Splinters: Part One

Part One | 40

When we were both inside, I made sure she was buckled before starting the car and pulling out and closing the garage.

"Did my parents already go down the road?" I asked her, looking back to check no one was driving in the road for me to pull out of the driveway.

"No. They're over there." Collie pointed through her window to our right.

"Oh, okay."

When I was right behind my parents, I watched closely at their directions. I could tell that for my benefit, Greg was turning on his signals a little sooner than necessary, but it was good for me.

"I like how protective Melissa is of you," Collie admitted after a long moment of silence.

I glanced at her. "Why?"

"Just... When I think about your life before, I wonder what it was like. I know you've told me stories and all that, but... I don't know. I'm under the impression you were starved and beaten every day."

I laughed, even though it probably wasn't funny at all. I've had to live with kids who were starved and beaten every day. I've had to hear stories like that. It was anything but funny.

"It wasn't like that."

"I know, but... Was it weird? Going from what you had before to what you have now?"

I shifted in my seat, merging onto the main road and eventually the highway. "Yeah. It was really weird. I wasn't sure if I was a charity case or some experiment or what. All I'd ever known was having one parent until I went to St. Anne's. It's still really awkward going to family things. Like at Easter, Melissa made me do the Egg Hunt."

She giggled. "I still do it."

"Melissa said she wanted to try to mend my childhood, but she can't. My childhood is engraved in me."

"It's a Splinter."

I got chills when she said the word for some reason. In a good way. It was like she understood what it felt like.

"It breaks my heart every time I think about it."

"Don't think about it then," I told her. "I'm happy now."

Collie was quiet for a second. "Do you hate Zech, Brayden? Like, do you really really hate him?"

I tensed. Why is she asking that question? It had nothing to do with the subject. She stared at me as she waited for a reply, but I wasn't sure what to say. In fact, I wasn't sure what I thought. Did I hate Zech? Well, he's the only person I've ever wanted to inflict pain on. Is that hate? I think so.

"Yeah."

I felt guilty as I spoke the word. The truth was Zech angered me more often than not. You know what, there hasn't been one encounter with that jerk that hasn't made my emotions negative. I wasn't lying to her. I did hate him, and the more I thought about him, the more I wanted to prove it to her.

"If you had the chance, would you leave Barrington because of him? Go back to your old life?"

"Haven't we gone over this before, Collie?"

"Yeah, but sometimes it's nice to hear you say it again just to ease the guilt I have."

"No matter what, Zech will not get between us. Ever. He never has and he never will."

She nodded. "Okay."

I shook my head, glancing at her. "Do you not believe me?"

"No, I just... I get nervous, Brayden. I feel like I'm bad for you."