Silence

{23} Soundless

{Aspen's POV}

I don't know how I'm supposed to be handling this. I'm furious with my brothers and they are at me. I don't even know why though, I didn't ask for any of this. I have a reason to be upset and they don't. So, when Jasper said what he said, it ignited something in me. 

I slapped him. 

In the face. 

Hard. 

The initial reaction was scarily calm. Jasper did nothing but slowly bring his hand to where I slapped him. Soon after, his gaze met mine. I saw nothing, nothing in his eyes. He had no reaction, not even shock. He had on a blank face and mine was stone cold. I couldn't even enjoy the silence in the car. I felt the tension, Jasper felt it, everyone did. 

Jasper's eyes haven't left mine, it seems like a staring contest with no end. Everyone is warily watching Jasper, waiting for him to make a move, to do something. But he's not moving. It's been a full minute now with everyone being still. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Caspian With an emotionless face on, his eyes are trained on Jasper waiting for his reaction. Kohen is looking at his twin with anticipation, he's on the edge of his seat, surely to catch Jasper before he does something stupid. Sorin is in the passenger seat looking at me with an unfamiliar expression. He almost seems.. amused. Ambrose is glancing in the rear view mirror every 5 seconds, switching his looks between Jasper and I. He's swerved a few times from being so distracted.

Everyone is on edge when Jasper finally does something. He rips his gaze from mine, losing the staring contest may I add, and looks forward in his seat. No yelling, no fighting, no reaching over to slap me back, which to be honest I kind of expected him to. But no, he faces the front as if it didn't happen. 

I don't let my surprise show. Rather, I relax in my seat and go back to looking out the window. I'm still on edge, expecting some kind of blow. It seems so... unusual that he wouldn't hit me back. He didn't even attempt to do anything. To say I'm baffled would be an understatement. I almost feel a tinge of guilt but I quickly suppress it. Jasper deserved that slap and many more

A few more minutes of driving in which no one has uttered a word, we arrive back at my brother's house. The car comes to a full stop but no one moves. We stay seated that way for almost 5 minutes. The air is thick with everyone waiting for someone to speak. I would have expected Caspian to speak up but rather, Ambrose says the first words.

"Violence between family members is intolerable." He begins looking straight forward out of the windshield. "We are better than this. You are both better than this. It's been a rocky start Aspen, we all know that. We've each made impressions we cant take back. Starting from our initial introductions to the clinic situation and now here with more problematic things in between. We cant begin to understand your feelings or even your thoughts. But as a family, we settle our differences with words, or lack thereof.  You can yell, you can scream, you can cry, or you can stay silent. One thing that is never an option is violence. It always creates more problems than it solves. And do not confuse my words to count for people outside of the family because only the six of us here and a few other select people qualify for this rule. Do you understand my words, Aspen?"

Family. Is that what we are? It feels so strange to consider these men my family. Biologically it's undeniable, but otherwise.. what have they done to prove that they are my family? No efforts have been made to repair the damage done from past mistakes. Perhaps in their own sick and twisted ways they've tried to make amends but they've done nothing obvious.