Soft Silence | ✓ | unedited

Chapter Fourteen ⌔ Sudden Shock

Chapter Fourteen ⌔ Sudden Shock

I stayed rooted to the spot, refusing to budge as David tried to pull me towards the damned restaurant. I couldn't even remember its name anymore! Rather than remembering, I didn't want to recall its name at all. The stupid flickering lights were enough for me to recognize it immediately.

"Come on, Sierra," David muttered, grabbing onto my arm and tugging at it. I shook my head vigorously and struggled against him. It was useless, of course.

David's hold was firm but not painful.

I shook my head again and again, feeling the tears well up. No, I didn't want to do it.

My heart beat erratically in my chest and cold shivers ran down my spine.

I couldn't get inside the darned restaurant. I didn't even want to.

If this restaurant was reason my mother and sister were no longer here, I wanted nothing to do with it. I pushed against David as he tried to take my arm and pull me to the restaurant.

Stop it! I shouted soundlessly at him, feeling my anger bubble up from the pit of my stomach. I used my other hand to try to pry his hand off of me. I winced at the heat of his hand but didn't stop trying to pull his hand away.

"Sierra." David gritted between his teeth as he used his other hand to try and keep my right hand from pulling at his hand. "Stop it."

I glared at him, furiously. I should stop? Me?

He was the one dragging me to places I didn't even want to think about let alone visit. Was he insane?

Angry, I fought to pull my hands out of his grasp, impatiently yanking on them. For the first time ever, I saw David's temper rise. His face flushed and his blue eyes hardened, his jaw was clenched and I could see a muscle throbbing. Uncaring of his anger, I shoved at him and used his surprise to free myself.

But David had finally snapped.

"Stop being so fucking childish and just face your fears!" He raged, grabbing my wrist and yanking me towards him. I hit his hard chest and froze, blinking in surprise.

I immediately stiffened and stared up at David in shock, feeling my earlier anger ebb away. That was the first time I had ever seen him get so angry. He sounded so different when he shouted. David took in a deep breath as he stared steadily down at me, taking a step back and clenching his fists. He brought his clenched hands to his face, pressing them against his forehead and closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sierra. I just... I need you to be able to live normally again." His voice was hard and tired at the same time. He sounded... drained. Tired.

My disbelief at David increased further. First his anger... and then this?

What?

I brought my hands up and grabbed his face, getting his eyes to open and focus on me as I started signing.

Why do you suddenly care about me living normally? I signed angrily, not caring if I made a mistake in my sign language. David seemed to understand though as he stared at my hands.