What's So Good About Picking Up the Pieces?

Vic’s POV:

I had taken a few days off of school to be with Kellin while he was in the hospital and after the accident. Although I didn’t want to go back, it had to be done. Kellin was almost completely better and we both eventually had to go back to school if we didn’t want to stay back. I don’t know about him but I really would like if this could be my last year in school. I just want to get it done with.

On the plus side, today’s my birthday. I asked everyone not to make a big deal of it, but of course my parents will. Apparently their eldest son turning eighteen is a very big deal.

They had woken me up and insisted to make me some huge breakfast, which I wasn’t complaining. Definitely not complaining about free food, I’m not that stupid. So after I finished eating and listening to them fuss about how I’m not their little Victor anymore, I placed a kiss on each of their cheeks and headed out the door and into the chilly winter air. Mike had gotten a ride with one of his friends, so I was riding alone today.

I unlocked the car and slid inside, suddenly wishing for a pair of gloves. Damn the steering wheel is cold. They should make heated steering wheels. Why don’t they do that?

Despite my inner rambling, I still managed to see Kellin leaving his house. I knew he didn’t drive and his mom’s car was nowhere to be seen, so he must be walking today. I unrolled the window and called out to him.

“I’m not letting you walk; it’s like forty degrees out Kels.” He turns his head to look at me, shooting me an adorable little grin and makes his way over to the car.

“It’s not a big deal, I can walk.”

“You were in the hospital like three days ago and I have a car with five seats. Now unless there are four other people in here that I can’t see, which would be pretty weird yet cool, you’re getting in.”

He rolls his eyes and laughs a little, before eventually getting in the car. I personally find it super adorable how he can still be so damn shy around me, although I’ve seen him at his worst and I still really like him. I don’t even know if he’s picked up on the fact that I like him more than just a friend, but it doesn’t matter. He’s a fragile little flower, and he needs time to heal. I’ll be here for him and I’ll never pressure him for us to be more than what we are right now. I guess I’m just really worried to scare him away. His like has been really fucked up so far and he’s only sixteen. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for him.

“Happy birthday, Vic.” Kellin says to me just before we’re pulling into the school. He’s got a knowing grin on his face. He better not have got me anything, I swear. I didn’t want anything for my birthday. “Now for your present-“

“I told you I didn’t want anything.” That little rat.

“Shut up. I’ll meet you here after school, okay? I’ll show you then.”

“Alright.” I sigh and agree.

---

School was filled with the normal, usually meaningless, “Happy Birthday’s!” from everyone and their mother. It was flattering in some ways, but I really didn’t see the big deal. Just another day of the year.

I sigh as I reach my car, noticing Kellin’s already standing there with a huge grin plastered on his face.

“It better not be anything extreme.” I point my finger at him, as if scolding him.

He giggles a little bit before rushing over to the passenger’s side of the car, hopping in.

I roll my eyes and open the door, slipping in a turning on the ignition. “Someone’s hyper.” I comment.

“Of course I am. It’s your birthday! You should be too.” I nod my head as I try to weave out of the parking lot. High school traffic is horrible.

“Wait.” Kellin stops me from taking my normal turn, the one that leads to our houses. “Go that way.” He points in the opposite direction. I raise my eyebrows in suspicion, but follow his directions anyways. He leads me down some back roads that I’ve never been on before, which is a big statement considering that I’ve lived here my entire life.

“Turn here.” He orders me, pointing to a thin dirt road.

“I know what you’re doing, Kellin.”

“You do?” He looks at me with wide eyes.

I look at him with my serious face and nod. “You’re taking me out here so nobody will hear me screaming when you kill me.”

“You caught me!” We both burst out laughing as I continue along the sketchy-as-fuck dirt road.

“Stop here.” Kellin puts his hand out in front of me, as if to stop me. “Now put this on.” Kellin hands me a blindfold.

“I’m not letting you blindly lead me through the words with a blindfold on.” I try to hand it back to him.

“Yes you are. Come on, it’ll be worth it, I promise.” He gives me an adorable little grin and of course I fall for it, tying the blindfold around my head.

I hear him exit the car and walk around it, opening up my door. I reach my hand out and he grabs it, pulling me up and leading me around the car. Kellin holds on to me as he leads me through some twists and turns. I manage not to walk face-first into any trees, and after what seems like a century, Kellin stops me.

“You can take your blindfold off now.”

I reach up and slowly pull the blindfold off of my head.

“Kellin…” I smile at the sight laid out in front of me.