Unspoken

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I stay outside as long as possible, but eventually I hear cars pulling into the driveway and know that I must go inside. The sun has begun to set, casting a reddish glow over the garden. I sigh and breathe in the sweet scent of the many different kinds of flowers. My favorite has always been the tiger lily and I tuck one behind my ear as I make my way inside.

When I walk through the door, I can see that the party is already in full swing. A bunch of fancily-clad adults walk around with drink in hand, laughing a little too loudly. The best of the best, as my mother says. Most have children of their own and they stand in a group sharing stories with one another. I know that my mother expects me to join them, but I won’t. Listening to them discuss how rich and pretty they are isn’t exactly how I want to spend my night. Not that they would want me to join their group anyway. At one time I fit in perfectly with these people, but once I stopped talking my so called friends lost interest. I knew they would and I didn’t blame them. The only reason I don’t like a lot of these people is because of how incredibly shallow and just plain mean they are. I’m not saying all rich kids are like this because I know that isn’t true, but it’s easy to forget around these particular rich kids. I head upstairs to put my journal in my room, but stop when I run into my mother and a friend of hers.

“Arianna, this is Melanie Meyers, she’s new in town,” my mom says while giving me a warning look. I smile at Melanie and shake her hand. She tells my mom that she has to go to look for her husband and leaves us alone.

“Where are you going?” my mother asks coldly. I hold up my journal in response and she nods. “While you’re up there get the diamond earrings from my room, they’ll look nice on you.”

I quickly stash my journal in my room and go to my parent’s room down the hall to get the earrings. I enter the room and my eyes are immediately drawn to a couple that’s making out on my parents bed. I am already turning around to leave when the man spins around to see me standing there. I feel my eyes widen slightly as I take in my father. His tie is crooked and his hair is slightly ruffled. My eyes travel to the woman with him and I recognize her as one of my mom’s closest friends, Linda. I also happen to know that she’s married and has three kids. I stare at them both a second longer and then leave, gently closing the door behind me. I hear Linda’s voice sounding panicky and my father’s quick reassurance.

“Don’t worry, she won’t say anything,” he says and I almost laugh. It doesn’t surprise me at all that my dad is cheating on my mother. They put on a happy façade for everyone, but anyone that looked closely could see right through them. I doubt my mom would be surprised either, it isn’t like this is the first time. It seems the only one left out is Linda’s husband. I feel bad for him, but it isn’t up to me to fill him in.

I am rounding the corner to head back downstairs when someone bumps into me. I am jolted backwards and a hand reaches out to steady me.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you,” a boy with brilliant green eyes says, smiling. I’ve never seen him around before which means he must be new. I return his smile and am about to go back to the party, but he stops me.

“I was looking for the bathroom, you don’t happen to know where it is, do you?” he asks with his easy grin still spread across his face. I nod and lead him back down the hall to the bathroom. I notice him frowning at me with a confused look on his face, probably wondering why I haven’t said anything. I ignore the look and point to the bathroom door.

“Thanks,” he says still looking a little confused. I don’t wait for him to go in, but turn and go back to the party. My encounter with him reminds me of when I first stopped speaking. Most people didn’t understand why I had suddenly stopped talking and would look at me with the same confused look that had been plastered on the boy’s face. My mother made me go back to school, but after she realized I wasn’t going to be talking anytime soon, she allowed me to home school myself. It’s much easier for me that way. I don’t have to deal with people that much, which I am extremely grateful for. I’m terribly lonely most of the time, but I’ve gotten used to it more or less. There’s only one person I want to keep me company and he’s long gone.

People are dancing and I slip in between them unnoticed. Dancing is something you don’t have to talk to be able to do, so I let my hips sway along to the beat of the music. I close my eyes and lean my head back. Everything is okay and I will make it through this night. At least that is what I think until I notice Jennifer Duvall glaring at me from across the room.