Page 25 of Shattered Echoes

…I’m back home in Shadow’s Bend too, and I can’t believe how little things have changed. Almost like the town got stuck in time, refusing to move on with the rest of the world.

Somehow, it makes this homecoming even better for me. Thefamiliar sights, the crumbling walls. It feels safe. The road to recovery is so hard, and while I’m still struggling, I’m gettingused to life without the internet, forced to facemy thoughts without distractions…

I glance at the dusty box of old video games sitting beside the television. Well, some distractions are needed. I’ve been so bored, I had to dig out the old games Leo and I used to play as teenagers, although I haven’t gotten around to hooking it up yet.

…Oh, one more thing. I ran into Colette, Henry’s sister.She’s here too, and she looks almost as bad as me. What arethe chances, right?She still looks smashing, though. Seeing hertoday… I felt something. I can’t explain it, but she’s been onmy mind ever since. Oh well, I guess I will tell you about itsometime.

PS: This wasn’t all that bad.

I set down my pen and smile at the letter. I still think it’s a silly idea. I was an addict, not a crazy person, although these days it’s hard to see the difference.

My mind drifts to Colette again. It’s been doing that a lot. I hate the pity I saw in her eyes though. I don’t look that bad…do I?

A loud ringing erupts from the coffee table. My damn phone. What does Leo want? Or Gabi? They want to make sure I haven’t died yet from boredom. I take my time walking to the phone, lacking any enthusiasm to speak to my brother. I pick it up and see Henry's name flashing on the screen. My thumb hovers over the answer button - I’m not feeling very chatty, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t lonely.

"Antonio?" Henry's voice sounds hopeful on the other end, but laced with caution.

"Yeah," I manage, my voice rough from disuse.

"Hey, listen, I just talked to Colette," Henry starts, then trails off. There's a pause, thick with unspoken words. I can feel the question hanging in the air: What happened to you? The anger flares, hot and sudden, and pressure builds in my chest. I know it's irrational, but...

"What about her?" I snap, the words sharper than I intended.

"She…well, she just wanted to know," Henry stammers, surprise tinged with hurt in his voice. "She asked what happened to you, and I was hesitant to tell her. She was really insistent, though. I don’t know… Is it okay if I tell her?"

I ball my free hand into a fist and grit my teeth, anger boiling inside me like an overfull cauldron. I do not know why I’m so mad, but I just feel frustrated, and I can’t breathe.

"Tell her what?" I spit back, the words tumbling out before I can restrain them. "Why are you acting so damn touchy about the subject? For fuck’s sake, Henry, it's not a big deal!"

There's a long silence from the other end. When Henry speaks, his voice is weary.

"I know you guys haven't been best buds, Antonio. But I didn't think it would be this bad."

"It's not bad!" I yell, the pressure in my chest threatening to burst, a vein bulging in my temple. "Besides, it’s none of her damned business, okay?"

“Antonio… buddy,” Henry says.

I don’t let him finish, and I slam the phone shut, the sound echoing in the empty sitting room. Shame washes over me, but I’m too angry to care. I didn't mean to snap at Henry. But the question, so innocent on the surface, has ripped open a chasm of raw emotions within me.

I don't want Colette's pity. I don't want her concern. Without thinking, I stride straight out of the house, round the fence, and march straight to Colette’s door. I can still feel my anger simmering inside me like a pot of broth. I knock a little too loudly than is necessary.

A few moments later, the click of the deadbolt echoes through the night, and the door creaks open a sliver. Colette stands there, her eyes wide with surprise and a hint of something else–fear? Maybe. It ignites another flash of anger in me.

"Antonio?" she says, stepping back to open the door.

“You wanted to know what the fuck happened to me, so I’m here to tell you.” My tone sting Colette, and she flinches. I don’t care. “I’m back in town because I’m a fuckup who OD’d and almost died. I had to go away to rehab for a while, and I’ve struggled with creativity ever since. Are you happy now? At least, the next time you want to know something about me, you don’t have to go asking around.”

I turn around and stride down the porch, leaving Colette stunned. I shut the door behind me and settle into a couch before it hits me how dumb and stupid I was to blow up the way I did.

I groan, feeling ashamed and covering my face with my hands. Why did I get so angry at her? All she did was care. What’s wrong with me? One moment I can’t stop thinking about her, the next, I’m shouting her head off.

The doorbell chimes softly, invading my thoughts. I consider ignoring whoever it is, but they are persistent and just keep pressing the bell until I go to the door.

It’s Colette, and she has a box in her hand. She opens it and reveals a month watering red velvet cake. I look up at her in confusion, and she shifts from foot to foot, embarrassed by my scrutiny.

“Umm…I’m sorry,” she says. “I know you can’t drink, so I brought you some cake instead.”

Cake? I don't want cake. I want to understand why she cares.

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