Splinters: Part One

Part One | 10

The girls hushed themselves from inside the room.

"What was that?" Bella asked.

"It was probably one of my sisters. Hold on."

I heard Ursanne walk towards the door. Bolting for Edaline's room, I hid inside her closet.

The door opened. "Girls! Knock it off!" Ursanne shouted and then the door slammed shut.

"Why is she yelling at us?" Edaline suddenly appeared before me. I jumped. "Woah," Edaline giggled. "Why are you in my closet? And why did it take you so long to take the paint?"

I stared at her, wide-eyed. "I wanted to play hide and seek?"

Edaline sighed, grasping my hand and pulling me out from under the hanging clothes. "Not now, Brayden. We have to finish our painting."

I scratched the top of my head. "O-okay."

I stood up straight, and watched as Edaline rushed toward her bedside and pulled out a tote from under her bed. I glanced out at the hallway, seeing Ursanne's room door closed shut. I sighed, and helped Edaline get out the paint.

...

"So, what do you want to be, Brayden?" Ursa asked me as we skimmed through the many Halloween costumes.

I shrugged.

She groaned. "Are you ever going to talk?"

I shrugged again.

She shook her head, touching a maid's costume. She lifted it, and showed it to me. "What do you think?"

I pressed my lips together and stared at her. "Um... A bit much, don't you think?" I narrowed my eyes at the model in the picture. It was definitely not for a fourteen year old girl like Ursanne.

She looked at it again and tilted her head. "I don't think so."

I shook my head at her, taking the costume and setting it back on the rack. "It says For Adults."

"So?"

I sighed, rubbing my eyebrows. I gestured her to keep walking, to which she complied.

"You know, you've been quiet all day and when you finally say something, it's to tell me I can't be a slut for Halloween."

"Is that what you were going for?"

"I was hoping you'd tell me no, and you did."

"So mission accomplished."

"Why are you being so bitter?"

"I'm not."

She scoffed. "Please, all you've been doing the past week is sulk. What's going on with you?"

Zech is what's going on. The day after Collie and I talked to each other, I started seeing her hang out with Zech a lot more. When I'm in the hall, I'd see him with his arm around her. And as if he knew I was watching, he'd whisper something to her and then she'd duck her head and blush. Then at lunch, he started sitting next to her. And after school, he'd walk her to her car while I got on the bus. I hated it. 

I'd never tell Ursanne, but I felt jealous, something I've never felt before, especially over a girl. It was easy to admit by now that I really like her, but that didn't necessarily mean I wanted to admit it. 

"Brayden, seriously" Ursanne pressed again.

I shrugged.

"Is it because I ate the last cinnamon poptart?" she joked.