BROKEN SILENCE

Chapter Five

"Riley, you have to come!" Leila shrieked over the phone.

"I don't know.. I mean, Parker's gonna be there and.." She cut me off, "You can make your move!"

"Okay fine," I sighed. "But only because it's your first game on the high school squad."

"Got it! And uh.. I need a ride." She replied excitedly.

"Kay, I'll be there at six." I said, hoping to end the conversation.

"I absolutely LOVE you Riley!" She squealed before hanging up.

I took a deep breath and plopped down on my bed. Before I could even begin to relax, Mia came running into my room. She jumped onto my bed and hovered over my face.

"Riley, guess what?" the six year old said, accidentally spitting onto my face.

I sat up and wiped the saliva off of my cheek. "What?"

"You won't believe what my teacher has as a class pet!" Mia emphasized the 'believe' and smiled wide.

"What does she have?" I asked, wanting to roll my eyes.

"A butterfly! And my new friend Joey likes butterflies too! Her name is Mona the Monarch and she's so pretty!" Mia over-emphasized every word she said, using her hands to explain her happiness.

"Oh, great Mimi." I looked down, then looked back up with a smile on my face.

"Riley! Mia! Dinner time!" My mother called from the kitchen. Mia and I looked eachother in the eye, immediately knowing this was a competition. We both took off from my bedroom at the same time, racing down the stairs and to our seats and the dining room table. When we reached the bottom of the stairs, it was obvious I was going to win. I swung into my chair, almost knocking my water glass off the table. Seconds later, Mia followed my actions.

"Sixth time in a row!" I rubbed it in her face.

"Nuh uh! I won yesterday!" Mia crossed her arms.

"In your dreams." I laughed.

"Girls! What on earth!" Mom yelled, looking at us like we were wild baboons.

"We do it everyday." I said in a sassy tone, crossing my arms just like Mia had. Only I wasn't mad, I was trying to get my point across.

"Well you aren't doing it tomorrow, you both almost wrecked your dinner!" She set a few plates on the table, still upset with us.

I grabbed a roll and stuffed it in my mouth, "We'll have to see about that."

Mother rolled her eyes, wondering how she could've raised such a brat, but really it's just genetics.

"Riley, shut your mouth when you're eating." My dad said as he entered the room.

With one roll in my mouth and two others in my hand, I gave my dad the "what the hell" look.

A few hours later, I was watching everyone cheer and clap when Austin won the game for our team. As a Hampton High tradition, the football team would lift the smallest flyer into the air at our first game, if we won. And this year, the little flyer was Leila. She was kinda freaking out because her foot was going to be touching Jake's hand, and the whole football team, even the seniors were paying attention to just her, no one else.

I watched them lift her up, and she didn't wobble. Leila was used to this. The extended her fully and got ready to throw her down. Leila looked down at them and smiled, and immediately her smile turned into a look of anger.

"Let me down!" She screamed.

"C'mon Leila, we're gonna throw you down." Austin laughed.

"No, I want down. RIGHT NOW." She yelled even louder, almost in tears.

"Geez okay, boys let her down." He laughed again, signaling the team to bend down so she could climb off of them.

As soon as her white tennis shoes hit the ground, she stormed off. As an instinct, I followed her.

"Leila, what's wrong?"

She just kept walking.

"Leila!"

Again, she kept walking.

I grabbed her arm, "Don't ignore me!"

"Riley, I'm not going to be treated like this!" She yelled, jerking her arm from my grip.

"Treated like what? What did I do?" I said, hoping I wasn't being annoying.

"Did you not see those sickos? They have no idea how to treat a woman!"

"What did they do?"

"They were looking up my skirt!"

"Why are you so upset about that Leila? That means they like you!" I nudged her shoulder with a little giggle.

"No, Riley! That means they think of me as nothing but a play toy, and I am way more important than that!"

"Oh.." I looked down, "I'm sorry."

Although, if the whole football team was looking up my skirt, I'd be pretty proud of myself. If any guy was willing to look up my skirt, that means they think I'm hot, right? I mean, I wouldn't look at an ugly guys abs.