Chapter 10

Tristan listened to the sound of each baseball as it struck the net. Swoosh, 2, 3. . .then a low thud. Swoosh, 2, 3. . .another thud. Each noise came after Tristan swung his bat and missed.

Normally he was a pretty decent ball player. Hell, he was a natural at just about every sport he tried, football being the sport he focused on and excelled. But even though baseball wasn't his favorite, he never sucked this badly.

Tristan looked over at Brian, who sat in silence as he witnessed the sad scene. Remaining silent was so unlike Brian. If you sucked, he let you know in a big way.

"You're up." Tristan walked behind the protective net toward Brian, handing off the bat. As Brian moved into position over home plate, Tristan sat on the bench and rubbed his head. He watched his friend hit over half the balls the machine pitched. When he was done his set, Brian motioned to Tristan that it was his turn to bat again, but Tristan didn't move.

"What's up with you? You stink today, Tristan."

Tristan heard Brian say his name, but his mind was somewhere else. He had to reel in his thoughts and focused on his friend.

"What's the problem man?" Brian asked.

Cianne, of course. She basically avoided him since Crimpy's and that had been over two weeks ago. "It's nothing." Tristan lied.

"Oh it's something," Brian said. He put the bat down and leaned on the fence. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Tristan huffed.

"Are you going to tell me or do I have to beat it out of you?" Brian picked up the bat and tapped it on his palm a few times. Tristan rolled his eyes. "It's Bianca, isn't it? Haven't seen her around lately," Brian said. "What's the deal with you two?"

"We broke up," Tristan admitted, with little emotion.

"Broke up?" Brian threw his head back and said something that Tristan couldn't really make out. "When did this happen?" Brian finally asked. He sounded uninterested but probably felt it was his duty as a friend to ask.

Yet, Tristan knew Brian was smiling on the inside, and he couldn't blame him for it. It was common knowledge that Brian and Bianca weren't the best of friends. That was most likely the reason Brian hadn't really noticed her absence. Those two argued almost as much as he and Bianca had.

"It was right before summer break," Tristan shrugged.

"Before she left for Europe? Why didn't you tell me, man?" Brian slowly shook his head from side to side. "Dude, if I had known you were single all damn summer. . . I guess I should say I'm sorry." He sighed. "Did she tell you why she dumped you?"

"It's a bit complicated." Tristan looked up at a passing group of people. One of the girls in the group winked at him so he shot her a friendly smile then broke eye contact before she took his gesture as an invitation.

"Damn," Brian cursed, pulling Tristan's attention back to him. He walked around the safety fence and sat down next to Tristan. His expression was full of understanding but whatever he saw on Tristan's face had him changing it to a look of confusion. "Wait. You dumped her, didn't you?"

To the outside world, Tristan and Bianca were the perfect couple: the wealthy good looking guy who dated the rich hot girl, but their close friends knew the relationship had been a sleeping minefield.

"I just think we're better suited as friends." Tristan pulled a couple bottles of water from his gym bag and offered one to Brian.

"What? No," Brian said, as he swatted the water bottle away.

It took a moment of juggling to keep hold of the bottle Brian almost knocked out of his hand. Tristan arched his brow. "Really?" he questioned, as he returned the unwanted bottle to his bag.

Brian just stared at him, mouthing some garbled words before he said, "Friends? Dude, are you sick?" He placed his hand on Tristan's forehead.

Tristan smacked Brian's hand away.

"Are you aware of what you just gave up? I mean. . .you know how I feel about the girl but damn. She's one of the hottest girls at West Hills. She has her own cash so you don't have to pay for everything and even though she has bitch-itis on the regular, she is really into you. You've invested two years in that relationship."

"You sound like her," Tristan said, then sighed.

"You just gave up regular, handed on a silver platter, sex," Brian whined. "Do you know how hard it is to find a girl who actually likes doing it as much as we do? Who you don't have to worry about doing everyone else?" Brian threw up air quotes and said, "It's like they all attend the same "did it once with some other dude, didn't like it so let's wait. . .okay" cult." His tone was high pitched and annoying.

Tristan couldn't help but laugh. "You do that a little too well. And as for sex, it isn't everything and, it really isn't that hard to get either."

Brian placed a hand on Tristan's forehead again. Tristan smacked it again, this time harder.

"Ouch." Brian rubbed his hand. "Dude, it isn't hard for you." He shook the sting from his hand. "Can I ask why?"

"She wanted things I couldn't see myself doing with her."

"What, she wanted it in the ear or something? I had a feeling she was kinky."

"You need help." Tristan twisted the cap off his water bottle. The sound of cheers and laughter amplified around them. Tristan looked up to see a few kids at the eatery having a blast. He smirked, remembering being that carefree at one time.

Tristan's expression turned serious. "Bianca had my whole life planned out for me. It was a little freaky, you know? She worked out the number of kids we'd have, where we were going to live." He lifted the bottle of water to his mouth then said, "I just didn't think about us in the way she did. When I told her, I wasn't in love with her, all she did was stare at me." Tristan took another drink before he placed the cap back on the bottle.

No longer interested in discussing the past, Tristan decided to change the subject. He smiled when a pair of captivating blue-green eyes came to mind. "Anyway, I want to see what's out there."

"You want to see what's out there," Brian repeated sarcastically. "Other than Bianca Prescott? Shit dude, she could have planned whatever future she wanted for us, if I were you and could stand to be around her for five minutes." Brian shrugged. "My mom is pretty set on having little black grandbabies, but for a girl who looks like Bianca, I'd mix a little vanilla in our family's chocolate gene bar." Brian chuckled at his own quip. "Yeah, you're sick." He raised his hand to place on Tristan's head but thought better of it.

"I'm not sick." Tristan lingered over his thoughts. "Just interested in someone else."

"Like who?"

Tristan leaned forward, rolling the water bottle in his hands as he avoided Brian's hard gaze. "Cianne Baxter," he muttered. Just her name on his tongue had Tristan sitting taller as if infused with determination.

He knew from the grin on Brian's face that he was waiting for something more. After a minute or so, Brian groaned. "You can't be serious. Dude, you need to give that up." He clapped his hands together in rhythm with every syllable of each word he spoke. It was something he did to emphasize his point.

When Tristan didn't respond, Brian looked up at the ceiling as he loudly exhaled.

"Look, college guys are what she goes for. Jacob's girl Susan…she said she saw Cianne on campus with some guy, and they looked pretty cozy. You'd have more of a chance with Mr. Baxter." Brian giggled. "I'm just trying to save you from embarrassing yourself."

"Thanks for the support." Tristan stood up. "I have to get going."

"What, no rematch?"

"It's the last Sunday of the month." Tristan grabbed his bag off the bench, throwing the handle over his shoulder so he could pick up Brian's duffle bag. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, with my laundry cleaned and pressed." Brian's grin was broad and teasing. "And no cheating either, you sucked today so you have to do my laundry and that means no help from Martha or Celia."

"I wouldn't dream of subjecting those lovely women to this smell," Tristan said, as tossed his water bottle in a recycle bin he passed. He walked toward the exit holding Brian's dirty laundry bag at arm's length.