Stuck On Mute

Chapter 7

I want you guys to know how much I appreciate all the support. You keep me going. Yes you, sitting behind the computer, doubting if I'm actually talking to you. Thank you, you beautiful person. It's like I always have a team cheering me on. And I do read every comment on here and Yes, I do smile.

Vote, Fan, Comment, SMILE<33

Leo's P.O.V.

The sound was a soft but it hit me harder than a baseball bat to the head. So clear in the quiet house. My mind spun in confusion and awe. I just witnessed a miracle, I realized. I was still hung up on the sound of it. It was sweet and melodic, enticing. Her laugh.
I looked at Cora who was laying under me, tears in her beautiful eyes. Her black hair was splayed out and her fair skin, flushed. I didn't say anything. I was holding onto this silence, using it to replay the sound I just heard. Cora looked up at me and gave me the widest and happiest smile I'd ever seen.
I returned it and leaned back against the couch, she sat up. Her eyes wandered around, not staying on any object too long. Her lithe body was taut. After running a hand through her hair she looked at me again. I handed her the board that was sitting on the coffee table.
Did you hear that?
I nodded, warily.
I didn't dream it?
I shook my head. She looked confused for a second before pouncing on me. Her warm body was next to mine and I felt warmth spread in my stomach. Wow, way to be a girl, Kinderson. I ignored the voice and hugged her back.
Cora pulled away and I felt colder. Do you know what this means? She scrawled.
"It means.. there's hope?" She nodded, a single tear making a crystal track down her cheek. I could see the slight disbelief in her eyes and knew it was for a reason. It was almost a miracle. Nearly.
"Wanna practice?" I asked.
She looked thoughtful, but nodded looking frightened.
"Kay, try saying anything." I urged.
She thought for a moment before seeming to decide. She opened her mouth slightly and clutched her throat. I had already noticed the scar there. Ahh, Cora. So different. So special but, never seeing it. There was a slight scratch noise then nothing. She concentrated more, silvery-blue eyes hardening. It looked like she was pushing on her chest because it dipped in and ... nothing. Not a sound. I could see tears forming. Her former hope crushed. I took her hand and gave her a confident smile.
She nodded at me. Her teeth gritted together and pushed. I don't know what she was pushing on. Almost like she was forcing the voice out. Willing it to be real. She dropped the hand that clutched her throat, a small bubble of noise formed, before disappearing. I could tell it was wearing her out, mentally and physically. I squeezed her hand.
"Cora, it won't work the first time. You have to keep trying."
Why bother?
Was her written response. I looked into her eyes and saw the hope was gone. She had dropped my hand too.
"Well, you can't give up that easy! If it's easy to get, it's not worth having right?" She looked at me annoyed, before it melted and away and she nodded.
"Why don't you get a vocal trainer?"
NO! My family CAN'T Know! They'd get their hopes up.
"Don't you think they should know?"
So they can be disappointed? I think not Kinderson.
"So stubborn." I replied. She did have a point though, of course. Maybe it was just a fluke. An accident. I shook the thoughts from my head and leaned into their plush couch, thinking.
Cora eyed me slyly before leaning back, as well. We sat in silence for a while. I glanced at her and saw her face that it was contorted in a mixture of sadness and disbelief. I sighed and ran a hand threw my choppy hair. I took her hand again and she turned her head, startled.
"Don't think like that." I said, sternly. If I thought she looked startled before, I was seriously mistaken. After a minute of staring I switched my gaze back to the t.v. She in turn, surprised me. Instead of letting go, her grip on my hand tightened. I cursed at myself. What is this girl doing to me? Leo Kinderson never stays with anyone. He leaves before he's left.
-She could be the exception. A small voice pleaded.
-Cora could fix you. It continued.
I put up a wall against it, frowning. How could she fix me when she was so messed up herself? I saw a flash of her face when the girls insulted her. I flinched again, like I had when I was there. She never showed any sign of weakness, but she never fought back. Part of me wondered why, the other part admired it. Not lowering to those hoes' level.
Cora's head slumped over like it had the night before and I adjusted my arm, putting it around her. Her eyes were shut and her breathing was slow and deep. I watched her meekly. Her eyelashes cast shadows across her high, pale cheekbones. Her eyelids shut, concealing the silvery blue orbs that first captivated me. The full lips that were in a slight pout at her dream. She snuggled closer to my side and I felt the warmth of her body paired with a spark of some sort.
I ducked my head down and pressed my cheek to her head, breathing her in. She smelled like apples and strawberries and a underlying smell I couldn't identify, but was amazing. I pushed away my thoughts completely and let myself have this moment. This little piece of full happiness. The outside world and bad thoughts could wait. Maybe they could wait forever. All of it was losing meaning and I felt my eye-lids droop. I wrapped my arms closer around her and breathed in a last time before being consumed whole.

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My ears perked at the sound of sizzling. FIRE! My instincts kicked in and I jumped from the couch, prepared to grab Cora and run. I looked around, but there was no bright orange flames or unbelievable heat. Confused, I followed the sizzling sound. Cora stood in front of the stove, her dark hair falling softly down to her mid-back.
I saw white earbuds peeking out from behind the black curtain of hair. She swished her hips back and forth in a graceful manner. I got closer to see her intensely focused on the bacon crisping in front of her. Her mouth parted slightly as she mouthed a few words. I snuck up behind her and grabbed her hips, trying to scare her.
Suffice to say it worked. She swiveled around faster than I thought and whacked me across the face with a spatula. The whole scene happened in less than a minute but, it seemed longer than that. Her face changed from intense hate and fear to regret and held back laughter. I stood a few feet away, holding my jaw.
"Nice arm." I complimented. She blushed and I dropped my hand. Her eyes flickered up to my face and one emotion threw over all the others. Hilarity. She doubled over in silent laughter. Cora collected herself and looked back up at me, doubling over again, tears leaking from her eyes. What? I searched for the nearest bathroom and stared at my reflection. Other than having a serious case of bed-head I ....Oh.
Where she had hit me wasn't just red, but it had perfect lines of where the spatula swiped my face. I let out a chuckle at the neatly etched Spatula-shaped mark on my jaw. The smell of bacon drove me away from the mirror into the kitchen. Cora was setting the plates on the table and she looked up to me, a giggle bursting through her lips. I lost all my thoughts at the sound. So amazing, so sweet. She looked taken aback herself. Hope flitted across her face before settling there. I sat next to her at the round glass table, digging in.
"Cora this is awesome." I said in between stuffing bites into my mouth. She nodded, eating as fast as I. I wonder how that works? She wasn't a stick, sad had kicking curves, but she wasn't fat. Though she seems to eat as much as I do. And I had to play football to stay in shape. I watched at the slim girl downed her food quicker than humanly possible.
"Who'da thunk it? You can eat all that and keep a killer body? Nice." I watched in satisfaction as her cheeks heated. Her soft skin glowing, she stood and gathered our plates, dumping them in the sink.
"Well, we have a whole Sunday. What do you wanna do?" An evil glint worked it's way into her eyes.
"Cora..." I warned. Her faced turned innocent in a flash, giving me a heart-melting smile. She batted her eyelashes and wrote three small words on the board she took off the counter.
It's a surprise.


Great.