Prove It

Chapter 29

"I missed you," he said.

"Me, too. Please tell me what's going on?"

"I had a meeting with the principal today. We were there longer than I thought we would be. Don't worry. I'm not in trouble."

"Then, why was your dad here?"

He frowned. "I had this whole thing planned out, you know? I was going to take you to the beach so we could go swimming for real. I wanted to take my time ... "

He stopped talking. Something was wrong. She moved closed, putting her face right next to his.

"Tell me," she said.

"The Stanford swim coach asked me to attend varsity swim camp and my father wants me to go."

She was confused. "And you don't want to?"

He got to his feet and paced. "It much more complicated than that," he said. "The camp starts Monday."

"Next week? But graduation isn't for another three weeks."

"I know."

"How are you supposed to make it when school isn't even over yet?"

"That's why we had that meeting today. To work out my new schedule so I can graduate early."

"So it's final then? You're going?"

Tristan nodded.

Sierra felt numb. "When do you leave?"

"Saturday."

Sierra looked to the sky. He was leaving. She felt a familiar sense of loss. It seemed fate was determined to take everyone she loved from her and she felt helpless to do anything about it.

She felt Tristan take her hands in his. "Please say something," he said.

What did he expect her to say?

"Scream at me. Tell me not to go. Say whatever," he said answering her unspoken question.

"I can't tell you not to go."

"Yes, you can. Just say the word."

Tempted, she asked, "What happens if you don't go?"

"I'll probably be off the team and lose my scholarship."

Her eyes flew open. No way was she going to tell him to jeopardize his future for her. No matter how bad she wanted to. "You have to go. I can't be the reason you lose your spot."

"I don't need the swim team. All I need is you."

Sierra closed her eyes, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Good luck with everything, Tristan. You'll do great."

"Why are you talking like this is the end?"

She could hardly get the words out without choking on them. "Because it is."

He captured her chin forcing her to focus on him. His eyes pleaded with her. "I guess I see why you're so down about this. But I'll only be five hours away. That's not that far. I'll drive to see you every weekend. We'll still have our lessons. And you can swim at my place while I'm gone. Jillian would love that."

Go swimming without him? The thought was depressing beyond measure. "I think you're underestimating how busy you'll be with classes and going away to competitions. You won't have time for me."

Disappointment shrouded his face. Disappointment in her. "Why are you being like this?"

"I'm just being realistic."

"Nope. That's a cop-out."

"Whatever."

"This is only temporary. You don't need to be scared."

"I'm not scared," she answered a little too quickly. "What do I have to be afraid of?"

"Of losing someone else you care about," he said. He saw the questioning look on her face. "Tia told me what it was like when your mother died."

Sierra swallowed. Her mother was the last thing she wanted to talk about. "She shouldn't have said anything to you about my mom."

"I'm glad she did."

"It wasn't her place. I don't want your pity."

"Is that why you won't talk to me about it? Because you think I'll pity you?" She didn't say anything. "Every week, I watch you face your fear and I'm honored to be able to share that journey with you. I think you're so brave, Sierra. And I have so much respect for the woman you've become. The last thing I'd feel for you is pity."

"I don't want to talk about this."

He studied her. "Swimming isn't your only fear is it?"

Sierra got to her feet. "I said I don't want to talk about this."

"We have to talk about this some time or it'll keep coming between us."

She walked off, ignoring him. Tristan followed her.

"Don't you know there isn't anything I won't do for you? Including give you my car, lose my scholarship, drop out of school, anything. I'd give you everything I own," he said as he trailed behind. He ran ahead of her and stopped in her path. "Nothing matters more than you."

Sierra rolled her eyes.

"You don't believe me?" Her body language made it clear that she didn't. He linked his fingers with hers. "Come on, I want to take you somewhere."

"What are you doing?" she asked as Tristan walked with her toward the parking lot.

"Proving to you once and for all. Even after everything, you still don't believe in me. But after today, no one will have to question how I feel. Especially you."

Tristan opened the passenger side door to his car for her. She still didn't know why she got in. Curiosity? Hope that he really did have the answer? She had to give him a chance.

They drove in silence while Sierra's mind raced. Tristan finally came to a stop and pulled into a parking spot in front of some place called Body Electric.

"Where are we?" Sierra asked.

He got out of the car without answering. Sierra wasn't sure he heard her. When they got inside, Sierra felt time stop. This was not happening.

Dark red walls surrounded them. Sierra noticed a woman at the front desk with pale skin, short purple hair and more piercings in her face than Sierra had in her entire body.

"Hey there, guys" the woman greeted them. "First timers?"

Sierra pulled Tristan into a corner. "What are we doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm getting a tattoo."

                                                                               ***

A/N: Ugh, I feel like such a loser. I try so hard to update on time and it just never works out. Here's what happened: I wrote 3 versions of this chapter and I eventually settled on publishing this one. My original inspiration was for that scene with Reggie and Sierra to end with them kissing but I thought it seemed out of character for Sierra so I changed it. For some reason, though, I kept going back to it. I couldn't let it go so I kept working on it and editing it trying to make it work, and eventually I just scrapped the whole thing. So I want to know what do you guys think? Would Sierra have kissed Reggie? Anyway, all comments welcome and appreciated.