Time Can Only Tell

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Tristan

Darkness is surrounding me. All I can hear is faint screams and the sounds of a bed squeaking. Only the screams don’t sound like screams from pleasure. The screams I hear sound like screams from pain and struggle.

I follow the sounds around me; they get louder and louder as I get closer. I follow the path down what looks like a hallway with a door at the end. As the screams grow more frantic and heart shattering, I quicken my pace and began sprinting towards the door at the end the hallway.

The faster I run the farer the door seems to get. I began to recognize the voice that I hear screaming. No it can’t be. I have to be hallucinating.

“Tristan help” I hear what I’m guessing has the voice of the person screaming calling out my name. I have to get to this door, I have to help.

The door at the end of the hallways that was once closed. Flew open and there I saw what was going on. I finally reach the door and as I tried to enter. It seemed like it was a force holding and pulling me back.

I fought and fought against the resistance that was preventing me from doing what my heart and my mind were screaming at me to do. The bigger struggle I put up the greater the hold on me got.

“Let me go I have to help” I plead and screamed.

“I have to stop this.”

I pushed, shoved and fought all I could nothing happened. The act in front of me continued as though I wasn’t there. The look displayed on her face as she looks at me. Told it all.

She mouthed “It’s not your fault” at me before she took what I felt was her last breath.

“Tristan”

“Tristan”

I jumped up, drenched in sweat. Realizing I was til in my bed that was all a dream. It felt so real.

“Babe, are you okay?” said Arianna. She had a look of sympathy and concern on her face.

“Uhh… y-eah” I said shakingly. I can’t shake off the feeling I got from that dream. I can see everything so clear as day in my head. The woman’s face, the back of the attackers head. I can still hear the screams and pleads of the woman ringing in my ears.

“Are you sure? Babe you freaking out, tossing and turning, flipping around. Screaming. You don’t want to talk about it?”

“It was just a bad dream that’s all. Probably what I get from eating cold pizza right before I hopped in the bed.”

“I don’t know, whatever that dream was about really had you spooked out.” She just looked at me. I swear the sincerity of the look she’s giving me right now could break down the toughest man in the world.

I know exactly what that dream was about and why I was having it. I can’t tell her and I swear it’s killing me inside not too. I made a promise and I won’t break it. I gave my word and that’s all a man truly haves.

“I’m cool, Tae. Let’s just head back to bed. You got class and I got practice.” I said avoiding eye contact with her.

“Okay” she hesitantly agreed with me. I could tell she didn’t want to drop the subject but she knew I didn’t want to talk about whatever that dream was. Despite her feelings, she was respecting my wishes and letting it go, which makes me want to tell her even more. Most chicks would’ve kept grilling me until they got a direct answer, yet she didn’t.

She laid back down and I wrapped my arms around her. Seconds later hearing the faint sounds of her breathing. I looked down at her and just watched her. I swear she’s the most beautiful woman I ever laid eyes on. What I did to deserve her? Hell if I know. I just know I ain’t letting go.

I stayed up the rest of the night just thinking. I couldn’t go back to sleep even if I tried. That dream was still haunting me. Besides it was around 3 am already when I woke up and I have to get up at 6. Three hours up no big deal. I slipped my arms from around Arianna and went to take shower and throw on my practice gear.

By the time I got out and got dressed it was 6:30, Arianna was still sound asleep. I shook her a little to wake her up.

“5 more minutes Dria” she said sleep drunk. She must have been dreaming about her sister Adrianna.

“Arianna” I shook her some more.

“Leave me alone. I don’t wanna go to that hell hole” she starting waving her arms around.

Since I saw my direct approach wasn’t working. I decided that maybe something more fun would work. I started placing soft kisses on her neck.

“Hmm” she moaned yet she was still asleep.

“Baby girl, get up” I said moving my kisses up the side of her neck, kissing her cheeks before I moved to her lips.

Once I kissed her lips, she kissed back placing her arms around my shoulders. The kiss was going from nice and sweet to hot and heavy. I forgot my whole purpose and flicked my tongue across her bottom lip edging her to let me in. I guess that snapped her awake cause she pulled away and sat up.

“Well that was a nice way to wake me up” she smirked

“I tried a more conventional approach but you wouldn’t budge.” I shrugged. I wasn’t lying, I tried and failed. “I just was letting you know I was leaving for practice.”

“Okay, see you later?” she said

“It won’t be until like 5. Back to back hour and half classes and you know we doing two day practices.”

“I know. I’ll be counting down the hours. How did we end up with schedules so messed up? I have one class today and you got a back to back. Next semester we planning our schedule together, k?”

“Will do, ma.” I placed a kiss on her forehead, grabbed my bag, and headed out.

****Days later****

Arianna

It’s the beginning of homecoming week. My first college homecoming week to be exact. I plan on turning up all week. It’s all for fun. Every club in town is has an event for homecoming. The whole is covered in red and blue. What can I say? The team is undefeated and my baby is constantly getting national attention. ESPN Top 10 and everything.

Right now though, the team, the cheerleaders, and a couple of girlfriends are volunteering at the children’s orphanage downtown. I’m glad the coaching staff made it for mandatory the team to come. I swear it’s no better feeling than watching these kids get a smile placed on their faces. They deserve to be happy even if it’s just for a day. We’re here playing games and just hanging out the kids. We just got finished serving the dinner the school funded and we also donated some clothes and toys for the kids. It’s part of the school’s program for giving back. They start off homecoming week with an event like this every year.

Honesty, it’s just a way to deflect attention away from the huge amount of money homecoming brings in. They donate a little to charity and no one questions anything else. It’s low-key shady but it’s still a good cause.

Once I finished helping clean up after dinner, I just watched Tristan interact with the kids for a moment. They seem to love him. He has them laughing and smiling. Then again who doesn’t love this man? He spotted me watching him and came over to me.

“You know it’s not polite to stare? Ya mama ain’t tell you that?” he wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Nope, but she tell me to take care of what’s mine. And last time I checked you belong to me” I looked up at him.

“I like the sound of that yet I don’t think some people like what we doing. We got some unhappy spectators.” He pointed toward a group of cheerleaders including Alicia glaring our way.

“If all these kids weren’t around I would really give them a show.” I smirked.

“All hell nah, Ms. Taylor. You getting feisty and talking all that smack. Whatever done got into you I like.” He pecked my lips.

“Let’s head to my crib” he said

“K” I went to go grab my coat and bag. As I saw Zaire walking towards Tristan.

Tristan

“Ya’ll finna head out?” Zaire asked

“Yeah man. Maybe I’ll get some sleep tonight.” I ran hands down my face. I haven’t been getting any sleep lately. Only time I can even get a nap in is when Arianna is lying next to me.

“How you feeling?” he asked

“I’m fine. Nothing I can’t handle.” I shrugged

“Bruh, I mean really how you doing? I know it’s that time of the year. I be bugging too so I know you feeling a way too.” Zaire confessed

“Yeah, I feel you. I just hate keeping something from Arianna man. I wish I could tell her. She knows something’s up but being who she is. She's not pushing the subject.”

“I know the feeling. I wanna tell Mon but you know I can’t. And you know her so you know she tripping trying to find out what’s going on.”

“You ready babe?” Arianna appeared from behind me.

“Yeah, I’ll check you later Z.”

“Aight, bye Tae.” He hugged Arianna

“Tell Monica, I’m leaving.” She said to Zaire.

We headed to crib, went to bed and once again. I went to sleep only to wake up in a couple hours. f**k I hate f*****g homecoming week. I’ll be glad when this s**t’s over.