Page 7 of Broken Pieces

There’s a strange heat on my own lips as he stares at them.

He strokes my cheek softly with his thumb and I lean into his touch.

Then, I feel the ghost of a hand on my back, sliding it's way up to the exposed skin under my ponytail. A soft gasp escapes my lips as longfingers encircle my neck. I feel Maddox's warm, vodka-soaked breath on my cheek as his chin rests on my shoulder.

When I turn just enough to look at him, his eyes are focused intently on Max.

They share a silent moment, just the two of them, blocking me out of whatever they're communicating in their heads. I shouldn’t be so jealous of their bond, they’ve grown up so close and I’ve only been part of the family for a few years.

“Let’s try,” Maddox says quietly.

"Not like this." Max shakes his head ever so slightly, like the motion was meant just for Maddox’s eyes, but I see it. I often see more than they realize.

With a tense exhale, Maddox pulls away first. The heat of him quickly fades from my body and I’m left feeling frozen as Max follows suit.

“Happy Birthday, Violet,” Max says as he heads for the door. Maddox slams his shut across the hall.

I can’t move, can’t even stop my face from looking so pathetically sad.

Without another word, Max softly closes my door behind him. I’m left with only the company of the movie still playing as midnight strikes and the alarm on my phone rings out hollowly in my empty room, signalling in my birthday.

2

Max

The sun beats down hard on me and my teammates as coach holds us back to go over the same old bullshit of how we're good, but could be better.

What more does he want from us? Fromme?

I'm the best in the team, but it’s still not good enough.

Everyone always wants more from me.

I've spent years pushing and punishing my body until they got what they wanted.

My hands are covered in the callouses to prove it.

I should be elated that it earnt me my scholarship, but the thought of more of the same routine every day fills me with dread.

Once Violet came into my life, I discovered there was more to life than baseball.

The moments when I don’t have to think about what I’m doing wrong or if I’m working hard enough are the highlights of my day.

Each one has Violet front and center.

So it’s safe to say that keeping our distance from her has been hell.

I try to focus on what coach says, but at the end of the day it's all pointless since high school is over.

I envyMad for not having to even try when it comes to his education. He gets to work on what he loves, cars. Whereas I get to work on what everyone loves for me.

Baseball was always just a hobby. Something Mad and I played together when we were younger to pass the time, but now it’s my entire being.

Once my dad realized I had a talent for it, that’s what my life became. A never ending training schedule.

Somehow, I’ve become the town's star. A goddamn celebrity, because I know how to swing a bat.

Lately, it seems like every time I pick the bat up I lose another piece of myself and become what everyone else wants me to be.