Silence is Nameless

Chapter Two

Two weeks later

"Avi," Layla called. I turned my head slightly to the hall where she was standing.
"How do I look?" she asked.

Today was the day. The day we all dread, the day where we must suffer the following months in agony, the day when our cousin comes.
      Layla wore a pretty blue dress that went down to her knees with her hair in two neat braids.
    "Well?" she said impatiently.
"Yeah, you look fine," I responded as I put a pin in my hair.

       Layla was frantically walking around the house, watering the plants, adjusting picture frames, organizing the counters.
    "Yes, please make this house spotless. I don't want to see a single speck of dust, thank you very much," I said in my most high society voice, only interrupted by the doorbell.
           I dropped two pins.
"Quick, do I look okay?"
     Layla bent to pick up the pins. "Okay enough to make you look like a responsible adult."
"Shut up and answer the door," I rolled my eyes.

      I smoothed my long skirt as Layla cleared her throat before answering the door.
We tried to dress properly to be seen as responsible adults, but I look a bit odd when I'm rushed and am wearing two different colored shoes. This would drive Layla insane, one brown and one black but share a flower print. Hopefully she won't noti-
    "Did you lose hearing when I was gone?" Amelia shouts at my face.
I took a step back. Excuse you. 
    I now saw her face after two years, absolutely caked in makeup. She wore a big fuzzy coat and half of her hair in cornrows. She held a single bag.
        "Where are the rest of your bags?" I asked, forgetting to say hello.
  "Oh, he's got them," she laughed.
       "He?" Layla said in a flat, loud voice.

  We heard the creaks of the wooden porch and heavy breaths.
     "Hi girls," a boy my age says faintly, obviously struggling with the many bags he's balancing. "Take this, will you?"
"Sure," Layla says. You can feel the annoyed vibes of hers bouncing off the walls, using her last few years of innocence to keep her from exploding.
      "It's so nice to see you again," I say to Amelia with gritted teeth as Layla carries the boxes to the guest room.
"You too! Oh honey, you're looking rough," she says.

     This was not part of the deal.
      _________________