Grievance: Volume 1 Read online

  Emmitt crashed onto the bed beside her with a box of Twinkies. “Share,” he said.

  “Share what?”

  “Whatever’s got you grinning so wide? Come on, a lesbian tale could do wonders for my health.”

  “You really are depraved.”

  “Hey, it’s either that or the other thing.” Emmitt brushed her arm and Tristin fought the urge to punch him.

  “Do you also proposition Connor when he comes over?” she asked.

  “He’s not my type.”

  “And you’re not mine,” Tristin said as her phone rang. It was Chelsea. She wanted to answer, but Emmitt needed her more.

  He took the phone from her and grinned. “There’s the call.”

  Tristin unwrapped a Twinkie and shoved the whole thing in her mouth. “I’ll talk to her later.”

  “Are you crazy?” Emmitt said before answering her phone. “Hey, Chelsea, it’s Emmitt.”

  What could she even say that would make Chelsea take her back?

  “I’ve been okay. Tristin’s been checking up on me, in fact she’s in the bathroom right now. I just answered because I knew she really wanted to talk to you.”

  Emmitt stared at her, looking puzzled. Whatever assurance she thought she’d found vanished the moment the phone rang.

  “I’m not sure how long she’s going to be. Can I have her call you back when she comes out? Okay, I’ll tell her.”

  Tell me what, Tristin thought. What if Chelsea didn’t want to speak to her? What if she had met someone else? All the scenarios running through her head made Tristin wonder if she was on the verge of having an episode of her own.

  “Talk to you soon, bye.” Emmitt handed Tristin back her phone.

  “What did she say?”

  “You sure you want to hear it?” Tristin nodded and Emmitt got up and tossed her bag toward her.

  “She wants to see you,” he said with a grin.

  Tristin should have been relieved. She wanted to able to look Chelsea in the eye and tell her that Brian was mistake, but she couldn’t. If Chelsea was willing to give her second chance she would never hurt her again.

  But she couldn’t just leave Emmitt, not after what she’d seen.

  “I’ll see her tomorrow.”

  “Don’t be stupid. Go. I’ll be all right.”

  “No.”

  “Remember that photo.”

  “That’s not going to work.”

  “Just go. Seriously, I’ll call Connor or Kristen to come hang out.”

  Tristin would have usually hated the idea of him hanging out with Kristen. Emmitt was her friend, not Kristen’s. Or at least that’s how Tristin saw it.

  “Call them,” Tristin challenged.

  “Right now?”

  “Yes. I’m not leaving unless one of them can come over.”

  Emmitt looked a little peeved, but he must have known she was serious because he grabbed his phone and started dialing.

  Tristin texted Chelsea to let her know she was on her way, while still keeping one eye on Emmitt.

  “Hey Kris, what are you up to?”

  “Hurry it up,” Tristin whispered.

  “Oh, that’s perfect. I was going to call him next and see what you two thought about hanging out.”

  “And sleeping over,” Tristin whispered.

  “And spending the night, if you want. You know, if you don’t already have plans.”

  Tristin was relieved when he grinned. Regardless of how she felt about her sister, she knew that Emmitt would be looked after.

  “Okay, cool. I’ll see you in a little bit. Oh, and can you bring food?”

  Emmitt hung up and Tristin punched him in the arm. “How come you can ask her so nicely to bring you food and I get threatened?” This was exactly what she was talking about. Everyone treated Kristen with kitten gloves, while Tristin was supposed to be tough as thorns.

  “I would have asked you too if you hadn’t taken a week to call me back.”

  “Whatever.” Tristin folded her arms.

  “Trist, you know I love you more than Kristen,” Emmitt said pulling her in for a hug.

  “You better, you jerk.”

  “Go and apologize to your girlfriend. And buy her flowers or power tools. I hear lesbians like those sorts of things.”

  “You’re such a butt,” Tristin said with a grin.

  She gave him a squeeze before heading for the window.

