Chapter 41
" Glitter eggs. "
Rochelle Quinn's POV:
"Kenzie." I mumbled, pulling my body upwards. The boy lay next to me was muttering and shaking in his sleep. My eyebrows furrowed as I took in his traumatic state.
I placed my hand on his arm, trying to shake him awake. "Kenzie, it's just a dream. Wake up."
The boy shot up before I had a chance to stop him, curling his body tightly into a ball and refusing to look up at me.
He was still muttering under his breath, shaking slightly as tears rolled down his cheeks.
I moved closer, moving the blanket gently out of my way so I could kneel next to him.
"Didn't mean it. He didn't mean it. Could've stopped. Should've stopped it."
"Kenzie?" I tried to place my hand on his shoulder again, attempting to pull him out of his panic stricken state. My brows furrowed again and I jumped back at the harsh flinch Kenzie responded to my touch with.
"No. Stop. Should've stopped it."
In order to stop a dissociative episode, you must help the person connect with reality instead of their past experiences.
"Dracula, do you remember Christmas?" I whispered, making sure that he would be able to hear me. "You got me a present, a book. Looking for Alaska. You read out the quote to me, what did it say?"
I observed him, noticing how the boy had stopped shaking.
"If people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane." I quoted, recalling reading the quote so carefully.
Quotes too often managed to sum up how I feel.
"You want to know my favorite quote, Kenz?" I asked absentmindedly. "The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive."
"You told me I like words and metaphors, and I do. I love them. And you knew that, that's why you got me that book. It made me question so many things. What is the labyrinth? Is it life? It is a milestone? Is it death? Is life just one massive maze that we need to find our way out of? It was just an amazingly written book, and so, so beautiful."
I rambled on with myself, noticing Kenzie's eyes on me as I finished. They flashed with confusion at first, before finally realising what had happened.
I feel like mentioning it will cause more issues.
"What's your favorite quote from the book then?" I questioned.
"We need never be hopeless because we can never be irreparably broken."
"Ah." I smiled, "She really did have a way with words."
He smiled back at me, a heart shattering, dimpled consumed smile.
And one line repeated in my mind.
'And then something invisible snapped inside her, and that which had come together commenced to fall apart.'
Something invisible snapped inside of me. And all that which had come together, all of the defences and coldness and walls had fell apart.
All with that smile.
*****
"Reagan?" I bite my lip anxiously, sitting down in the skate park alone.
A branch snapped behind me and I almost flew around, glancing in that direction.
"OH MY GOD ALMIGHTY, JESUS CHRIST, MARY AND JOSEPH."
I winced, holding my ears cautiously. The shout echoed across the demure park.
Turning around, I caught sight of two figures edging towards me.
"Rocco, you little shit." I chucked, being pulled into a headlock. I jabbed the boys ribs softly with my elbow, smiling as I heard a sharp wince erupt from his lips. I spun out of the lock, catching both of their gazes.
Reagan and Bodhi Morgan haven't changed.
Mischief sparked in their eyes as if we were still young teens, a rebellious streak shining darkly through.
My family.
"I missed you, kiddo." Bodhi smiles, ruffling my hair before pulling me into a hug.
"Missed you too, Bo." I mumbled back, snuggling my head in between his neck and shoulders.
"I missed you too!" Reagan exclaimed dramatically, jumping on our hug and making us all fall to the floor.
Ouch.
"Were you dropped on your head as a child?" I narrow my eyes, rubbing the back of my head at the dull throb from hitting the floor.
Reagan smiled at me from across the concrete, "Yep."
Yeah I bet you fucking was, you little shit.
I bit my lip. Sometimes it physically pains me to hold back the sarcastic comments.
Reags sent me his signature, heart-dropping grin. "Serious now, I really missed you, dude."
I grin back at him, deciding to ignore the ache in my chest at the memory of the last weeks we spent together as children.
"I missed you too, Reags." I say, sincerity overtaking my tone.
Without moving their heads to look at one another, both brothers sent me a mischievous grin which I just knew would get me in trouble.
Do I even want to know what they've planned?
Nope.
Reagan pulls his backpack down, opening the zipper quickly and pulling out an egg carton.
I raise an eyebrow, "We're egging people?"
Bodhi scoffs, rolling his eyes at me. "Not just any people- Kings." He empathised the word with hatred in his tone. "And they're not just eggs."
That confused me, "What are they then?"
Reagan smirks, opening the egg carton carefully. "Glitter eggs."
I stare at the egg carton in surprise, my eyes focussing on the bright pink, sparkling eggs.
3 hours later and we were drenched in pink, sparkly shits from hell.
Glitters all fun until it lands in parts which no one should ever see.
But that didn't stop Bodhi from pouring the entire contents off glitter onto his brothers head.
Reagan's gonna be shitting glitter for the next few weeks.
Bodhi sat down next to me, chuckling idly. The eggs had all been used, targeted at certain members of a Rival Gang.
Childish, I know. But glitter annoys them more than a stab wound.
It's safe to say they didn't know what hit them.
Taking out a cigarette, I offered both brothers one which they accepted with acquiesce.
"So, Rocco, any boys you've taken an interest to?" Bodhi asked nonchalantly, lighting the stick between his lips.
"Nah." I took a drag silently, refusing to meet any of their eyes.
I could feel Reagan's stare on the side of my face.
"Don't lie to me, Rock." Bodhi sent me a lazy smile, " What's he like?"
I look down to the floor, "He's been through some shit."
"Haven't we all." Reags muttered with a bitter tone.
"Something must've happened to him to make him the way he is. At first he was distant, cold; Now he's sobered up to me a bit, I try to help him with his issues even though he doesn't talk about what it is."
"What about you? Does he treat you right?" Bodhi inquires, ignoring his brothers solemn and annoyed expression
"Yeah..." I drifted off, thinking back to earlier this morning.
"But what?" Bodhi pushes further, waiting for me to continue.
"I'm scared." I admit.
"Why?"
"He's like..." I try to find the right word, pausing for a second. I look up, catching Bodhi's curious gaze. "Like salt in an open wound. He's pouring into my life and I can't control it or how I feel like him. And all I can keep thinking is damn, it's gonna hurt like hell."
"Why will it hurt?"
"If he ever hurts you, I'll smash his fucking face in." Reagan mutters again, closing his eyes and leaning back onto the grass.
"I've never had the best of luck in the romance department." I diverted my eyes back and forth from Bodhi to Reagan. "I fuck things up, and I don't want to fuck this up. He makes me feel....safe."
******
Hi Everyone!
Let me know what you guys think of the chapter!
What do you think of Bodhi and Reagan??
All my love,
Laska xx