The Bird That Couldn't Sing (GBFF)

Chapter 39 - Sang

Oh, crap, crap, crap crap. This isn't good.

She marches around the corner, anger etched onto her face. But then she stutters in her steps when she sees all nine of my guys with me, and I'm still in North's arms. "W-what are they doing here, Sang?" Then slowly, her face morphs into a kind of anger that can only resemble her mother's. Her fists clench and her voice goes hard when she practically growls, "Sang, you whore, are these those boys I saw you talking to at school earlier? I'm going to tell Mom right now. You can bet she won't be happy about this." And then her face starts to upturn into a cocky smirk, an evil glint in her eyes.

I wiggle in North's arms and he gets the point that I want to be let down. I run after Marie, who is already on her way up the stairs, not wanting her to see what I've seen. No, that would scar her for life. Even Marie doesn't deserve that kind of trauma.

I clap my hands to get her attention, but she still doesn't slow down; she just keeps up her quick, unrelenting pace up the stairs. And my heartbeat quickens with each of her steps. And then she walks into Katherine's room, stunned into complete silence. So when I finally catch up to her, it's already too late.

"I-I... w-what-t?" she stutters out, eyes wide.

And because we used to be at least a little close and she wanted to learn sign language when she was ten, I try to communicate with her through flamboyant hand movements and broken facial expressions. I can tell the boys are all behind us; I heard them trampling up the stairs.

"Maire, look at me. It's going to be okay," I sign. But she isn't paying attention, her eyes still trained on her mother's lifeless body.

"D-did you do this, you... you... you bitch?" I can tell she's trying to be so completely angry with me right now, but I can also tell she doesn't have that kind of resentment in her at the moment. All she feels is anguish. And, as much as I hate the feeling directed towards me, I feel pity for her.

My hand slowly reaches out to touch her arm, but she jerks away from me in a haste, raising her hand to slap me across the face. Okay, maybe I was wrong. She does still have at least a little resentment left in her. But I can't remember the last time Marie ever slapped me. Now that I think about it, I don't think she ever has.

My own bandaged hand flutters up to my flaming cheek, eyes wide and slightly disbelieving. But her gaze only hardens into cold stone--much like Owen's, but lacking the gray-tone of his beautiful irises. No, hers are like a muddy kind of stone, the kind you wouldn't want to step on because it would track around wherever you go. It's the kind that stays with you.

The boys all take a step forward, and I already know North is about to open his mouth and shout something at her about hurting his Sang Baby. But I stop them before he has the chance, holding my hand in the air and looking behind me over my shoulder at him, my face speaking the words my voice cannot. It's fine. I've got this.

"Did you do this to my mom?"  she seethes, paying the boys no mind.

Turning back around to face her, I slowly shake my head no and soften my expression even more. And then I sign, "No, I came home earlier--late, just like you--and the house was completely silent. So, I went to Katherine's room to check on her, only the find the lights off and the scent of lemon juice and vinegar. And then I felt her hand on the bed and realized she was there."

I pause to make sure she's following, and she just has this look on her face that I can't read. Sadness? Maybe. Loss? Makes sense. Defeat? Yes, that's what it is. She looks completely and utterly defeated. She gestures for me to continue with her hand, and I do so without missing a beat.