Breaking the Cycle

Chapter 1

Vincent

Here I was sitting at our usual lunch spot minding my own business when I saw her walking in. Claire Ashton. Her hair was long, dark and wavy, falling down past her hips. Her body was lean and toned. Her skin looked like it had been gently kissed by the sun. Her lips were a soft pink rose color, but her eyes. Her eyes were the most beautiful color I had ever seen. They were a gray color that seemed to change with her mood.

She was scanning the room and our eyes met. She gave me a slight nod with no emotion on her face. I did the same. She then looked for her group of friends and went to sit with them.

“Why do you even talk to her?” Travis asked.

We’ve been friends since second grade. He had light brown hair with dark brown eyes. A bit thin and shorter than me, but he was quick on his feet. He was on the track team with Claire.

“Because I give her a lift to school everyday”

“Why not tell her to figure it out for herself?” Wayne asked.

We’ve been friends since eighth grade when he moved here from Texas at the end of the school year. He had this all american boy look about him with his blonde hair and blue eyes. He was the tall and stocky, star quarterback of our football team. Some people wondered why he still hangs around us when he could be friends with people like Levi.

“Our parents still have dinner together just about every week and I don’t need my old man going on about how I need to be responsible and take care of her”

“I bet she wouldn’t be so high and mighty if someone knocked her off her high horse,” Alyssa chimed in.

She was Wayne’s girlfriend. A short little brunette with dark blue eyes who had transferred here freshman year and didn’t know much about Claire like me and Travis did. Wayne transferred here after we had our falling out so he and Alyssa judged her by the company she now kept.

She earned a bad rep since she started dating Levi and hanging out with his friends. Levi and his friends alway put a front up when she was around. Most of the time when she wasn’t around them they were completely asses to everyone around them.

Most of them didn’t know her like I do. She was sweet and had a kind heart. Always seeing the good in others. She would never accept the way Levi’s group treats others. Nothing in heaven or hell could save you if you hurt someone she loved.

A few years back she nearly sent a guy to the hospital because he had punched her brother Leon in the jaw. When their cousin Delilah stepped in to help the guy shoved her to the ground. Claire had only seen him shove her and let the poor guy have it.

When she noticed Leon’s lip was bleeding she went ballistic. A teacher called their parents. The guy's parents were going to press charges, saying Claire started it. Until they found out that Claire’s mom, Crystal, is a lawyer and when they pulled up the footage proving it was him they decided not to.

It was kind of funny because Aunt Crystal was threatening to press charges on them for hurting her son and niece and attempting to hurt her daughter for defending her family. She got them to apologize profusely. I know where Claire got her protective behavior from though. It was scary to see both of them angry.

I don’t try to hide my hatred for Levi. Ever since he transferred in fifth grade he’s bothered me. It’s because of him that Claire and I hardly talk outside of school. Unfortunately she thinks that I also don’t like her and it only got worse when her and Levi started dating. He started filling her head with rumors and lies about me.

Instead of denying what he was telling her I let her accept it as facts which turned me into the bad guy in her eyes. If that’s the way she wanted to see me then I figured why not take on that role for her.

“Are you guys down to hangout after school today? I bought a new horror movie and figured we can watch it” Wayne asked.

“I can’t. I have family dinner tonight,” I said.

“Good luck with the princess over there,” Alyssa nodded in Claire’s direction.

“Couldn’t we just watch the movie this weekend?” I asked.

“I have a football game this weekend,” Wayne scratched his neck.

“Why don’t you guys watch it today. Can I borrow it some other day?”

“Yeah. I’ll bring it tomorrow”

“Thanks man”

The bell rang and we went to our classes. I shared most of my classes with Claire. Luckily only two of them were with Levi, but my last class didn’t have either of them in it.

Everyone was staring at the clock as it reached its last minute. When it rang everyone was racing to get out the door. I stretched in my chair and took my time leaving. No point in rushing since I’d be stuck waiting for Claire.

I said goodbye to my friends as they took off to Wayne’s house and headed to my car. Today I didn’t want to wait around for Claire so I started my car and pulled up to Levi’s truck.

“Hey princess, are you ready?”

I earned myself a glare from not just her, but Levi as well. She didn’t like it when we called her that in public. It was a cute little nickname her dad and uncle Chase used to call her.

She said her goodbyes and turned towards the car when Levi grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into a kiss. His hand slowly went down to her ass, but before he reached it she shoved him off and playfully slapped his chest telling him she’d call him later.

Levi and I glared at each other till she got in the car. When I heard her door close I gave him a sly grin and made a kissing face towards him. He furrowed his eyebrows, clenching his fists. She turned on the radio and leaned back in the seat as we drove to her house in silence..

***

I didn’t see the point of going back home since I’d be coming here later. I didn’t need to go home and change since I still had clothes over here. I stay the night here every so often to hang out with Leon.

After I was changed I went down to the living room. Claire was already on the couch in her black leggings and my old dark green hoodie. I was surprised she still had it. It was an old one my mom had made for me. It had holes and tears in it that we had just kept sewing and patching up.