  Her palms were sweating by the time she reached her car, and it was only partly due to the heat. Facing Chelsea with the question lingering in her head was impossible and she knew there was only one person who could help her find the answer, Brian.

  Chapter Nine

  Connor/Tristin

  “Just because I said my day cleared up doesn’t mean I wanted to spend it playing DIY design with you,” Connor yelled as he moved Kristen’s dresser for the third time.

  Kristen came in with her phone in her hand. “We’re going to Emmitt’s.”

  “Who said we were going anywhere. I’ve got plans after this.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “So cancel them. Emmitt needs us.”

  “You go and I’ll come over after.”

  “What is up with you today?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Connor, you are moody as hell and you have been since you got here. I know it’s not about me, so spill it.”

  He thought about just telling her, but Kristen was so angry with Hannah for missing Ellie’s funeral that he didn’t want to bring her up. Plus, he didn’t want it to get back to Emmitt; he was upset enough.

  “It’s nothing. Can you just call Emmitt and tell him I’m busy?”

  “Call him yourself since you’re keeping secrets,” Kristen said, slapping her phone to his chest.

  She stuck her tongue out at him before leaving the room. Connor rolled his eyes and decided to send Emmitt a text instead. He would be too curious to know what Connor was doing, and he didn’t feel like lying.

  He looked up her call history and paused when he saw Hannah’s name. He peeked down the hall before scrolling through her texts. They had been texting for days and Kristen hadn’t said a word. Connor couldn’t believe Hannah would talk to Kristen before him, but he checked his ego and realized that Kristen could be his way of finding out what was going.

  “Hey Kris, I changed my mind. Let me finish tightening this frame and we can go.”

  Connor closed the door and blocked it with the mattresses before texting Hannah from Kristen’s phone.

  Hey, I’m heading over to

  Emmitt’s thought I’d stop

  by and say hi.

  He deleted the text from Kristen’s sent list and almost dropped the phone when it beeped with a reply.

  I’m not home, but I’ll

  text when I get back,

  if I’m free.

  Free. So she couldn’t have company if Sean was there, not that any of them could stand to be around him. Connor hurried to tighten the last few screws on Kristen’s bed frame and put the mattress on.

  “This is going to be fun. I’ve got action movies and we can stop for pizzas on the way,” Kristen said as she entered.

  “Sounds cool,” Connor said staring at her. Kristen the sneak, he thought.

  Kristen looking down at her top. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Nothing,” Connor said, tossing her phone to her. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

  ***

  Tristin had never ‘officially’ been to Brian’s house, but she’d driven by there a few dozen times since he started dating her sister. She rang the doorbell and adjusted the diamond “T” she wore so people didn’t confuse her with Kristen. Her mind was overrun with images of his potential reactions. She knew he would be pissed and she wouldn’t have blamed him if he took a swing at her.

  Footsteps approached the door, and Tristin’s stomach rolled one good time before
it opened. She wanted to see his face and feel nothing. Then she could pretend as though it never happened, but when she met his eyes, it was as if every moment before him never existed.

  “I’m Tristin,” she said, twirling her necklace.

  “I know. What do you want?” His sharp tone stung a little. She wasn’t delusional enough to think he’d greet her with a kiss, but after what they shared, she expected a little kindness.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not trying to trick you again. I just wanted you to know that what happened wasn’t about you and it meant nothing.”

  Tristin turned and walked away. It was the perfect lie and delivered masterfully. She felt victorious as she headed for her car.

  “Then why’d you say it,” Brian said, causing her to pause. “Why did you say you loved me?”

  Tristin had skipped over that momentary insanity. How could he even remember that, unless he was thinking about her too? Her mind ran with the possibility. It was manageable when she thought there was no chance of them ever being together again, but what if there was? She couldn’t do that to Chelsea no matter how much she fantasized about him.

  “When it comes to making my sister’s life miserable there’s no limit to what I’d be willing to do.” It was true, or it used to be. This whole thing had backfired, and for the first time, Tristin wished it had never happened.

  “Keep telling yourself that,” Brian said before slamming the door.

