Broken

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"How's your nose Helen?" Ian asked as he walked into my room.

 I sighed and looked at the bandages holding my nose in place. It had been pretty bruised after being hit. Tony sent me home once it started bleeding and then Ian drove me to the doctors. It wasn't broken, luckily, but it was bruised and swollen enough they bandaged it up anyways.

"it hurts" I shrugged, "But not too bad" I smiled and stood up from my bed, picking up my suitcase that was leaning against the side of my bed. 

"That's good" Ian smiled "You ready to go?" 

I nodded and forced a smile. Moving again, what a great feeling. I can't really complain though, it wasn't like it could be helped. And I'd never been out of the country before either. Wonder what Canada is like. I've heard a lot of good things about it... with some bad mixed in but that comes with everything. 

"Let's get going" I replied, standing up stiffly. 

-------

I sat in the terminal reading a book I had put in my carry on. I don't remember getting it, but I was already half way through. It was a love story, a genera I don't usually get into but for once this was interesting. 

It was about a woman, who ran away from her abusive husband to a small seaside town and dealt with her PTSD and starts having feelings for a shop keeper in the town. And the shop keeper is a cool guy, but the thing I think I like most about him is the fact his description isn't generic. He was an ex vet, with short grey hair even though he's in his thirties. His wife died of cancer, and he was left with his two kids running a small convenient store that sells only what the people in the town need. But it's not magic. And the woman comes and lives in a cabin outside of town with another cabin next to her where another woman lives, but she's never seen in town. And I don't know why I'm going on about it, but it was a good book. 

I looked up briefly to see a man staring across the isle from me. Quickly, I put my head back down. I hope I didn't make eye contact. Unfortunately, I must have because he got up and walked over. His red hair looked tasseled and messy like he forgot to brush it, and his hoodie looked like he hadn't washed it in a while either. It was crumpled, like he had just pulled it out of his backpack and put it on. that I could understand though, as it had started raining pretty hard on the way over. My jacket hung limply next to me, dry in only a couple places. 

"hey" He said, sitting in the empty seat next to me. I nodded, trying to concentrate on my book. He sounded nice, but I don't take my chances with strangers usually. 

"I love that book" He said in another attempt to talk. I nodded again. 

"It's pretty good" I shrugged. I went back to reading, hoping he'd get the hint. I really didn't feel like talking, even if he did seem alright. 

"Did you hear about the movie they made about it?" He asked. He really was trying to start a conversation. 

"Yea, I saw it a couple times" I replied, putting it down. "It's pretty good, but I have to say I like the book better"

He nodded, smiling. He didn't seem too bad.

"What's your name?" I asked, "I'm Helen" I reached out my hand to him.

"Max" He smiled back "Nice to meet you Helen" Max smiled and shook my hand. It was firm, and not at all sweaty. 

"It's nice to meet you as well" I replied "Where you headed?" 

Max shrugged "Up to Washington. I've got a friend up there who I'm going to visit. He's starting a business and I'm joining along with some of our other friends. Where are you headed?" 

"Sounds fun" I said "I'm moving up to Canada. I don't know for how long though" I shrugged. No need to tell a person I just met my whole life story. That only makes things weird.

Max looked at me weirdly. "you going up there for college, right?" I shook my head.

"I"m moving up there with my adopted dad" I replied "He's a Youtuber." I threw in, just so it didn't sound creepy. Then I realized, it sounded creepy. 

"He is?" Max asked "What's his name?" 

"Quentin" I said "Ian and him adopted me and my brother a while ago. Well, not my brother. Some of their friends adopted him" 

Max nodded, going quiet. I looked down at my book, but didn't open it. An awkward silence was already stretching out, so I put in my headphones and opened my phone to youtube. No new videos, but that's not that a big a thing. I searched up Gravity Falls and started watching a break down of the latest episode. Max snorted next to me, and I looked over confused. 

"What?" I asked defensively, taking my headphones down. It always bugged me when people watched what I was doing over my shoulder.

"Nothing, nothing" He smiled, shaking his head "You just didn't seem the type is all" he smirked. 

"Type for what?" I asked, more curious now than annoyed. but, I was still annoyed. 

"For that. you didn't seem the type to like that show" He replied. I rolled my eyes, offended yet again, and pulled my headphones back up. 

"hey, c'mon, I didn't mean anything by that. I like the show too" He said. I looked over warily. 

"What's the pigs name?" I asked. He rolled his eyes. 

"Waddles, and Grunkle Stan has two other siblings. Any other questions to ask?" he joked. 

I smiled. "No" I replied. We talked until the plane came, after we boarded, and all the way until the layover in Washington. We parted ways, and I smiled for most of the rest of the flight. 

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