Twisted Legacy

[6]

Avery.

I was smoking a joint when it dawned on me that I was completely and utterly fucked.

I bet Paul was somewhere cackling and sipping wine. After all, a mental breakdown is the very reaction he has been trying to elicit from me. Turns out I did not need his help at all.

The adeptness with which I had navigated through his antics had been unwavering, yet it appeared that I was gradually succumbing to the pressure. How I let myself get swept up in the idea of getting back at him is lost on me. And now it had cost me my sanity.

The disquiet that had plagued my mind since the day after the anniversary remained unassuaged. It felt as though someone was incessantly delving into my brain with a spoon.

The facade upon which I had constructed the entirety of my existence was rapidly diminishing, unraveling at an alarming pace.

"Av, you okay?"

Tristan seemed to be catching up on all the half-truths I had been feeding him since we became close. The delicate balance I had maintained was now teetering on the brink of exposure.

"Who me?  "Of course I am." "Why wouldn't I be?"

Wow, nicely done.

He eyed me with suspicion but said nothing. Instead, he nodded and passed the joint. The silence between us was edging on tension. We had never been remotely awkward with each other, but as seconds dragged on I could feel the awkwardness rise.

I did not have it in me to clear the air. I had no energy to work on anything really. He opened his mouth to say something but then decided against it. I could see the indecisiveness in the way his brows creased

I gave him a sad smile which he acknowledged with a sigh and muttered something while rising from his sitting position.

"Hmm?"

"I better get going." He repeated while wiping imaginary dirt on the back of his jeans.

Tristan hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching for nothing in particular, he then gave me a forced smile followed by a 'catch you later' and stormed out leaving me to grapple with the damning silence.

I guess that is what happens when someone trusted you completely and you did not meet them halfway. Regardless of your situation.

All the excuses I had for keeping everything from him don't even make sense, now that I think about it. I mean, my psycho grandpa beats me up, so what?

But, cogitating on the issue further added on to the previous excuses. I was torn between spilling the beans to him and bottling up all my stuff in my head. How do I just lay myself bare in front of him like that? How can I find the courage to lay it all out there and be vulnerable with him?

Thinking about it seemed to mess me up even more. I can't, I just can't. I would rather go back to the person I was, before I decided faking a mental breakdown was funny. The joke was on me though.

And there are things you can't go back from. It is kind of like jumping off a cliff. Once you are in the air, there is no way back.

Paula was privy to the information but that was a whole different ball game. Where on earth would I even begin. I could  practically feel a headache creeping into my head just pondering about it.

So I did what I did best, ignore it. Pushed it to the furthest corner of my brain and just enjoyed my baked ass thoughts. Which were practically crowded by the one thing I had no business thinking about.

I mean, I have no control over the fact that it happens, and now I had to think about it? Come on, cut me some fucking slack you! Whoever it is that was dishing out these blows. I need a breather.

***

My phone chimed with a text from an unknown number.

"Feeling better?" it read.

I wracked my brain for who this could possibly be. I literally talked to no one else apart from T. Another text followed indicating who they are.

Oh wow, it took blacking out for a girl to talk to me?

It was almost funny.

"Yes, thanks." I replied.

Out of all the million words in the English language, "yes thanks" is all I could say?

"I'm glad to hear that, want to hang out sometime?"

Oh look at that!

Zari wants to hang out with me, hell must be freezing over.

"Tristan gave me your number."

Ah, could've said that earlier.

She had a nice name though, it's Swahili for golden.

Yes, I am a linguist of sorts. Goes without saying, no? Okay.

Wow, Tristan was mad at me that much? Like, he really can't just handle coming to me like a normal best friend?

Stop nosediving into conclusions!

Maybe he gave it to her a while ago and she decided to text me today.

Now you are overthinking.

Or maybe he was passing me on to her? What? Wow? I am that disposable?

You are on your own.

Over text would have been fine, you know. Like how hard could it be to tell me we are no longer best buddies? Okay now I should stop.

Bu- shut up!

Fine!

"I'll get back to you about that." I replied, saved her number and headed downstairs to get myself something to eat.

I was almost on my last step when an ear splitting scream split the air.

Damn.

I could have sworn I hoped this day would end in peace.

And yet here we are.

A/N: Back at it! Thoughts?

Talk to me!