Wrecks and Desires

“How many times do I have to tell you I'm not interested!" I whispered into the phone, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping on me. I didn't hear what the person at the other end said as I heard a loud crash. I ended the call and ran out of my study to where the sound came from, an uneasy feeling stirring up within me. For a split second, I stood transfixed at the sight in front of me before I raced down the stairs to the scene. “ What's going on here?" I asked no one in particular before turning to him. “ ....you have every right to an attorney, Mr Quiller, anything you say or do here will be used against you in the court of law" the officer said, clasping the cuffs on his wrist. I turned to him . “ Bryce?.. What's going on? Where are they taking You? Why are you arresting my husband? Will someone answer me!!! Bryce?" I shouted confused as hell Bryce turned to me. “He's dead, and I swear I didn't do it" he said as I blink back tears in confusion. “Mr Quiller if you say any other..." I cut off the policeman. “Who?.." I started to ask but trailed off as his eyes answered me, I staggered back as I cupped my mouth in disbelief. “Call my Attorney Chloe, call Hugo now!" He shouted as they led him out. Everywhere became foggy as my breathing intensified, several voices rang in my head as I tried to find the nearest seat. “Ma'am... Are you okay? Do you need help?" Different voices asked while I shook my head, trying to make sense of everything. I could make out hazy forms of police officers and forensics dropping in and out of the living room, camera shutters clicking. That was when two officers came out carrying a body bag and as the hand fell out I fell to the floor in a heap, shaking my head vigorously with tears streaming down my face. “ No...no...no... It can't be true..." I whisper “he can't be dead...he can't be dead" I keep repeating as my mind raced furiously down a million years to where the foundation of this whole catastrophe was built. “ Connor stop it" I shouted, laughing and hitting his back as he finally let me down from his back also laughing. “That wasn't funny, I could have fallen" I pouted as he poked my cheeks with a smile. “ Well you didn't and I'm actually the one with a broken spine, you have to buy me the chocolates" he said, I huffed as I climbed the porch just in time for Tristan to open the door. I poked my head in to see Hugo on the floor playing with the gamepad in his hand, I waved at him when he turned and turned back to Tristan with a smile. “ Hey big bro" I said looking around nervously as he rolled his eyes and opened the door wider. “ He's in his study, told him you had a project," he said, referring to my father. I threw my hands over him in relief. “ Thank you so much!!" He scrunched his face as he pushed me out and hit Connor playfully on his shoulder. “ Are you done with that project?" he asked. “ Nah... Wait what? Was hoping on yours" Connor said with a smile as they both burst into laughter. “ Dude... what!? " Tristan said, still laughing as I grabbed Connor's hand. “ My boyfriend is mine, find another time" I said with a frown before he would think of joining them for the project, don't blame me they always found a way and I loved my boyfriend. “ But he's my best friend too," Tristan defended as I scoffed. “ He's my boyfriend" I said, we both turned to him, indicating he chose. He looked at us amused before he stood beside me, sending an apologetic look towards Tristan. “ It's my girlfriend before anything" he said as I smiled, blowing raspberries at Tristan, dragging Connor into the house. He exchanged pleasantries with Hugo before sneaking into my room while I went to fix snacks for us in the kitchen. Connor and I had been dating for 2 years since freshman year and now into our 3rd year in college. What started as a simple help with my assignment turned into little meetups and mini secret dates before we both realized we had feelings for each other. As my brother's best friend since middle school, Tristan wanted to hear none of it when he realized we had been going out secretly. I could never forget that day in college when they got into a fight over me. It ended with Connor's disfigured face and several pleas from me. Thinking about it I smile, realizing how I had no idea how he had finally agreed with a stern warning to kill Connor if he ever hurt me. It was amazing how far we had come through it all. I stopped to offer Hugo and Tristan some of the fruits as I climbed upstairs, trying my best to walk stealthily past my fathers library. We never got along and while Tristan understood him a bit, I never considered him a father figure. Not after… “... I don't care about her, just do it!" I heard as I walked inside my room, Connor ended the call immediately and turned to me with a smile and open arms. I smiled in return as I placed the tray on my nightstand and turned to hug him. “ You didn't have to fix the snacks, I could have done it " he said as he kissed my head, I smiled and leaned out. “ I like doing stuff for you" I