Can't take this, really can't finish this

 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nic called immediately when Tristan mentioned breaking up with Dale in a TEXT.

"Oh, I don't know if I can talk about it," was all Tristan could say. He still felt a bit under the weather, like maybe there was a real issue. Maybe it was his heart. He felt a little weak these days, but somehow he managed to get to work every day. He liked being there. Although seeing his mother bring him lunch at the zoo always made him uncomfortable. It wasn't that he'd lied to her, but then he hadn't told her about the Dale situation either.

"It's just, I know I shouldn't be at the house. It's my Mom and Dad's, you know."

Tristan felt restless. He wanted to get away from the memories he and Dale made here, but with the price of things these days, it didn't seem likely.

"I want you to come here," Nic said out of nowhere.

"What?" Tristan scowled as he walked around in the living room, just in his briefs. "No. I can't. I won't."

He didn't want his sister Liv to think he might be planning to move to Seoul. He was certain she was still trying to get over her visit with their mother.

"You need a vacation," Nic's voice sounded so positive.

"No. No, I don't." Tristan squinted hard.  "I need to work harder, that's it. I need to, you know-" He didn't know how to fill in the blank. If only he'd finish what he'd started. He was a long way from being a veterinarian. 

He pulled his fingers back through his long bangs. He needed a haircut. So many things he needed. 

"I'm going to be OK," he promised Nic. He pressed his lips tight. 

Just then he got a TEXT from Holden, inviting him to dinner.

"Don't you worry about me," Tristan made himself laugh. "I need to be on my own." Still, he knew he depended way too much on everyone.