The Silent Treatment

Chapter 4

His face suddenly fell, his eyes hidden by shadows.

"Do you really want to know?" I nodded.

"Well, about 3 months."

My jaw dropped. How could this of happened? I was so healthy before! There were no signs...

"The doctor told me that the glass was pressing on a vein and caused it to become clotted. After it was removed, your body took awhile to recover...obviously."

"A-and y-you visited m-me e-everyd-day?"

"Of course I did. You're my best friend. How could I have left you here all by yourself?"

I held out my arms for a hug. Not the bro hug, but an actual, sincere hug.

He did not know how much that meant to me. I've never met my parents, mostly because I don't remember anything below the age of nine, and I've basically lived by myself with no one around to care for me for the longest time. I survived on my own without knowing what its like to be cared for...this is a wake up call.

He instantly took my hug, and we sat there. Both of us with tears running down our faces. Manly right?

He pulled out of the embrace and stared at me.

"Dannon...I've known you for a very long time and not once have I found out where you live, or have met your parents."

I cringed. Sure, I've been to his house more often than not, and we've had multiple sleepovers. But not once has he seen my home, or apartment I should say.

"I-i l-live a-alone in an a-apartment... and as f-far as i-i know, I h-have never m-met m-my p-parents."

"Oh my....isn't illegal for a minor to live alone?"

"P-probably."

"Move in with me and my family. You obviously can't take care of yourself in this condition! You need a proper place to live too...where it's legal."

"I don't know..."

-Do it. You seriously can't do much in your weakened state.-

Gee, thanks.

-Well it's true!-

Tuning out Lukea once more, I turned to Leo.

"Ok...W-we c-could g-give it a t-try." Did I just say we?

"Yay!" He squealed, literally squealed.

"I-I'm s-still g-gonna k-keep s-silent t-though."

He stopped rejoicing and stared at me again.

"What can't you remember about you're early childhood?"

I visibly cringed agan. I really have to stop that.

"Erm...I-I c-can't r-remember from a-age nine d-down.B-But I r-remember v-vowing my s-silence w-when I was s-seven."

There was a sharp intake of breath.

"Do you remember meeting me?"

"H-honestly no. A-all I c-can r-remember i-is y-you being t-there f-for m-me all t-the t-time."

"You're memory is worse than I thought. I knew you couldn't remember stuff, but this is way different."

"W-what d-do y-you m-mean?"

"You talk in your sleep dude. When we had a sleepover one night, you kept mumbling that you didn't remember.Which was a shock, because you don't speak. I didn't know it was this bad."

"R-really? W-what e-else did i-i say?"

"Ummm...I don't think I should tell you."

"P-please." I pleaded

"Seriously...I don't think I should."

"I need to know." That came out surpringly strong and without a stutter.

"Um. Ok. " He said, shocked at the clearity of my voice. I was being very serious.

"I have reason to believe... I don't know if I should continue..."

"G-Go o-on."

"That you were abused as a child."

* Here ya go! I kind of don't like this chapter...mostly because its so short. But I will try to make the next one longer! Bye guys. ~Poptartsonfire*