Beautifully Broken (in editing)

Chapter 8 IN EDITING

HAYDEN

"Bye Mom, I love you. Call me if you need anything, okay?" I leaned over, planting a kiss on her smooth head and she wrapped a skinny arm around my shoulders. 

"I love you too. Make sure your sisters get on the bus safetly." She reminded me and I nodded. assuring her I would. She gave me a sleepy smile, leaning back against her mountain of pillows. 

"Thank you." she gave my hand a squeeze before I left. I shut her bedroom door softly behind me, a lump in my throat the size of a golfball. I knew there weren't too many mornings left that I would be able to do that, and I felt like screaming. 

"Hayden? Come on we're going to be late!" I recognized Ashley's voice and cleared my throat, choking down the lump and making my way down the hall. I grabbed my keys and jacket and met my two sister's outside. They were waiting for me on the porch.

"Gosh what took you so long?" My youngest sister pouted,

"I had to take care of something, Ashley. Now quit complaining and start walking before you miss your bus. You got everything Reed?" I asked. Reed gave me a dull look and shrugged. I sighed. She still wasn't speaking. It'd been like that ever since she'd found out. 

"She's got everything! Now let's go!" Ashley spoke up, slinging an arm across Reed's shoulder. I nodded, following behind the girls as we headed down the drive.

I watched them from behind fondly. Ashley chattered animatedly with Reed about all of the drama of the sixth grade, while Reed nodded silently, listening. Ashley was just like our mother. Always smiling and bubbly, no matter what the situation.

Reed, on the other hand, was completely different. She was quiet and hard to read. I'd always been faintly worried about her, wondering if she had friends, how school went, but lately things had been kind of rough. She wouldn't talk to anybody and stayed locked up in her dark bedroom most of the time. I rarely saw her anymore. 

I was pulled out of my thoughts by the voices of the middle schoolers, all planted at the corner of our street, waiting on the bus. Ashley immediately ran off to join her friends, showing off the intricate braid falling to her shoulders. 

"You did her hair didn't you? It looks nice." I nudged Reed, who remained standing beside me. She didn't respond, of course. In no way did she even acknowledge that I'd spoken to her and I had the urge to sigh again.

I shifted my weight, pulling my hands up into my hoodie sleeves. The cold air stung my nose and made my eyes water. It was a relief when the squeal of bus tires rounded the corner and came to a screeching stop in front of the kids. 

I watched as the girls got on the bus, the doors shutting behind Reed as she trudged up the steps behind everyone else.

Finally, I was able to jog home and hop into my beat-up little Honda. It was small, it was shitty, but it had a heater and got me to and from work and school so I was satisfied. I pressed my hands up to the vents. They stung as the warm air heated my skin.

The ride to school was short, barely five minutes since I lived so close, and I swung into the parking lot, immediately scanning it for her car.

Delilah must not be here yet. Her usual parking spot, close to the building's entrance, was empty. I shrugged, trying to brush off the heaviness I felt on my shoulders. I wanted to see her soon. She made me feel lighter. 

Instead I parked and waited for a minute, savoring the lingering heat in the vehicle.

Christmas would be coming up soon. That meant more pulling out of Mom's savings to buy the girls gifts. Ashley was in desperate need of new clothes. Her skinny ankles were starting to poke out from underneath the frayed cuffs of her jeans.