Six
2385 Words
Marshmello ft. Khalid- Silence
"You're not going to talk to me then?" my mom asked as I took my bag from Matilda.
"I don't have anything to say to you. You lied and I get that you're trying to protect me, but I found out and you continued to lie. You said none of this was important, yet you're willing to give me around the clock protection to keep me away from something I didn't want to pursue,"
"You do now?"
"See? You're making me feel like I don't matter. The most important thing to you right now is keeping your stupid secret without any consideration of what I may feel. You're supposed to be my mother. Silas and I are supposed to come first before all else. I didn't choose you. You chose me, remember that? You decided to make me your daughter. You are my mother and you're acting like a social worker who just found out my real parents are alive and want me back,"
"Tobi, I'm sorry. You're right," she sighed, her shoulders slumped which I can say I've never seen happen before.
"I am. So, what happens from here on is your fault. You won't give me the answers I need so I'm going to find them myself," she reached over to me, taking my wrist in her hand stopping me from walking out of the door.
"You are not going to like what you find,"
"So you know then? You know who and what I am? Does Silas know?"
"No, it's just me and your father,"
"Am I like them?"
"No, your special. You are better. Them, us. I knew this day would come. I just wanted to enjoy having you here because I know once you know the complete truth you'll leave us and I can't imagine my life without you in it anymore," she admitted. I stopped pulling from her and gave her my attention now.
"You're my family. Where else would I go? I need you," I reassured her. That's what I need. Not rehearsed cover-up stories.
"For now. By the end of this year, you're going to need them. Your eyes will open and all that we are to you will crumble. I just want to keep you here with me for a little longer. Even when you go, I want you to know that you're always going to be my little girl,"
"Mom, I don't understand," I stepped to her. She smiled pulling me into her, her arms wrapped around me tightly.
"Do what you have to do, baby. Get to school," she mumbled onto the top of my head. I pulled away. She turned away and walked back into the house.
"We should go," Silas called from his car. I climbed in after him. "What was that about?"
"She wants me to be okay with everything because she thinks she's in her right, but the truth is not that simple. She's mad, but I'm mad too. I shouldn't have had to find out the way I did," I looked over at him to see him wearing really dark shades. From underneath the frame, I can see the unmissable red shading of a new bruise. I pulled them off. "What the hell happened to you?"
"Tobi," he smirked taking the shades from me. He has a black eye. He put the car into gear and began to drive.
"Silas, what the hell happened?" I demanded, this time. He laughed.
"I went out with Collum last night. I ran into Zachariah at a frat party. I had been drinking and I couldn't get the way I found you out of my head. It all started with him so I couldn't help it when I saw him," he shrugged like it's no big deal. I sighed shaking my head.
"I think that's exactly what I could have used last night,"
"Beating the crap out of a Collins?" he smirked.
"No, you ass. A drink," I scoffed. He smiled. "What?"
"Thirsty Thursday. The Omega house is having a Thor-themed house party. Are you down?"
"We have work tonight,"
"But we don't have classes tomorrow,"
"Frat party in the middle of a family conflict?" I asked. We both laughed.
"What can go wrong?"
"The last time you said that we ended up trapped in Annie's basement for six days," I reminded him. He laughed but then we both shuddered, remembering how his crazy ex-had drugged us and locked us in her basement demanding four million dollars from our parents. "Your taste in women suck,"
"No, better than your taste in men," shot back.
"None of my exes have kidnapped us."
"One of your exes split my eyebrow," he pointed at the scar cracking the edge of his left eyebrow.
"You threw a book at his head,"
"He pushed you,"
"So I wouldn't get hit by a football,"
"We're not arguing about this again. I want silence until we get to school,"
"What?"
"Silence I say," he shouted giving a pointed look at the road.
I looked out the window smiling. It brought me back to what my mom had said earlier. How I wouldn't need them anymore. I can't fathom the thought of a life without them any more than she can. I reached for the radio and was greeted by Doses and Mimosas. We looked at one another and began to dance in our seats.
There's no way I can stay mad at either of them. I had forgiven her last night when that burning scent she left behind in my room swirled in the air. This morning was just a snap of anger. These people are my family and regardless of their secrets, I know them. They know me. I just have to find the missing piece.
"You got super quiet," he said turning the radio down.
"You told me to shut up,"
"Really?" he laughed.
"I'm over it," I said looking at him.
"Just like that?"
"It was something that mom said and it scares me. I don't want it to happen," I admitted. He sighed giving me a nod. "Promise that no matter what, you're gonna be my brother and in return, I promise to always be your sister,"
"I swear. Always," he nodded without hesitation. "One more thing and it's going to piss you off,"
"What?" we pulled up to the parking lot and there she was looking around. I groaned. "Her I can stay mad at,"
"Come on. She dropped everything she started for you,"
"She did it for your clan. Not for me,"
"That hurt," he stopped me from grabbing my backpack. I shrugged.
"I know. It hurt me too," I said and climbed out.
"Hey," Ebony said as I walked past her. "Okay. I'll just continue to be ignored,"
"You do that," Collum laughed. "Am I on the ignore list?"
"I ignore you all the time," I glared at him.
"You're right. Moving on,"
We all went to class. Ebony, of course, sat down next to me which kind of bothers me. The class has a couple of minutes to start when he walked in. We made instant eye contact before he slipped into his seat like that student that can care less if he were here or not. Collum and Ebony began to argue and my brother tried to stop them. I took the opportunity to reach under the seat as discreetly as I could. It was there. I pulled it up and put it under my notebook.