  Tristin had her answer, only it wasn’t the one she was hoping for.

  Chapter Ten

  Connor

  “This whole climbing through the window thing is getting old. Can’t you just convince your parents to add a door here?” Kristen asked as Emmitt pulled her through, while Connor carried their bags.

  He looked back at Hannah’s house and there was no sign of Sean’s truck. She was probably out with him. He was shocked she even replied to the text he’d sent from Kristen’s phone.

  He passed the bags to Emmitt and ran back to his car for the pizzas.

  “Tell me one of those is a buffalo chicken supreme,” Emmitt said as Connor made it back to the window.

  “You know it,” Connor said with a grin.

  “Just keep it away from me. It stinks,” Kristen said.

  “Thanks for bringing all this. I really could use the company,” Emmitt said as Connor helped himself inside.

  “Anytime. You know all you have to do is call,” Kristen said giving Emmitt a hug.

  “I was already heading this way anyway,” Connor said plopping down on the bed beside the window. Kristen climbed over him to sit in the middle. She grabbed one of Emmitt’s pillows and gasped as she snatched up the playboy hidden underneath.

  “Ew, is this pillow even safe to touch?” Kristen tossed the magazine to Connor, and he flipped through it.

  “I wasn’t reading that,” Emmitt blushed.

  Kristen hit Connor’s arm when he pulled down the centerfold. “Connor, I can’t believe you. Don’t become like Emmitt.” She snatched it out of his hands and tossed it to Emmitt.

  “What do you mean ‘don’t be like me’? I wasn’t even the one reading it. I had a friend over and they were looking at it.”

  Emmitt hid the mag behind his encyclopedias. Kristen sniffed the pillow and tossed it at Emmitt before climbing back over Connor. He scooted off the end of the bed to get away from her and the landmine of their past threatened to activate.

  “A friend, huh? Tristin was here, wasn’t she?” Kristen asked as her face reddened.

  “That makes sense,” Connor said opening the cooler and grabbing a Capri Sun.

  “Okay, she came by earlier and brought me breakfast,” Emmitt said.

  “Why didn’t you call me?” Kristen asked.

  “Because I needed to tell her how I felt about what she did.”

  “Over breakfast and porn?” Kristen asked. Connor laughed so hard juice came out of his nose. “If you’d rather hang out with her, you can just say so and I’ll go.”

  Connor watched Emmitt lure her back over to his side of the bed, and he reclaimed his spot by the window. Usually, he would’ve taken Kristen’s side, but he was still heated over her betrayal.

  “Kristen, you know I love you way more than Tristin. You’re the first person I thought of to come over,” Emmitt said.

  “Gee, thanks,” Connor murmured.

  “Dude, don’t fan the flame,” Emmitt said to him.

  Kristen still looked pissed. Connor couldn’t blame her. Emmitt was always playing the middle with those two. Tristin would’ve been kicked out of the group years ago, if Connor had anything to say about it.

  “If it makes you feel better, I ignored her in the diner,” Connor said.

  “See, I knew you were a true friend,” Kristen said cuddling up to him. “Thank you.” She pecked his cheek.

  “Speaking of true friends, Emmitt have you heard anything from Hannah?” Connor asked noticing how quickly Kristen shifted away from him. She was definitely hiding something.

  “No, but I’ve finally figured out a plan that could work,” Emmitt said wide-eyed. “I’ve been thinking about this for awhile now, and I don’t see why you can’t just grab her after school and bring her here. What do you think?”

  It was intriguing, if they could pull it off. It wasn’t like she was going to walk over on her own.

  “You can’t be serious,” Kristen said.

  “Oh, I’m serious,” Emmitt said.

  “Connor, tell him you can’t do that,” Kristen said hitting his arm.

  “So like if I parked my car near one of the side entrances, somebody could lead her there and I’d just grab her?” Connor asked.

  “Okay, now you’ve both lost it. You’re sitting here plotting how to abduct one of our friends.”

  “No. We’re talking about saving a friend, unless you know something we don’t,” Connor said.

