The Silence Between Us

What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

Chapter 13:

"Go away." I said, shutting the door for the second time in his face.

He came to my house yesterday after paintball, begging to talk or I guess sign with me. I didn't want him to be here. I needed him to give me space. And space was the last thing he wanted to give me. Perfect.

Now nearly twenty-four hours later, here he is again on my doorstep. The first time I had opened the door, and as soon as the silence hit me I shut it again, not wanting to talk to him at all. He must have rung my doorbell about twenty times, annoying the crap out of me. So I opened the door again, only to tell him to leave before I shut the door in his face.

The twins were with me, on both of my sides like usual. They knew that I was in a very bad mood the moment I got home last night, so they stuck to my sides like glue. They slept with me in my room last night, and I was so thankful, even if they didn't know it. I didn't want to be alone even in my own house.

He rang the doorbell again. I was so close to going out there and slapping his face as hard as I could to get the message across. I waited at the door, my jaw set in annoyance as he rang it again, and again, and again. He just wouldn't stop, would he?

"Uh, Louisa?" Oliver asked from my left.

"Aren't you going to get that?" Dylan finished for him.

I kept my head fixed straight on the door, trying to let my impassive face mask how mad I was. "No." I said sharply, not moving an inch.

Dylan fidgeted beside me. "I think you should open the door."

"I'm not going to." I retorted.

"But it's annoying!" Oliver complained.

"I'm not opening the door!"

"Please?"

"No!" I yelled. The twins went silent after that, shutting their mouths.

There was a pause in the doorbell pushing. Either he had left, hopefully, or he was just trying to get me to think that so I would open the door and check. I waited there, unsure of what to do and not willing to do anything.

I turned to Dylan. "Will you check through the peep-hole if he's still there?"

He sighed. "You know I'm not tall enough to do that."

I threw my hands up in the air, so frustrated I couldn't even help myself. "Well can't you and your brother stand on each other's shoulders to see? Or maybe just get a chair?" I huffed.

"Louisa, that's so much work." Dylan whined and I had to refrain myself from storming away in anger. Now not only was a certain someone getting on my very last nerves, but the twins were too? Someone please save me from this hell.

"Fine!" I shouted in annoyance. If they weren't going to check to see if he was still there, then they left me no choice. I had to open that door again. Maybe that was Dylan and Oliver's plan all along.

I took a couple steps forward, Dylan letting go of my hand so I could twist the doorknob and open the door. The cool, fresh air greeted me as I poked my head outside.

"Alex?" I called out, testing to see if he would respond.

A long time passed before he answered. I knew he was out there, it was very unlike him to just give up and leave. I may not know Alex very well, but I do know that he isn't a quitter. If he wanted to talk to me, he was going to talk to me. I just wanted to hold him off for as long as I could.