“What?” Trihn asked. Her head snapped to Preston. “We didn’t break up. You never broke up with me.”
“You’ve been saying all week that we broke up.”
“I said that because you showed up with my sister!” Trihn cried, pointing at Lydia.
“Well, I didn’t know that you would be here,” Preston admitted. “Lydia invited me on vacation with her, and when the rest of the family showed up, it was a bit of a shock to me. Neither of us wanted to hurt your feelings.”
“You’re joking right now,” Trihn said. Lies, all lies. Everything out of his mouth was one big lie. “Do you ever tell the truth? Did you really work all night that time you didn’t answer the phone? Are you fucking that Stephanie girl? That one morning after I stayed the night, was it really someone else who was calling rather than work? How about we just check your cell phone right now and see if all the lies are unraveled?”
“Trihn!” Lydia cried. “I’m sorry about all the stuff that happened during this vacation, but you don’t need to go accusing Preston of being a liar. You told me what happened. He told me what happened. I can’t preach free love and then be pissed when I’m not even in a serious relationship.” She intertwined her fingers with Preston’s and leaned into his arm. “I’m ready for this to be serious now.”
Trihn’s eyes popped out of her head. “You’re seriously choosing him over me?”
“It’s not a choice, Trihn,” Lydia said. “I choose both of you. We can make this work.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You’re so very wrong, Lydia. I can’t make this work.” Trihn shook her head in disbelief. “We’re about to move in together, and you’re dating…him. I won’t live there if you’re with him.”
“Trihn, don’t make this an ultimatum.”
“It became one the minute you cared more about him than me,” Trihn said. She shook her head and backed up a few steps. “And you chose him.”
“This is a choice you’re making. You’re choosing to walk out.”
“You’re right,” Trihn said. “I am. Fuck this.”
Then, she turned and ran from the house. She ran from the bullshit that she considered her life and the torment of seeing Preston with her sister and the utter inhumanity of her own flesh and blood choosing a boy over her.
TRIHN’S FEET CARRIED HER TO THE PETERSONS’. She found Ian in his room on his computer. Before she could get a word out, she broke down into sobs.
“What? What happened?” He reached for her and pulled her onto his lap. “Trihn, are you all right? Tell me what happened!”
“She…chose…him…over me,” Trihn said between hiccuping tears.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and let her tears stain his polo. Words were failing her as her heart shattered into as many pieces as there were stars in the night sky.
“She did what?”
Trihn sniffed a few times before the tears subsided enough for her to have a coherent conversation. “They talked it out when we were gone, and she believed all his lies. He told her that he wasn’t serious with her until she invited him on vacation, and then he broke up with me, which wasn’t what happened. I just said that he broke up with me because I saw him with her. When I tried to explain, she wouldn’t even listen to me. Then, I told her that I couldn’t be around her if she was dating him, and she chose him.”
“I just…can’t believe Lydia would do this. You’re her sister.”
“Yeah, well, that doesn’t seem to matter to her,” Trihn said. She wiped at her eyes. “Will you do something for me, Ian?”
“You know I will, but why do I feel like I’m not going to like this?” he asked. His hand was gently rubbing her back, trying to soothe her. Yet she couldn’t be soothed, not after what had happened.
“Take me into the city?”
“This again?” he asked. “Maybe you should sleep on this. Try to talk to Lydia again in the morning.”
“And what? Wait for her to get firmly planted in her beliefs? Lydia is staunch in her opinions.”
“Like someone else I know.”
Her gaze was as hard as steel, and she shot out of his lap. “She won’t believe me! I’m not going to pretend any longer to be okay with what’s going on. Are you going to help me or not?”
He nodded his head. “Of course, I’ll help you.”
Trihn hurried back to her house, purposely going in through the rear door to avoid her family. She did not want to have a run-in with anyone after the catastrophe of a conversation with Lydia and Preston. She listened intently at the stairway until she knew the coast was clear. Then, she dashed up the stairs and entered her room. It was exactly how she had left it this morning before she had run to Ian’s after hearing Lydia and Preston having sex.
With a huff, Trihn threw a bunch of clothes along with her headphones into a backpack. Then, she snatched up her purse and traded out her sandals for her sneakers. The rest would just have to stay. She threw the backpack over her shoulder and then inched out of her room.
Lydia’s door was closed, and Trihn could hear her shuffling around inside. There was no chance of Trihn seeing her at least. She darted down the stairs and to the door. She had almost made it outside when she heard someone behind her.
“I have a feeling your mother isn’t going to like this,” Gabriel said, stopping her in her tracks.
She dropped her hand and turned to face her dad. He was seated on the darkened deck with an iPad in his hand.
“Hey, Dad,” she said softly.
He sighed, put the iPad on the side table next to him, and stood. “Want to tell me what’s going on with you and Lydia?”
Trihn bit her lip. “Nothing is going on.”
“You have a backpack hanging off your shoulder and tennis shoes on your feet, and you’re sneaking out the back door. You always act like this when you and Lydia fight, ever since you were this high,” he said, holding his hand up to his knee. “Now, you don’t have to tell me the problem, but you do have to be held accountable for the fact that it looks like you’re running away.”
Trihn dropped her bag. Busted. There was no way she was going to get away now. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
“I really don’t want to get your mother involved. Work has been extra stressful lately, and she needs this time to relax.” Gabriel walked over to Trihn and picked up the pack. “Is this something that you can resolve with Lydia without your mother knowing anything was wrong?”
She shook her head. “No way.”
He sighed. “I had a feeling you would say that. Am I right in assuming Ian is involved in the escape route?”
“Well, I’m not leaving now.”
Her dad smiled. “I know this is hard to believe, but I’ve known you your whole life.”
Trihn snorted.
“It has to be serious for you to resort to drastic measures. The last time this happened, you were in the fifth grade and Lydia punched you in the face the day before picture day. You ran away, and we couldn’t find you for three hours.”
Trihn laughed at the memory. “I completely forgot about that.”
“I’m still not sure why she hit you, but you got over it after you had your space.” He pulled a set of car keys out of his pocket and offered them to Trihn.
“What…”
“I saw you come in earlier. I think I know my kids.” He dropped them in her open hand. “Make Ian drive.”
Her jaw hit the floor. “Thank you so much,” she said, throwing her arms around her dad. “You’re the best.”