The Silent Girl

3.

'Ella'

I was afraid to go home, so I prayed that school would go slow.

After spending more time with Miss Bright, it was lunch period.

I had to apologise to Luke, Micky and Noah.

So I made my way to find them. The first place I looked, I was successful. The canteen.

They were sat at a table with four chairs, three of them occupied.

So I slowly walked towards them, my eyes already tearing up at the thought of hurting them.

They all look up to me, smiles on their faces.

"I'm sorry" My voice creaks, tears rolling down my cheek. "Just anxious" I mumble, stood behind the free chair.

Luke stands up and wraps his arms around me, kissing the top of my head.

"You have no reasons to apologise, Ella. But you need to know that you can always talk to us" Noah says, from where he was sat.

"Come on, let's sit down and enjoy some lunch" Luke says, pulling out the free chair. I thank him and sit down. He returns to his own chair and we begin laughing, talking, gossiping and returning to our usual state.

My worries come back when I remember that I have to go home and face my parents.

"Umm, hey, can we do something after school?" I ask, picking at my nail bed.

"You are going to have to face them at some point" Micky says, giving me a small smile.

"I'm coming home with you, Ella, make sure they don't do anything, and so I can tell them that it wasn't your fault" Luke says, rubbing the top of my hand softly.

"Ok, can we still do something in the evening? We could go bowling or something?" I offer.

"Sounds great." They all agree and we arrange a time and place to meet before Luke and I head to our lesson and Micky and Noah go to another.

Luke and I take our sits at the back of the classroom.

"So how was it talking to that women?" He asks me, neither of us paying attention to the teacher or anything else.

"Miss Bright, shes ok I guess. I hated having to talk about it alone. She keep asking questions that I didn't know how to answer." I sigh, writing the date, trying to work.

"Like what?"

"Mental health" I mumble.

"And? How is that?"

"Bad behind closed doors, ok at school" I sigh, knowing that he'd get the answers out of me.

"When you say closed doors, you mean at home don't you?" He checks, writing something down too.

"Mhm" I hum, a tear falling but I quickly wipe it so Luke doesn't see.

"She can help" Luke says, rubbing his hand on my thigh.

"I didn't tell her that. I told her that I needed time to think and that I'd talk to her next week or something." I whisper, trying not to get in trouble for talking.

"Ella, you should of told her that you needed help"

"She doesn't need to get in my business, I'm not talking to her, I'd rather be the silent girl"

"Luke and Ella, please stop talking before I move one of you or give you both detentions"

After we got told off for talking, neither me or Luke talked about anything, except work.

And soon enough, the day was over.

Luke and I were walking back to mine.

I was beyond nervous, I did not want to face them. At all.

I knew only my mum would be home. My dad was working again.

My shaking hands, pulls out the key, and unlocks the door. Leading the way, I kick my shoes off and put my bag down. Luke doing the same, I pull my coat off and hang it on the coat hanger.

"Mum?" I call out shakily, walking into the lounge. She was sat on the sofa, an angry expression on her face.

It changes as soon as she sees Luke.

"Oh hello sweetheart" She stands and hugs me tightly. I cringe but try to return the hug anyway. "Hello Noah!" She wraps her arms around Luke.

"Mum, that's Luke" I say, trying to stop my laughing.

Luke laughs and returns the hug.

"Oh Luke, I'm sorry! My head is a bit muddled at the moment." She laughs, she looks at me with an unreadable message. "What are you doing here then, Luke?"

"Oh, Ella and I have a project, is that ok, if we work on it?" It was only a half lie. We had a project but it wasn't the reason he came.

"Of course it is, but we have guests coming at 6, so if possible I need you gone by then" She smiles at Luke, not me.

"That's perfect" Luke says and puts an arm around my shoulder.

By the time we made it upstairs, my emotions were all over the place. Luke was sat in front of me, on the bed, rubbing both of my knees.

"It's all lies, it's all an act. As soon as you go, it will change. There are no guests" I cry, Luke plays with my plait.

"Should I convince your mum to let me stay or stay at mine?"

"I can't do that to your family" I cry, putting my head into his lap, laying down.

Luke's family was massive. There were 8 kids and 2 adults, that's why we never went round, didn't want to get in the way.

"It's ok" Luke strokes his hand on my head, comforting me.

"Can we do the project now?" I ask, look up at him.

"Of course, let's distract you" He leans down and kisses my head before grabbing both our school bags.

I need to distant myself.

'end of 3.'

Sorry! I've missed two posting days! I've been having a very hard time and just about getting back to normal.

Next update will be on Friday 25th.

Posted: 22.2.22 (SO MANY TWOSSS)