Shattered Asylum

Chapter 63

Thanksgiving morning rolls in quietly, the house is alive with warmth and the mouthwatering smell of roasted turkey and pies, but the tension from the boardwalk incident?

Completely swept under the rug. Everyone's pretending like nothing happened, which I guess I'm supposed to go along with too.

The house is packed with family, cousins, aunts, uncles, most of whom I've never met. They're all warm and welcoming, though, greeting me with hugs and big smiles like I've always been part of the crew.

"So, how are you liking New Jersey so far?" One of Grayson's aunts asks, handing me a glass of water as her eyes scan me like she's trying to figure me out.

"It's... different, but nice," I say, keeping my voice polite while taking the glass.

"And how long have you and Grayson been together?" A cousin chimes in, her grin way too nosy for my liking.

My throat tightens, and I freeze. I don't know how to answer that without sounding weird. "Oh, um... we're not actually-"

"They're just taking things slow," Kristina jumps in smoothly, cutting me off before I dig myself into a hole.

I shoot her a quick, grateful look as the conversation shifts to family traditions and holiday plans.

It's harmless enough, but the constant small talk starts to chip away at my already low energy. I smile, nod, and fake my way through, but it's exhausting.

Eventually, I make my escape to the porch with Kristina. The cool fall air hits my skin, a welcome break from the heat and noise inside.

The view from the porch is gorgeous, the trees are on fire with orange and gold, their colors glowing against the pale sky. It's peaceful out here, the kind of peaceful that makes me wish I could stay out here forever.

Cameron, Grayson's sister, is already out here. She's got paints and canvases spread out in front of her and looks up with a bright smile when she notices us. "Hey, you two! Want to join me?"

"Sure," I say, sliding into a chair. "I could use the distraction."

I grab a brush and start painting the fall leaves, letting the vibrant colors pull me out of my head for a bit.

"How's college going?" Kristina asks, keeping the mood light.

"It's good!" Cameron replies, dipping her brush into a bright red. "A lot of work, but I love it. I'm majoring in art, so I get to do a ton of creative stuff."

"That's awesome. What's been your favorite project?" I ask, mostly because I'm curious, but also because I've been thinking about majoring in art as well.

"The mural we did on campus, for sure. It's on this old building, and it's all about diversity and community. People stop all the time to take pictures or just look at it. It's cool seeing something you made have that kind of impact," she says, her voice buzzing with pride.

We keep talking, and for a while, it feels nice. Just normal, no tension, no questions I don't want to answer. The view, the colors, the easy conversation, it all helps me forget about everything else.

The peace doesn't last long, though. The door swings open, and suddenly, Ethan, Leslie, and half the family spill out onto the porch, their laughter loud enough to shatter the quiet.

"Alright, everyone! Time for kickball!" Uncle Ben announces, his hands clapping together like this is the event of the year.

Kristina immediately locks eyes with Ethan and smirks. "Get ready to lose," she taunts, pointing at him.