Being Broken

Chapter Eight

This is not edited! But I wanted to get something up. Sorry it's short.

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Chapter Eight

•Brielle•

Justin and I spent the next few hours just talking. Well, he did most of the talking. But I hadn't talked that much to one person in so long that it felt weird to me, and I wasn't sure how to handle it. On one hand, I wanted him to leave so I could curl myself into a ball and cry myself to sleep- which I wouldn't be able to do anyways because he refused to leave- but on the other hand, I actually enjoyed the company. For the past thirteen years only a few people had ever been over to my house. Yeah, I would go places, but I would never leave the car. I could try, but right as I would get out of the vehicle, I freeze up, start to hyperventilate, and then I physically couldn't bring myself to go any further.

I've been so deprived of human contact for the past decade that it's become natural for me to not have a clue what to do around people.

"So then my manager Scooter decided it would be funny to get Kenny back somehow," Justin was saying. "Turns out Scooter isn't very good at getting revenge because all he did was set a water balloon on the couch where Kenny usually sits."

I frowned. What was the point of that?

"Exactly," Justin laughed at my expression. "Scooter claimed Kenny was supposed to sit on it, but obviously that never happened because he saw it. I swear, Scooter is stupid sometimes. He is the worst prankster ever."

"I can see why," I said quietly.

"So, the beach," he said, changing the subject quickly. The thought of that topic gave me a little heart attack.

I wasn't ready for that yet. I knew I wasn't. Hesitantly, I said, "I-I don't know . . . I pretty much just met you yesterday. I can't do that yet-"

"I know, Brielle," he smiled. When he said my name, goosebumps popped up on my arms. "I was going to say that we could go next week sometime. That way, it would give us a little time to get to know each other better, and hopefully you will feel more comfortable around me by then. I get that going out places is a lot for you, so when we go, I want you to be around someone you trust- hopefully me."

Smiling small, I glanced away from him. That was very considerate of him. I know I'm a lot to handle, but I was so thankful that he isn't pressuring me to do something I'm not ready for.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"You're welcome, Brie," he said happily. "Can I call you Brie?"

Brie? No one calls me that. However, for some reason, it sounded not only natural coming out of his mouth, but it also brought a smile to my face.

He was the first person to have a nickname for me.

"Sure," I said.

"Awesome."

Because I didn't reply after that, silence fell over us. I don't know what he was thinking, but when I glanced up at him, he looked deep in thought.

"Why don't you let other people see your drawings?" he asked suddenly, voicing what he was thinking so hard about. Ooh, another touchy subject . . .

Shrugging, I said as simply as I could, "They're private."

"Why?"

"I just d-don't like people looking at them," I stuttered.

"But they're amazing. Why would you hide talent like that?" Justin asked.

"I don't have anyone to share them with even if I wanted to," I muttered.