3.0 The Chronicles of Us - Choas & Clarity

Chapter fifteen

•★ Tex ★•

Sitting crossed legged on the muddy patio, I stare at the barren wasteland I've created.

How fucking fitting.

Fixing the garden was one of the many projects I promised to do. I never did, of course. Ellie suggested hiring a landscaper, but I wanted to do it myself. Why? Beats me. I know fuck all about plants.

The garden is decently sized, but the previous owner had an obsession with fucking flora. The whole goddamn garden was filled with them, leaving barely any space for anything else. We probably made it worse by never rooting out the weeds.

The patio where Ellie and I often sat was the only usable part. We spent a lot of time on the wicker lounge set—eating, drinking, talking and kissing. Okay, sometimes a little more than kissing. It's pretty private out here.

My heart does that painful thing where it swells, skips, breaks and falls at the same time. These memories are all I'll ever have of her.

Breathe.

In and out.

I grab one of the thorny plants and sling it forcefully across the garden. I called her this morning. It went straight to voicemail. I already figured she blocked me, but when I called a couple of times more at different times, I knew for sure. It made me so fucking furious. With myself, of course, and the universe for some reason. It's always fucking with me; giving me everything before taking it all away again.

No, you did this all by yourself.

After the tenth call, I tossed my phone to the side and started ripping all the plants from the soil. It drained my energy but not my anger. Some of them were tough motherfuckers. Their roots grew deep. I may have yelled at them when I tore them from the ground.

What a great fucking job I've done. I ruined the garden. At least with the plants it looked alive. Now it's just a patch of dead land.

My empire of dirt.

To accompany my mood, I reach for my phone and put on Hurt by Nine Inch Nails, and then again by Johnny Cash. Sweat drips down my back while I catch my breath. I slide my shirt off and wipe my face. This scorching heat is boiling my brain. I tip my bottle of water to the sun and scoff sarcastically. "Cheers to me and my talent of fucking everything up."

"Tex?"

Seriously?

Now?

Sure, why the fuck not. I look over to my right and find my father and sister standing at the wooden gate. With a nod, I acknowledge their presence and return my focus to the heap of destroyed greens.

They sit down in front of me, both crossed legged as well.

Kumba-fucking-ya.

"What are you two doing here? I'm kinda in the middle of something."

Way to go asshole.

"We were worried," my father begins, side-glancing the wreckage. "You've been dodging our calls for weeks."

I shrug and look down. "That probably means that I don't wanna talk. Can't you take a hint?"

A chunk of dirt hits me in the face. "Hey! What the fuck?"

Stacy narrows her eyes, reaching for another chunk. "Don't be an asshole, Tex. You can't shut us out. We came to help you."

A deep sigh escapes my lips. To be honest, I'm happy they are here. It makes me feel less lonely for a moment. "So you two know then? What I've done."