,” the blonde corrected.
Trystan didn’t bother correcting himself. “—and nothing is distracting me from her beautiful face.”
Seth stared at him from across the table. A plate of half eaten food sat in front of him. The guy’s arms were wide, made to hit stuff. Trystan could tell that he pissed Seth off by looking for Mari, but when he heard her laugh, he had to see her. Trystan did it without thinking and didn’t plan on giving Seth, or anyone else, an explanation. Besides, he was gone less than five minutes. There was nothing to tell.
Seth’s tongue moved over his teeth under his lips, as his jaw tensed. “I thought you were into this,” he hissed, pointing at the girl next to Trystan.
“I am,” he insisted even though he wasn’t. He pulled the girl closer. “You guys go do your thing. We’ll do ours.”
Seth watched him for a moment. Uncertainty clouded his eyes. Or maybe that was lust. Either way, Seth was frozen in place. He wanted to keep Trystan from doing something stupid, but the girl sitting next to him was a sure thing. “You’re a pain in the ass, Scott,” he said and scooted out of the booth. Twin number one—Bess—followed. Bess and Seth threaded their fingers together. She leaned into him and threw her hip out, annoyed that Seth stopped again.
“You sure?” Seth asked.
“Leave,” Trystan urged. “We’re fine. Right, Betsy?” Trystan said, as he gently pushed a strand of golden hair away from her face. The girl giggled and nodded so furiously that Trystan thought her head might snap off. Turning back to Seth, he said, “See, we’re fine. Go.”
Seth didn’t need more encouragement. He took the check, paid, and left. It was the normal agreement. Trystan was fine being the wingman, if Seth paid the bill. He stretched and placed his arm over her shoulders again. This part was going to suck.
“So, what do you want to do?” she asked snuggling into his chest. Her fingers played with the collar of his shirt, slipping between the buttons.
Mari chose that second to appear at the door and looked over at them. His heart clenched tight, but he didn’t move. Instead they stared at each other. She was a million miles away, someone he’d never have. Katie’s warning was clear enough, even if it did embarrass Mari—keep away.
When his date’s lips landed on his neck, Mari shot him a disgusted look and walked out. Trystan pulled his date off his throat, but Mari was already gone. Katie watched her friend walk out the door and looked back at Trystan. The way Katie looked at him made his balls jump up into his body. That girl would castrate him, if she could. He stared her down, refusing to look away.
Betsy, Beth, or whoever she was seemed impatient. She pulled on his shirt front and grabbed Trystan’s face, pulling him to her for a kiss. Before the kiss connected, he saw Katie walk out. Betsy’s lips pressed into his, but they were cold and lifeless. There was no passion there. It was a kiss without feeling. Trystan didn’t want this, but Mari wasn’t his. She never would be. He peeled Betsy off his mouth and they slipped out of the booth, walking out the door hand-in-hand.
The rest of the night passed in a blur. After making out with Betsy, he walked her to her sister’s car in front of Seth’s house. She tried to talk Trystan into more, but he wasn’t interested. It was like part of him died. Trystan didn’t think a single girl could have such control over him, but if he couldn’t have Mari, he didn’t want anyone. And, to his horror, making-out with this girl didn’t help him forget. If anything, it made the realization that he didn’t have Mari more painful. Trystan didn’t know what to do. Part of him wanted to give up and give in—say yes to the beautiful woman in front of him—but her kisses left him hollow and cold. He could only image what sleeping with her would feel like. He ran his hands through his hair and walked away.
Frustrated, Trystan walked home alone. Carefully, he cracked open the front door and glanced around for his dad. The lights were still on, the TV blaring. Trystan slipped around the door quietly and saw his father passed-out on the couch.
Relief flooded through him. While he wished his dad would just snap out it, he knew that wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t a little kid anymore. This was his life. This was all there was. He stripped off his shirt as he walked back to his room, wishing he had his guitar. The weight on his chest felt like it was going to crush him.
Trystan closed his door and slid the new bolt shut before lying on his bed. He finally had time to think, time to rest.