Page 29 of Every Single Broken Piece
“He’s much older than me, so I never spoke to him, but whenever one of his movies is released, the town usually sets up a big screen on the football field, where everyone can watch. They make a big fuss about it.” Levi takes a seat on a couch, and noticing worry creeping into his hazel gaze, I add, “I don’t think anyone in town knows who you are. But you better keep it a secret or they’ll wear out your welcome mat.”
“I don’t have a welcome mat.”
A burst of laughter escapes me. “Figuratively speaking.”
I pick the other couch and sit down. When I look at Levi again, our eyes lock, and it feels as if an invisible current passes between us.
“So I’m the talk of the town?” he asks as he starts to peel off the label around his beer bottle.
I shrug. “Don’t worry about it. Tomorrow they’ll have something new to gossip about.”
Leaning forward, he rests his forearms on his thighs, and it makes the veins look ridiculously hot as they snake beneath his skin.
“They were talking shit about you before Ellie noticed me and placed her hand on my arm.” His features tighten with disgust, and he clears his throat. “It makes my skin crawl when people touch me.”
“I’m sorry that happened,” I murmur, my tone soft. “And I’m sorry for all the touching the other night.”
He shakes his head, lifting his eyes to meet mine. “For some reason, I’m okay with you.”
His words make more happiness trickle into my heart. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“You’re not curious to know what they said about you?” he asks.
“It’s probably nothing I haven’t heard before.” I make air quotes. “I have to deal with everything and move on. I’m stubborn for not selling ...” My voice disappears, and I’m unable to finish the sentence.
His tone is gentle when he says, “Don’t let them get to you. You do what’s right for you.”
I nod, a weak smile tugging at my mouth. “It just sucks, you know?”
“I do. They’re insensitive and don’t understand. They haven’t been through something so traumatic.”
Slowly, I lift my gaze to his. “It doesn’t get any better, does it?”
Levi stares at me for a long while before he shakes his head. “At least, it hasn’t gotten any easier for me.”
I let my eyes trail down his arm again, and a scar grabs my attention. It looks like a burn mark.
Then I see another one, and my heart constricts.
He said he had a bad childhood. Did his parents abuse him? Did they leave those marks on him?
Levi notices what I’m looking at, and when his fingers brush over the scars, my cheeks warm with shame for staring at him, and I quickly whisper, “I’m sorry.”
He leans back against the couch and lets out a sigh. “My stepfather liked to use me for an ashtray.”
I suck in a sharp breath as shock shudders through me. My hand flies up to cover my mouth. “God, Levi.”
When his gaze captures mine, I see the endless trauma darkening the green ring around his irises. “I’m telling you in the hopes that you’ll open up to me. Everyone needs someone to talk to.”
“Have you talked to anyone about what happened to you?” I ask.
“Never.” He shakes his head. “Not until you.”
“Why me?”
“Because you’ll understand.” His attention returns to the half-destroyed label around his beer. “Like you said, we seem to be two peas in a pod.”
We’re quiet for a few minutes while we sip on our beers, and when my bottle is empty, I ask, “Do you have any happy memories of your childhood?”
