Crushed (Torn #7)(50)

I admired that trait about him, that he didn’t have a filter. He didn’t hold back when it came to Trista and how much he adored her, no matter how annoying she could be when she didn’t know how to shut her mouth. I supposed that was when you knew it was true love—when a man could love you amidst it all. What more could a girl want?

“I’m glad she’s back, too. It’s good to have someone to bitch to about something, you know? We’re both selfish, aren’t we?” I beamed at him, slightly laughing at ourselves just as Trista strolled into the kitchen with her wet hair tied into a tight bun atop her head.

“I feel like shit,” she declared, giving us a look that shut us both up from our laughter. “But more importantly, I feel like shit because some guy kissed me on my last night in Athens, and I didn’t tell you about it.” Her sorrow-filled face was now openly directed to Taylor who seemed composed yet speechless about what his girlfriend had just confessed out of nowhere.

Okay, I thought to myself as I watched this episode play before me. I wasn’t sure if Taylor was about to combust in anger or if Trista was going to burst into waterworks; however, I felt flighty while, at the same time, my stems were frozen on the spot.

“What else happened, Trista?” Taylor used a cautious tone, though it took a lot out of him to say the words aloud.

My head said this should be discussed between the two of them, without me watching the drama play out, while my mouth watered at the smell of Mongolian Beef that had been wafting it’s aroma from the moment the cute delivery boy had dropped it off. In the end, biting the bottom of my lip, I mumbled an excuse about needing to dash to Carter’s house, but I didn’t think the two even heard me or noticed that I exited the kitchen.

Once out of the house, I took a deep breath before grasping my phone just as my legs directed me towards my destination—back into Brody’s arms.

Maybe for another night…

Sighing, I wasn’t sure what to think of the scene I had witnessed back there. Whatever Trista had done, I knew they could overcome it. I mean, those two adored each other, and it wasn’t like it was premeditated or intentional. Knowing Trista, she’d probably had a little too much to drink before some cute guy decided to kiss her, tongue and all. There was nothing to worry about, really. Those two were solid; I was sure of it.

About a couple of minutes into my trek towards Brody’s place, I was taken aback when I saw him leaning against the side of the entrance door to the house, animatedly talking to Joanna with no one else around.

I stopped, taking in their interaction together, all the while feeling as though he was stabbing me with each word he spoke to her, with the smile he granted her.

Numb inside, I had nothing else to do but retrace my steps back home before I found myself sitting on the steps in the front of the house, wondering what I had done by leaving him without a word this morning.

It was typical Brody move, though, wasn’t it? Move on to the next chick as if nothing happened the night before, as if he hadn’t f*uking showed me the world last night.

Thank f*uk I didn’t buy into his shit.

That’s right, thank f*uk.





Chapter Twenty-Six





The next day was a dull affair with Trista only making it out of her bed to drink and nibble on whatever her hands could grab before heading back to sleep. I wasn’t sure if it was due to jet lag or if she was trying to avoid me, or anyone for that matter. She probably was going through a lot from her fight with Taylor the night before. However, I persistently made sure she knew I was there if she needed someone to vent to.

With Trista out of commission on her first day back in town, I had to attempt to fill my day with menial things just so I didn’t reach out to my phone and send Brody a rant of a text.

After last night, I was overwhelmed by my reaction and the emotions that came with it. Sitting outside the house as I calmed myself down was … Well, it was aggravating. It took about an hour before I had finally had my fill of staring idly at the cement on our walkway then decided to go inside and head towards the bedroom. Given the silent state the house was in last night, I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad sign.

They were still in the kitchen when I came back, so when I woke up with no Taylor and no sign of Taylor’s car anywhere, I knew he was royally pissed. I mean, he was the type of a guy that was possessive and all, but he didn’t need to be dramatic and leave Trista sulking.

I had tried to entice her to get out of the room, talk to me even, but she wasn’t budging. Instead, I decided to let her be; as a result, when Cooper called for some barbeque party they were having, I sort of felt I needed to go there just to show Brody that I was fine with everything. Because I was, wasn’t I?

After witnessing him flirting with Joanna outside his house, there wasn’t much to be said, really.

It didn’t take me long to get ready. Barbeque parties, to me, didn’t need cakey full-on makeup or any of that full volume hair. For shindigs like these, I liked to be simple. I thought the main thing was to have healthy looking skin during the summer months, so scrubbing and buffering with a good, dry oil applied on a lovely tan afterward was more quintessential than looking glammed up.

I was about to stroll out of the door when Trista’s sleepy voice stopped me.

“Where are you going?”

Swiftly, I spun around, smiling at the fact that she had taken the effort to pull herself out of her miserable bed. “Cooper’s having a barbeque. Wanna come with?” I wasn’t sure if she was up to being around people, yet it couldn’t hurt to ask. Maybe being out with old, familiar faces might cheer her up.