Splinters: Part One

Part One | 25

They grunted as she shooed them out.

"C'mon, girls."

"Ugh!"

I smiled and finished my breakfast.

...

After receiving a million happy birthdays from my sisters and parents, I left the house and went to the bus stop. I listened to my iPod on the way there because the silence between Ursanne and I is seriously the most uncomfortable thing in the world.

Ever since our argument, I haven't sat next to her on the bus. I sit in the front while she goes and sits next to Brody. In a way, I like this better because Ursanne can talk to him and hopefully reciprocate the feelings he has for her. Unfortunately, I don't want that for her, I want that for me because the idea of her and Andrew together makes me angrier than ever.

If I think about it, though, I don't think Andrew would do that to me, and I don't think Ursanne would either. That always put me at ease, but Brody eased me even more.

I continued to listen to music all the way until we got to Constance. Stepping off the bus, I was nearly knocked over by Collie. I didn't have to see her to know who it was. She had a bad habit of doing this, and while it made me feel good that she was so excited to see me, it also kind of hurt.

"Happy birthday!" she shouted.

My stomach fell and I frowned. "H-how do you-"

Ursanne's all too familiar hair came into view. She not-so discreetly passed Collie and I silently.

"Andrew told me," she said, not even noticing my sister pass us.

Collie grasped my right hand and pulled us into the school.

I was so confused. How does Andrew know my birthday? I thought of all the times I've talked to him. There's no way I could've told him. My birthday was something I just kept a secret. What's the point in making a big deal about it when no one ever did before?

"Bu-... How would he-"

Collie kissed my cheek. "Look, class starts in..." She checked her phone. "Five minutes so I have to go, but at lunch, meet me at my locker."

I frowned. "Please tell me you didn't get me anything."

"Of course I did!" she smiled. "I have to go, but I love you and happy birthday!"

I grinned at her words and watched her leave before turning to start my own classes.

...

"Tenemos un cumpleanos hoy. Es de Brayden!"

I frowned as Señora Martinez gestured the class to clap.

"Feliz cumpleaños, Brayden!"

I glanced at my classmates who were now singing Happy Birthday to me in Spanish. I was beginning to regret writing it down on a piece of paper when she asked the first day I came to class.

"Thanks," I said quietly when they all finished.

"Alright, the bell is going to ring soon," she said with her heavy accent. "Make sure you all turn in your tarea."

She turned, leaving everyone to do whatever they needed. I pulled out my vocabulary worksheet that I'd done yesterday, but froze when I felt a small tap on my shoulder.

I turned, meeting the gaze of a girl whose name I wasn't sure of.

"Happy birthday," she grinned.

"Th-thanks."

The bell rang and I stood up to turn in the homework. The girl followed me.

"So you're sixteen?"