Listen Before You Speak

Chapter 2

This chapter is dedicated to my wonderful little sister Anita, my other beta-reader and my best critic. This one if for you!

The cafeteria was much louder than I could remember. Truth be told, I haven't been in the cafeteria for quite some time. I usually just sat outside under a tree eating my lunch with a book popped open or my iPod screaming sweet sounds in my ears. But this time I didn't really have a choice. I already told Blake I would have lunch with him.

"So where's your table?" I heard a voice behind me say.

I turned around, looked at Blake, and then darted my head from side to side, searching the room for any available table. It's not like I just wanted Blake to know I usually hid away from the rest of the world. When I couldn't see an empty table I just shrugged and motioned with my hand for him to follow me.

"Well, if we can't eat inside, we could always eat outside," I though. "Maybe Blake would even like it more that way."

"So where are you taking me big guy?" Blake asked.

I could not help myself spinning around and giving him my very best what-is-wrong-with-you? look. If one thing was certain, it was that there was no way in hell that I was a big guy. I probably looked not much older than fourteen if I had to guess for myself. What this guy totally insane? Well, that at least would make sense. Why else would a cute guy talk to the stranger with the weird black cross over his mouth?

"Yes?" Blake asked with a smile, almost as if he was taunting me, which made it a bit more difficult for me to keep my cool. I mean, come-on, who could keep their cool when a guy like Blake was smiling at them?

I opened my mouth to give a snarky remark, but just as the words started to form around my lips, I remembered... I don't talk. I promised I wouldn't talk again. Never. Talking makes bad things happen. Talking ruins everything. Talking is what caused me the load of shit I am still trying to sort out today. So I just closed my mouth, turned around and started walking in the general direction of the old orchard like everybody used to call it.

The school stood in the exact spot where an old apple orchard used to be. Some of the older trees was actually still around the school and I had my favorite one. It was at the far end of the yard, where nobody dared to go, being too scared to be too far away when the bell rang. That suited me just fine. Another reason why I really liked this specific tree was the fact that it wasn't alive anymore. It wasn't dead either. One half of the tree had no leaves. The other half still bared fruit each and every year. It was like the tree was me, only... Well, bigger?

"So where are we going?" Blake asked me once again. I could almost feel his breath on my neck, so instead of turning around I just pointed toward the tree.

"Seriously? You want to sit under the tree?" the confusion in Blake's voice making me wonder if I had made the right decision. I mean, I could have gone over to Alice's table. I am sure she would've let us sit with her. I just nodded and walked faster. Eager to reach the tree as fast as I possibly can.

I planted myself on the ground, and seconds later I could almost feel the energy in the earth shift as Blake sat down next to me.

"So you don't talk?"

Well, that didn't take long at all, I thought. I just shook my head.

"But you did talk to me this morning. You said your name. So that means you're not mute?" Blake said, pulling the beanie from his head. Now I could see the curls hidden underneath. It was completely messy, and at the same time he looked like he just came from a hair salon. Just with that one move I was already jealous. I had to spend time on my hair! Especially if it was hidden under a beanie for half of the day. It was just not fair!