Never Again

Chapter 13 - Something New

After crying herself to sleep. Annika left her to get some rest. Annika was worried about her, but hopeful that Tristan was the answer to her prayers for Bianka. She was falling in love with Ethan and she didn't want to be happy in love while her best friend drowned in her sorrows.

"I need to feel Tristan out to make sure that he is good for Be." She thought as she headed for the stairs. Halfway down she could hear them laughing and talking about the show. She went and sat by Ethan.

"Hey. Everything ok with Bianka"

Tristan noticed the look of worry on her face and tuned in to the question. He also noticed that the shoulder part of Annika's shirt was damp and assumed that Bianka was crying

"Yes. She will be ok. She is resting."

Ethan knew what that meant

"Oh...she's having another moment?" he asked

"Yes she is."

Annika released a deep sigh and laid her head on Ethan's shoulder

"She's going to be ok babe. Just give her some time. This is really hard for her. You know Bianka was close to her dad and her mom. She will get there, just give her some time. Don't stress yourself out about it."

In a lower tone she said,

"I know E, it's just hard to see her in so much pain and not be able to do anything about it. It has been four long years sense she has really smiled."

Tristan assumed that the moment she referred to was about her parent's but he wasn't sure if it was that or her recent experience with David. Suddenly he was not interested in Wild n' Out.

Annika noticed the change in his demeanor and realized that he must have heard her. She was touched by his devotion and concern for her dearest friend. She knew that him being there was helping her in some way. She decided to interrogate him a little

"Hey Tris...can I call you that?"

She wanted to see how receptive he was to her. She knew nicknames were usually

reserved for family and close friends.

'Sure no problem" he said

"So those were your parent's at the police station?"

"yeah those were my folks"

"Ok...I thought I recognized your dad from DWTC"

Ethan looked at her like she was crazy. She noticed and ignored him.

"Yes that was him. They are staying at the Jefferson Hotel tonight. They are going to fly back to London tomorrow."

"London, oh ok do you see them much?"

"Yes as much as I can. I try to fly home at least once a month for the weekend. My mum will drive me crazy if I don't. So to keep her off my back and from popping up at will. I stay faithful to those visits"

"So you are a momma's boy?"

"I've been told that a time or too. She seems to cling to me more than she does to Tyler"

"Tyler?"

"Tyler is my older brother. It's three of us. I have a younger sister as well"

"oh ok. I would think that your mother would cling more to your sister"

"Yeah if they were normal I guess she would. They are too much alike. They are both spoiled and like to have their way. My sister is a younger version of my mother. They are a handful. But those are my girls. I will do anything for them."