"What's wrong, Tash? Why have you been so quiet all day? Are you okay?" Megs asked, noticing my silence throughout the day.
"I'm just tired," I replied, tying my hair up to calm myself down.
"Did Tristan really make you tired last night?" Keyla teased, starting her usual banter.
"He just drove me home. Get your mind out of the gutter, Keyla," I answered bluntly.
"As far as I know, he slept at your house. Don't tell me! Is Tristan the one who took away our dearest friend's virginity?" She laughed at her own joke, but Megs didn't join in. Both Megs and I stared at her, making her stop.
She always says the most careless things.
"Y-yeah. I guess I should keep quiet," she said, realizing her joke was out of line.
"Okay, spill the beans," Megs said, eager to hear why Tristan spent the night at my house, knowing I never let anyone stay over except for them.
They both looked at me, waiting for an explanation.
"Okay. The truth is, I insisted he stay at my house and spend the night. I was out of my mind, and it was the first time something like that happened. Yeah, he took care of me that night and even cooked breakfast even though I didn't ask him to. And y-yeah, I know I did something wrong, but he deserves it." They looked puzzled by my last statement.
"What did you do?" Megs asked immediately.
"I didn't mean to throw an egg at his face. I mistook him for a bad guy because he used the dirty kitchen without wearing a shirt. And the first thing I saw was the tattoo on his back, so I thought he was some kind of thug..."
"Oh my god! You made a big mistake." Megs said, worried. Was she seriously more concerned about that guy than about me? Really, Megan Miller?
"You know what, you did the right thing," Keyla said defiantly, making me look at her.
"Keylaaa!"
"It's true. What if Tristan really was a bad guy?"
"But he isn't!"
"Better safe than sorry. You just met him, and you’re already trusting him?"
"Because that's what Matt said. He wouldn’t trust Tash with his friend if Tristan were a bad guy."
They both had a point. But why were they arguing about this? Even if Tristan were a bad person, I could protect myself.
"Enough, you two. That's not what I'm thinking about right now. What I'm wondering is how my dad found me." They both looked shocked by what I said.
"What do you mean?" Keyla asked, puzzled.
"I received a gift and a letter from him yesterday." Yes, Dad sent the letter and gift, which means he’s in the Philippines now. They both took a deep breath, concern showing on their faces. They were worried I might have an anxiety attack like before. I only felt this way when triggered by memories of my dad, fearing he might take me away again.
But now I am good. I'm trying to be okay because that’s what I need to do.
"So, how did he find you?" Megs asked.
"I don't know. That's what I'm wondering now." I replied. I didn’t know the answer either.
"Maybe it’s time to face him. It's been years, and you can’t avoid him forever," Keyla said, knowing how I kept moving to avoid him.
"Yeah. The Philippines isn’t that big, so no matter how much you hide, Tito Vince will find you," Megs added.
I understood their point, but it wasn’t that simple. I couldn't face the person who once ruined my life. It’s hard to set aside the anger, especially when the trauma runs deep.
