Keeping The Pieces

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

After our little melt down Alex drove us to the local lake to just lay in the afternoon sun on the hood of his car. I'm not even slightly bothered I'm missing school because this seems more important in a way. Why? I don't know. I think my heart knows but my mind isn't ready to recognise it yet.

Alex's voice brings me out of my reverie "I never thought about how beautiful the world was until after I met you" he gestures with his head towards the small waterfall trickling down the base of the hill right into the depths of the lake. "I don't think you ever do until you lose something and gain it back in another form."

I nod in agreement. I lost my view on beauty when my father died, not even meeting Eva or Claire gave it back and I didn't get it back until I met Alex. I think about when Alex bought those records for his mom, but she died long before that. "Alex, can I ask you something?" I say cautiously.

"Ask me whatever your little heart desires" he jokes but looks at me endearingly at the same time causing my heart to jump.

"When you bought all those records, you said they were for your mom. But your mom... isn't here to receive them" I don't look at him for fear that I've upset him.

He sighs. Not in anger but like he knew the question was coming. "My mom loved classical music and had the same passion for the things she loves like you do. That day I went into the music store I guess I was looking for something more to remember her by. When I saw you there it shocked me but I liked you being there, I enjoyed your company, still do. I used the mom excuse after that so I could spend more time with you." His voice wobbles slightly but he has a cheesy smile on his face as he stares right at me.

"You didn't need an excuse, I would have let you hang around. I enjoy spending time with you to." I choke on the last words. I put way too much emotion into that last sentence.

He smirks at me "I didn't really think you liked me much by the way you talked to me. So I think that excuse was my best bet" His smirk broadens when he sees me blush as I think about the way I treated him.

"I'm really sorry about that, I hate how I treated you!" I say guiltily.

"I thought we were over this, you don't need to apologise, I think I was more insulting to you than you to me!" I can see I've made him feel guilty because I've brought up the past.

"Lets stop talking about that. Can we talk about your family?" I say hopefully.

"Sure, what do you want to know?" He looks happy to talk about his family.

I think for a moment "Who you're living with, what are they like?"

He frowns like he's concentrating "I live with my auntie, uncle and baby cousin, they're nice I suppose but I think they're a bit too young to be looking after a teenager. My grandparents had my dad when they were both twenty-five and my auntie at thirty-five so they're both ten years apart.

My mom and dad had me when they were eighteen so that means my auntie and uncle are both twenty-four and looking after a baby and a teenager. I don't think that's fair to them personally and I hate how I was when they first started looking after me, I wish I made it easier for them but it's all in the past I guess."

I nod in reply but don't say anything, I just want to be silent for a moment and take in the sounds of nature. A breeze runs through my hair and I shiver. It's colder than I realised but I realise I've noticed and I spike with joy. I never notice the weather but I am now.

Well I do notice but only for Eva and so I don't look like a freak and end up walking around in shorts and a tank top in the snow. But this time it's my heart and soul taking in the world and my surroundings.