Caught In Between (B5 Story)

Out to eat

Andria stood in the bathroom, finishing her makeup, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to cover the bruises that marred her face. The busted lip still ached, a constant reminder of the last few hours. As the makeup smoothed over her skin, tears unexpectedly slid down her cheeks. She couldn't help it—the memories of what had just transpired with Dustin flooded her mind. How could she have fallen for that? His manipulative words still echoed in her mind. For a fleeting moment, she almost wished she'd let him pull the trigger. Even though she knew she didn't truly mean it, the frustration and anger inside her were overwhelming.

She wiped her tears away, finishing up her makeup as best she could, brushing her hair, and trying to compose herself. With every step, she felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her chest. By the time she slipped on her heels and opened the bathroom door, she was determined to leave the turmoil behind, if only for a few hours. Dustin was already at the door, adjusting his gold chain, his expression neutral as he grabbed the car keys and left the room without so much as a glance at her.

"I'll be out in the car. Hurry up," he called out as he walked away.

Andria rolled her eyes. It took everything in her to keep from letting the anger boil over. She didn't want to go to the dinner, especially knowing Morgan would be there, but she forced herself to push through. It was Aja and Bryan's special night, and she couldn't ruin it for them, no matter how she felt.

She grabbed her jacket and clutch bag, making her way downstairs. As she reached the bottom, she saw Mama A with the kids, and instinctively, she tried to slip out unnoticed. But Braylin called her name, drawing everyone's attention.

"Hey, Tt Andria!" Braylin shouted, and Andria froze.

"Mamma A, hey you guys," she forced a smile, trying to mask her feelings as much as she could.

Mama A noticed the change in her tone almost immediately. "I thought you guys would be gone by now."

Andria hesitated. "Yeah, Dustin and I were a bit late getting ready. The rest left without us, but we're on our way now."

"Well, I hope you two have fun," Mama A said, her voice warm but concerned.

"I hope we do, too. Bye," Andria said quickly, trying to walk past, but Mama A stopped her.

"Andria, hold up."

Andria paused, turning back with a sigh.

"I forgot I had something for Dustin," Mama A said as she dug through her purse, her hands searching for something. After a moment, she pulled out a gold Rolex. "Found it in the guest room. It had his name on it, so I thought I'd hold onto it for him."

Andria stared at the watch for a moment before looking back at Mama A. "Which guest room?"

"The one Aja's cousins are staying in," Mama A replied.

Andria's heart sank. She'd known. She should have known. "Mm-hmm," she muttered under her breath, though Mama A didn't hear.

"What was that?" Mama A asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing, Mamma-A. Thank you for finding it. I'll give it to him as soon as I get in the car."

Mama A looked at her with suspicion. "You sure you're okay, baby?"

Andria put on a strained smile, feeling the weight of her lie. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Mama A's gaze softened, but she didn't press further. "Just know that I'm here for you, okay?"

Andria nodded, her throat tight. "I know. Thank you."

As Andria walked out the door, she felt the weight of Mama A's concern on her shoulders, but she couldn't deal with it right now. She had to get through the night. She couldn't let anyone else know how badly everything was falling apart inside her.