Paper Hearts | ✓ | [ e d i t i n g ]

Chapter Seventeen - Set something on fire

" alright, we all get one thing to burn."

Corra held up her one thing, a horrid pink and green sweater that looked like something from a doctor suess novel.

Theo held a pictures of what looked like an early teenage him and his adoptive parents. He wasn't smiling in the photo.

I held a porno magazine. Don't worry, it wasn't mine.

Corra looked at my item, " alright, what the hell are you doing with playboy?"

" Burning it."

" why do you have it?"

I sighed, " It was my uncle Ernie's. After he got bad, he gave it to me and told me to make a collage for him." 

Theo nudged the back of my hand with the back of his. I smiled. He looked at the apple trees surrounding us, saying, " I would have done it." 

" what?" I said, smiling like a fool.

" yeah. Just to see the look on his face."

Sometimes, I could marry that boy. I had to lean on him I was laughing so hard. I don't know what it was about it; maybe it was the image of Theo cutting out naked chicks and making a collage out of them, maybe it was the way Corra looked completely amazed at the idea of a boy throwing away playboy like that. Or maybe it was the fact that he had said it. Whatever it was, I wouldn't forget that.

I nodded, " Yep, that's a perfect reason right there."

Theo smiled, " I certainly thought so."

We all stood in the little clearing in the apple orchard, preparing to start a fire in the little sanding area set up for bonfires. 

Corra poured gasoline on it, probably not our smartest decision. Then Theo, carefully, lit it with one of those large lighter that you had to pull the little trigger on. The wood caught flame, and suddenly they burst into a fire. Theo stood, taking a step back to avoid the ashes. 

" Ladies first." I looked at Corra.

She smiled, and looked at the sweater one last time, " I've always hated you." She proceeded to toss it in the flame, a satisfied smirk gracing her lips while she watches the fabric dessolve. 

Theo looked at me, and arched a brow. I stepped forward, and looked at the magazine, " I've been waiting for the right moment to get rid of this thing. Felt the need for it to be grand, you know?" then dropped it. The paper caught easily, setting every naked woman inside it on fire. Silently, I hoped they screamed.

We both looked at Theo, who looked down at the family photo, " I fucking hate them." He said.

Without a second thought, he let it go. The photo drifted down to the flames. While it did, I really saw it. Each parent was standing a step away from Theo, smiling like crazy with their lips, but not at all with their eyes. Theo was in the center, and he looked so defeated, so utterly done, that I  had to look at present day Theo to make sure he was still here.

The edges of the picture burned, and slowly his parents ceased to exist. 

Then there was Theo. Younger Theo, horribly broken Theo. and he was on fire.

I looked at present day Theo. He stared at the picture as it went, something relaxed about the way he held himself. A frown etched into his lips, his brows hinted together slightly. I took his hand in mine. He didn't say anything, just gripped my fingers tightly.

Corra sighed, watching the embers drift up into the open sky, " That was beautiful guy and gal."

I nodded, " yeah."

Theo still didn't move. He watched the ashes for a long time, like he was waiting for something. Maybe for his parents to start yelling at him, to tell him that he was a fuck up for burning one of their family photos. Or maybe they wouldn't notice, maybe they didn't like the picture anyway.

Whatever the reason may be, the last bits of the picture were drifting up into the afternoon sky and we couldn't bring it back. 

Corra turned, so did Theo and I. The whole walk home we held hands. As we left the orchard and the low maintenance road, he started smiling again, like the weight he just lifted was finally out of his way. 

Corra said something stupid, i laughed and he smiled. 

I realized it didn't matter how broken he was, as long as I found some way to make him happy.