"Can you hear me?" his voice is soft. A light whisper that caressed my ear as if he were standing behind me. I didn't look up but I nodded. "You're something else aren't you?"
"Why are you smiling?" I looked up at Silas who began to laugh. I felt my face flush with embarrassment.
"I don't know if you know this brother, but it's a free country and I can smile all I want," I looked up ahead to see him smiling as well.
"Okay, freak," Silas chuckled, turning around to face the front of the class.
Ebony continued to argue with Collum. I leaned back against the wooden panel behind me and placed the journal on top of my notebook. It's beautiful. The craft of the leather's texture is like nothing I had ever seen before. The deep reddish-brown color stands out brightly against the white-lined paper of my notebook. I opened it to see the old ivory-colored paper. The scripture of the writing is beautiful.
Eliza Lockwood.
"Please pass your homework up," Professor Gallihad ordered. I jumped startled by the booming sound of her voice.
I closed the journal as well as my notebook hiding the journal inside of it. I handed the stack of stapled papers to Silas who handed it down to the next person until it got to the front where Elijah is. I sat back again, my heart racing for some reason. When I looked up again several students were looking at me. That keeps happening to me.
"Are you okay?" the whisper caressed the back of my ears again giving me chills.
"Yeah," I answered out loud.
"What?" Ebony asked. I looked over at her.
"What?" I asked back.
"You said something?"
"What? No, I didn't," I denied it. She looked around before she turned away.
"Subtle," the sound of his voice accelerated my heartbeat in a way I don't understand. I hid my smile as I began to take notes.
It should surprise me. None of this is normal but it feels so natural. He's sitting all the way in the front of the class and I can hear him like I had the first time he had whispered to me. I looked down at my closed notebook. I put it in my bag before I became obsessed with it.
"I didn't see you in this class Monday," I looked up to see Cassidy coming over to me, once we got to the class that is going to get me in trouble more than I care to admit. I'm going to have a mental breakdown here. I'm convinced. "These boots are the cutest thing I have ever seen,"
"I was taking the night one but I transferred because I have my internship now and thank you. My mom got them for me,"
"I love them. Come sit with me," she pointed to the front of the class.
"Why don't you sit with us?" I asked. My brother, Collum, and Ebony all glared at her. "Yeah, maybe I'll sit with you,"
"Tobi," Silas warned before grabbing my arm.
"What? Mom told me it was okay," I pulled from him. He let go.
It feels like middle school all over again. Mom told me it was okay? Are you kidding me? I sat down with her earning me a few glances from the other students. I noticed that not a lot of people come around Cassidy. It makes me wonder why?
"Do you have a partner for the assignment yet?" she asked and I nodded.
"Yeah, I'm working with Silas. Do you?" I asked her. She shook her head.
"You can take my place. I'm working with Ebony," I looked back to see my brother leaning forward. He handed me the research I had given him this morning at breakfast. He would sit behind us when he had clearly wanted to sit up in the back. What a jackass.
"Are you serious?" I asked him.
"Yeah, besides. Jane Austen really doesn't fit with me,"
"I love Jane Austen," Cassidy smiled.
"Perfect," Ebony snarked.
"Ignore her. Someone must have spit in her coffee this morning," I said glaring at Ebony. She crossed her arms and looked away.
"I still love you," Collum chastised, next to her. His comment clearly directed at me.
"Shut up," Ebony basically growled.
"Bitter," he shot back at her before turning to his partner.
"Are you sure? I don't want to step on anyone's toes,"
"Consider my toes crushed," I looked back at Silas who had a playful smirk. "It's fine. I suggested it. Gives us an opportunity to get to know my sister's new friend. Win, win,"
"I'm okay with it," she smiled. "I'm a history major. We're gonna kill this essay,"
"Physics major, but I love to read," I sat up straight.
"Physics major? Are you serious? I don't see it. I totally thought you were an English Lit. major,"
"I get that a lot actually, but no. I believe technology strives for the future,"
"Oh, my claws, you sound like Elijah," she said rolling her eyes.
"Oh, her claws," Ebony repeated in a sarcastic tone. "Cute,"
"Can you stop?" I scolded, turning to face her. "This is only making it worse,"
"You forgave Silas," she shot back.
"He apologized. Sincerely," I said giving her my back. "And as unbelievable as it sounds so did my mother,"
"I'm not apologizing," she said. "I have nothing to apologize for. If anything you'll be the one apologizing to me for what you're doing,"
"Don't hold your breath," I laughed.
"f**k," Silas said. "Here I was thinking she was pissed at mom,"
"Do we have a problem?" Professor Collins asked. I didn't think he would be teaching the morning class as well. He's still unbelievably cute in this lighting. He smirked at me like he did when I was checking him out the other night.
"No, sir. The student behind me was just asking us about what she missed Monday, but my brother can catch her up. I'm sure," I answered.
"Good. Saves me the trouble. Mr. Bourne?"
"On it," my brother answered. I turned to see Silas not looking at him directly.
"Miss Stark welcome to the party. Please do try and keep up. If you are in need of assistance ask. I don't like to fail my students,"
"Ouch. I'm sure that's code for something," Collum laughed when he walked away.
"Want to know what this is code for?" she asked flipping him off.
"No, but I can tell you what to do with it?" he responded. Cassidy laughed.
"I love your friends. They're so much more open than my brothers,"
I smiled at her as we turned our attention to her uncle who is equally enjoying all of this.
- Writer
