Silenced by the Night

This is NOT Normal

Paige’s POV

“Caylah told me something about you in school”

I was frightened when I heard my mother’s cruel voice said that to Ellie. She hasn’t done anything; how could Caylah tell her something that never happened?

“We’re dropping you out of your school and you need to stay here without bothering the girls. I’m calling your principal to tell her about you dropping out. Do you understand?”

Ellie must’ve nodded. It remained quiet for a minute until she got out and up to her room.

“Mother”

She turned to face me faking a smile. I can see it by the curved side.

“What did you just do with Ellie?”

“I dropped her out of school. Isn’t it wonderful?”

I turned around and stormed to my room.

Ellie’s POV

My tears were burning my skin off. Nathan hadn’t come to our house since I was dropped out of our school. Me? Doing something in school? Like what? Cleaning the bathroom? School was the only thing my dad left me with. Paige went in my room looking slightly disappointed.

“You can see in my face I’m a bit disappointed but for a good reason. I talked to mum and told her she has to enroll you in the school again. Or else I’m running away”

She enveloped me in a tight hug before walking out my room and downstairs.

Nathan wasn’t around in school. The whispers continued about ‘Two eleven year olds walking down the hall showing everyone they’re dating’. Everyone should know that Nate and I aren’t dating. We’re just friends that met in a theatre school. I walked in the cafeteria my head down. Someone bumped into me or I bumped into someone. I raised my head and saw Nathan standing there, his face was surprised.

“Ellie, Oh My God I miss you”

He embraced me in a hug while stroking my hair from the back.

“I miss you too Nate, now where are you sitting?”

“Over here”

Paige and Nathan were with me in my room. I wasn’t talking to Caylah; it’s been weeks since we did. Now we just sneered at each other. But seriously, I have a feeling about her actions around Nathan. She would just tell me anything she felt about Nathan; even anger or jealousy. We were really close; we can talk through anything without arguing about it; even a boy. What am I saying? Caylah’s not in love with Nathan. Is she?

More thoughts were running in my head in the middle of the night. I turned to the bed where Nathan was sleeping. His hair was covering a part of his face. He was gorgeous. Wait a minute, what am I saying? He’s my best friend I can’t be in love with him.

I was having trouble falling asleep. It was already two o’clock in the morning. Alright confession time, I had trouble falling asleep because of Nathan. I’m thinking about him the rest of the night. This is not normal. We met a month ago, I barely knew him.

The next morning I went past Caylah in the hall. She just rolled her eyes while I walked pass her. Well Nathan was standing beside me so she must’ve smiled when Nathan looked at her.

“OK, this is awkward. She rolled her eyes when she looked at you and she gave me a smile when I walked by”

Yep Nathan, I know it’s awkward. Even I am feeling different. Thoughts ran faster in my head, I was like chasing cars. But this was more intense; it wasn’t normal. Caylah never rolled her eyes at me even if we were mad at each other. She never faked a single smile.

“Forget about her, c’mon let’s just get prepared for school”

He walked in the bathroom while I was waiting for him outside. I was just ignoring Caylah while she’s passing by for ten minutes. He went back outside his hair was perfectly comb but still wet.

“Just wait for me in my room”

I walked inside the bathroom breathing harder. Clenching my jaw every minute I would think Caylah was passing by. I brushed my hair gently before going out the door.

My seat was changed in class. I was sitting beside Paige’s friend Alice. She was also great, but we never spoken to each other that much. Her blonde locks were pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She turned to me and smiled.

“So how’s Paige going?”

“She’s fine; she’s having fun as usual”

“Mind if I come to your house later? I really miss Paige”

“Why not, it’s not that bad”

“Thanks I’ll be there later at five”

Who cares if she comes? I’m not the one that knows her. Nathan’s the only person I talk to in this school. Alice and Paige were always together. And Nathan and I are always together. People would think we are really dating because of what we are doing. Alice and Caylah were also close so I better get far from her while she’s in the house.

Nathan was sitting beside me in my bed. We were talking about a school project; lab partners. Teachers even think we’re dating. Two fifth graders dating, isn’t that a bit immature? Nathan looked at me strangely, was I saying my thoughts out loud?

“Are you alright? Cuz I think you need some time alone”

“No, I’m fine; it’s alright”

I laid flat on my bed my eyes still glued to Nathan. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him. There wasn’t a part of me where I would feel like taking my eyes of off him or not look at him. What’s going on with me? I’ve never felt like this before. It wasn’t normal to me or maybe to Nathan.

“Yeah, I need to get home; my mom’s leaving, I really need to get home so the babysitter wouldn’t just expect my little sister there”

He made his way to the door and held on the knob. Before he could open the door he walked back to me and pecked my lips lightly. Did that really happen? Did it happen or was I dreaming?

“I’ll see you tomorrow”

No I’m not dreaming I was blinking that time. Oh My Gosh, my first kiss from my best friend. The door burst open revealing Caroline standing there with a purse in her hand.

“Hello Ellie, I hope you weren’t doing anything. The girls and I are going out and we’ll be home by midnight; now I want to expect a clean kitchen, a clean pool and the laundry done”

“Yes Caroline”

She slammed the door and I heard heels clicking down the stairs.

My father’s drawings were posted on my wall. The drawing of me when I was nine, the drawing of my mother, even our garden he would draw it. Just looking at the drawing of my mother in the wall reminded me of her so much. Even though I never met her before; I felt like I know her. Nathan wasn’t here, Paige wasn’t here. No one was here, not even Hanna. The night was silent; it was peaceful, finally what I needed.

Nathan’s face was glued in my mind for the rest of the night. His green eyes were like connected with mine. He would always be staring at me every minute I would face him. There wasn’t a second in this night I wasn’t thinking about him. Why was I acting like this? Why am I thinking about him so often? Why are there so many thoughts about Nathan running in my head?

Since when did I fall for him?