TROUBLED || thirteen reasons why

053.

"You sleep okay?" Justin asks over his shoulder towards his sister.

"Yeah," The girl answers curtly as she pulls the milk from the fridge. Justin returns with a box of Frosted Flakes and two bowls. Tristan sits down as Justin makes her cereal and grabs them spoons before sitting at the table himself, "Thanks."

The two sit quietly in the kitchen, Tristan going over her algebra notes for her test today and Justin playing a game on his phone. The girl liked mornings like this: structured and put at ease. She almost can't remember what it was like before the Jensens; what it was like living with her chaotic mother and her abusive boyfriends.

The doorbell rings and the siblings glance up for a moment, wondering who would be at their door at eight in the morning.

"Clay, what the-" Lainie Jensen calls out from the foyer, "Why are you ringing the doorbell?"

Tristan and Justin give each other funny looks before standing up to see what is going on. They walk into the dining room and see Clay giving his father a hug, "I love you."

"I love you too, kiddo," Matt says, confusion playing in his voice. Clay looks over to the two teenagers who stand by the dining table, he steps away from his dad before pulling Tristan into an embrace.

"I love you."

Tristan lets out a laugh as she wraps her arms around the boy, "Yeah... I love you too, Clay."

"Dude, what's wrong with you?" Justin snickers as he takes another bite of the cereal in his hands.

"At this moment," Clay shrugs, letting go of Tristan as he walks closer to her brother, "Here? I'm good."

Clay turns and goes into the living room, his family following him as they watch his with amusement. The boy stops at the fireplace and rearranges the photos until there is a spot empty in the center. He turns to face his family, "We need to put Justin and Tris' photo up."

"That's a great idea," Lainie nods, her arm wrapping around Tristan, "Yeah, we'll take some pictures."

Tristan looks back to Justin who nods at the idea. Tristan smiles.

"It's about that time, I better head off for work," Matt says, looking from his watch and clasping his hand around Clay's shoulder, "I love you kid."

Clay smiles at his father as they watch him pick up his bag and head out the door. Lainie speaks up next, "Shoot, I should probably get going as well. You kids make sure you get to school on time, I don't want to get another call saying that you three were late again."

"It won't happen again," Clay nods, knowing full well that that is a lie. Lainie knows it too and she winks at them.

"I mean it. Now, I'll see you all tonight. Drive safe!"

Tristan goes upstairs once Lainie is out the door, and she pulls a hoodie over her head as the boys get ready in their room. A few minutes later she hears the back door slam closed and Clay's voice shouting through the house, "Justin's on his way, let's get to the car."

The girl pulls her hair back in a ponytail and grabs her backpack off the floor. Tristan's feet trot down the stairs, but come to an abrupt stop at the sound of knocking on the front door. Tristan's heart sinks as she looks through the window.

The cops.

They can see her through the glass and watch as she cautiously reaches the bottom of the stairs and fumbles with the lock, cracking the door open. Her voice is quiet, "Can I help you?"

"Is this the Jensen residence?" One of the uniformed men ask, his eyes wondering into the house. Tristan nods.

"We're looking for Clay Jensen. Is he here?"