replied, he smiled as leans out and kissed me slowly and softly. My stomach fluttered when he leaned out and sat on my bed popping a fruit into his mouth. “ Who was on the phone?" I asked casually sitting across from him, cross legged on the floor. His face contorts into a frown as he shrugs. “ Just a random guy from my class" my shoulders drop at the lie as I sigh. “ You're at it again" I said in a low tone as he turned to me. “ What are you talking about?" “ This! This whole secret stuff, you keep hiding things from me, you're not letting me fully into your life" I blew out an exasperated sigh as I went and sat beside him on the bed, taking his hands in mine. “ It's almost 3 years Connor, I want to be here for you, and I need to know everything about you, your perfect and imperfections" he shook his head as he drew out his hands and stood up. “ You won't understand Chloe...you won't" “ Then make me understand, i..." “ I said you won't understand!! Stop acting like you care, I'm not your charity case " he snaps taking me by surprise as I step back, he regretted what he said immediately cause his face morphs into resolution and guilt as he extends an arm towards me but I avoid it. “ Was that what you always thought of me Connor? I love you! And this is..." “ I'm so sorry Chloe, I didn't mean it that way, I ..." I shake my head as I point to the door. “ Get out of my room" I said as his shoulders slumped in defeat, I turn facing my back to him and waiting for him to leave, he lingers for a while contemplating and knowing better than to talk to me before leaving the room and shutting the door quietly, while I bend and sob. The loud thunder strike woke me up as I opened my eyes to the darkness of my room, the heavy rain pattering against my window and the unpleasant foreboding feeling weighing me down as I searched for my phone which was blaring fully, disrupting the silence of the room. ‘Where was Connor?' I ask before remembering what transpired between us earlier during the day and my heart sank, I and Connor rarely had arguments and I always felt suffocated anytime we had misunderstandings like this. I finally find my phone and squint my eyes at the unknown number before answering it. “ Hello?" Thunder bellowed as I climbed out of my bed to the window, shutting the damn thing and pressing the phone to my ear to hear the person clearly “ Miss Chloe?" “ Yes? Who am I talking to?" “ This is Detective Charles from NYPD, we're calling for you to come to the quarters and identify the body of Tristan Larson, you were the last person he tried to...." Suddenly the room was spinning as I tried to understand what he was saying. “ I'm sorry, you have the wrong person.. I have no body to identify..." “ Miss from the records I have..." I end the call immediately and fall to the floor, my heart hammering and my fingers trembling as I dial Tristan's number. What in the world were they saying? Why were pranksters calling me in the middle of the night? The call connects on the first ring and I have a huge sigh of relief. “ My God! Tristan, where the hell are you? I.. Some people just called and said... I...." I suddenly break down in tears, unable to finish my sentence before he speaks up. “ Chloe...I'm so sorry..." That was when I realized it wasn't my brothers on the other end. “ Hugo? What's going on? Where's Tristan?" A loud sob comes out in response as I suddenly stand and grab my keys and jacket and make for the door. “ They found...They found his body, oh my God..." I end the call and call Connor, tears already streaming down my face as I got into Tristan's car, I struggled to slot the key into the ignition but it fell out. I picked it, my hand still trembling as I redialed Connors number but it still did not connect through. I redialed it again whilst steadying my hands while taking deep breaths, the line got directed to voicemail again and I leaned on the wheels and started crying. This had better be a joke i thought but the feeling of dread at the bottom of my stomach was telling me otherwise. “ No!" I shout as I hug the cold body on the cold stainless tray, my things dropping to the floor, I turned to the Forensic doctor who stood there with a sorry look on his face. “ This is not true, I talked to him this afternoon, I..." My words choke me as I turned and stared at the lifeless body of my brother, my palms flew to my mouth as I scouted far from him, shaking my head profusely. “ That is not my brother, that is not Tristan" I cry, my father quietly walks out with the detective as someone rushes in. “ Chloe!" I hear my name but I don't look up as Vanessa, my best friend, rushed to my side and got down on her knees, pulling my head towards her bosom as she cried with me. “ I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..." I held her hand tightly and cried out my heart, as the feeling settled within me, I just lost the only anchor in my life. That was when something hit me as I turned to Vanessa. “ I have something important to tell you" she looks at me as I wipe my tears and turn to her. “ I .."