The Bird That Couldn't Sing (GBFF)

Chapter 6 - Sang

Upon entering my house, I silently tiptoe up the stairs, careful not to wake up my stepmother in case she is sleeping. Just to be sure, I quickly peek into her room to find that she is in fact still sleeping. Knowing her and her schedule, she probably just took a dose of her medicine, so with my luck, she won't be waking up for another three(ish) hours.

I swiftly shut the door and sneak back over to my room, unlocking the door before entering. I have to keep it locked just in case Stepmother or Marie decide to enter unannounced while I'm not home; they'll snoop through my stuff if I don't. Though, Marie has gotten pretty good at lock picking, so that doesn't always work out in my favor.

Once I open the door, I trek over to my small wardrobe and pull out the nicest thing I own: my white pleated skirt and a light pink blouse. I don't want to look like a slob while I'm at the mall with them. I don't want my new friends to think of me as disgusting.

I very quickly put on the skirt and tuck the blouse into it once I have it on, throwing on a pair of sandals to complete it. Good, now I don't look absolutely dreadful. Before exiting my room, I grab one of my notebooks and a mechanical pencil to slip into the spiral ring along the spine, now prepared to "speak" when necessary.

I tiptoe back down the stairs, notepad in hand, and out of the house, bounding back over to Kota's house. It's at this moment that I realize the very expensive, gray BMW in the driveway. Biting my lip, I rush over to it and Kota gets out of the passenger's side to open the door for me.

He notices my change in attire and smiles with a slight tint to his cheeks. He looks back over to my house and asks, "What did you say to them?"

"Nothing." I hastily slip into the seat, loving the way the cool leather seats kiss the bare skin on my thighs. I can tell by the nice looking interior and the smell that wafts throughout the car, it's still brand new.

Kota stays standing there, gazing at my house, scrutinizing. He turns to look back at me to see the silent pleading in my eyes. Please, let's just leave, I implore with my eyes. There'll be no trouble as long as no one sees us. He seems to understand my silent begging, giving one last glance at the two-story gray house before slipping back into the passenger's seat.

My stepmother might be asleep and my father might be gone at work, but that doesn't mean Marie couldn't be lurking around somewhere, watching me leave in a car with two boys. She'd for sure tell Katherine, her mom and my stepmom, and I just can't risk that.

I release a quiet breath in relief. I know he wouldn't understand why I couldn't just ask my parents to leave and have to sneak out, but if they were to ever force the issue or ask my parents themselves, I'd be in a boat load of trouble. And this friendship would be over before it ever really had the chance to begin. But, in the back of my nagging mind, I know I'll have to explain it to him one day if I wanted to stay friends with him. He's very smart and perceptive, and I can tell he already knows something is up; he just doesn't know what. And I plan to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Part of me worries that if I did tell him, then he'd tell Victor and possibly all the other kids at school just how much of a freak I am. Would they still want to be my friends if they knew the truth? I guess only time will tell.

Victor puts the car in reverse, but my eyes stay locked on the house I call Hell. Would someone see me leave? How could I explain to my parents what the situation was? I couldn't, and I can only hope no one sees me because there'd be no way to explain what this was: me going to the mall with my friends.

I'd have no proof to say that they weren't going to kidnap or rape me. I mean, there's no substantial evidence to prove this, but I know. I've always known. Not everyone in this world, men especially, are bad. Not everyone wants to steal you and use you for sex. Not everyone in this world is evil, like my stepmother claims so often.

I internally come to the conclusion that no one could ever know about my new friends. Not my father, not Marie, and certainly not Katherine.

When I know the boys like me enough and I'm certain they won't leave me or throw me to the wolves like a useless ragdoll, I'll tell them. I'll try to explain to them all the punishments and pain.

Was it strange for me to want these two boys, whom I've only just met, to like me so much? I've never had friends before, and I don't want to ruin my first friendships now.

No matter what, I have to keep this relationship a secret, putting up a wall between my family life and my private life outside of the house to keep this separation.
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Really short, I know, but I felt it best to end it there. As always, until next time...

Sincerely,

The Annoying Author Lady