A Gang of Our Own

Chapter Sixteen

~ Triston's POV ~

I'm such an idiot. Why did I do that? She has a boyfriend! I was still sitting in the Dillons' driveway, muttering cuss words to myself under my breath. I was so stupid. I must have made her feel so uncomfortable.

I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled out of the driveway. I should have controlled myself. It's just.... She's that one girl that I can't get out of my head. You know that one girl that keeps you up for hours every night and drifts in and out of your daydreams? Avery is that girl for me. I kissed her tonight because I had to know if there was a spark. I wanted to know if she felt anything. I was hoping she'd feel something that would make her want me more than that jerk she was dating. But I think it's pretty obvious that she wasn't interested, with the way she just slid out of my car and walked away.

I was about a mile away from my house when my phone rang. I pulled it out of the pocket of my Carhart jacket. It was my mom. I answered.

"Hello?"

"Triston, are you almost home?"

"Yeah, Mom. Why?"

There was silence for a moment. All I could hear that insured me that she was still on the phone was her breathing. "It's about your dad." I felt the blood drain from my face. "Triston, something's happened." I dropped my phone on the floorboard by the gas pedal. I reached over and grabbed it with a trembling hand and held it to my ear.

"Triston, are you there? Listen, I need you to come home right now."

"Mom, is Dad ok?"

"Just come home quickly." She hung up. There was something in her voice. I didn't know what it was, but I didn't like it. The worst thoughts came to my mind. What if he was killed? I always knew being a marine wasn't the safest job, but I didn't think anything would ever happen to my dad. Not my dad. I pictured his body lying on the ground, dressed in his marine uniform, multiple blood wounds peirced through his torso. I can't lose my dad. I couldn't. Anger pulsed through my veins. I swear, if somebody took him from me, I would kill them. I shuddered, a bunch of emotions going through my head. They were building up. Hate, anger, fear, dread. They kept piling up until I exploded.

"Damn it!" I shouted as I slammed my fist against the dashboard. I pounded the my foot down on the gas and my van sped up. I clenched the steering wheel and pulled into my driveway.

"Mom!" I yelled as I ran in the front door. My mom came rolling out of the kitchen on her wheelchair. "Mom, what happened to Dad?"

"Wait for your sister. She's on her way home right now."

I could tell she had been crying. Her cheeks were puffy and her eyes were red. It takes something really bad to make my mother cry. Blair came bursting through the door, fear visible in her eyes.

"Mom, what happened? Is Dad hurt?"

"Take a seat." Mom said as she lead us to the living room. We sat down and Mom sat in front of us."Kids, there was an explosion. They bombed the base your dad was at. "

Blair gasped in horror, and I sucked in my breath. Blair's hands covered her face. When she took them off, she was crying.

"Out of the forty- six men stationed there, only thirteen made it."

"Thirty- three people died?" Blair whispered.

"Is Dad ok?" I asked.

"No one was ok. All survivors were severely, if not fatily wounded. They haven't had time to identify the bodies or survivors. The ones who lived were immediately brought to their military hospital down there."