My Life In Pieces (Book #1)

Chapter 26

I felt his hand rest on the small of my back as we walked towards the car. It felt comforting. I climbed into the back of Dylan's truck with him and Jensen and Declan climbed into the front. It wasn't like we had a lot of privacy at the moment but we were at least somewhat alone. I smiled shyly again at him.

Ari looked quizzically back like he was trying to read my mind. If only I even knew what I was thinking. He leaned in and whispered into my ear, "What's going on with you Gorgeous? You've been off the last few days."

I leaned in and whispered as low as I could so that the others wouldn't hear, "I don't know. I can't shake it though. It's like my head is buzzing with words and feelings but not in a language I speak."

He nodded, "I get that. I've been there. You think it has something to do with your birthday? With Elyse and Patrick visiting?"

I shrugged and then slowly nodded. I wanted to cry. I missed them. I missed Jordan. I missed home and I felt like I wanted to throw a tantrum about it. But what good would that do? I couldn't do anything about it. That lack of control was making me mad. I knew Ari had nothing to do with it but for some reason I felt mad towards him. Towards this group of people that had taken me in. They had made me one of their own, and for no reason I could understand that had me down right pissed off. I couldn't explain it at all. There was no way I could even try to tell Ari this. So I just leaned back into his side and let the conversation die for now.

I made it through DIM with Ari and then auto piloted from there. I could have told anyone what the teacher said as I headed into Study Hall. 

Jensen's smiling face broke me out of my robot trance. I sat next to her and started pulling out my books. Ten minutes later I found myself still reading the first line in the chapter I was on for Dante's. I closed it and my eyes. I started massaging my head trying to will all the thoughts away.

"Do you want to talk about whatever is bugging you?"

My eyes opened and I saw Jensen's concerned expression staring back at me.

"It's complicated."

She smiled, "I get complicated. Try me."

I swallowed hard. She was the only person I had met here who I could talk to about this who wasn't one of the family. Patrick would be back in Dallas right now and of little help. So I thought of how to explain this.

"So I moved here from Dallas against my will. Divorce. My dad won custody and moved me here when he got the new job."

"And Patrick and your sister visiting brought that fact up huh?"

She was good.

"That obvious huh?"

"I mean I would be pissed if my dad moved me to a new country half way through high school."

"I am. Really pissed. I thought I had gotten over it. Nope. Still mad."

"Seeing them made you mad?"

"No seeing them leave, did."

"At least you have friends here, right? I mean you have like a whole gang of them."

"That's where my feelings get complicated."

She nodded silently, not trying to figure out what that complication was before I could.

I shrugged, "I love my cousins and being around them and Ari and Elle. I have felt at home as much as I can because of them."

"But?"

"But it feels like they sucked me into this vortex where I landed in Pleasantville. It's like I didn't have to try and make friends here because of them but now..." I trialed off not sure of what I wanted to say. I sat there thinking for a moment. Jensen sat silent as I collected my thoughts. "Well now it's like I don't even have five people to invite to Elle's party."