36 | tristan - red. burning red.

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track #05 in tristan william hale

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track #05 in tristan william hale

aespa // savage


LAINE CRACKS us a guilty, tight-lipped smile before retreating up the stairs to her room, and I can't help but notice the gleaming amethyst ring now adorned on her finger, shining rays of different colors. It looks so... happy. Doesn't fit how its supposed owner is dead.

The ring fits her perfectly, but I find my heart burning in rage at how Aiden could just give the promise ring to Laine so easily – especially since he's still mourning Anson. Is he just trying to drown himself of his responsibilities, and using Laine as a rebound? She doesn't deserve that, and neither does he. Since Anson meant so much to him, shouldn't he have held on to the ring instead? As a reminder of their eternal love that unfortunately couldn't last? The only thing I know is that he should definitely not have given it to someone else.

Both of us were hurting, but I simply couldn't take Aiden's attitude any longer. He was wallowing in his grief and pain, but brushing it off like it was nothing. My heart hurt for him, but more so for Anson. How could he just do that when he knew the whole house was aching for Cadence's loss, as well as I, for my sister's?


***


I turn, stomping up the stairs to the third floor – in search of someone whom I can tell my troubles to. I knock on that old grey door at the end of the hallway, but instead am answered by Laine, with her hair down. I get another glimpse at the shimmering ring reflecting the light from the mirror, and immediately slam the door in her face, ignoring the worried calls of my name.

I don't get far, though, because halfway up the next flight of the stairs, I collapse onto the carpeted steps. I don't know what I expected, going to Laine's room. Was I just hoping that Cadence would appear and comfort me, or was I just convincing myself Aiden wouldn't possibly do such a thing to his dead girlfriend? Well, at the end, everything proved to be fake. Cadence was gone, dead – and my best friend had actually had the audacity to give the promise of he and Anson's love to an outsider after her death.

Just at this moment, Gwyneth comes walking up the stairs and frowns at me just lying down, collapsed, rethinking life. She raises an eyebrow but helps me up nonetheless. "Don't ask-" I repeat, like before, but I partially expect her to ask anyway, because I know she cares about me.

I guess today's an exception for everything, but this is one of the good exceptions. "Good night, Trissy," she says softly, helping me sit down on the stair steps, turning to go back to her icy blue door, where I know Angela is sitting, waiting for her daughter to come in and talk about the mentally draining day.

Why are all my friends changing? I think to myself, as I sit with one hand under my chin. Kunboss was insensitive to others' feelings, but too sensitive to his own. Aiden, it seemed, had tried to trick himself into neglecting his girlfriend's death.

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