Mom is still adjusting her spectacles. She should be done reading and comprehending it by now, but she doesn't utter a single word.
She, finally, breaks the macabre silence that lingers in the room above our heads, waiting to be disturbed. "Levi."
"Yeah?" I ask, using my expression to press for more.
"I don't know what to say."
This could not be positive. Why would it be, anyway? Bianca is agitated and resentful, and I'm the culprit of that targeted anger. I knew this even before asking Mom about the note.
Mom looks me in the eyes so that I can see the caramel brown orbs she passed on to me. "I'm afraid this note is a sign of despair."
Despair? No. I expected anger. True Biancan anger that never shows up, but is intimidating when it does.
BIANCA'S POV
Leaving that note was dumb. Yelling at him to never come back was dumb. But the worst part...it's not Dad's fury or Mom's disapproval and clicking of her tongue. It's Aileen's PMSing emotions.
"I can't believe you just let him go! He's a good tutor!" Aileen cries out. I can't tell if she's distressed or just plain irate. Or sullen. But what I can tell is that it's a combination of all three. Aileen's irritation is the worst storm in a bundle of hurricanes, tornados, and typhoons. The last act I want to do is argue back, so I keep quiet as she nimbly paces around me, huffing with every ounce of her breath.
"Levi's not a bad guy. He just wanted to help," Aileen insists. "He would do that more than when he would help another speller. Like that Lisle girl. Lisle Mercer or whatever. She hurt him!"
My ears perk up. Not because I'm interested in prying in other people's business. But because Levi actually has a flaw.
"Wait, what?" I say. "Who is this Lisle?"
Aileen clamps her hand to her mouth. I forgot momentarily that she tends to reveal secrets when she's PMSing. Her frustration causes her to let out a couple beans out of the bag. None of them are particularly intriguing. Except this one, of course.
"I don't know! I didn't say anything!" Aileen protests, holding out both of her hands to stop me from interrogating further.
I don't press on about who Lisle Mercer is. I have the Internet. And that is more than enough.
YOU ARE READING
Starry-Eyed Speller
Roman pour AdolescentsBianca Pelegrine is the daughter of a major spelling bee organization owner. She has been raised with high standards of taking after the former Pelegrines, who were excellent spellers. However, she is not a proficient speller and fails to secure the...
