Unspoken

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jennifer Duvall used to be a good friend of mine when we were younger. She is shockingly beautiful and knows it. I don’t really remember when she started to hate me, except that it’s been awhile. She starts to push through people to get to where I am and I’m half tempted to run. I feel a hand lightly tug on my wrist and I take my eyes off an advancing Jennifer to see who it is. The last person I expected stands before me, the boy from the hallway. What could he possibly want?

“Hey, I just realized I never asked for your name before,” he says, his green eyes sparkling. I just kind of stare at him awkwardly for a minute until Jennifer slides up beside me.

“She doesn’t talk, you know. Hasn’t for almost six years, I think,” she tells him and I’m kind of glad that he won’t just think I’m extremely rude.

“Why?” he asks, but his eyes are on me, like he’s asking for my answer and not hers.

“If you ask me, she’s just doing it for attention,” she sneers down at me. I feel my cheeks start to burn and I stare hard at the floor.

“I wasn’t asking you,” he says to her, looking pissed off. She shoots him an outraged look.

“Well, I was just trying to keep you from wasting your time,” she huffs. “If you would rather hang out with her, then suit yourself.”

Jennifer storms off and I’m almost tempted to laugh. She’s used to getting what she wants, so this is probably a shock to her. It’s a shock to me, too, honestly.

“Ignore her. She’s just jealous of you,” he says to me and I raise my eyebrows at him. “ You’re much prettier than she is.”

I stare at him doubtfully and he laughs. Just then Melanie Meyers comes up beside him and rests her hand on his shoulder.

“Declan, I see you met Arianna. Her mother is the one throwing the party,” She says and then turns to me. “We just moved here and I’m sure Declan would love for you to show him around sometime.”

“Mom!” Declan groans and I laugh. His mom smiles and leaves us.

“Sorry about that. Anyway, do you know, like, sign language or something since you don’t talk?” he asks me and I shake my head no. “You must have some way of communicating with people.”

I just shrug and he looks at me surprised. “So, you don’t talk to anyone ever? What about writing? I saw you writing in a journal out in the garden, earlier.” I nod and then shake my head.

“You write, but not to talk to people.” I’m surprised that he understood what I meant. He notices my surprise and informs me that he’s good at reading people. I don’t doubt it.

Our conversation continues like this for awhile, until his mother informs him that they are leaving. I wave goodbye and watch as he walks away. This is the first conversation I’ve had with anyone for a long time. He is surprisingly good at interpreting my reactions as answers to his questions. He is incredibly sweet and nice. At one time I would have been dying to date him, but I know that is unlikely now. It would be enough just to have a friend.

Later when I’m lying in my bed I smile to myself as I think about Declan. I can practically hear the words he whispered in my ear right before he left.

“Even though you won’t talk, I can hear you.”