Page 22 of A Thousand Broken Pieces

I couldn’t stop myself blushing if I tried. He had smiled. He was talking to me and it felt like a blessing.

“He may need a friend …”I decided Ida was right.

“Yeah. I suppose. You’re from New England?” I asked in return.

Cael’s smile evaporated, his walls building back up. He nodded curtly. “Small town outside of Boston.”

I fiddled with the edges of the paperback I was holding. “I’m meant to go to Harvard this fall.” I surprised myself with that admission. I didn’t know why, but Cael suddenly tensed, and his eyes that had been so open and vulnerable quickly frosted over and took away any vulnerability he was exposing. I watched his body language change from open to defensive, and his usual high walls quickly rebuilt.

“Time to go,” he said coldly and took hold of the oars.

Confused, I said, “Did I say something—”

“I said we’re goingback. I’m done here,” he bit out harshly, voice brokering no argument. Chills sank into my bones, and I tried to think of what had just happened. What had set him off.

We didn’t speak again as he steered us back. The same edge of frustration had returned to him, and he powered his way to the hostel’s shore, just as harshly as we’d rowed out, his demons reattached to him.

When we approached the shore, I saw Dylan sitting on the ledge I liked to occupy. He gave us a wave, and only a couple of minutes later, we docked. Cael jumped out of the boat first, then yanked it all the way in so we were back on the stone-laced sand.

I went to climb out, only to feel Cael’s hand fasten tightly around mine. “Can I?” he asked distantly and slid his hands to my waist when I nodded. He carried me from the boat, then placed me softly on the shore. The way he cared for me physically was in direct opposition to the way he was speaking to me. He caught my concerned stare for a couple of seconds, opening his mouth like he might say something, explain, but he then left for the hostel without another word. I watched him walk away, heart in my throat.

“Hey, Sav,” Dylan said, jumping down from the edge of the ledge to head my way. I was still staring after Cael. Dylan followed my gaze. “Went rowing?”

I nodded, not wanting to share anything from the past hour. I didn’t know why, but our time in the boat felt like it was personal, just mine and Cael’s. I’d seen a glimpse of another side to him. He’d … he’d shown me the broken boy beneath the anger, had lowered his shield of fire.

I wanted to help him.

“Seems like a tough guy to get to know,” Dylan said, pointing to the door Cael had just walked through. “Can be pretty scary at times.”

I looked to my friend. “I don’t believe he’s dangerous. He’s …” I sighed, still feeling confused. “He’s hurting,” I said and heard the defensive tone in my own voice. I understood that he seemed aggressive and unapproachable—he even did to me. But the way he had been on the boat … so quiet, defeated … it was obvious he was in so much agony it felt visceral.

“I know,” Dylan said, a hint of guilt in his voice. He shuffled his feet. “Travis said Cael played hockey.” I knew that. But Dylan said, “Like, high level hockey. As in, he was about to go pro, or at least he could have. At the very least he’d have been going to college to play, then on to the NHL. Played Junior Hockey for Team USA. He was their superstar.” Pieces of Cael’s scattered jigsaw began to fit together.

“I’m used to the cold …”

A wave of protectiveness washed over me. “I’m not sure Travis should be sharing Cael’s story.” Dylan seemed taken aback by the harsh edge to my words. I was too. But I meant them. Our stories were ours to share when we were ready.

“I think Trav’s just a bit starstruck,” Dylan said, carefully. “Travis is harmless, Sav. Chatty and has no filter, but harmless.” Dylan tipped his head in the direction Cael had just gone in. “When Travis said Cael was good, I think that was an understatement. Apparently, he smashed every known record for his age group and even some beyond. By the sound of it, he was the most promising hockey star the junior league had seen in years. Then he just … stopped playing.”

A knowing edge hung on Dylan’s last word, and it became clear to me that Travis knew exactly why Cael had stopped playing, knowledge he’d relayed to Dylan. But I didn’t want to know. If Cael ever wanted to tell me why he was here, why he’d stopped playing hockey, I wanted him to decide that.

“I’m going inside to read,” I said, changing the subject. Dylan seemed frozen and unsure if he had upset me. He hadn’t. But I was feeling …protectiveof Cael. I didn’t think too much about why. “Are you coming?”

Dylan smiled in relief and threw his arm around my shoulders, then led us inside, chatting about anything and everything. We settled in the living room. I read about the poets by the roaring fire, Dylan, Travis, Jade, and Lili watching and rating British sitcoms on TV.

Night drew down, stars spattering across the sky, and I closed my now-finished book. I got up to head to bed, when I spotted Cael in the hallway’s alcove, sitting in the cushioned window seat, arms crossed over his chest, headphones on and staring out of the window.

I walked over to him and carefully placed my hand on his arm. Cael turned and abruptly pulled his arm away. He glared at me for a second, before I saw his gaze soften a bit when he realized it was me.

He pulled his headphones back and said, “What?” He wasn’t being harsh to me. Rather, he sounded exhausted, gloomy.

I handed him the book. “I’ve finished,” I said. “It’s really good.”

He stared at the offered book like it was a live grenade. I saw the battle play out on his face on whether to accept it or not. It was clear he fought some kind of war within himself. But then he met my eyes and his shoulders lost all tension. He held out his hand and carefully took the book from me. “Thanks,” he whispered and turned back to the window. I took that as my cue to leave.

I was almost at the door when I heard, “Night, Peaches.” The surprise that unexpected nickname brought to my chest was so strong it felt like it had left a mark. I turned to see a haunted yet kind expression on Cael’s face; then it quickly disappeared.

“A real Georgia peach, huh …”he’d said that on the boat.

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