Splinters: Part One

Part One | 12

When Tay left her spot, Collie patted the desk she had just been in, silently telling me to sit next to her. I grinned, walking toward the now unoccupied desk, and slumping into it with my belongings. I looked over at her.

"Hi."

"Hey."

"Alright class, no homework. Halloween's tomorrow, blah blah blah. Let's get started on this worksheet. Turn it in at the end of class. If you don't, it's a zero."

...

Collie and I walked side by side to the cafeteria. Not once had Zech tried to steal her away. In fact, I haven't even seen him. So far, she's clung to me ever since our first class. I felt really happy - happier than I've ever been.

"So, what are you going to do tomorrow?"

I glanced at her as we entered the A La Carte line. Taking out the money Melissa had given me today, I passed it on to the lunch lady.

"Um, I'm going trick-or-treating with Ursanne and Grady and Bella." I replied, suddenly realizing how stupid I probably looked.

Collie was probably going to go to some awesome party I wasn't invited to and hang out with cool people. It wasn't that I didn't want to spend time with my sister, her best friend, and my best friend tomorrow, it was what we were going to do. Trick-or-treating is way past due for me, and it probably was for Collie, too.

"Oh, really?"

I nodded, shocked at how genuine her smile was. I glanced at her, suddenly feeling nervous.

"You can, um, join us. Y'know i-if you want, and all that," I stuttered. I shut my eyes. "I mean-"

Collie giggled. "Are you sure? Don't you think Ursanne and your friends might be a little..."

"A little..?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, hesitant?"

I bit my bottom lip, letting out a long breath. "W-"

"Collie!" a voice interrupted. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at Zech. "What are you doin' tomorrow night?"

Collie stared at him, her mouth slightly agape. "I'm..."

I stared at her, my eyebrows slightly raised.

"Going with Brayden."

Zech glanced at me and laughed. "Pierson?" he asked, as if it were a joke.

I glared at him.

"What are you gonna do with Pierson?"

He talked about me as if I wasn't sitting across from him at The Table.

Collie turned her head towards me. Our eyes locked, and I could tell she was a little reluctant to answer him.

"Trick-or-treat," she finally admitted.

He burst into laughter, and held out a hand to me. "Yeah, sorry, bro," he told me, turning to Collie. "You might as well hang out with me then, yeah?"

Collie stared daggers at him. If looks could kill, I'd gladly stare down Zech until he was breathless.

"No thanks. Brayden's great company." she said sweetly.

I pressed my lips together to suppress my smile. I bowed my head, and looked at her from the corner of my eye. I could see her grinning at Zech who just shook his head and engulfed himself in another conversation with someone else.

When I knew he wasn't paying attention to us anymore, I turned to her.

"So, you will?"

Collie seemed to be in her own little world. I nudged her.