RECAP
Trinity stared at him for some moments processing everything he was telling her. "Of course I'll be your girl." She smiled resting her hands on his, it's finally official she thought.
Chris let go of a breath he didn't realize he was holding relieved of her answer. He smiled pulling her face closer to his, landing a kiss right on her plump lips. Trinity smiled in in the kiss holding his face in her hands.
"So cute," Kae said wiping a fake tear
"It's about time," Michael added wrapping his arms around China.
Everyone laughed as the three of them walked over to Trinity and Chris by the hospital bed. They all started with small talk asking Chris how he felt.
"Bro you took a bullet, you're officially the realest nigga I know now," Michael said dapping up Chris.
"Michael shut the hell up," China said elbowing him.
Trinity sat back and watched her friends engage in conversation. She wanted to be as happy and relieved as they were but it was this one thought that picked her brain. Who shot Chris? Was she supposed to be the one that got shot?
She ignored the thoughts, pushing it to the back of her mind joining her friends on the random topic of going back to school soon, mustering up a fake smile.
Trinity
Sunday, January 24, 2016, 8:45pm
"Trinity, you should've told me you were still having those panic attacks." My father said sternly as we sat in his car eating Chinese food.
I sighed stuffing a spoonful of pork fried rice in my mouth. "I didn't think it was that serious, I went to the doctor not too long ago and he said panic and or anxiety attacks aren't deadly," I responded.
We sat in the car in front of the Chinese store and ate peacefully in the night. Throwback rap music played lowly on the radio as my father nodded his head and ate his food simultaneously.
"Chris and I are dating by the way," I said looking out the window.
I knew if I brought up Chris and I dating, it would make him forget about the whole panic attack situation, it's so annoying to talk about all the time.
He started choking on his rice instantly, I smirked and handed him his ice tea that sat in the cup holder.
"When the hell did you and Curtis started dating anyway?" He asked a few minutes after recovering from choking on a rice grain.
I lowered my eyes at him, "Daddy, I know you know Curtis isn't his name."
I've only had one serious relationship and that was back in Cali. His name is Marc and I've known him since seventh grade. We started dating when I was entering high school in ninth grade. He was my many firsts, including my first love.
We broke up a few weeks before I moved out here and I honestly haven't thought about him since. He took advantage of how nice I can be and honestly treated me like shit. He claimed he loved me but we barely saw each other, we're always arguing, he'd go days without talking to me, he always wanted sex which we only did it once and overall he's probably the worst boyfriend anyone could ever have. My father noticed the moods I was in when Marc and I get into it so he never liked him.
I'm over Marc now, I've moved on to bigger and better things. Chris treats me like a princess, he makes me feel wanted and loved. Even though we just started dating today, he still made me feel special, even before we started dating.
"He asked me out today when he woke up," I said smiling to myself.
I finished up my food, throwing the take out containers in the plastic bag. My father did the same, turning the key in the ignition, bringing the car to life. He left out of the parking spot and headed straight down the road.
"I can tell he makes you happy Trin. You've been so miserable since we had to move to New York and I haven't seen you smile so much and be so happy since then, aside from what happened to him of course, but if you're happy then I'm happy." He said nodding.
He's right. I haven't been this happy in a while. Chris made me happy, the friends I've made since I've been here made me happy. I was content and wouldn't change a thing.
Regents week is over and we go back to school tomorrow. I definitely wasn't ready to be annoyed by teachers, Mr. Johnson, and the females that hated my guts because I was the new girl everyone talked about.
School is honestly so depressing and I sure don't want to return back there, especially without Chris by my side since he'll be in the hospital for a few days, then at home on bed rest for however long.
My father's phone then started ringing snapping me out of my thoughts.
He glanced at it, "Check who's that for me." He said nodding his head towards his phone that sat in the compartment between us as he kept his eyes on the road.
I reached for it, looking at the screen before I answered, "It's a California number."
"California? Answer it." He said switching lanes.
I pressed the green button putting the phone up to my ears, "Hello?"
"Hi, we're calling from St. Francis hospital. Is this Tristian James?" A lady said into the phone.
