Splinters: Part One

Part One | 30

Chapter 30

How I Ended Up Here...

The next morning, I felt like I had been run over by a rollercoaster a million times. I shut my blinds forcefully and covered my face with my pillow. For a second, I was all right, but then everything came rushing back and I found myself shrinking under my covers.

A knock was heard at my door. Whoever it was, they opened it without my permission. My patience was hanging by a thread already.

"Brayden?" Ursa's small voice came in.

I sighed sadly. I hoped she had a better night than me.

"It's almost twelve," she said, her voice closer as she sat on my bed.

I was still under my duvet.

"Wanna tell me what happened last night?"

Slowly, I came out and lay on my pillow, peeking out. "No."

She frowned.

I placed my left hand under my head. "How did it go? How long did you stay?"

She shrugged. "Until the end. Grady brought me home. We had a good time."

I tried to smile, but I wasn't able to keep it on my face. I was so depressed, I didn't even feel like moving. I just wanted to lay and stare at the wall forever.

"Brayden..." She touched my foot above the blanket. "What happened?"

I drew in a deep breath. "Zech knows."

She blinked in confusion. Before she could say anything, I continued.

"He knows I'm not your brother." Tears sprung at my eyes. I was beginning to think I was a baby. I'm a sixteen year old boy crying over the truth about my past spilling out. I shouldn't be crying. I should be strong, careless. Boys my age don't cry. I'm weak. "He told everybody. Everyone knows I'm an orphan. They know about my dad and my mom and New York and St. Anne's."

"H-how?"

"I don't know, Ursanne. I-"

"Who've you told?"

I pressed my lips together and looked at her. "Collie and Andrew."

She frowned and gave me a look that basically said I-think-we-both-know-who-did-it.

I shook my head. "Collie wouldn't do that, Ursa."

"And Andrew would?"

I shook my head and shrugged, feeling extremely uneasy. "I-I don't know."

"Brayden, Collie's-"

"I don't want to fight about this, Ursanne. I have enough issues with the people close to me right now. I can't lose you again."

"I'm sorry," she said after a second of silence. "I just... I'm being honest with you."

"She's changed," I whispered. "She wouldn't tell him. She promised."

I wasn't looking at my sister, but from the corner of my eye, I could tell she was holding something back. I didn't want to hear it. Even if she tried, I'd tune her out. I won't believe my girlfriend would do that.

"So that's why you left?" she asked.

"I was being humiliated. It was too much."

The room fell silent. I didn't want to talk anymore. I wanted her to go.

"Do you wanna go eat something?" she attempted.

I shook my head.

"Brayden."