Broken and Lost

Chapter 11: Strange Place, Beautiful Girl

I jolt awake and I look around. Everything's unfamiliar. I fix my eyes on the person on the chair. "Dean?" I whispered to myself and I remember a little bit of last night. I got up and I grabbed the blanket I was using and before I covered her, I noticed a tattoo on her shoulder. It looked like a biker gang tattoo. Half of my family was in a biker gang so I knew a lot more then I should about that kind of stuff. I guess I'd have to ask her about later. She looked so peaceful sleeping and I didn't really want to wake her up. It's been about two weeks since we've met. Two weeks felt like forever. It feels like if known her longer then that. And a week since my sister started school. My sister hasn't told me much about school. It's been a week since she started. Speaking of my sister, I wondered if she was okay. I have been gone all night. It's about 2pm so she's probably in school right now. I can't call her.

I got up and I decided to make her breakfast. As I got up I looked at the walls of her small apartment. Her art was beautiful. It shows a darkness she hasn't told me about yet. She has secrets she's hiding and so do I. I finished making breakfast and I fixed her a plate and walked over to her. "Hey, I made you breakfast" I mumbled and she shuffled a bit before sitting up and looking at me sleepily. "You didn't have to make me breakfast" She mumbled and I handed her her plate. "You let me stay here, let me do something nice for you" I spoke and I began eating. I noticed myself looking at her walls again. The paintings covered her walls. "So you paint a lot?" I looked over at her. She nodded. "Yeah, I don't really let people see my work. I guess it's kind of private." She mumbled with a mouth full of food. "What? You're crazy! You're really good! You have to show you're creativeness!" I smiled at her. Her work was truly something different. She was truly something different.

"So no work today, wanna look around at the city?" She asked and I grabbed our empty plates and placed them in the sink. "Yeah, I mean we have nothing else to do until Tayler gets back from school" I mumbled. I grabbed my jacket and she got ready quickly. I guess she was a pro at it. It didn't even look like she drank last night. Even before then, she still looked beautiful. "I can show you my favorite café and I can show you a gym I go too and we can even take Tayler there too. Get you guys signed up, yeah?" She looked up at me as she grabbed her keys and we headed out the door.

We began walking around and she showed me all kinds of places we didn't have back in Texas. She looked around and pointed to her favorite places to go but I found myself looked at her and her excitement. "It's beautiful here in the city" I smiled a little. She seemed so excited to show me all her favorite places and I was fascinated with her.

We walked around for seemed to be forever. It's only been 3 hours. I decided to call my sister, assuming she was home by now. She didn't answer. I worried a little. "Hey, we should go check and see if Tayler got back" I spoke a little worried. She nodded. We walked over to my apartment comolex and I walked up to apartment 513. The door was unlocked and I walked in. "Tayler?" I called out and I see her head pop out of the bathroom. "What?" She asked. "You didn't answer your phone" I spoke. "I was peeing" She said laughing a little. "Are you already drinking today?" I asked. She seemed a bit off. "No, Adam. I already drank last night" She shook her head and another girl came out of the bathroom. "Oh yeah, Adam, this is Katelynn. Katelynn, this is my brother Adam." She introduced us and we shook hands. I never trust any of Taylers friends at first. "Hey Dean" Katelynn spoke and they hugged. I guess Dean knew everyone around here.

"Tayler, did you take your meds?" She nodded. I wondered if her and Katelynn hung out a lot. I've only met her once. She seemed to have secrets of her own. I guess we all do. "How do you know my sister?" I asked and she sat down on the small chair we had in the living room. "We met at the book store and we go to school together" She smiled. "You trust her?" I turned my attention to Dean. She nodded. I nodded and walked to bathroom. Tayler had been in there a while. "Tayler? Are you okay?" I knocked on the door. I walked in and she was sitting on the floor. "I'm just a little sick" She spoke before I could say anything. I helped her up and sat her down on the toilet. "Are you sure? Are you sure this isn't..." I trailed off. I didn't want her starting this again. "I'm okay, Adam" She wrapped her arms around me. They way she hugged me made me think she wasn't okay but I wasn't gonna ask while we had company. "Are you okay? It rained last night.." She mumbled. I nodded. It's been a long time since I freaked out like that. I wonder what Dean thought of all of that. It's only been 2 years but it still feels so fresh. Like it just happened yesterday.

"You guys wanna go get something to eat?" Tayler got up, breaking the silence. We all nodded. "Yeah, I'm actually really hungry" Katelynn spoke up. "Um, we'll if you guys know any good places..." She trailed. We still had no idea what were the best restaurants to go to. "I know a few" Dean smiled and we all went down the stairs and piled into my sisters truck. "Also, I know a gym we can get you signed up for if you want to do that after we eat." Dean spoke up. I could see my sister tense up a bit but she nodded. "Yeah that doesn't sound like a bad idea"

We pulled up to the small restaurant and we all piled into a small booth. I always thought booths were better then tables. "This place is really nice!" My sister spoke excitedly. "Yeah, the food here is amazing and for a good price" Katelynn smiled. We all ate and I decided to break the silence. "So how is school? You haven't talked to me much of how school has been this week." I looked up at my sister. "Just a little stressful but good, none the less." She ate a little bit. "I heard you write?" Dean asked. "Adam told me that's what you're going to school for."

"Yeah, I've always loved writing. Ironically I don't read a whole lot but I love writing. I guess that doesn't make a lot of sense." She mumbled.

"Well you should totally let me read some of your pieces so you can get a third party opinion!" Dean got excited.

"Um- Yeah, sure. I have a few things you can read" Tayler smiled. She never really let's a lot of people read her stuff. She's let me and her teacher and that's about it.

After Tayler paid for the meal we all headed to the gym that Dean was talking about. She talked to the owner and we got signed up. I'm glad she did this for us because I didn't bring all of my weights when we moved. Plus it will be really good for Tayler.