I knitted my eyebrows moving the phone away from my ears, "Daddy, it's a hospital."
"What!? What do they want?"
"He's driving right now, is there something wrong?"
"This number was listed as an emergency contact for Ms. Jasmine Walker. We tried calling the primary number listed but it seems to be out of service. Jasmine is currently here in critical condition."
"What?! Is she okay? What happened?"
My father then pulled over to the curb and parked the car.
"Ma'am, I can't disclose what happened over the phone. I'm going to need someone to come down to the hospital."
"Oh my god. Daddy, Jasmine's in the hospital!" I cried out setting his phone down.
Omniscient
Monday, January 25th, 2016
China used the spare key and let herself into Trinity's home. Michael and Kae trailed behind walking into the house also. They all quietly piled into the living room and sat in the recliners, leaving the couch all for Trinity.
Everyone sat in the living room in silence, watching Trinity as she stared hard at the wooden floor. Her demeanor and aura were the same as when she was in the hospital waiting to hear if Chris was going to make it or not.
"Baby, you're scaring me, no funny shit," Chris said as he sat up in the hospital bed.
Trinity wiped a tear, looking up at Michael's phone. Since Chris is on bed rest, they decided to FaceTime him so he can hear the urgent news Trinity had for her friends.
"Yeah Trin, you texted us to come over right after school. What's going on?" China said.
"Take your time hun, no rush," Kae added looking at her friend who's in shambles.
Trinity looked up at her friends who sat there sad and confused. She then looked away playing with the throw pillow that sat beside her on the couch.
She hasn't moved from that spot since she got home from getting Chinese food last night. Boxes of tissue sat on the coffee table, along with little food that her father tried to make her eat. She couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep, she couldn't think.
She took a jagged breath playing with her fingers, "I've been hiding something from you guys, and ever since then it made me feel like complete shit that I didn't do anything about it." She started, "When Jasmine was packing to go home, she confessed that her father was abusing her. She raised her shirt and showed me so many bruises and scars on her body. It made me sick to my stomach. It's been going on for seven years."
She looked up at her friends who were silent, more like speechless, waiting for her to continue.
"She assured me she'll handle it and she'll be fine. She didn't want me to tell anyone, but I knew then and there I should've. That's why I've been having these anxiety attacks. She's dead and it's all my fault!"
Hearing the words come from her own mouth pained her. It finally processed that her friend of six years is gone, and she'll never get to see her again. She'll never get to hear her beautiful laugh or see her beautiful smile.
China hunched over, running her hands through her hair. "Oh my god."
China couldn't believe it, that sweet innocent girl. She didn't deserve it.
"Baby, it is not your fault! Don't blame yourself for what happened, ok? What happened to Jasmine isn't your fault, you couldn't have prevented what happened. I know this is hard for you, and I won't tell you everything is going to be okay because it isn't, but baby, I need you to be strong. Be strong for me, for yourself, your father, the people who're sitting in your living room right now with you, the people who love you. Be strong for Jasmine. She wouldn't want you to blame your self for this."
"I know, but I can't help it." Trinity cried out resting her head in her hands. "My best friend is gone!"
Kae twiddled her thumbs feeling like shit. Her and Jasmine never really got a long, it sucks she didn't get the chance to really get to know her.
Jasmine and Michael argued every time there were in each other's presence. He saw her as an annoying younger sister he never had, even though she got on his nerves, he's going to miss her dearly.
"So what now?" Michael asked.
"My father left earlier to California to handle business, we're gonna have her buried up here in New York. She doesn't have any family down there.I'm not quite sure when the funeral is, but it's going to be small and quick. Jasmine would've wanted that."
"Have you ate anything baby? I'll make you something to eat." China said getting up and heading to the kitchen before she can let a tear slip.
"I'm not hungry." Trinity croaked.
"She cooks when she's stressed out." Michael stood up rubbing his face and following China into the kitchen. "Yo bro, I'll talk to you later," Michael said into the phone.
"Aight, take care of her for me bro. Until I'm able to leave the hospital." Chris replied.
"Of course. I got you."
