Only One I Call Home

Chapter 13 - "Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you..."

Chapter 13

“Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it.”

-       J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I hated to admit it but Tully was right. Being friends with Trey was so much better than attempting to ignore him. We were able to talk and I could pretend that I was still Laurel when I was around him. I felt like I didn’t have to hide anything. And the best part was, I’d only wanted to kiss him a couple of times.

I wished that meant that I was getting over him but I knew that it didn’t. Things had been going well for a whole two weeks and I’d managed to scrape through without Tully pestering me to invite him over but I knew that wasn’t going to hold out much longer.

I’d met his aunt and uncle and to no ones surprise they were lovely people. They seemed really glad to have Trey around and their son; Jay was really pleased to have someone that resembled a big brother. He was only ten years old and Trey loved him to pieces, it was as clear as day.

Trey had been put in my Literature class and Mr Murray loved him. At first I was annoyed that he seemed to talk with him more but now that Trey and I were friends he practically never left our desks.

“So you two have hit it off well, you could pass for childhood friends or something.” He chuckled one morning as Trey and I walked in arguing over something ridiculous.

I looked up and met his eyes before shrugging. “You could say we’ve been through a bit together.”

Trey rolled his eyes. “We knew each other before I moved here.”

Mr Murray nodded slowly. “Oh, well that explains it.”

I smiled. “Yes.”

We made our way to the back of the classroom and took our seats quietly. When we sat down Trey turned in his seat so that he was facing me with a frown.

“What did you tell everyone when you moved here?” He asked seriously.

“What?” I asked. I had no idea what he was talking about.

He shrugged and leant closer, speaking softly. “You know, about where you came from?”

I made a sound that told him I now understood. “Oh well I told them I moved away from home and that it was tough. I didn’t make too many close friends so…No one knows.”

“Not even Tully?” He asked me.

I frowned. “No, not even Tully. How do you know her?”

He shrugged again. “We have a few classes together, she’s nice. I just figured she might since she knows about me.”

I shook my head. “No. But you told people?”

He nodded. “I’m not ashamed of it anymore. That year changed me in ways that I can’t even explain.”

“In a good way or bad?” I asked quietly.

He met my eyes and sighed heavily. “As much as I’d like to say bad, I can’t.”

It shouldn’t have made me smile, but it did. I was grinning. “You just admitted that you enjoyed your time in jail.”

He laughed and bit his lip. “Well when you put it like that.”

I rolled my eyes and nudged him gently. “You’re crazy.”

“Whatever, Mad Mads.” He teased.