Broken-Hearted Cupid

Unspoken Memories

"So I have it in good faith that Jason Lacking is already absolutely smitten by you," Meghan joked to Brielle.

"Ughh, please don't encourage it," Brielle groaned. Meghan laughed heartily for the first time Brielle knew of.

"Your reaction would crush him," she smiled. "You know under his charming good looks and cocky exterior he is a great guy." Brielle sighed. If only her reason was that simple...but turns out 'everyone I get close to ends up dead' is not something you should tell people, so she stuck with a lame excuse.

"Yeah I can tell, but it's just not something I'm looking for right now.

"I completely understand," she said sadly, "but try getting that through lover boy's thick skull."

"He's not going to give up is he?" She wanted her to say he would eventually, but Brielle still felt a surge of happiness at her answer. It was weird to feel anything but sadness.

"Probably not. I've never seen him so determined." They lulled into regular conversation as they absentmindedly worked with oil pastels. When the bell rang, they gathered up their stuff.

"Wow...that's so beautiful. Who is it?" Meghan asked. Brielle looked down at her paper, and her heart shattered. How could she have drawn this without knowing? She knew her mind had been on Meghan and her conversation as well as what today was, but she had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she had drawn this without thought. As her knees threatened to give out, she looked down at her art. Drawn in swirls and shading of delicate blues, purples, and pinks was Zane. It was the day she had found him, but her pastels made him look beautiful not lifeless. Tears stung her eyes. He was always so beautiful. She had never had the chance to tell him she loved him. This is why she couldn't let Jason in no matter how much she wanted to.

"He's-it's someone I used to know, someone special, but he's not here anymore because of me." She had no idea why she was telling her this. They only knew each other for a day. Maybe because she knew what guilt felt like.

"Brielle, I'm so sorry," Meghan spoke, but she couldn't hear anymore. Her breathe wouldn't come out. Her tears streamed, and she had to leave. Why today? She grabbed the drawing and ran into the hall. She didn't now Meghan had followed with her things until she heard her beside her. Brielle broke down sliding down the wall and hugging her knees to her chest. All my fault was all she could think.

"I'm going to go get someone okay?" Meghan said before running off.

                                                                                               *****

The boys were all standing by Brielle's locker after school joking around and waiting for her and Meghan, which was taking them forever. Somehow they had all been put in theatre as their elective, and three guys like them in theatre was a disaster. They had managed to break the podium and terrify the teacher in the span of fifteen minutes of improv. After hearing they weren't together, Jason could see how cool Avery was. He fit right in with them without making anything seem different. "I swear that should be our careers now," Levi laughed.

"Yeah right! We'd get booed off the stage repeatedly," Avery exclaimed horror on his face. Jason laughed with the guys until Meghan came towards the group. The look on her face scared Jason. 

"Where's Brielle?" Jason asked, but Meghan looked past him to Avery.

"We were in art drawing, and I don't think she meant to draw what she did, but something's wrong. She needs you." Without hesitation, Avery took off down the hall towards art. The three followed after him. Jason knew they should probably let him handle it, but he couldn't sit back and worry. They reached the art hallway, and Jason immediately felt heartbroken at the sight of Brielle. She was sitting on the floor sobbing, but when she heard them, she jumped to her feet. Jason took in her disheveled appearance. Her eyes were red and tears flowed down her face. Her hair was a mess like she had ran her fingers through it repeatedly. Her eyes found his and a wave of sadness hit him. She was more broken than he thought. Brielle looked away from him and towards Avery as he came towards her. Jason wanted to comfort her, but he knew he couldn't now. Avery picked up the paper she had been holding. 

"Oh, Brielle," he said looking back at her. With just his voice, she crumbled. Her knees gave in, but Avery met her gathering her into his arms as she clung to him crying.

"It's okay baby girl. I'm here. It's okay," he said hugging her close. "Can someone grab her stuff?" For some reason, Jason felt like it wasn't his place and let Meghan step up to help. Avery carried her out of the building to his car and drove off. Meghan came to stand beside Jason as they watched them leave.

"What did she draw?" he asked. Meghan sighed.

"Someone she loved who she lost."

                                                                                             ******

Brielle sat in the car not wanting to move as Avery came around to get her. Not only had she just embarrassed herself in front of her new friends, but she let her emotions get in the way of her job. Avery opened the door.

"I'm pathetic."

"No you aren't baby girl. You're hurting." He picked her up and she clutched him tightly. He was her safety. She felt him carry her into her room and turn on the shower. He sat her down on the toilet seat. "Okay you're going to shower, and I'm going to make you some food to feel better." That made her smile weakly.

"Food isn't always the answer," she joked smiling through her tear stained face.

"Like hell it isn't," he stated tapping her nose." Now shower. I'll lay out comfy clothes, and after you"ll come down for dinner."

"Okay," she replied wearily as he left. She stripped off her clothes and stepped into the warm shower hoping it would wash every thought away. It only helped to make the ache in her body lesson. She stepped out to find some of Avery's lounge clothes on the counter. She smiled. He knew that after a really bad day lounging in boy clothes always made her feel better. Brielle headed downstairs knowing that if she didn't go eat he would just come get her. She was engulfed in a hug as she stepped off the stairs.

"Good, you were starting to stink." She giggled pushing him away.

"Maybe that is just your cooking." He gasped in shock.

"How dare you!" she laughed as he lead her to her seat. They ate in silence until Avery spoke up. "I have to go meet our superiors in a little bit, but I promise I'll be back as soon as I can." She frowned.

"It's okay. I'll be fine," she spoke knowing she was lying. "I promise." Avery left twenty minutes later and the silence began closing in. She tried to keep herself busy, but she found her thoughts kept drifting to Zane. That night she lay in bed and all of the pain she'd been feeling consumed her. She let it in. Brielle felt that she needed this pain. She had begun to forget, and she could never forget. She cried and let every tear soak her pillow. Brielle had been sobbing for hours when she felt the bed dip beside her.

"Come here," Avery spoke as he pulled her to him. Just with his touch it was like more tears breached the wall she'd built. He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Avery, I can't do this." He shifted her around and took her face in his.

"You can Brielle. I know it hurts. I know, I see it everyday, but you can't give up. This isn't how you end okay. You aren't going to end in pain. You're going to end in love, baby girl, I promise."

"I don't want love. I just want the pain to stop."

"And that's what you don't see. Only through love will the pain stop. That's all life is about, Brielle: love. Pain ends love, is an outcome of love, but the only way to end pain is by love." That just made her tears come more because her pain would never end. Everything she loved was destroyed. She clung to him as she cried more.

"Avery, will you ever get tired of taking care of my pathetic self?" She said lifting her head to look at him. She hated that he always had to go through this.

"Not until someone comes to take my place. And not even then. I'll never get tired of you. Never." She cried holding onto him until slowly she fell asleep.

----------------------------------------- Best example for drawing of Zane at the beginning plus I love Dylan O'Brien😍