One day I was playing basketball with her, Leon and Delilah, telling them I was going to toss it when she asked to play for it instead. I would’ve just given it to her, but I let her win it instead.

I went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water. I grabbed an extra for her, because I knew all too well she would either ask me to get back up and get one or she’d end up stealing mine.

I hopped over the couch and handed her a bottle.

“Thanks,” she said, staring at the tv.

We sat in silence watching some black and white film. I used to tell her she was born in the wrong time. Her and Pop’s would always watch these classic films.

The front door opened and a thundering of footsteps came towards us.

“What’s up bud!?” I turned to see Leon running in with a group of friends.

“Vincent you’re here!” He ran up to me and dove over the couch, nearly knocking both Claire and me off.

“Leon!” she shouted.

His bag had snagged the sweater causing it to tear again.

“Sorry sis,” he looked at his bag, “the zipper must have caught it”

She knew he didn’t mean to and apologized for yelling, asking him to be more careful. She really was sweet when it came to her family. She ruffled his hair and went upstairs. Leon asked me to play a new video game that one of his friends bought.

We all played for a few hours before Crystal and Mason got home from work.

“Hey boy’s,” Crystal smiled.

“Hey mom”

“Hey Auntie”

“Hey Mrs Ashton”

“You guys have about twenty more minutes,” Mason smiled.

I decided to leave Leon and the boys to finish up their games.

“Do you need any help with dinner?” I asked Crystal.

“I can always use help. How was school?”

“Same as usual”

“I remember those days. How is Claire doing?”

“Fine. Why?”

“No reason. She just kind of secludes herself a little more these days. I guess that’s her being a teen”

“I suppose”

“Honestly, the only time I feel like she comes out of her room is when you’re here. I’m surprised we didn’t see you guys on the couch when we got home”

I smiled hearing this.

“Is she back in her room?” She asked.

“Yeah. Leon accidentally tore a hole in her sweater”

“Was it the one Levi got her?”

My smile faded quickly with the sound of his name.

“No”

“Oh no”

“What?”

“Then I’m assuming it’s the one you gave her. She practically lives in that”

I tried to hide my smile.

My parents arrived sometime later and my mom took over helping Crystal in the kitchen. Our dads were in the office and Claire was called down to help me set the table.

She came down the stairs with the sweater still on and a very cute sleepy expression on her face. I started laying out the silverware while she placed cups and plates on the table.

“How have you been, trouble? She asked, not looking at me as she continued to place the cups down.

“What does that mean?”

“Someone trashed the football players locker room. They seemed to target Levi’s locker the most. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about it would you?”

“Listen here sweetheart, just because I don’t like your little boy toy doesn’t mean I’m his only enemy”

She finished with the plates and went to the living room. Her legs were pulled up to her chest.

“Why are you so bothered by this?”

“They took the bracelet I gave him for his birthday”

“Why wasn’t he wearing it?”

“Most people don’t wear their jewelry 24/7”

I looked down at the anklet she was wearing. I made it for her for her thirteenth birthday and I’ve never seen her take it off. I grabbed her right ankle and pulled it out from under her.

“Hey!” She shouted.

“I guess you’re not most people,” I chuckled as I gently ran my finger over the anklet.

“I just know what it would feel like if someone stole something that meant a lot to me”

I felt my heartbeat quicken. Was she talking about the anklet? I stared into her eyes trying to read her.

“You have no idea,” I slowly lowered her leg.

I do know what it’s like for someone to steal something that means a lot to you.

Dinner was the same as always. I listened to Leon as he went on about his basketball team making it to the playoffs. I kept stealing glances at Claire. She had hardly touched her food. Her right leg was pulled up and she was playing with her anklet.

“Are you okay princess?” Mason asked her.

“What? Oh yeah. I’m fine. Just tired. Coach pulled us aside in physical ed to try different exercises”

“Do you want me to go running with you tonight?”

“That’s okay dad. I think I’m just going to go to bed”

She excused herself from the table, cleaned up her place and went upstairs.

It was definitely getting late now. I offered to help Leon with his homework and asked if I could just stay here for the night.

Leon and I finished his assignments and I said good night to him. I went downstairs to say good night to my parents when I heard them whispering. It was hard to hear what was going on. My mother was trying her best to keep quiet, but you could hear the anger in her voice.

“How dare she try to demand and see him”

“How does she even know he’s with you guys?” Mason asked.

“Her mother of course. After my dad left her she realized that she was never going to actually see him anymore. I’m sure as hell not going to put the effort in after she ignored her kids' problems for so long. Look at all the trouble and damage she caused for us,” my dad said.

“If it weren’t for her though none of us would be together,” Crystal chimed in.

“Always have to find the good in everyone don’t you?”

I saw Crystal stick her tongue out at him. I swear if you didn’t know them you would think Crystal and Claire were sisters. They even acted the same.

“I’ll tell you this. She’s never going to talk to Vincent. I don’t care if she is his biological mother”

I felt sick. I always knew I was different and I suspected I was adopted, but this confirmed it. Everything felt fuzzy around me. I headed back upstairs, thinking about the woman who wanted to talk to me. My actual mother. I have to find her.