'''
Three days later
The gang sat around watching the security tapes of the night of the shooting. They've been staring at about ten different screens for about thirty minutes.
Trinity wasn't in the right state to be there watching security tapes, but she had to, she was a witness. She wanted to be elsewhere, anywhere but where it all happened.
Seeing Chris getting shot over and over again on the surveillance, as his lifeless body hit the sidewalk made her stomach churn.
"This was two hours before the shooting. This black BMW was parked out front for about ten minutes." The man in charge of the surveillance said.
Trinity perked up hearing about the black BMW. Could it be? The same black BMW that's been following her everywhere? She had a gut feeling, and this time she was going to go with it.
"It's a different car that fired the gunshots." The detective added. "The BMW that was parked out front two hours before has sticker decals in the back of the car. The BMW that fired the shots doesn't."
"See if you can get a close up of the license plates and track them." An officer commanded leaving the room along with the detective.
"Can we leave now?" Trinity asked growing impatient.
Being back at the venue where everything happened made her skin crawl.
"Sure. We'll call you guys back out here when we get word on the license plates." Another officer said escorting them all out.
Everyone left out of the small surveillance room and out of the venue. They all stood in front of the venue where the crime scene took place as flashbacks hit them all simultaneously. It hit Trinity the most.
It could've been her she thought.
"How you feeling Trin?" Kae asked as they all walked to Trinity's car.
"I'm fine. I just need to see Chris and relax some more." She sighed unlocking the doors.
Too many things were being thrown at Trinity at once, she's stressed out and tired from all the sleepless nights.
They all got in silently as Trinity buckled up and pulled off down the road.
"Remember when we were in the Party City parking lot cyphing and Michael thought I was getting paranoid? That wasn't paranoia, I'm pretty sure the same person who I felt was watching us is the same person who shot Chris."
"How are you so sure babe?" China asked from the back seat.
"I also had the same feeling when Michael picked Chris and me up from Chris' house and when we were in the mall buying outfits for the mixtape release party. I don't know, It's hard to explain." She stressed rubbing her temple.
"Trin, don't stress yourself out over this. Leave it to the police and detectives." Kae said resting her hand on Trinity's shoulder from the passenger seat.
"Chris told me he wouldn't let anyone hurt me, and look where he is now. I feel like I owe it to him to figure out who almost took his life." She responded.
"Chris, I have something to tell you," Trinity said as they walked past a bunch of people giving out samples.
"Wassup?"
"Ever since Kae, China and I went to go pick up the decorations from Party City, I've been getting this uneasy feeling that somethings going to happen."
They spotted the three of them at a circular table and made their way over there. As soon as they both sat down, the others got up to get their food.
"What kind of feeling?" He asked giving Trinity her food and drink.
"A bad feeling, I feel like I'm being watched."
"Trinity." He said resting his hand on top of hers. "I got you, nobody gonna hurt you on my watch. Trust me." He scooted closer to her looking her straight in the eyes.
"I trust you," Trinity said nodding.
"Do you guys want to visit Chris?" I asked since I was on my way there anyway.
Everyone nodded as I took the exit, they were gonna come whether they wanted to or not.
Fifteen minutes later we arrived at the hospital, but it took an extra ten minutes to find parking. After finally finding a parking spot not too far from the hospital's entrance, everyone gathered their things and got out of the car.
I then popped open the trunk to retrieve the care package I made for my baby. It consists of his favorite snacks and candy, a sketch pad, an empty song book, colored pencils and a whole lot more.
"Isn't that Lauryn?" China asked.
"Lauryn?" I repeated peeking over the car trunk.
"Aw shit," Michael mumbled scratching the back of his neck.
"I hope she's not here to see Chris," Kae added as we all stared in her direction.
She wore a baby pink Juicy Couture sweatsuit paired with a white dad cap and white Nike Prestos. She parked a row and a few cars over and drove a black BMW, with a Barbie sticker on the bumper.
"The BMW that was parked out front two hours before has sticker decals in the back of the car. The BMW that fired the shots doesn't."
I threw the care package back into the trunk and charged over to her.
"Trinity! What are you doing?!"