Page 14 of Creed

He hangs up without another word. I stare blankly at my darkened phone screen for a moment. My body is vibrating with excitement at the fact that Cortland fucking Shepard came back early for my band. My. Band.

I run my fingers through my dark hair before pumping a fist through the air and whisper-shouting “Fuck yeah!”

After calling my dad to tell him the news, I call each of my band mates and let them know of the changes to the plan and how they need to start packing sooner. Once that’s done, I call my best friend. I was supposed to fly out with Ash and Dani in three weeks, but now that plan’s changed. Of course he’s fucking thrilled for me and says he can’t wait to finally hear our songs on the radio, rather than in noisy, smoky bars. I talk to him for a few more minutes as I walk into my closet, flipping on the light that’s inside. My eyes snap up to something sitting on a high shelf.

“Hey, Asher?”

“Yeah?”

“You said you’ve got a gift for Collins?”

“Yeah,” he says, “I got her this massive stationary set, complete with stamps so she can mail cards and letters to us.”

I smile at that, “That’s fucking perfect, actually. I’ve got something for her, too. I’ll bring it by next week before I leave, and you can wrap it up with the rest of her stuff.”

“Sweet, I’ll see you Monday, then. And congrats again. I’m proud of you, man.”

“Thanks,” I nearly choke out. Fucking emotions. “See ya then.” I say, and hang up.

Collins may not be my sister, but I’ve always felt protective of her. She’s sweet and innocent, so I’ve fallen in line with Asher to protect her, to try and help her be strong because he and I are both afraid that her parents are just shitty and neglectful enough to break her, and she doesn’t deserve that.

My stomach churns at the thought of her being alone if her mom can’t get her shit together enough to give her a good life that she deserves. It makes me nervous that she could be taken away and put into the system where people really just don’t give a shit about the kids in it. Especially in our town.

Chapter 5

Collins

(AGE 9)

It’s been a week since the party where I got lost and Bear found me. Asher wouldn’t stop apologizing to me even though I had forgiven him that night. Even his girlfriend, Dani, felt guilty so she took me out for ice cream. I told her she didn’t need to buy me ice cream because I wasn’t mad at her or Asher, but she insisted.

I wasn’t complaining because, free ice cream.

Heck yeah!

But when I get off the school bus Friday afternoon, Asher is there waiting for me on the front porch. Both momma and daddy’s cars are gone, so it’s just us.

Of course, Asher’s not at all surprised when the first question out of my mouth is, “Where’s Creed?”

At first he laughs, but then his face turns sort of sad and it has me worrying.

“What’s the matter?” I ask, my old sneakers scuffing in the dirt as I approach my brother.

He just sighs and gives me a sad smile that I don’t believe is real and holds out his hand to me as he stands. “Come with me, I have something for you.”

“O-okay,” I slip my hand into his and follow him into the house. He pulls me along until we get to my room. When he pushes my door open, I squeal when I see two boxes wrapped in pretty pink paper covered in stickers of fairies and unicorns. I run over to my bed and plop down next to the presents. “Are these for me?”

My brother’s eyes are nearly glittery when he sits next to me and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear that had fallen from the ponytail he’d attempted this morning. “These are some gifts from me and Creed, for when we fly out to California.”

I study my brother for a moment, confused as to why he’s talking about going to California. Then I glance at the gifts sitting next to me, the sparkly paper completely distracting me. My hands itch to rip them open, so to stop myself, I pick at a loose string on my denim overall shorts. “If they’re from Creed, too, then shouldn’t he be here to watch me open them?”

“Well, that’s not something that he can do right now, Bug.” He says as he wipes his palms up and down on his jeans. He looks nervous and it makes my stomach flip with a nervousness that borders on dread.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s already on a plane, on his way to California with Bear and his other band mates.” He says cautiously.

“What?” I whisper, that feeling in my belly sinking into full despair. Immediately my eyes begin to well up with tears. Asher pulls me into his lap and I curl into a ball, trying to keep from crying but failing. “He…he didn’t say goodbye.”

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