Holding Back [COMPLETED]

Chapter 22 - "What they say isn't true."

The next morning as Haley pulled aside her blankets she looked to Jace's room. The doors were closed and the curtains were pulled across. For a time she simply sat on the edge of her bed trying to figure what she had said that was wrong. He said that she didn't understand what was going on, but what did that mean? Everyone knew he had the label of 'Player' so where was she mistaken?

On the tail ends of her confusion was the worry that she had lost something she hadn't even realized was hers. She never would have said Jace and her were friends out loud, but over the past two weeks, she felt like that had become her truth. Now she didn't know anymore.

Sighing, she got out of bed and went about getting ready for the day. As she entered the kitchen she found it completely empty. The smell of coffee lingered in the air telling her that her parents had already been there and left.

The house felt still. The stillness that comes when the occupants are gone or trying to be self-contained. As Haley grabbed a bowl and pulled down a cereal box, she tried not to think about the reasons her parents had left for work on the weekend.

Armed with a bowl of cereal, she climbed the stairs, hating the quiet of the kitchen. She was at the top when a muttered exclamation came from Matt's room. The word was followed by the faint sounds of a video game. Deciding she didn't want to spend her time eating and staring at Jace's curtains, she turned away from her room and headed to Matt's. The door let out a soft whine as she eased it open.

Her brother sat on the edge of his bed, leaning over a controler, his eyes trained on the tv screen. Too caught up in the game, he didn't notice her appearance. Taking his lack of comment as approval to enter, she walked in and took a seat in the chair next to his nightstand.

The room looked as if the person living there was already halfway gone. Half the bookshelf was empty, the posters that had once been on the walls were gone and there was a sense of neglect that hung about the room. The one addition to the place was the Notre Dame flag that was pinned over his desk. The single image spoke of the distance that was growing between him and the family, his mind already traveling across the country.

Not wanting to let her mind go too far along that line of thought, Haley focused on the tv screen. Matt was playing the adventure game that they had always played together. It was the same game that she had helped Jace out with the previous week. As she ate, she watched as Matt solved mysteries and puzzles. It was only when he got to the same baffling room that he got stumped.

"You have to twist the stones until they mirror the drawing on your map, remember," she said.

Matt nodded once and did as she instructed.

"Why aren't you at work?" she asked, as he navigated his characters through a maze of tunnels. "Go right and mummies up ahead."

"Thanks. I already worked as many hours as I could this week. They said they couldn't pay me any more overtime."

Haley nodded but found she had no response to give. Finished with her food, she set the bowl on the floor and curled her leg up on the chair. The character on the scene continued to run about, jumping over obstacles and going from one challenge to the next always certain in its direction.

"Are you looking forward to college?" Haley asked. It was a stupid question the answer was already before her.

"Yeah."

She toyed with one of her nails. "Will you miss California? We do have the best weather."

Matt gave a distracted shrug.

"Maybe. I'm ready for a change of scene though. It will be nice to experience something new. You know get away from so much familiar."

Fighting the sinking feeling in her gut, Haley nodded again, but Matt didn't see. Suddenly, she felt like leaving, finding someone who didn't have the desire to run away as quickly as they could.