The Impeccable Infinity

Chapter 17

When I woke up, Riley was already skipping around our room. She was cleaning everything around us and quietly humming to herself. Now, most times I would think of it as a generous offer that she cares about keeping our room clean. But Riley never cleans our room. Something has to be up with her.

"Hey," I said groggily, while getting out of bed and rubbing my eyes.

"Hey, how'd you sleep?"

"Okay. You're cleaning our room. That's new. Any reason?"

"Nope, not at all," she said, shaking her head quickly and refusing to meet my eye. There's definitely something up.

"So, how was your night last night?" I asked.

Riley stopped dusting our windowsill and turned around with a huge smile on her face, giddily shifting back and forth with excitement.

"Amazing!" She exclaimed, screeching to herself.

"Really? That's great Riley! Did they like your makeup and everything?"

"Yup, especially Jason," she said, looking down and smiling to herself.

"Oh, who's this Jason?" I teased, sitting back down to hear the details.

"Just one of my friends I was with last night."

"Just one of your friends?"

Her smile widened and she shrugged off the idea, continuing to dust the edge of the window.

"Okay Riley, you just keep cleaning," I said, walking towards the door with a smirk on my face.

"Oh, Haley?"

"Mhm?" I asked, stopping to turn to her.

"Well first, thank you again. And second, Ruth said were having a family meeting downstairs in about ten minutes."

I groaned and rolled my eyes at the idea of her lecturing me about one more things I'm not in the mood to hear her go on about how I need to act prestige and follow the rules.

"Is it just for me? Or everyone?"

"Everyone. That's why it's called a family meeting, Haley," she said giggling at my stupidity.

I laughed at myself for not thinking it through. That's something new I've been doing too, laughing at how many stupid questions I ask. Because as I began to think of it, I ask a lot of stupid questions. It's a habit I'm working on breaking.

When I got downstairs half of the house was already sitting on the couch waiting, except Mute. At this point, I don't know what he really cares about, including me.

I sat down on the end of the couch and took my phone out to avoid talking to anyone. Normally, I would love to strike up a conversation and go on for hours about one single topic. But the twins were too busy fighting over who got to play a video game after the meeting, and Colby I'm just avoiding at all costs anyway.

"If you're the reason we're having this meeting I'm going to be pissed," Colby said, looking me dead in the eye.

"Why would you think I'm the one who caused this a meeting? Maybe you did something."

Colby rolled his eyes and went back to staring at the ground with his hands politely folded in his lap, as if he's putting up an act to appear more innocent.

Right before I turned my phone off, Riley came skipping down the stairs and took a seat right next to me on the couch. We smiled and gently waved to each other, waiting for Ruth to come start this meeting so we can get it over with.

Mute followed a few minutes after her and took a seat on the couch opposite of us. He looked at me out of the side of his eye and smiled. I smiled back but nothing more. Mute still doesn't want anyone to know that we talk when we're not around them, it's all part of his quiet coping method.

"Great, you're all here," Ruth said, clapping her hands together and walked towards the middle of the living room.

"So the reason I called you all down here is because we're going to set some more rules."

We all groaned in response because we have the right to. We have enough rules, and I'm still being punished as it is. I'm tired of being confined to this house and letting Ruth run my life.

"Curfuew is at ten; you can't leave the house before nine in the morning, unless you have a valid reason; We all eat at the table together as a family; and the twins are going to need babysitters because I'm starting to work more overtime."

I bit my lip to keep myself from arguing with her, and nodded in response with every new rule she demanded. I also hated the fact that she called us a family, the reason being that I don't feel like this is my real family, and also that would be sick if I liked Mute and he was my brother.

Ruth continued to talk on, but I didn't listen much. I'm sure I'll regret not paying attention in the future, but right now I heard everything I needed to hear. And I know enough information to understand that I'm going to be stuck in this house under strict rules for most of the summer.

"Okay, is everyone clear on the new rules?" She asked.

I nodded, even though I have no idea what she told us besides eating together and having a more strict curfew. 

I started to walk back upstairs but Mute caught my eye, and he winked at me before he left towards the kitchen. I guess he's okay with all the rules set, but then again Mute will probably just break every single one of them.

I got back up to my room and sat on my bed. I put my hair up and fastened it before laying down on my back to try and relax.

"Is there something between you and Mute?" Riley asked, now coming in the room and standing in front of my bed.

I shot up and looked at her straight in the eye. I'll do anything for our secret to be kept, even if that means lying for years.

"No."

"But you two were looking at eachother. And he was smiling at you."

"Yea, well I've ran into him a few times Riley. He was just being polite," I said, hiding the fact that all of those small signals were ways of him greeting me.

"Are you sure? Because I think-"

"Yes Riley I'm sure. I don't know him, I've only seen him once," I lied, stopping Riley from continuing the conversation.

"Okay then," She said, walking over to her own bed and pulling out her phone.

It's not that I want to hide Mute from Riley, believe me I want to tell her everything we've been through, but that wouldn't be fair to him. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone, specially Riley, and breaking that promise could end all of the progress we've been making. I can't risk something like that. And anyway, I kind of enjoy having Mute to myself. He's like a secret that only I know, and I keep close to my heart and refuse to tell a sole. And as hard as it is to keep my mouth shut, it's a promise I'm going to keep.