Born Broken by Anna Huscha (good summer reads .txt) 📖

Damien

Damien rolled onto his side, yawning as he did so before finally laying down on his stomach, it had been a restful night like most the others he had but this one was different... he seemed rejuvenated as he stretched and a smile played across his features.

The scent of bacon filled the home as he took a deep breath in before sitting up and rolling out of bed. Searching through his drawers revealed nothing that he wanted to wear but instead, the pile of clothes next to his cabinet to the left held what he wanted.

"Ahh, there you are" Damien spoke to his shorts, they were knee length and dark tan, a golden tan. He stripped, dropping his boxers and pulling on a clean, random pair he found before pulling his shorts over top. Shoving the pile over he dug out a blue tee that had random logos across it; it'll do.

He threw it on before running downstairs, not wanting to miss out on any bacon. Though it was just him and his adoptive mother, he still always raced to the table.

"Good morning, sweetie. How'd you sleep?" Lexi asked over her shoulder, the bacon still sizzled in the pan on the stove; the sounds were like heaven to him.

"Perfectly" Damien spoke after a moment, he wanted to find the right word but everything else that came to mind seemed to sound funny to him.

"Oh really? Great, that's wonderful" Lexi said with a smile before placing the pan onto the table between the two plates that were placed opposite each other.

"Dig in, I made plenty this time" Lexi said, remembering the last time that Damien nearly licked the pan clean because he had loved it so much.

"Thanks mom!" Damien spoke before pulling a large amount of meat onto his place, Lexi returned to the stove laughing softly to herself. She put the last of the pancakes onto the plate to her left then opened the oven and pulled out the eggs that were left in there to warm up as she finished the bacon.

She turned off the stove and oven before taking the last of the food over to the table, placing her oven mitts to the side as she sat down.

"Any plans for today?" Lexi asked, crossing her legs underneath the table, pulling the eggs over to give herself some.

"Eh, not sure yet, I might go out and hang with some of the boys, maybe not. Haven't given it much thought since I woke up only about ten minutes ago" Damien explained, Lexi eyed him.

"Really? I thought you had been up for some time once the bacon first hit the pan, usually you are" Lexi said jokingly, both laughed.

"Not this time though, I was surprised myself but I had slept really well last night" Damien said, Lexi smiled.

"Good, I'm glad we had gotten rid of whatever it was that was causing you to not sleep well in the first place" Lexi said triumphantly.

"Same" Damien said as he shoved a couple of pieces of bacon into his mouth.

"Don't you choke" Lexi demanded, watching as her son stuffed his face, eating her eggs herself.

"I won't because then I'd lose some of the bacon and that'd be bad" Damien stated through the food in his mouth.

"Oh no, we wouldn't want that now would we?" Lexi asked with a small giggle.

"Nope!" Damien said mock seriously, all Lexi could do was shake her head before eating.

Xavier

He rubbed his neck as he groaned, growling as the kink in his neck wouldn't go away. Another nights rest ruined but he didn't care.

He stood up, brushing himself off before leaving the alleyway, looking either way before crossing the street and entering the old coffee shop. He sat down at one of the tables and waited for his order to be taken.

After three minutes a middle-aged woman came around, she was a wider woman who seemed to waddle as she walked, her blonde hair pulled back into a loose-curled ponytail that was lopsided.

"Would you like anything to drink?" The woman asked, Xavier rubbed his face and exhaled sharply.

"A simple coffee is fine" Xavier stated, holding back his need to smack something; his lack of sleep made him edgy.

"Would you like anything else?" The woman asked.

"No thanks" Xavier stated, shifting in his seat.

"I'll be right back with your coffee then, sir" She said politely as she placed her pad into the pocket of her apron as she walked away.

Xavier laid his head down on his crossed arms, he knew he'd have to go back to the foster home he had been placed in and collect his things before they'd relocate him for the umpteenth time; he was well used to the process. He knew it was because of him, he was proud of it and didn't show any trace that he'd change for any of them; just to finally get a home.

He didn't seem to care either that he'd never been loved in any of the homes he had been in because he was such a nuisance, he tormented the children because frankly he hated little kids who weren't babies that were hushed; he hadn't ever harmed a child just tormented them.

