Moving Mountains(Book two/Silver's Story)

Ch. 2: Secrets Revealed

Ch. 2: Secrets Revealed

"What did he mean by again Silver?" Asked Joe for the hundredth time since we left. I shook my head laughing. We had been waiting for Eric and Noel to come back for over an hour and when they didn't we decided to keep going on about our day. Steve had this big plan starting with seeing some weird action sci-fi movie, but Joe just wouldn't let go of what Eric said. "Silver?"

"Yes Joe?" I asked smiling politely.

"I hate you." He growled.

"Love you too Joe." I laughed. He rolled his intent on ignoring me. I could hear Steve laughing as he focused on driving. "Fine Joe. Do you remember anything that Noel and I told you yesterday?"

"Not really." He shrugged.

"Seriously?" He only shrugged again. "Fine. When we were freshman, two years before we met the two of you, Noel met Eric. Eric was everything she wanted. Kind, sweet, bright blue eyes and long wavy hair. They met in English class. She was partnered up with him for a project and I got the chicken poxs. Anyways, without me being there they were able to meet us during lunch and stuff to work on said project. Noel and I were always going through on own things so we mostly kept to ourselves back then. For her to be able to talk to someone as patient and understanding as Eric, and trust me that was a big thing for her, she began to have feelings for him. Then something really really bad happened to us and we completely withdrew from everyone. Eric included. He didn't understand. I still remember how confused he'd get when she stopped speaking back to him. That's when the eye glances grew intense between them. One day in seventh period Eric was sitting there and he had crutches. No one knew why though. Whatever happened betweem them while working together meant the world to her. So much so that she kept glancing at him. I'm lying she was barely staring at him. I could tell she really wanted to talk to him. To explain as much as she could, but she couldn't. She was scared and she was broken. I knew because I was just the same. Anyways, this guy caught her looking at him and teased her about it. I never understood why, but people who never even met Noel just didn't like her. Someone always had something negative to say about her. He was one of them. He called her ugly and unworthy of Eric's attention. Said that she smelled like garbage and would die before Eric touched or even looked at her in a sexual way. That he would never want her and neither would anybody else. As if what he had already said wasn't bad enough he decided to go for the kill and after what we went through it could have." I paused feeling tears coming to eyes.

"Silver what did he say?"

"He told her she was nobody Joe; amd nobody would care or even shed a tear if she disappeared. He told her I was only her friend because I pitied her and nothing more. Eric just sat there. He sat there and let that guy say all of that too her. He let him break her down piece by piece until there was nothing left. That's why he apologized Joe. He apologized for that day in seventh period all those years ago. For two years those kids were brutal to her and even worse when I wasn't there with her. I even got some of the backlash because I wouldn't turn on her. Pushed into the lockers. Kicked. Homework ripped up and so much more. I remember one time I got cornered in the girls bathroom. They kept threatening me. Trying to scare me into leaving Noel's side, but I kept saying. I tried explaining how she was really my other half. The didn't care. They jumped me and walked off laughing. Still I stayed by her side and I took everything they threw at me."

"Does she know?" Asked Steve.

"Did you?" He shook his head no. "Exactly. I never planned to tell anyone I was bullied also. I don't want to be a victim. So I keep moving like it never happened."

"That's not moving on Silver. You're just burying deep inside." Said Joe concern filling his eyes.

"I never said it was." And with that the conversation was over. My mind kept flashing back to the past and it was ruining my mood. I hated that I couldn't get over it the same way that Noel had, but it had been proving that pretending was a better method for me. The rest of the car ride was silent. I kept making eye contact with Steve through the rear view mirror. He had questions and by telling them that I only added more. I hadn't meant to admit all of that, but once it started coming out it was hard to stop. I sighed as I pulled out my phone and texted Noel that we were gone. If she felt confident enough to move things along with Eric then I'd hope she'd be safe about it.