  “Wait, what would she know?” Emmitt asked looking confused.

  “I don’t know. Kristen just doesn’t seem as concerned about Hannah as the rest of us. Maybe she’d like to explain why.”

  “I am concerned, but I’m not going to go kidnapping her just to ask her how she’s doing. Did either of you ever think about just walking across the street and knocking on her door?”

  “I’ve tried that,” Connor said. A week of chasing her had gotten him nowhere. At least with this plan he could look her in the eyes and ask her if she was all right. Though, deep down, he already knew the answer was no. People just didn’t up and shut their closest friends out of their lives for nothing and he could tell Kristen knew more than she was saying.

  Connor was losing his patience and the flashes of Hannah’s tears and Mariah’s facial burns only fueled him more.

  “You two are over reacting. When Hannah’s ready to talk to you, she will.” Kristen’s phone buzzed, and Connor looked out the window just as Hannah’s garage door closed.

  Kristen checked her phone and took a deep breath.

  “Important call?” Connor asked.

  “What? No. It’s nothing. What is with you today? You’ve been snapping at me ever since you showed up this afternoon.”

  “I wonder why.”

  “Um, I’m kinda wondering that too,” Emmitt chimed in.

  “I’m fine,” Conner said, feeling hot under the jaw. It annoyed him when people asked him that. God forbid if he wasn’t wearing a smile every damn second. “Can we just focus on the plan?”

  “If you two want to sit and plot out a way to ensure Hannah never speaks to either of you again, then count me out of this convo.”

  Kristen took the TV remote and scooted to the foot of the bed.

  “Fine,” Connor said coldly. “Emmitt, I think the call should come from you. If you told her you were at the school seeing about re-enrolling, she’d come and meet you and I could be there instead.”

  “But how would you get her in your car?” Emmitt asked.

  “I co
uld throw her over my shoulder. The real question is who’s going to keep Sean busy long enough for me to get her away?”

  “I might be able to enlist some help with that. Although, it would be a lot easier with a third set of eyes,” Emmitt said looking at Kristen, who was channel surfing.

  “I don’t want anything to do with this.”

  “Then why don’t you just get out!” Connor’s rage had reached a boiling point.

  “Connor, calm down,” Emmitt said as Kristen hit the power button and looked back at them. “Kristen, don’t mind him.”

  “No, I’m serious. If she thinks this is some kind of joke, she should leave.”

  “You know, I’ve tried to give you the benefit of the doubt all day, but now you’re just being a jerk,” Kristen said snatching up her purse.

  “Kristen, don’t go,” Emmitt said.

  “Let her ass go,” Connor said, causing both of their jaws to drop. Connor wasn’t a fan of profanity, but he was so pissed he couldn’t hold it in. He was willing to bet that call was from Hannah and the way he saw it, Kristen keeping their communication a secret was equal to helping Sean mistreat her. He was no friend to anyone who would do that, especially when it came to Hannah.

  He would totally have fought for Kristen if she were in that situation, but Hannah was his best friend. She was the one who was there when he was the short, squeaky-voiced geek no one knew existed, and there was no way he’d ever turn his back on her.

  Connor ignored the fact that Kristen looked like she was about five seconds away from crying. He had never been so angry at her, not even when she dumped him, but he couldn’t sit in the presence of a liar.

  “Dude, let me talk to you in the bathroom for a second,” Emmitt said to Connor.

  “Don’t bother.” Kristen said as she scooted off the bed. “I can’t even look at him right now.” She threw on her sunglasses and climbed out the window.

  Emmitt stared at him both confused and angry. Connor didn’t want to hear it. If Emmitt had seen Hannah that night, he would be just as upset, if not more.

  “Okay, one, how could you yell at Kristen like that after the week she’s had and, two, what are you on?” Emmitt asked.

  “I just—she’s lying. She’s been lying this whole damn time. Hannah’s been texting her for almost a week. I saw it on her phone and she’s sitting here not saying a damn word while the rest of us are trying to figure out a way to get to her anyway we can before…” Connor paused.