Xavier chuckled softly to himself as he remembered the time he had scared a kid to the point that he started to cry, simply bawl his eyes out right in front of him. The parents had asked what had happened and before the kid could say anything Xavier simply said something had spooked him in the calmest tone he had, like he always had.

Before the kid could protest his parents had walked away the same way they had come; later was when they'd find out the cause of their sons night terrors and reasons he was so terrified, all the time, to be left alone.

When they found out, he was quickly if not instantly moved to another home. He remembered clearly the look on their faces as they yelled at him on how he could scare a child so badly, he aggravated the parents once he grinned and said 'easily'.

The coffee cup being placed on the table stirred him from his train of thought, he lifted his head and stared at the small white porcelain as the coffee was poured into it and small packets of creamer were placed onto the table.

"If there's anything else I could get you just give me a holler" The woman said, Xavier muttered a thank you before bringing the coffee closer to him, he sipped it black and closed his eyes.

It helped him to cope, half with the lack of sleep and the other half with the anger he felt towards people. He had already been arrested three times in the last month for beating a person with his bare fists.

He was trouble and everybody knew it but he was cool about it, always calm and the hardest son-of-a-bitch to read. Nobody could predict what he would do next nor had they known what he had done in his past or what he had been through. He told nobody anything though he spoke often. He was a chatterbox to those he knew, trusted rarely, and quiet around authority or anybody he didn't know.

He hung out with a small group of people who were much like himself with the occasional person who was nothing like him or the other guys. Many people who were new to the area often wanted to cling to him, wanted his protection because that was the least they knew about him; if that.

Xavier tended to beat anybody who wanted to try and hurt somebody. He'd protected a significant amount of people throughout his days and that earned him a special place with them, whenever they could they'd stay within eyesight of him. hoping not to get mugged or harmed and with him around... they never did.

Xavier slowly finished his coffee, playing with the half&half packets, flipping them in his fingers, eying it. He placed it down after a moment then stood up, fished the money for the coffee and a small tip, out of his pocket, for the woman and left it on the table before exiting the shop without a single word.

Xavier walked the streets, he didn't yet want to go back to the place and face yet another family, yet another tear struck woman, sad that she had to let him go. Sad that they had to let him be parent-less yet again.

It was nothing new, nothing different, and nothing out of the ordinary for him. He had been well used to it, he didn't ever seem to care and just looked away when they said the 'pitiful news'.

Xavier walked around, looking as he passed random buildings, he saw many kids with their parents, pointing at things they wanted and the parent either smiling and nod to the person helping them or shake their heads and speak to the kid.

Shaking his head he fixed his sight on the sidewalk in front of him. He stopped after he crossed the block, sighed and knew he had to go inside.

He quietly walked inside, avoiding anything that would make noise, stepping over spots on the floor where he knew the boards were old. Walking upstairs, he entered the room he had been using. He grabbed an old Abercrombie, drawstring bag he had from years ago and shoved his stuff inside; he didn't have much since he was always adopted by poor families who could just about provide for the family.

The agencies only had families who wanted to better a child's life and give them what they needed to not get killed or end up drugged. The rich families didn't have children or only kept their own to spoil them rotten, and so many children in foster care suffered with just the basic things to live.

Again, Xavier didn't care, as he filled his bag with his things. He made sure to pack his cologne, his skateboard bracelets, his other small items that were to do with bands or skateboarding ;before pulling the bag closed and slinging it over his shoulder. He left the other things the family had gotten him or were theirs.

He sneaked down the hallway, back down the stairs and stopped in the kitchen as he caught site of the family dog. The only thing Xavier had ever loved were dogs, dogs were loyal, they clung to one person and loved without judgment, they cared in their own special way and stayed by your side. Xavier deep down always wanted that though he wouldn't admit it and so, loved the dog.

He went outside where they kept him fenced in, the fenced in yard was huge, big enough to satisfy the dogs needs for running. He knelt down next to where Buddy lay. Buddy raised his head and grunted, licking the palm of Xavier's outstretched hand, Xavier smiled.

"Sorry to be leaving you, Bud" Xavier spoke in a hushed tone, Buddy wagged his tail and stood up. He watched the dog and pet his head, Buddy rubbed his head against Xavier's chest and licked him, seeming to reassure him that he understood.

Xavier smiled, petting the old