Splinters: Part One

Part One | 21

Collie crossed her arms. "Fine. It won't happen again."

Collie's sister sipped a pink liquid from a plastic cup, her eyebrows raised at me. I felt like I was in big trouble, like how I felt after trick or treating two months ago.

"I'm not sure if I want this boy here," the woman stated, glancing at me.

Collie's sister lifted an arm, pointing the straw from her cup at us. "Oh, c'mon, it's cute. Let her have him over. They look adorable together."

Collie's father stood for a second before sighing and turning around. I guess Collie took that as the cue to go because she grabbed my arm and turned around, pulling me with her, but not before she silently said a thank you to her sister which was replied with a wink.

As Collie took me to her room, I thought over everything. Wouldn't they care I'm with Collie in her room? Wouldn't they question me? Try to get to know me?

"The one time I don't want them to pay attention to me, they do," Collie mumbled to herself, slamming her door shut once I stepped in.

Collie's room was a hot pink with a white bed, dresser, lamp, and desk. A laptop sat on it with picture frames of her and Tay and some of her and her sister when they were younger. A window with closed blinds was on the left wall and her bed sat against the wall in front of the entrance to her room. Next to the bed was another entrance with weird strings dangling from the frame above as an alternate door. It had to be her closet. Her dresser was to the right with jewelry and sunglasses on top. She had a wooden floor with a few pairs of shoes strewn around, but besides that, the room wasn't at all messy.

"Sorry about the shoes. You can just kick them over," Collie instructed as she sat on her bed.

I smiled at her and went to go sit with her.

"I'm sorry about my parents," she said quietly, playing with her fingers as she avoided eye contact.

I shook my head, looking down at her. "It's okay."

"No it's not. They're assholes. They didn't even ask what your name was."

I frowned. "Well... Maybe they're just mad that I came to see you when they weren't home."

Collie laughed mockingly. "No, Brayden. If everyone wasn't here but me, and Zech was present, they wouldn't even flinch."

I gulped. "D-do they like Zech?"

She shrugged. "Our parents are kind of close I guess."

"Oh."

She flung herself back against her pink pillows. "But they should like you more. You're not a clingy self-centered egotistic ass. You're Brayden."

She said it as if she were in a trance, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"You're Brayden Pierson," she continued.

"Technically, I'm Brayden Palmer. I'm not a Pierson yet."

Collie's eyes snapped to mine. She sat up, coming closer to me. I felt intoxicated when I was near her. Seriously.

"Was that your real dad's name?"

If the subject had been different, I might've kissed her right then and there because of how close she was, but she was asking about my dad.

I nodded. "Bryson."

Collie grinned. "That's his name?"

I nodded again, avoiding eye contact. "Bryson Palmer."

"D-... do you miss him?"

I sat back against Collie's wall, thinking long and hard.

"Sometimes."