Fractured Minds (Rebels of Sandland 3)

“Does Brandon know you’ve made him the Mad Hatter?”

Finn threw his head back and laughed, and just like that, all the tension I felt before disappeared. I loved it when he was like this. Care-free. Relaxed. Himself.

“Nobody has picked up on that yet.” He shook his head and rubbed over his bristly jaw.

“It’s pretty obvious.” I quirked my eyebrow at him, smirking. “A boxer. The tea. Even the way he’s sat with his legs like that. It’s so Brandon. You got them all pretty good,” I said, tracing my fingers over the other two characters.

“You get me,” he whispered to himself.

“I do.”

We stood staring at each other for what felt like an eternity, neither one of us saying a word. I wondered if his heart was beating as fast as mine. If he felt that tug that I did. I didn’t know what to do or say next. I was stuck in this spell. Finn’s spell. And I never wanted to leave.

Finn broke the ice, glancing down to the floor and biting his lip before saying, “The new piece I’m working on, its round the back of the building. You can’t access it from down there.” He pointed down the corridor behind me. “You have to go back out the front. Do you want to see it?”

Stupid question. I would literally watch paint dry if he asked me to.

“Sure,” I answered, keeping my excitement in check.

He turned and we both headed back towards the door. I had made the ridiculous decision to wear my boots with the heels today, and when he looked back and saw me picking my way through the rubble haphazardly, holding onto the wall for support, he put his hand out to me. My heart thumped hard in my chest as I reached out and took it. His big hand felt warm and soft wrapped around mine. It felt… perfect.

Suddenly, it didn’t matter if he was leading me to the Sistine chapel to show me what he’d done. I didn’t care. Every part of me was focused on him and how holding his hand––such a simple, silly act––felt like everything. It made me feel like I was floating across those flagstones, not stumbling like a bloody fool.

“You okay?” he asked, glancing down at me and squeezing my hand.

“Mmmhmm.” I nodded back, keeping my eyes on the ground. Words meant thinking, and I wasn’t capable of that at the moment. Not when my brain was flooded with endorphins from being connected to him in this way.

He pushed the door open and held it with his shoulder, so I could walk through.

“Thanks.” I smiled up at him, and he smiled back as I stepped out onto the front step of the asylum.

And then he peered over my shoulder, looking off into the distance behind me, and his face dropped as well as his hand from mine. Every tingle, every spark of warmth I had felt turned back to dread.

The Finn from inside was gone.

His walls were back in place.

And my heart felt like it was being ripped from my chest once again.

He was here.

The fucker had followed me here, and now he stood staring at me and Effy from across the street.

He had an evil smirk on his face and he appeared to be chuckling to himself. No doubt thinking up some sick way to get back at me. To get to me through her.

I should’ve been more careful. I should’ve noticed that he was following me. I needed to up my game.

“What’s wrong?” She was frozen to the spot in front of me, her eyes holding the sadness I hated seeing in them whenever I let her down. Her body was tense, like she was preparing herself for the onslaught of rejection she knew was coming her way. I felt like a complete bastard.

“You need to leave.” I put my head down and stuffed my hands into the pockets of my jeans, walking towards the fence where her car was parked and steering her away from the building and the evil glare of my uncle.

“Why? I want to see your work.” She jogged alongside me, her little legs struggling to keep up with my long strides. “You said its round the back. Can’t we––”

“You need to fucking leave!” I shouted, and she flinched at the loud tone I used and stopped still. Her arms crossed over her chest and she took deep breaths, glaring at the floor, trying not to react to my anger. I wanted her to though. I wanted her to fight, just not here where he could see. If he knew she was my weakness, he’d use her. Hurt her. I couldn’t let that happen.

“Fine. I’ll leave. But you need to stop pushing people away, Finn. People who care about you. The way you’re acting right now, it’s bullshit.”

“It is bullshit. Everything is bullshit,” I screeched, hoping he could see the act I was putting on for him from across the street where he stood. I was playing the part of the guy of who belonged to no one. The guy nobody cared about, even her.