All Those Words

Chapter 2

Calysta

Asa's smart enough to sense that I don't want to talk during the ride home. And once we reach home, he helps me set the bags in the kitchen before I turn on my heel and run upstairs before anyone can see what happened to my forehead.

I enter the bathroom in the hallway and quickly lock it behind me before dropping the hood off my head.

There's a proverb that goes something like – the eyes are the mirror of the soul.

I stare at the girl in the mirror and she stares back at me. I barely even recognize her. As a child, her eyes had always been bright – green with gold specs – her main point of attraction and something that drew everyone to her. And her smile was shy by friendly. They were the reason she had so many friends and even boys who would swoon over her.

I continue to stare at her, wondering where she disappeared off to. The green eyes that stare back at me are just filled with fear and chaos; the happiness faded away a long time ago, along with her smile. The only thing that remains unchanged are the freckles that dancer over her nose bridge.

I wash my face, cleaning off the dry blood from the cut on my forehead. I carefully place a skin colored band-aid over the now clean cut before pulling the hood onto my head again. I exit the bathroom and go straight downstairs to get started on lunch, only to find Asa leaning against the kitchen isle.

"Hey," he says, his expression impassive and I give him a brief nod before reaching for the spaghetti. "Can I help? I may not look like it but I'm a really good cook."

Who am I to say that he didn't look like someone who could cook when I barely got a clear glance at his face since we had met? Plus, I know nothing about him. Even if I do get a good look at him, I wouldn't want to judge a book by its cover.

I hold my breath as I maneuver around him to grab a pot so I can get the water boiling. I pray for him to just let me be so I can finish cooking fast. I know my younger siblings will come on a hungry rampage if lunch isn't on the table soon.

"Do you not speak?" he prods, diminishing the thought that he had figured me out.

If I was even half of the girl I used to be, I would have either told him to chop the onions or to leave me alone.

"No, I'm sure I heard you say hi earlier in the day."

Internally groaning, I stick the box of spaghetti out toward him and wait for him to take it from me. He seems to be examining my hand before he finally takes it from me. I'm not sure what else to do. I don't have it in me to ask him to leave. So maybe I can use his help without speaking.

"I'll put it in once the water comes to a boil, right?" he asks and I nod. "I'm just going to put some salt and oil into the water so they don't stick when we drain them."

I turn around quickly and start chopping the garlic and then the onions. I try my best to blink back the tears that burn my eyes from the pungent smell of the onions. I dab at my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie when Asa suddenly yanks my hood off.

"What's with you and hiding your face?" he asks, his voice vehement.

My heart jumps to my throat and I quickly drop the knife onto the chopping board since it would have slipped out of my sweaty hands away. But before I can rush to the sink to wash my hands so I can pull my hood back on, Asa grabs me by the wrist. I look up at him, tears making my eyes glassy. He registers the shock on my face but recovers quickly and I try not to gape at him now that I'm finally looking at him.