Being Broken

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

•Brielle•

"Are you finished?" Aidy asked me, gesturing to my empty plate.

I nodded and said, "Thank you," when she cleared it.

"What are you guys doing today?" I asked Noah. He took a huge bite of his eggs before he said anything.

"Well, we plan on going out on a lunch date in a few hours. We'll probably go to the grocery store. And then we're going to come back here because we're having people over for din-"

"Noah!" Aidy cut him off. "Stop it!"

People are coming over for dinner? Who? Why were the coming over?

My heartbeat quickened. What if it was him?

"I . . . Wh-who?" I stuttered.

Aidy walked over to me and kneeled in front of me. Gripping my shoulders, she made me focus on her.

"Brielle, stop. Look at me. No one is going to hurt you. Noah didn't mean to drop the bomb like that," she said, glaring at her husband. "But yes, we are having people over for dinner. But they will not hurt you."

I blinked a few times. "It's not . . . him, is it?"

Aidy's eyes grew wide and she pulled me into a hug. "Of course not, sweetie. We would never do that to you."

"Who's coming then?" I asked shakily. I couldn't think of anyone they knew that would come over for dinner. Everyone knew I wasn't good with people, so when they wanted to hang out, they did so elsewhere.

"Does the name Justin ring a bell?"

I blinked. Memories that I had forgotten came back in an instant. But the one that stood out is the one that have me chills:

I was sitting on my bed when I was a little girl- probably around five years old- being yelled at by the guy who hurt me. He was angry for something I didn't do, but I don't remember exactly what. But then, out of nowhere, Justin came into my room, stood between me and him, and started yelling back at him. I remember six-year-old Justin defending me and fighting for me.

I think the reason I remember that so well is because he's the only person who ever stood up for me in front of him. Even now to this day, Aidy will claim that she's on my side, but at the same time I know it hurts to go against family.

I cleared my thoughts and turned my attention back to my sister.

"Yeah, I vaguely remember him."

"Ooh, I remember you two so well!" she squealed excitedly, clapping her hands together. "When y'all were little, you were attached at the hip. You did everything together- play, go to preschool and elementary school- you either ate at his house every night for dinner, or he came to ours. Oh, and his mother is coming too. This was her idea. Actually, come to think of it, in surprised they remember us at all."

I frowned, not remembering any of that. All I remember is him being there, and then him not being there.

Where did he go? Why did he leave? I knew he wasn't around when the incident happened, so where was he?

"Why'd he leave?" I asked.

Aidy's expression turned to the one where I knew she was having an inner battle with herself. "Um, I'll let him explain. It's sort of complicated."

I furrowed my eyebrows. How could it be complicated?

"You ready to go?" Noah asked as he came into the kitchen. We hadn't noticed, but as we were talking, he had done the dishes, cleaned off the surfaces, and gotten himself ready to go.