Silently Loud

Chapter 2

        “BEN, YA DICK, GET BACK HERE!”

        Fuck, she was gaining up on me. I know I should probably explain what’s happening right now, but I’m honestly a little tied up at the moment. Sadly, I meant this literally. As I ran, I spared a desperate glance at my tied up wrists. Man, she was really mad this time. I had just barely opened the door when she had burst out and tied me up with her hair ribbon, screaming like a banshee. Darren was legging it too, a look of absolute terror on his face. At least he’d managed to bolt for his life before having his hands tied up like mine. Wait a second. Did she just call me a dick?

        “KATIE, DON’T FUCKING CURSE! YOU’RE NOT OLD ENOUGH.” I yelled back while running for my life. “I’M SORRY OKAY? I’LL GIVE YOU CANDY OR SOMETHING. JUST STOP CHASING US, DEAR LORD.”

        All I got in reply was high pitched, rapid fire comeback that sounded a lot like her complaining that I cursed while telling her not to curse. Jaden was rolling on the porch, laughing his lungs out at the scene while Link was just staring at the catastrophe expressionlessly. I saw Darren shudder out of the corner of my eye. Poor kid was getting a really weird first impression of my family. Suddenly I felt myself lurch forward, falling to the ground face first after being tackled from behind by something small and scrawny. I groaned, my poor elbows getting the worst of the fall. Katie gave out an angry chicken screech, which she always claimed was her war cry whenever someone asked, and began hitting my back with her tiny fists. Darren had stopped running the second I fell, and was now looking at me helplessly with his hands up in a ‘sorry-can’t-help-you’ motion.

        “YA PROMISED YA’D PLAY TEA PARTY WITH ME AND MY FRIENDS!  WHY’D YA HAVE TO COME HOME LATE? THEY ALL WENT HOME ‘CAUSE THERE’S SCHOOL TOMORROW!” She cried.

        I cringed. I can’t believe I had totally forgotten about it. I had called my mom soon after Darren and I parted ways and asked if he could come over. I didn’t explain his situation since I felt it wasn’t my place. I wanted him to trust my family on his own, enough to tell them his story. I knew the second he did tell them, everything would change. My parents wouldn’t stand for a kid like him to be all alone. They would do everything in their power to give him a family. Introducing Darren to my family was the first step of Operation ‘Give Darren the Most Epic High School Experience Ever’. Since Darren didn’t have work today, he agreed to come over. However, he had somehow landed himself in the school office due to paperwork problems after school, which had kept us there for a while. By the time we actually got to my house, all of my little sister’s friends had already left. Needless to say, she was a little upset.

        “Katie, I know. I’m really sorry. Please untie me so I can make it up to you.” I begged her.

        She gave me a suspicious look, her face red and eyes watery. Aw man, she’s gonna cry. Crying preschoolers are one of the harshest things on the heart. Especially when you’re the reason they’re crying.

        “Katie, don’t cry. I’m sorry! I’m so sorry. I’m begging you to forgive me. Untie me, please?” I asked, my own voice cracking just a little.

        Being the oldest sibling, I was always really weak whenever one of them cried. I was even weaker whenever I was the reason for their tears. She gave in and reached over to loosen the ribbon she’d tied around my hands. I sighed in relief and got up, brushing myself off. Then I leaned down and picked up the teary eyed toddler and held her in my arms. She sniffled as I hugged her to me and started rocking back and forth in an effort to sooth her.

        “C’mon Katie, you know you’re my little princess. Don’t cry, love.” I whispered, wiping away her tears. “You want to show my friend your beautiful princess wave? I’m sure he’d like to see it. You can wave really well.”