Splinters: Part One

Part One | 24

"Thank you." I looked at them both before opening the door and entering the house. 

I locked it, trying to be secretive, but Collie caught me. "That's not necessary, Brayden!"

I smiled, mouthing an 'I love you' to her which earned a grunt from my sister. I went back into my room and finished my paper.

...

"So they're outside?" Andrew asked, keeping his eyes on the TV. 

Andrew brought over his new Fifa game and was dying to play it, so he taught me the basics of how to maneuver and all that and we started a game.

"Yep."

"How did you get them out there together?"

"I took Collie out first and then acted like I needed my phone and then went upstairs and tricked Ursa into going outside and playing basketball with me."

"Not bad, Bray."

I shrugged. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. 

"Hey," I said, pausing the game. "Do you know much about Collie's parents?"

Andrew set his paddle down. "Didn't we go over this a couple days ago?"

I sighed before asking a question I wasn't supposed to. "Are they abusive?"

He froze. "Abusive? No. Why?"

I gulped. "Remember how I told you they were... mean?"

He nodded.

"Well, Collie's father handled her in a way I didn't really like when I went to the recital. He... shoved her, sort of."

He waved me off. "I told you Collie's always hated her parents. She never listens to them so they're angry with her a lot."

"But they don't... hurt her?"

"No," he shook his head.

I nodded. 

"I think you're over thinking things, Brayden. If Collie's parents hit her or abused her in any kind of way, I'd know. Zech would know, and if he knew, he'd tell me. Besides, she's never turned up with bruises or-"

"I'm adopted, Andrew."

It was impulse. I hadn't even realized I'd said the words until he stopped talking. The silence between us was deadly, and I prayed Andrew wouldn't be weirded out or mad at me. 

"What?"

His voice was small, almost like he was scared. His face was shocked and I completely understood why. Swallowing, I repeated my words.

"I'm not Ursanne's brother. Or Annetta's. Or Odera's. Or any of their brother."

He shook his head, his mouth slightly open. "That doesn't make sense... You're a Pierson..."

"Not legally," I admitted. "Yet anyway."

Andrew didn't move. He just stared at me. Finally, he glanced to his left and right.

"Am I on Punk'd or something?"

I rolled my eyes. "Unfortunately, no."

He clenched his jaw. The only sound made was the clock above the doorway and the quiet music from the game. I couldn't bear with the silence so I just spoke.

"Just, when I thought about Collie's parents, I thought about mine. My real parents. Th-they didn't abuse me, just each other, and then it brought all this stuff back and I hate lying to everyone and-"