Muted Body

11- His Story

Chapter 11- His Story

                School was over and I didn't run into Tyler once today. That counts as successful. I just couldn’t find Elana and I wasn’t sure if it was safe to go home. I decided to walk to a nearby store and hangout around it awkwardly till it got close to time to go home.

                I entered my house and I could feel my inhale as I walked to my new room. My mother’s scent lingered in it and it gave me a sense that she was there watching over me. I looked at the clock by the bed and I heard my brother at the same time.

“Jeana?” His already alarmed voice entered the house.

“I’m in my room. I just got home” I lied. I walked out and gave him a smile as I walked down the hall.

“Everything okay? Did that freak say anything to you today?”

“I saw him, but he didn’t say anything to me. He didn’t even look at me” I admitted. I wondered if I would lie to Toby if Tyler had said something to me. Probably…not…probably.

“That’s good” He nodded to himself as he set his bags down. “Dinner then?”

“What’s for dinner?”

“Maybe we can go out? I just got a check. My boss gave me paid time off while I was in jail.” He said smiling.

“Really? Well that’s no surprise you’ve worked for him for years”

“Yeah, he also heard why I was in jail…”

“You didn’t have to tell him that” I said now frowning as I grabbed my jacket from off the couch.

“I’m sorry kiddo. How about In N out to make it up?”

“That sounds soo good” I said giving him a forgiven smile. He laughed and we left together. It was a step to getting back to normal. I loved the feeling of having no secrets with my brother. It was a weight of my shoulders and I felt almost free of this.

               

The next day Tyler didn’t look at me again and then the next day and the next. I was finally caught up with my homework and Toby and I were doing well. My life was going back to what it used to be. I was scared though. I didn’t want to lose what was becoming so good. I was on edge everyday waiting for my happyness to be taken from my grip.

“Hey are you going to eat that?”

“I am” I said smiling at Elana. I picked up the apple and spun it in my hand before I took a bite of it. It wasn’t very juicy, and the flavor was a bit dry, but I ate it because I had to prove to myself that I could.

“Hey it’s Friday what are your plans later?” Elena asked as we walked to our lockers

“I don’t make plans on a Friday anymore” I said as I unloaded my backpack into my locker. I didn’t have any more homework to catch up on and this weekend teachers decided to be easy and give out worksheets.

“Awe, why not?” Elena wined as she leaned against the locker next to me.

“Because plans mean parties and parties mean trouble. And that’s for immature teenagers” I said as I slung my backpack over my shoulder. I sounded like a grandma, but I didn’t care too much about that.

“That’s not what I heard” Elena argued.

“What do you mean?”

“You know you have a reputation around here?” Elena raised her eyebrows and looked at me.