Pieces of Me by Pua Ramona (small books to read txt) 📕

so much and yet she’s walking around smiling like she’s doing fine when all she is are just broken pieces of herself.

Reese rests his head back against the wall and says “I don’t know what it is, but there’s something so innocent and pure about her that draws you to her. When I saw her breaking down in the parking lot, a little piece of me broke along with her. I fucking hated that Mike was one of the reasons she was so broken; I hated it even more because he stood there watching her. I feel Reese's eyes on me, he takes a deep breath and says, “After seeing everything play out that day, I’ve been checking in on her making sure that she was okay. I promised myself that I’d do everything to keep that girl safe, and if that means keeping you away from her then that’s what I’ll do. I’m not sure what other demons she’s dealing with Eli, but I’m asking you as your best friend to please leave her alone. I don’t think she’ll survive it if you get a hold of her heart man.” Reese stands up and walks to the door, but before he leaves he looks at me and says, “You have Becca parading around you everywhere. Sina deserves someone that’ll put her first.”

I look up at him from my spot on the floor and ask, “Does Lei know you’re in love with her, Reese?” I don’t want to know the true answer to that, but it’s too late now.

Reese chuckles and says “Leila’s the one who asked me to be one of her stand-in brothers and protect her. She’s been spending a lot of time with Sina since she’s been home. Leila owns every piece of my heart Eli. Lei cares about her and the Petersons are good people. So, that makes Sina my friend” he takes a step out the door and looks over his shoulder, “Maybe you should get to know her more as a person. She’s not Becca, Eli. She’s a good woman who deserves a simple kiss on her forehead, to be told that everything’s going to be okay, to have her hair tucked behind her ear, to be told that she’s loved, but more importantly she deserves to find a home and a keeper that is willing to keep the already broken pieces that’s left of her heart safe. Cause one day that’s something I hope any daughters we may have will find and have for the rest of their lives.”

I can’t get myself to watch Reese walk out the door because I know he’s right. I can’t get my chest to stop hurting. Is this what your heart feels like when you genuinely care for someone else? Mama always told me that one day I’ll find my person, and when I do it’ll feel like my first heartbreak. I sit there and allow my heart to feel every emotion for the first time since I saw Sina at that gas station.

Chapter Seven

Sina

“What the heck is this? Leila there’s no way I’m wearing this piece of nothing” I say, while Mona’s laughing her ass off on my bed. “It’s not funny Mona. When have you ever seen me wearing anything like this? Right. Never”, I whine.

“But it’s your birthday Sis, so you’ve got no choice but to wear that shit. You look fucking hot in it” Mona says winking at me.

I stand there looking in the mirror feeling awkward because I have never worn anything so short “I’ll wear anything you give me, just not this. I’ll look like every other girl at the bar”

Mona rolls her eyes and says “You never want to play dress up Sina. You’re no fun” she fake pouts.

Leila laughs and says “Okay fine, you can wear jeans but they’ll have to be fitted ones, not your elastic ones Sina.”

I give her my ‘you wound me’ look with both hands on my chest “You mean my mommy jeans, get it right”, I say.

They both look at me and say sarcastically at the same time, “Okay.”

I stand there with both middle fingers up. “Eat me fuckers!” They laugh some more.

Mona gets up from the bed and says, “You should leave the bad words to me and Leila. You just make that shit sound too damn clean, you’re the only one who can use the word fucker and make it sound clean. Don’t say it again, fuck is one of my favorite words, so don’t fuck it up.” Her orders fall flat with the humor that's woven through her words.

“Fuck you” I say with a little bit of attitude.

“You sound more like a valley girl then Leila does, and she’s a white girl.” Mona looks dead at Leila and says, “And no that was not a racist comment either.”

Leila stops what she’s doing and says with a serious look on her face, “Thank you for clearing that up, because for a second there I thought I didn’t know what color I was.” They both look at each other for a few seconds then they start laughing as if someone just told the funniest joke. I shake my head at them and take the scrap of a dress off.

Leila pulls out a pair of fitted jeans and hands them to me, then she goes to my closet and asks me in mock horror, “Did you not pack any going out clothes?”

“Nope, wasn’t planning on going out.” I say as I hold out the jeans for inspection.

She goes back to her bags and pulls out a black lace tank top, with a red and black flannel that still has the price tag on it. “Here wear this. We don’t want you to have a makeover, we want to make sure you’re comfortable” Leila says smiling. “Do you wear contacts at all?”

“Yeah, why?” I ask her as I fold the flannel over my arm.

She looks at me with both