Don't Break My Hart

Chapter 5

It had been a few days since the night the guys came home. Azrael must have reported to the sergeant that I was sleeping with a few of them because Shenae and I were taken off bathroom duty. The Angel of Death still showed up here and there to keep an eye on me, but it wasn't as much as before. Ryder avoided me completely, and I avoided everyone else. There were a few times I saw Angel or Kaito headed my way, so I would turn and head the opposite. I hadn't had the fortune to even get a glimpse at Ethan.

It had been exhausting, really. Rowan didn't seem to care one way or the other, but with all of us on base, everyone seemed to be everywhere so I mostly kept to the secret room that had become mine and Chogan's. It's where I was right now. There was a rapping at the door.

I had been sitting on the couch and reading one of the books from the library. Only four other people knew I would be in here, Carlos, Chogan, Xavier, or Azrael. I had asked the guys to not tell Shenae. She would tell Angel who would tell the others, and I just needed some space. The door opened without me telling anyone to enter. It was Carlos.

"Good. You're dressed today." I flipped him off and went back to my book. He just snickered, vaulted over the couch and smashed down onto the cushion next to me. "So... the others sent me to get you. We took a vote. It's time you stopped hiding."

I closed my book and gave him a skeptical look. "Really? Did they really, though?"

"No." Carlos groaned out in frustration. "They didn't. Chogan and Xavier told me to leave you alone and that you'd be ready when you're ready and blah blah blah." He rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"They gave some pretty good advice." I mused.

"No, they did not. All you're doing is running away from your problems." Carlos sighed. "I don't understand why you want to avoid the people you used to know."

"It's complicated." I stated matter-of-factly.

"How?" Carlos urged. He wasn't going to let this go. "Since I'm now your brother and all, it's my job to look out for you, so I've been getting to know them. They seem like good people. Well, except maybe that Rowan guy. He's a little scary."

I smiled. I wasn't sure if Carlos used the term "brother" a lot before I lost my memory, but he wasn't going to let me forget anytime soon. I leaned into him a little. "These people probably know more about me than I know about myself. The first thing I did after waking up in that shack was escape so I could kill my kidnappers. What if I don't like the person I am? What if they tell me things about myself that I hate?"

"Don't you think I would have said something by now if you were a shitty person? Hell, I was about to rob a store when people started eating each other's faces." Carlos shrugged like it was no big deal. "And if you were such a horrible person, then why would they want to continue being around you?"

"I just wish I had my memory back. It would make my life a little easier." I rubbed at my face.

"Sometimes I wish I would have lost my memory so I wouldn't think about my mom and sister so much." Carlos said the words with little emotion, but I could tell the teen was struggling to cope with his loss.

"It'll get easier over time." I draped an arm around his shoulders. "You have me and you still have Chogan. I know we can't make up for your family, but I'll damn sure try my hardest."

"So does this mean you'll leave this room and come spend time with everyone, because I'd like that a lot." He grinned. The little shit had been playing me. Oh I know he was upset about the deaths of his mother and sister, but he used that to trap me, and I'd played right into his hands. I punched him on the shoulder. "Ow, Hart. That wasn't very nice."