Muted

Chapter 9

The twins were chatting away as we walked towards the intimidating doors of the high-school.

"Louis I'm telling you Dude! She's into me!"

"Logan you've never even talked to her before." Louis responded dryly.

"Well today shall be that day then won't it!" Logan said brightly. I found my cheeks stretching into a small smile and looked down the hallway in time to see Alex, Tyler, and Greyson walking towards us.

"Hey guys! Hey Greyson!" Logan stopped his rant to wave to the trio enthusiastically. The older twins nodded to their brothers while Greyson smiled and waved back, before stopping in front of us.

"Hey pretty lady, need help with your books? I would gladly carry them and walk you to class." Greyson grinned at me. I gave him a small smile and shook my head, my face instantly heating up at his words.

"Shot straight through the heart there darling" He gasped dramatically while grabbing his chest, his grin never wavering. Alex smiled at me and laughed along with his friend. Tyler however, stood beside them looking around and tapping his foot impatiently. Greyson noticed where I was looking and frowned slightly. At the same moment, a static voice sounded above our heads.

"Aurora Belle, please report to the guidance office. Aurora Belle, please report to the guidance office."

I could feel every drop of blood drain from my face as I clenched my hands in my pocket. I kept trying to take deep, even breaths, but with every-one it got significantly harder.

"Oooh, looks like sooommeebody is in trouble!" Tyler laughed as he walked away with a satisfied look on his face.

"Sorry Ari, I seriously don't understand what his issue is." Alex sighed, rubbing his face. "Do you need help getting to the guidance office? Or do you remember the way?"

I started to feel dizzy as all the blood rushed to my cheeks again after hearing what appears to be my adopted nickname. I gripped my hands tighter in my pockets, unsure to where to even begin with trying to respond.

"Ari? What? Everyone got to give you a nickname without me!?" Greyson cried dramatically. The boys responded to him, saying what I couldn't tell. I was trying to get my hands to stop shaking.

What was wrong?

Did someone get hurt?

Was I in trouble?

... Did she make bail?

Did she find me?

The sudden hard shrill of the bell scared me so badly that I flinched, colliding right into Greyson's side by accident.

"Woah, hey breath pretty lady, breathe." He said as if he was taking to a frightened animal, gently touching my back with one of his huge hands.

"I'll walk with you so you don't get lost. OH YES! This means I get to carry your books after all!" He said happily as he gently pried my bag from my shoulder.

I flexed my fingers, trying to not let the stiffness settle in. He had already started to lead me off before I realized the other boys weren't following us. I turned my head to saw the twins giving me identical, supportive thumbs up; while Alex smiled at me in that calming way of his and walked into his first period. I looked up at Greyson's relaxed face and took him in for the first time. I was only 5'3 so he had to be almost, if not exactly 6 feet tall. So, I guess he was actually slightly taller than Alex and Tyler. He was broad-shouldered, with thick arms to match. He was actually slightly intimidating if you've never talked to him I suppose, and I wouldn't know personally but from the looks I'm getting as we walk through the hall, he looks just as good with his shirt off.