The Girl with Headphones

Chapter 3

I gather the dirty dinner dishes, following post-meal routine. My father has already retreated to his study, as usual, never sticking around long enough to join the conversation.

"So how was school?" my mum begins, grabbing the leftovers.

"It was okay, " I lie."Nothing interesting."

She forces a tired smile before turning to Chase, only to realize he's also left.
She hides the sad look that dawns upon her, shoving me out of the kitchen.

"Enough of the kitchen Allison, your homework isn't going to finish itself."
I don't let the groan begging to leave my mouth slip, my lips form into a thin smile before dragging my body up the stairs and plomping at my desk, unenthusiastically pulling out my pile of homework.

Half an hour later and I am bored out of my mind. The amount of torture that the average teenager is put through is not fair. I pull myself over my bed, swearing if I ever become president, I will make homework illegal.

I  secure both my ears with earphones before pulling out my phone, after a bunch of random albums has played, I, like most teenagers who have nothing better to do scroll through my newsfeed,

"Hello, Allison Novac."

My fingers freeze before I realize I haven't taken out my earphones. I still haven't gotten used to the fact that there's an actual voice in my earphones, it seems like some sort of dream. I've thought about maybe asking someone about it but immediately discarded the idea.

I don't need to be known as a murder and a nut case. Not if I want to survive in this town.

"Are you there?"

"Good evening stalker."

"I've told you not to call me that."

"And I've told you to tell me your name, your tendency not to follow instructions is wearing off,"I smirk.

"Haha, very funny, "he mocks.

"I try." a smile creeping onto my lips.

"You still haven't explained how you managed to hear me singing."I prop myself against my ocean of pillows, making myself comfortable.

"I told you I'm a computer genius," he replies.

"That's a little conceited, " I joke.

"You asked Miss Novac."

"So how did you?" I push."You wouldn't understand." he crunches.

"Whats that sound?" I observe.

"I'm eating, "his grin audible.

"Are you seriously eating?" I laugh, not sure why I'm shocked.

"Yeah, you know us stalkers, we need Doritos to keep us on the go with all that stalking," he says before purposely chewing loud.

"That's bad humor, " I laugh."It got you laughing." he stated.

"Are you flirting?" the words flying before my brain has time to process what I'm saying.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"I'm not, I'm keeping you on track of my question,"I state firmly, getting up to shut the room door.

He crunches for a few more seconds before answering, "In simple words, when you plug in your headphones, I'm able to hear all sounds that are in the sounds waves surrounding you."

"That makes no sense."

"To you."

"So where do you talk?"I question." I mean how am I able to hear you talk?"
I fumble for words when he takes a few seconds to answer." Do you talk through a little mic or speak into an earphone or-"