Splinters: Part One

Part One | 46

We walked out her balcony door and decided to walk to the park rather than drive.

"So why were you with your dad?"

"We went to go play basketball."

She thought for a long moment. "Are you going to try out for teams this year?"

"I don't think I'm that good, Collie."

"Yeah but when you played with Andrew, he said you could make it."

I clenched my fists at the sound of his name. "Yeah well I think we both know he said lies left and right when he was my friend," I snapped.

In the corner of my eye I could see her stare at me in shock. "Okay," she mumbled slowly. "I think it's still worth a try."

"And be on a team with him?" I grimaced.

"It was just a suggestion, Brayden."

By the tone of her voice, I could see she was getting frustrated with me. Unfortunately my guilt wasn't really kicking in just yet.

We walked quietly the rest of the way which wasn't long or far. We sat in our usual swings and swayed for a minute or two.

She sighed. "Brayden, at some point you have to let it go and not pass good opportunities by because of him."

And those words royally pissed me off. She said them nicely, sweetly, and considerately, but that didn't seem to register. In my head, Andrew is a jerk and a phony. She has no idea what it felt like to be exposed like that at our dance by Zech, and the fact that it had all started because I confided in a friend who I thought I could trust.

"No I don't, and you don't need to tell me I have to."

"What the hell is your problem?!" she questioned.

Great. Now we're going to fight.

"Don't tell me I need to let what he did go! You don't know anything, alright?!"

"What do you mean I don't know anything?! I've been there for you from the star-"

"You don't know what it was like to have a mom walk out on you! You don't know what it's like to be taken away from your father, and lose your grandmother, and then be sent to a catholic orphanage surrounded by kids just as messed up as you! You don't know what it's like to have a mom in prison, a dad who's dead, and be adopted by some random family you don't fit in and be forced to go to some prestigious school filled with preppy brats! You don't know what's it like to have to feel so alone and unworthy and feel the need to hide everything from your girlfriend and an entire school only to have it blow up in your face at a dance because you thought you could trust one simple person and then have stupid jocks make fun of you! You don't know what it's like to have Splinters, Collie! So don't act like you do!"

"Brayden, sto-"

I stood up, pushing the swing angrily away from me and pointing at her. "No, Collie! You can't say that to me! You can't say I need to let it go because I don't!"

I went over to the post that held the swings and pressed my palms on it, trying to breathe steadily and not punch the blue metal. Collie sat silently, the slight creak of the chain screeching here and there. I pressed my forehead against the cold post and shut my eyes.

Collie's hands didn't scare me, but they startled me when they wrapped around my waist several seconds later.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I had no right to talk."

That's what I wanted to hear. That's what I needed to hear. No one gets it, so I need everyone to stop acting like they do. Sighing in relief, I turned around and placed my hands on her hips. Pressing my lips together, I watched her sadly and tried to focus on only her.