Grey Thorns

Chapter 6- Fixing Patches

(Devil's Backbone by The Civil Wars)

I walk in class the following Moday and he's sitting in his seat texting. My loss of sanity act Friday night made me question if I should talk to him or not. I swear I saw him. It had to be him. I shrug it off anyway and stop in front of his desk. "Where were you?" I ask as if I weren't bothered. I didn't want him thinking I'm possessive. He looks up at me. "I had some things I needed to take care of." He says. "Oh." I say simply and sit in my seat. It made me wonder what kind of things. I'm stuck on Friday night. Kacey walks in my class and straight up to me.

"Look, Max, I'm really sorry." she says and I give her an I don't care look.

"I don't want to talk about." I say harshly with a firm voice.

"But Max-"

"Go to class, Kacey." I order and she looks at me for a moment and leaves.

The bell rings soon after she leaves and I sit quietly. She had all weekend to apologize but wait, she didn't come home until last night. Who knows where she spent 3 days. I'll forgive her but no way am I talking to her. She broke all trust with me. At lunch my mood lifted when Liam sat with me. The whole getting over him, yeah... not happening.

"You should come with me." he says and I faintly laugh. "To the beach?" I ask and he nods. "Yeah. Why not?" he shrugs.

I wasn't fully sure about going out with other people after Friday. I've been tempted to ask him but realized how ludicrous it would be. I trust him more than the others though. In a weird way... Not a good, trusting, way, but in a safe way. He's so bitter, I don't think he'd want to force me on dates with him or abandon me at the movies to go do drugs. I don't even have to worry about him wanting to go to the movies with me. He just acts so uninterested, that's why I can trust him.

"Today?" I ask and he nods. "We can go after class." he insists.

I shrug and smile faintly. "Sure." I say.

                                                                                           ***

"You own this?" I ask looking around.

"Well, at leased my family does." he says and I smile towards the scenery. My inner freak of nature is about to come out. "Are the woods apart of it too?" I ask and he nods and walks backwards as he encourages me to follow. "Yeah. Let me show you something." he says and so I follow him.

"I'm really not permitted to let you be here but... I guess I'll take the heat later." he shrugs carelessly as he holds a branch up for me.

"Why?" I ask.

"Well, technically this is sacred territory. There's a um... myth about my family saying this is where the 'wise ones' originated." he says and I look at him curiously.

"Wise ones?" I ask in a little confusion.

He shrugs. "I don't understand it either." he says and just as I was thinking about questioning him, I step on a slick rock and squeal as my leg slips from underneath me. Liam somehow caught my arm. It was odd because there wasnt really any warning or enough time. I didn't even have enough time to think what just happened. "Sorry." I laugh under my breath. I knew my cheeks were probably red by now so I looked at the ground once he let go and kept walking.

"You're not the most graceful." he says and I let out a laugh. "Tell me something I don't know." I say and he doesn't respond. I didn't expect him to respond but I glanced over at him. He walked slower so I could keep up with him. He walked with his eyes fixed at the ground and his hands in his pockets. "So tell me something." I say stepping over a rock. "What?" he asks.