Splinters: Part One

Part One | 44

"Okay," I agreed.

"Thank you for telling us the truth," Greg said, hugging me.

Melissa was next. She wrapped her arms around me while I did the same. "And Brayden?"

I waited for her to pull back. When she did, she looked me directly in the eyes.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again."

I nodded, taken aback with how stern her voice was before watching them both leave the room.

...

Three knocks sounded at my door as I sat in my chair, staring at my father's letter.

"Come in!" I said loudly, forcing myself to tear my eyes away from the letter and turn to face whoever was at the door.

Ursa's head peeped in. "Hey."

I turned back around. "What's up?"

She walked over to my bed and sat down. "I just wanted to see if you were all right. You never told me what happened down in New York."

"Nothing bad happened. You know, besides getting arrested and all that."

"But what did you do? Where did you go?"

"St. Anne's for a little bit. And then after that, I went to see my friend."

"Oh. So that's it?"

"Kind of."

Ursa nodded. "What are you looking at?"

I froze and slowly covered the letter with my book. "Nothing. Just thinking."

"Oh."

I sighed casually.

"So I heard you're going to see your mom again soon."

"Yeah."

She waited for a moment. The silence was almost comforting for me, knowing that Ursanne was here, not only in my room but she was here for me as a sister and as a best friend, but it seemed to bother her because she got a little frustrated and sighed. "Brayden, talk to me."

"I am talking to you."

"No you're not. One word answers to big questions isn't talking."

"What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me that you're not going to leave again."

I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "I'm not."

"Then why did you in the first place?"

I bit my lip. "I-I don't know. Impulse?"

"Please don't do it again."

"I won't, Ursanne. Don't worry."

"Good."

It was starting to bother me that everyone thought I was this kid who was going to break down any second and just leave. I wasn't going to leave for good. I was going to come back. It was a one-time thing, and I wish I could tell them that, but I wasn't sure they'd believe me.

"Have you talked to your girlfriend?"

"She has a name," I pointed out.

"Have you talked to Collie?" she asked, nicer than before.

"Only once."

"What did she say?"

"Just that she loves me and she's glad I'm okay."

Ursa bit her lip. I knew that face. She was wondering whether she should say what she's thinking. "She came over."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "What?"