Silent

Chapter 3

I am SO SORRY. I thought I had updated last Sunday but, when I signed on today, it said I hadn't updated for 11 days! Not that anyone would necessarily care but, still, I keep not updating when I am supposed to. Time has been going REALLY fast lately because I've been busy.

Anyways... here it is.

I just can't stop spinning; I've been standing in front of the mirror for a while now watching the skirt of my dress spiral becoming a huge circle that surrounds me. Lunch is over and school staff is now putting the finishing touches on the concert hall.

Just a moment ago I watched out the window as the first police escorted limousine pulled to the front of our iron gate. A tall, well-dressed man stepped out of the side door adjusting his glimmering gold watch as the driver walked around to the other side and opened the door for who seemed to be the man's wife; she had a very distinguished looking skirt suit on and long silky blonde curls framed her pale, doll like face.

I stop spinning when I hear the blaring of sirens and motors from the outside of the window followed by a million streaks of black suddenly coming to a stop in front of the gates, police escorts absolutely cover the streets, people start to gather around in crowds confused and unaware of what's going on.

They can't see like I can, in the center of the shield made up of vehicles, the large limousine with two small, white flags, flying from the top of thin wire posts, which are firmly attached to the hood of the car.

The monogrammed S's, symbolizing the Soto family on them, familiar only to me, this being the first time they have visited my school. Another yet slightly less lavish limousine pulls up right behind it followed by a silver Lamborghini and a hot pink Ferrari.

One by one they each step out of their vehicles, first my father from the back of the first limousine, he's dressed as usual, in a spotless dark suit with a tie and matching shoes that are so clean I can see the shine all the from the 7th floor, people take the opportunity to snap quick pictures of this, what you'd think was a once in a life time phenomenon.

I watch carefully as he lights a cigarette and walks all the way around to the other side of the vehicle stopping the driver who is about to open the door for my mother and does it himself.

He usually does this but this driver looks unfamiliar from the usual one, younger, my father can be very intimidating always making the new employees jumpy and extra careful. He has always been strict and professional even with his kids the only exception is my mother, he is always different with her. Hehelps her out of the car and she takes the cigarette routinely, making anotheruseless attempt to end the old habit. He is a particularly good mood, or hemust be, because he doesn't put up much of a resistance this time. 

As my parents are walking up the, guard secured sidewalk, I see Declan getting out of his car, on the side facing the school, followed closely by Tristen, holding a tiny bundle in her arms.

Only when they are already starting up the path the driver goes over and opens the other door, Gloria and Eliza step from it in neatly pressed, matching, pink dresses. They both walk as quickly as they can and form a perfect line behind their parents from oldest to youngest. They look exactly like me and my siblings did when we were younger.

It's a family tradition but the system is very flawed, having the youngest in the very back isn't smart, especially if you have a large family like I did. Although being the youngest, the line had gotten so long that my brother Gordon would always hold my hand and my parents wouldn't even see; we were about the same age as the girls are now.

You would think they'd have been fine with it but they wouldn't have, they didn't like any special attention to be given to me because I was mute, they wanted me to be just like everyone else and that was fine but I was still scared and only three so I gladly accepted the help.

Suddenly I realize counting the cars one more time, only four, my parents, Declan, the twins, and Brant. Gordon isn't here; I guess that's right, he wouldn't come with my parents. He knows they are never late so he'll probably arrive about 15 minutes after they did and avoid them throughout the whole graduation.

I watch as they all slowly approach the school entrance and eagerly stand to go greet them. I am about to close the window when I suddenly hear the thunderous roar of a motorcycle exhaust in the distance and to my surprise it gets louder and louder until I have to cover my ears, a guy in a leather jacket and sunglasses pulls up and parks on the side of the street.

Everyone's attention is now on him while he steps down off the bike; his distinctive, spiky, red hair immediately gives him away, and as he takes of his sunglasses all I can think of is - that guy is a butler -. I laugh to myself and abruptly things become less funny.

He turned around and now he's just staring towards the entrance, I already know what he's looking at, I have to lean out a bit and make sure to stay out of sight and sure enough my whole family is just standing there, staring at him.

I can tell how uncomfortable he is, I even feel really uncomfortable and no one can see me, although I can also tell that he is really mad too, like seeing them suddenly made him remember all the anger he never had a chance to unload on them.

I thought I had it bad being the youngest and least likely to inherit anything beneficial from my parents; they pushed me, and expected me to do better than the older ones except Gordon.

Gordon was the second youngest meaning he'd get about as much as I would, nothing, not to mention he was a boy, my parents couldn't have one of their namesake's be a "failure" which I heard them saying over the phone one time when I was on vacation and he was still in military school. That was another thing, he hated that school.

None of the schools my parents pick are the most appealing but this particular military school was absolutely awful. I have no way of knowing exactly what it was like there because he never really wanted me to. When I asked about anything he would just tell me he didn't want to talk about it but one time in a letter I got from him, about two weeks before the one he sent me telling me he ran, he told me that it was an awful place and he wanted so badly to leave.

He only had 7 months till graduation but he couldn't stand one more day, something must have happened to push him because he would not have left after 5 and a half years of being miserable, just thrown it all away, without a reason.

They've all just been standing there for what seems like forever in this uneasy situation, although in reality it's not even been a full minute. Finally something happens; he breaks eye contact, trying his best to ignore them he just goes about finishing putting his gloves and sun glasses in the bike pouch then lays his jacket over the top.

Glancing back at the rest of my family I can see my father saying something to the others, I can't hear what he's saying but I can tell by their responses that he told them to go ahead.

Gordon is on his way up the path and my parents are the only ones left standing there, he tries to walk past still ignoring them but just as he passes them suddenly my father says something and I instantly tense.