Broken Reflections

Chapter 38

I'm awake for the past fifteen minutes and I can't bring myself to get up and get ready for work. Instead I'm staring at the ceiling and wondering about that night.

I'm thinking about how I slapped him out of anger and hurt. I was so mad, he almost made me pass out. He deserved that slap but I kind of feel bad.

No, don't feel bad. He totally deserved it.

I can't help but think about the first time I saw him after he came back from Italy on my eighth birthday. I didn't instantly fall in love with him, I just couldn't feel hatred towards him anymore. I slowly began to care about him. I didn't like it when he was upset.

I keep staring at the ceiling as a memory comes rushing back to me.

Two months after he came back from Italy I had a sleepover at Devin's house. Aunt and uncle loved having me over at their place and I loved it too , even though he hated it.

It was night and Uncle was working late at Sage. I was downstairs, sitting on the couch and eating ice cream. They always used to feed me ice cream whenever I would stay at their place.

I shoved a spoonful of ice cream in my mouth and I heard a noise coming from upstairs. I looked up and put the bowl of ice cream on the coffee table. I stood up and walked upstairs.

I looked at the hallway and the door of the Devin's room was slightly open. I heard someone crying, I walked towards it and peeked inside.

Aunt was sitting on the bed and her arms were wrapped around the ten year old boy. Devin was crying in her arms, his head was pressed against her chest and she was rubbing his back, trying to comfort him and get him to stop crying.

There were broken glass shards on the floor by his nightstand. The sound that I heard was probably a glass breaking.

"It's okay, baby." She said. "It's okay. I'm here."

"Mom." He said, crying. "I was so scared." His voice almost broke as he wrapped his little arms around her waist.

"I'm here. Nothing would happen to you, I promise." She said and I saw a tear falling down her cheek.

Why are they crying? I wondered.

His cries slowed down and his breathing got slower and normal, he had fallen asleep. I watched from the door as Aunt gently lay him down and covered him with a blanket. She touched his hair and kissed his forehead. "I'm here."

She turned around and saw me. She wiped her tears and carefully walked towards me, trying not to step on the broken shards. "Rose, what are you doing here, sweetheart?" She crouched in front of me.

"I heard a glass breaking.." I said.

She nods. "Yeah, it fell down." She let out a little laugh, even though her eyes were still teary.

I was confused about that. "Why was he crying?"

She looked at me and took a deep breath. She took my hands in hers. "He had a bad dream. He got scared" She paused for a moment and then spoke "Do you get bad dreams?"

I nod. "Yes, I get scared too."

She smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're my brave girl."

"Is he okay now?" I asked.
She looks away and nods.

"Why were you crying?" I asked.

She didn't look at me and slowly spoke "I wasn't."

After a moment she took another deep breath and looked back at me with a smile. "It's time to sleep, sweetie. Come here." She picked me up in her arms and took me to the bed where he was sleeping. "We're going to sleep here tonight."

"Why?" I asked.

"In case he wakes up again." She said and gently put me in the bed next to him. I lay down and she pulled the blanket over me too.
"Aren't you gonna sleep?" I asked.

"No, I'll be downstairs, your Uncle's going to come soon." She kissed my forehead. "Good night, Sweetheart."

"Good night." I smiled at her and she smiled back. She walked towards the door and left. I looked at Devin, His eyes were closed and I kept looking at him.

Just then he moved in his sleep and his hand brushed against mine. I couldn't help but hold his pinky finger in my hand. "Don't be scared. I'm here." I whispered.

I closed my eyes and hoped that he doesn't get any bad dreams again. I slowly drifted off to sleep while holding his finger.

I blink and the ceiling is still the same.

I shouldn't think about him, I'm angry at him. I won't think about him at all. I take a deep breath and sit up, getting out of bed to get ready for work.

❥❥❥❥

I finish the last of my designs. Everything is done, I just need to recheck my designs and then I'll submit them.

Just then I hear a knock and the door of my office opens. I look up and see Maria coming inside, holding a box of chocolate. A smile instantly forms on my face.

"Maria?" I stand up and we hug.

"I thought I should visit my bestie." She says and we both sit down on the couch in my office.

"I'm glad you came."

She opens the box of chocolate and we start eating it. "Jeremy told me everything that happened, you slapped him?" She raises her eyebrows, smiling slightly.

"Yes, I did." I say, eating a piece of chocolate.

"I'm so proud of you." She says and I smile. "Also..." She takes a bite "Tomorrow night they're playing basketball, you're coming, right?"

I look at her and shake my head.

"Rose..." She raises an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I don't want to see him." I don't want to see him because then I'll not be able to feel angry at him.

"You can't avoid him forever. You guys live together, come on, please."

"Maria, it's not just him" I eat another piece of chocolate. "Sadie is gonna be their too."

"You shouldn't care. If they are unbothered, then you shouldn't care either."

I stay quiet and continue eating the chocolate.

"Come on, please. I want to go with you." She says.

I sigh. "Fine but you'll drive."

"Okay, princess."
We both laugh and eat more chocolate.