Zero Strings

ZS 1

Caseeeyyy

Casey

How I managed to hide the scars and bruises, I'm not sure.

I don't even know how the hell it happened.

Growing up, both of my brothers were protective of me. Given the eight-year age gap, as soon as my twin brother, Caleb, and I, reached puberty, our older brother Cam gave us the 'talk'.

You know, the ones parents give their children as soon as they reach a certain age where exploring isn't off the table. Our parents were always so busy with work, so Cam took it upon him to be the one who had to give that talk to us.

I mean, our parents could've easily given it to us, considering one of them was an OB-GYN and knew that giving the sex talk was safer than completely ignoring the fact that it was inevitable. Don't get me wrong, they still gave us the talk.

It was just that Cam explained it first and made it sound... less cringier and awkward than when our parents did.

Ironically, it was the perfect time for him to give us that talk to because around that time was when he and Maya was about to have Alex.

Cam gave Caleb tips on how to get girls, while he told me the type of guys I shouldn't touch within a ten foot pole. If he could get me a restraining order from every single guy in the world, he would.

So I have no idea how, despite Cam's warnings and Caleb being with me almost 24/7, I still fell into that dangerous trap.

A trap that ruined the very concept of love for me.

I knew what love was. I had a good idea of what love is.

I see it with my parents, when mom is sad for some reason and all dad had to do was surprise her with her favorite flowers, and all of a sudden, it's as if she wasn't sad to begin with.

I see it with Cam, and how love struck he is whenever he looks at his wife and my sister-in-law, Maya, to the point that even though he was at the peak of his single, young life, he decided he didn't wanna keep messing with girls anymore and settle down with one girl once and for all.

I've never seen Caleb fall in love with anyone though. I think he just hasn't matured yet, but I know that he family-loves us because even though he's the biggest asshole I know, he has always protected us in any way he can, especially me. Always.

So I knew for a fact, that whatever love I gave, it wasn't reciprocated.

I know I had faults, but this just wasn't it.

I know, I know. You're probably thinking "Why is an eighteen year old talking like she's already given up on love?"

For the record, I didn't.

I'm still fully aware that, at some point I was gonna find that one person for me.

In the mean time, I was gonna stay single, and heal.

And college was going to be the best place to do that.

"I seriously can't believe we're leaving for college tomorrow" my best friend, Hailey said nonchalantly as she stared at her nails. I silently laughed at the lack of emotion from her when she said that as I placed more stuff in my bag.

"Do you have any idea how much fun we're gonna be having at college?" I said "And the boys! Ugh!" I gushed at the thought of college, more mature boys. Hailey stopped looking at her nails and passed me a glance before rolling her eyes at me.