The Wanderers

Chapter 17

I slept through the entire night and into the early afternoon. I never told Josie what happened and she left me be figuring I was just sleeping off a hangover. I told Josie I didn't want to see anyone. She obeyed no questions asked. Every time Tristan stopped by she told him I didn't feel good and wasn't up for company. He tried his hardest to break his way in, but when Josie put her foot down there was no getting past her. After several feeble attempts Tristan finally gave up.

I spent all day in bed with no intention of ever getting out. Later that evening Josie started to become concerned. "Ella, is everything okay?" she asked, sitting beside me on the bed.

"I'm just tired," I mumbled into the pillow. I knew she could tell there was more to it but decided not to push the issue, at least for now.

I forced myself out of bed Monday morning and into the shower. I made sure I was up early enough to avoid running into Tristan. He was the last person I wanted to see right now. After our fight Friday night, I was pretty much done with him. I couldn't stand to be around someone who hurt me this much. It wasn't fair and my heart couldn't take it. Things would be better if we just stayed away from each other. I knew it would be hard at first, but I could do it. I would have to do it.

In order to avoid him, I continued to wake up early each day and spent most of my time away from the dorms. I skipped art class all week not wanting to risk him being there. It was too soon and I knew he would try everything in his power to convince me to come back to him.

By the end of the week, our dorm room was flooded with flowers and all sorts of gifts. "Okay, what gives?" Josie said, bringing in the latest delivery of blooms. "Can you please explain to me why our room is beginning to look like a green house?"

I only told Josie I didn't want to see Tristan and she never asked why knowing when I was ready I would tell her. I still wasn't ready to talk about it, but with the way she was standing with her hands on her hips annoyed at having to side step a giant stuffed tiger and several other ridiculous items, I'd say she had enough of being in the dark. "Tristan and I had a fight," I sighed.

"I think that part is pretty obvious," she said, gesturing around. "What was the fight about?" I shook my head not wanting to elaborate. "Look Ella, I get that you're not ready to talk about it, but this is getting ridiculous. I can only keep Tristan away for so long and we both know if he really wanted to get in here all he'd have to do is bust down the door. So you need to put an end to this one way or another."

"You're absolutely right," I said, getting up off the bed. "Help me collect all this stuff." I picked up all the animals and threw them on my bed. Josie wasn't sure what was going on but helped me anyway. Once all the oversized stuffed animals were collected I grabbed a few trash bags and started to throw them in. Then I made a phone call for a delivery van.

When the guy showed up at our dorm, I directed him to follow me upstairs to my room. When I opened the door his eyes went wide. "All this is going?" he asked and I nodded. He got on his radio that was clicked to his belt. "Hey Jim, I'm gonna need your help with this one," he said.

Josie and I helped the delivery men carry all the flowers and toys down to the van. I signed the papers and left him with a hefty tip. "Thank you," he said. "You have no idea how much this is appreciated. I can't wait to see the look on all those tiny little faces," he smiled brightly.