Broken Souls Collide

Chapter 20- Broken Competitions

REECE

Three weeks have gone by since my argument with my mother.

I haven't seen her since.

Most days she didn't even bother coming home. A little part of me was hoping it was because she felt too ashamed and guilty to face me, but I knew that wasn't the reason. The nights I'd wake up to her coming home drunk, I'd just drown out the noises as best as I could and try to fall back asleep. I was done trying to talk some sense into her.

I don't know why, but these past few weeks I have been struggling with insomnia. Almost every night, I would either experience an anxiety attack, or my dark thoughts would carry me into late night hours.

I know Wesley told me to call him whenever I experienced one of my episodes but I just couldn't bring myself to bother him when the rest of the world was dead. I'd feel too much like a burden to him.

I couldn't be sure what exactly caused such a shift, maybe it was because I finally came to terms with the fact that Sammy and I were not only fatherless, but motherless as well.

It was just him and I, me and him. If I lost him, it would be game over for me. Sammy was my only motivation to keep going.

He's not your only motivation.

Okay, so maybe there was one other certain dark haired boy.

I couldn't thank Wesley enough for everything he had done for me since he showed up in my life. Helping me to step out of my comfort zone and open up about things I never thought I'd have the strength to. Making me feel ways I forgot I was capable of feeling. Giving me advice on the situation with my brother. Sticking up for me against Amelia. Protecting me from Asher and Derek, and for simply just caring and sticking by me and Sammy's side.

He was truly incredible.

The morning after I had confronted my mom, I had woken up alone in bed. The only indication of his presence not being a figment of my imagination was the lingering scent of his masculine body wash on my sheets. A part of me was glad that I didn't have to face him, I felt pathetic begging him to stay the night just because I had an argument with my mom. It wasn't like arguing with my mom was something new, we argued every time we saw each other. However, a bigger part of me felt disappointed when I didn't wake up to him pressed against me.

It wasn't long before he came back freshly cleaned and ready for school. He apologized for leaving me and explained that he needed to take a shower and didn't want to wake me. Of course I told him it was fine, it wasn't like we were dating, I was already asking for too much having him stay the night with me.

But there was an obvious change between us since that night, a lot more stolen glances and physical contact. It was small, but still noticeable.

These last few weeks have been pretty repetitive and uneventful. Mine and Wesley's relationship had been growing stronger by the day. It's kind of hard to avoid him when he was my neighbour and I shared two classes with him....not that I was trying to avoid him. I've seen Derek here and there and we always share some form of acknowledgement before continuing on with our day. Wesley still wasn't very fond of our new found friendship and I found it quite entertaining when they were forced to stand less than a meter away from one another.

I've also seen Asher walking the halls from time to time, he left me alone for the most part but sometimes he'd try to start up conversation. I noticed my anger towards him had simmered down quite a bit, it's clear to me that he was telling the truth when he said he had matured and was nothing like the young boy he used to be. I still hadn't completely forgave him, but we were acquaintances I guess you could say. Amelia was still very much her nosey, snarky self. She would still constantly butt into mine and Wesley's conversations and desperately want to gain his attention, it was becoming more amusing than anything else considering she was making no progress.