Caught In Between (B5 Story)

Wrong

Morning

Dustin woke up with the dull throb of a headache. He hated the aftermath of drinking, but sometimes it was the only way to numb the chaos that seemed to follow him. Thoughts of Andria, work, and everything in between swirled in his mind. He didn't want to think about it right now, but even the idea of her annoyed him.

He quietly got out of bed, trying not to wake Andria, who was still asleep beside him. His memory of the night before was blurry—he remembered drinking heavily, getting into an argument with her, and some fragments of intimate moments. But he knew he hated himself for the things he'd said and done.

The sounds of the coffee brewing offered some comfort. Dustin barely noticed the ringing of his phone until he picked it up. His mother's name flashed on the screen, and he hesitated before answering.

"Hello?" he muttered.

"Hey, Dustin! How are you?" His mom's voice came through cheerfully, but he could hear the concern beneath it.

"I'm fine," Dustin replied, rubbing his eyes, still groggy.

"That's good to hear. How's Andria? Are you two getting along?" His mom's voice softened.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Dustin answered shortly, feeling the irritation rise in his chest.

"Really? Because I haven't heard from either of you in a while," his mom prodded, her tone taking on an edge.

"Mom, please, not now," Dustin cut in.

"Well, I just want to make sure everything's okay," she insisted.Dustin sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "We're fine, Mom. It's over. We've moved on."

"Listen, Dustin, you're an adult. But you won't disrespect me. Do you hear me? If you do, I'll make a trip to whoop your ass in front of your wife. Do I make myself clear?" Dustin rolled his eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

"Now," she continued, "the real reason I'm calling—your little brother is getting married to Aja in two weeks!"

"Why so soon?" Dustin asked, his tone more annoyed than curious.

"Well, you would've known about it earlier if you two ever picked up the phone. You've been avoiding us."

"We're busy, Mom. We have our lives."

"Andria too? She can't talk to her family or friends?" His mother's voice grew more pointed.

Dustin's jaw clenched. "She's fine, Mom. We're both fine."

His mom let out a frustrated sigh. "Alright, well, everyone's coming tomorrow, and I want to see you both."

"We can't make it," Dustin muttered.

"You're coming, Dustin. It's your brother's wedding, and don't forget he was there for both of yours."

Dustin wasn't in the mood for an argument. "Fine," he said, resigned. "We'll be there."

His mom seemed satisfied. "Good. I'll see you tomorrow."

After hanging up, Dustin turned to Andria, still sleeping peacefully on the bed. He hadn't intended to wake her, but his mother's call made it impossible to ignore. He leaned over her, shaking her shoulder.

"Hey, wake up!" he snapped.

Andria groaned, barely stirring. "What? It's too early."

"My mom wants to talk to you," Dustin said, his patience thinning.

Andria mumbled something incoherent, trying to roll over. Frustrated, Dustin slapped her hard on the face, louder than he meant to.

"Wake up!" he ordered again.