Shattered

Chapter 39

This chapter has been edited with portions rewritten and several details changed, I recommend rereading it for full understanding.

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"Taking me where?"

I looked at Stella with curious eyes, although skepticism took over most of my expression. I was never a person who liked surprises, but a surprise from Chandler seemed so much worse. It could be a good surprise, or it could be a horrible one. It could be a surprise that favored me, or it could be something that favored Chandler.

"I'm not supposed to tell you," Stella answered, smiling sheepishly. She cast an eyebrow raise at me as she stood, pushing her chair back into the table. "I promise you'll like it, but I refuse to give you the details."

Humming in contemplation, I lightly tapped my fingers over the wood, deciding what to feel about this. "Can I have a hint?" It was a test of luck to see how much I could get Stella to reveal to me, but based on her current attitude, I assumed the information she was willing to give out would be minimal.

"One hint," Stella said, emphasizing her words. "Chandler told me to help you pack, which means you'll be there a few days, so how about we go upstairs and get started on that?" Internally, I groaned, ever so slightly annoyed that she wouldn't tell me, and that her hint was straight bullshit. But I reminded myself that the woman was doing enough for me as is, I'd survive with this one thing, but still, I hated the unknown. Despised it.

"Fine," I exasperated, standing up to follow her.

We went upstairs, walking together in silence. The piano caught my attention, as it always did when I passed it, and I wondered, why did Stella tell Chandler I played in the first place? Nothing seemed to come out of it for her, she must have told him only because he asked what I did that day, however, part of me wishes she didn't. When I played, I played for my mom, for my dad, for my sister, I was shy about playing for others until I was older, but even then, I kept it to close friends.

The instrument became such an intimate part of my life, something I held a strong connection to, and things like that, the things close to me, I disliked sharing with Chandler. He too had a connection with it, which is possibly why I felt more inclined to play for him, but afterwards, I regretted it, because it was a vulnerable side of me. He wasn't worthy enough to see those sides of me, yet I always found a way to slip up and give him a glimpse. Sometimes more than a glimpse.

Stella and I continued down the hallway, passing Chandler's closed office, the dreadful bedroom where I spent most of my time, and of course, the forsaken room of nightmares. We stopped at a door near the end, which Stella unlocked with one of her keys, the keys I longed so desperately to hold.

"What's this room?" I asked when she pushed open the door.

"It's the storage room, I guess. Chandler keeps things he doesn't use regularly in here, like the suitcases, which we're here to get." She motioned for me to step in after her and switched on the light. There were several shelves and boxes scattered around, neatly organized throughout the space.

The blue suitcases were lined up next to a shelf, near the door. Stella pushed one to me while she took the other one. When I grabbed it and began pulling it toward the door, I noticed it felt a bit weighted, like there was something still in it, although it wasn't heavy.

"Stella, there's something in this one," I said thoughtfully, turning it to lay on its side. "That's weird, Chandler never leaves anything when he puts them in here." She stepped next to me, crouching to pull the zipper. Looking at the inside, I saw the familiar black fabric and red lining of my bag, the one I had when he took me.