Heart Me

Chapter 16

Tristan's POV

I was certain I had upset Kayla. I just wanted to apologize for making her feel pathetic. I had to admit I was a jerk. I had wasted her time with something I wasn't sure could work out, and because of that, I had ruined our friendship. I never thought this time would come—a time when Kayla wanted me away from her. I thought talking to her would help, but instead, I made things worse. I wasn't sure if she would ever talk to me again.

"Tristan, Tristan," Mia's voice called out. I turned to her. "You weren't listening to me, were you?" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry. What were you saying?" I inquired. She frowned. "Hey..."

"I'm worried about you. What's wrong? You seem so down," Mia sighed. "Just so you know, we are the only ones left on the bus. Everyone else is probably in their rooms. Are you aware?"

"It's okay, leave me. I'll catch up later," I turned my gaze away and sank into the bus seat.

"What? Really?" Mia grabbed her bag and got off her seat. She was mad.

I got up immediately and held her left hand, making her stop. "Hey, I'm sorry. I... I just... I have a lot going on in my head. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'll walk you to your room."

"I'll walk myself, let me be," she shrugged off my hand and got out of the bus.

I immediately grabbed my jacket and followed her quickly. I caught up with her in the hallways to the hostels. "Mia, I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. Now you can go. My room is close," she sighed.

"I know you don't mean it. Listen, Mia, I..."

"Ah, I talk to you, you weren't listening. You snap at me, and your excuse is you have a lot going on in your mind. The reason I was talking to you is because I'm concerned, but you..."

I covered her mouth with my hand. "Shh! Hush, I'm sorry Mia. I mean it. I know I snapped at you, and it was wrong." I moved my hand away from her mouth.

"I know whatever is troubling you has something to do with Kayla," Mia sighed. "Instead of having draining thoughts and being moody with other people, try and figure out why you got in your situation in the first place. I'm sure it's something you can relate to. You're a total jerk." She walked away.

Immediately Mia left, Grace appeared from the direction Mia had stormed off to. She looked a bit confused. She walked towards me and stood in front of me. She looked at the direction she came from and then back at me.

"What's up with you two?" she asked.

"It's nothing."

"Tristan, I know when you are lying to me. What happened with you and Mia? Did she say something? Or did she do something?" Grace reached out to my hair and started stroking it backwards.

"Don't worry about that, sis, it's not something serious," I said.

"Don't tell me you've started liking that girl? Am I the only one who doesn't like her or trust her?" Grace continued playing with my hair.

"She's a nice girl. And you've been hanging out with her lately. Why are you saying you don't like her?"

"You know me, if my gut feeling tells me someone's off, even if the whole world is on that person's side, my stand doesn't change." Grace pulled her hands away from my head.

"Is it about Lily?" I asked. Grace nodded. "Why do you care? Lily isn't your friend."

"Oh my! She isn't my friend, but no one deserves what happened to her. What if she was killed? Would you want that for anyone?"