The Color of Music

Chapter 10-She's not Okay

It'd been a week since the day on the floor. The spell I was under broke and I had no regrets. I didn't initiate it again.

Everyday she's come to school and take the books out her locker, ignoring my friends attempts to get her to come to lunch. Her civility was gone. On the fifth day her hair was straight again. And I pretended not to notice; just as I pretending not to notice when she changed it back to curly in the first place.

"I uh like your hair, Sonata," Mark made another useless attempt. I refused to acknowledge why they were even still trying.

"Thanks," she had replied which was more than her usual silence and sad eyes. "I hate it actually,"

It was an awkward thing to say, especially in the blunt unwavering tone she did. Alex took the bait.

"You do change it a lot,"

"Don't worry, I'll be keeping it straight all year,"

Her words bounced in my head but I keep my face straight and away from her. It wasn't a big deal I told myself.

But I spoke anyways, "Your dad made you change it back? You certainly change your hair for men quite a bit,"

I was pushing her buttons. I knew it. But I watched her reaction eagerly. She didn't disappoint.

Sonata's anger animated her face like cartoon. White knuckles from clenching her fist too hard, and gritted teeth from effort to remain silent, her hunched form exuded an animosity that was like acid - burning, slicing, potent. Her face was red with suppressed rage, and when Blake set a finger on her shoulder, she swung around and mentally snapped.

"That's real fucking funny coming from you," she exploded. "You're a fucking pussy,"

I snapped back "I'm a pussy?"

"You know what you did,"

"We sat on the floor and you spilled your guts to me and I listened,"

"Oh was that what that was?"

"Yeah,"

Our voices rose above the sacred silence. Our own Pandora boxes opened, sending each word full speed ahead to shatter our souls into a million pieces. Her was face brightened, just a tone lighter than my own crimson. This was no longer "He said, She said." Blood was bound to be spilled, feelings hurt.

But Sonata surprised all of us, I watched her anger get to such a height nothing was left. She deflated into a puddle and sent me a solemn glance. Then she hoisted her books closer to her side and walked away. Once she left, a blanket of silence covered us all. Alex stared at the ground with furrowed brows.

"What did you do?" He said more to himself than us. He's always been good at reading people. Probably because the way we grew up it was a necessity to be able to judge if someone is good of heart or not. The twins looked upset too.

He asked again, this time stronger. "What did you do?"

"Nothing,"

I worried. Things I felt I should have done, coupled with his perceived failures dominated my mind. I thought about my actions and words, finding them inadequate.

"Fuck that, girls don't yell like that at boys who did nothing,"

"Have you met her? She's been crazy since the first day!"

"So let me make sure we're clear. You hurt a girls feelings then call her crazy when she expresses them? Make that make sense Rueben,"

He took a step too far and he wasn't sorry. That's what our friendship was. Taking steps too far.