Silent

Chapter 17

Loren's POV

I woke up and looked at the clock. 8:54. Soda would be leaving for work in six minutes. I wasn't sure if I should just wait it out or get up.

I decided against laying in bed and I got out of my room and went into the kitchen. "Morning, Loren." Ponyboy said. I grinned. "Making breakfast?" He asked. I nodded grabbing the eggs.

"Hey, Loren." Two-Bit said coming in the kitchen. "How ya feelin'?"

I shook my hand trying to say 'so-so' or something along those lines.

"Hey, Loren." Sodapop said coming around the corner. He sounded angry. Two-Bit and Pony walked out of the kitchen and Soda came closer to me. "Are you just gonna act like last night didn't happen?" He whispered angrily.

I gave him a look of confusion.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He said.

I didn't know how to respond. I couldn't.

"Soda!" Darry called out. "Let's go!"

Steve and Darry walked out the door and Pony, Two-Bit, Dal, and Johnny were sitting on the couch. Soda rolled his eyes and started to walk that way.

I grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him out of the door way. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone."

"I knew it!" He whispered.

"And? That's besides the point. You. Promised."

"I didn't break it. But you can say it." He said.

"I will. Just not yet."

He glared at me and went to the car.

I'm sorry, Soda.

Sodapop's POV

When I was

"Hey, Loren." I said, still annoyed from last night. She was talking to Two and Pony. I know I promised I wouldn't tell anyone, but I really wanted to. I still found it hard to believe she would do something like this. "Are you just gonna act like last night didn't happen?" I whispered getting closer to her so nobody could hear. I wasn't gonna break my promise, even if I wanted to.

She didn't say anything. Darry called for me to get to the car. Even if she whispered, nobody could hear. Was I going nuts? Maybe I was. Maybe I just had a hard time accepting the fact she really couldn't talk and I imagined everything that happened last night. But her note was still on my bed. She was there and she made me promise something.

I decided to give it up now. I had to get to work. As I was walking away, she grabbed my collar and pulled me back. "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone." She whispered, very very quietly.

"I knew it!" I said in the loudest possible whisper.

"And? That's besides the point. You. Promised." She said angrily.

"I didn't break it. But you can say it." I continued.

"I will. Just not yet." She said.

What is she hiding? She said something about the 10th. That's tomorrow. What is this? What game is she playing?

Loren's POV

"Dinner's ready!" Darry called out. I came inside after I put my clothes on the clothes line and sat at the table.

Soda and Pony came rushing in from the front. I think they were playing football out front.

We all sat down and Darry asked how everyone's day was. When Soda came inside, he was laughing. Once he sat down, he looked annoyed again.

"You ok, Soda?" Ponyboy asked.

"I'm fine. So is someone else. Have anything to say Loren?" He asked.

I looked at him with a confused look to my face.

"Just say it, Loren! What's the deal in waiting one more day! I know what you're hiding!" He yelled standing up.

I sat there dumbfounded. I didn't know what to do.

"Soda, knock it off." Darry said.

He sat down and crossed his arms. He finished dinner quickly and went to his room.

"What has gotten into him?" Darry asked.

"I dunno. He seemed fine while we were practicing our football plays." Ponyboy said.

"I'm sorry, Loren. Who knows what's gotten into him."

I sighed. I went to my room and decided to go to bed early. Except I didn't go to bed. I was packing all my things. I finally finished around 4:30 in the morning.

I set my alarm for 9:50, just in case I didn't wake up. But I was eager. I could barely get sleep. Finally, I fell asleep and my alarm woke me up. I shot up and grinned. I stacked my boxes to make it easier for the movers. I had my dresser cleaned up, my nightstand, my desk, and chair in a corner for them to grab. I packed the pajamas I wore last night into the box and put my last pair of clothes hanging in my closet on.

I brushed my teeth, brushed my hair, and that brought me to 9:59. Movers should be here any second.

I grabbed the box on top and started to walk out to my car. "Hey, Loren. You're up late." Steve said.

"What's with the box?" Dal asked.

"Got something to say?" Soda said coming up behind me and glaring at me.

"Soda, give it up." Pony and Darry said.

"No, actually, he's right." I said with a grin.

The room went silent for a hot second.

"You can talk?"

"You got your voice back?"

"Did you know?"

"What happened?"

I was bombarded with questions. Lucky for me, the doorbell rang. I grinned and opened it, balancing the box on my knee.

"Hello, is this the address of Loren Areno?" The man asked.

"Correct. First door to your right." I said pointing.

I walked out to my car and put the box in the back. I could only fit two more boxes in the back of my car. It wasn't a big, fancy car but it was enough. I looked and made sure the box of moms stuff was still there. It was.

"Loren, what the hell?" Sodapop asked as I walked back inside.

"It's the tenth. I told you it would come out." I said walking to my room.

"I still don't understand." He said following me.

"I'm so confused..." Ponyboy mumbled. The gang all started to talk about me but I ignored it.

"You said I would find out on the tenth. It's the tenth. What's going on?" Sodapop asked.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out by now." I said grabbing another box and going out to my car. Everyone started to follow me.

"I think we'd all like an explanation." Steve said getting in my face. I think his goal was to scare me but it didn't bother me. I grabbed the note from dad out of my pocket and put it in between our faces, which wasn't a very big gap. He backed up and grabbed it from me.

I felt good about this. I really did.

Hell, what am I saying.

No I don't.