Piece by Piece

Eleven

MARGOT POV

I slipped an extra pair of wool socks from Blake over what I was wearing as I curled up at the foot of her bed.  Her room was cozy with candles strewn on bookshelves and a desk, giving us decent light while my mind raced as I tried to process.

Cade's confession or invitation or whatever it was shocked me.

"Margot? When was the last time someone wanted to live with you?"

Blake's voice was calm and I knew she would not judge me for freaking out.

"Never."

Her head tilted and jaw dropped slightly at the admission.  I let out a long sigh. "Reunification was never an option since my parents didn't care enough to even show up at court, much less get sober.  None of the families I was placed with requested me or offered for me to stay if changes happened.  The only reason I stayed in one place all of high school was by design and so I could help with other kids.  When I was finally on my own it was easier to just keep it that way."

"Because at least then you know you're safe?"

I nodded, blinking back tears.

"Do you feel safe with Cade?"

"Yes. I have since the first time we talked."

Blake smiled softly, "And like you said before, he would never intentionally hurt you."

"I still believe that."

"Then what was it about this that triggered you?"

Silence fell over us and I knew the answer but didn't want to say it.

I didn't want to verbalize all the complete lies I've been told my whole life.

This is Blake, though. We became friends easily both because of her affable nature and the immediate connection through Cade.

"Blake?" I almost whispered, trying to say everything I always kept inside. "I'm terrified that he will see me for who I really am. That he'll see the scared and broken little girl who had no agency.  Who was beaten and used for years with no one listening as I begged for help.  The girl that took out her sadness on herself with a razor blade when things got worse in high school."

"I have never once thought of you as anything besides capable, strong, and kind."

I let out a dry laugh and shrugged, "I guess I'm good at faking it."

"Or you were put in situations for your entire life that tore down the sweet spirit I see inside you. What if all those people who told you awful things were wrong?  What if they saw something special, some kind of light inside you that they wanted to extinguish to feel better about themselves?"

I leaned back against her footboard and thought about her words.

"You're gonna be a great therapist, Blake," I said with a smile.

She chuckled, "Yeah, well I think right now we need to eat some of our feelings."

"Oreos. We can take them down to Chase's room with a gallon of milk," I agreed, standing to go with her. "I'll talk to Cade and try to share my heart. Talking with you has helped a lot.  I just hate feeling like I'm so broken."

Blake nudged me as we walked downstairs, "There is nothing broken or wrong with you, Margot. The people who have made you feel that way since you were a tiny child? They're the broken ones."

I turned into the kitchen but Cade was standing there with his jaw locked and arms crossed.

Angry? Is he...