• AMALIA •
I wake up when it's dark outside, but I'm still exhausted when I pull myself up into a sitting position and look around the room.
It takes me a moment to remember everything. My brothers. Shouting. The bathroom. My grandparents coming and declaring I go back with them.
I let out a small sigh of relief when I see Petal next to me, though she's in her dog bed.
I climb off the bed, careful not to wake Petal up as I lift her into my arms—she must be tired, too, since she stayed awake with me practically the entire time—and walk out of the room. I don't know where I'm going, but this house seems small and cozy, so it doesn't take me long to find the stairs and walk down them.
When I get to the last step, I hear voices.
"—ridiculous! The first words I had to hear out of my grand-baby's mouth after nine years is 'is it safe to sleep?' I swear, I am gonna kill all of those boys." My grandmas voice reaches me in the hall, and I follow it until I get into the kitchen. When I step into the door, my grandparents both look at me.
"Hi, baby." My grandmother says. "Are you feeling alright?"
I nod tiredly. She smiles and stands, walking over to me. "Let's get you something to eat, yeah? You must be hungry." She suggests, leading me over to the dining table they're sitting at and pulling a chair out for me. I sit in it, sending her a thankful smile. She plants a kiss in my hair. "How about some pasta?"
I nod.
"Alright." She whispers, making her way over to the stove. My grandad stands up and walks to her.
"You sit down, I'll make it." He says.
"I can make pasta."
"Not without burning it." He replies swiftly. She crosses her arms, and his lips tilt up in the corners. "Go watch some TV with Amalia, I'll make us all some food."
She sighs and walks over to me. I see my grandad smile as she sets a hand on my shoulder. "Let's go watch a movie while your grandad slaves away in the kitchen for us."
I giggle as I stand, bundling Petal back up in my arms again, and follow my grandma into the living room. She turns the fireplace on, then gets a blanket and lays it over both of us when I sit down beside her.
• ELIJAH •
I don't remember anything that happened last night. So when I get a call from my dad, fuming, it takes me a second to remember.
"I swear to God, Elijah, if Amalia stops speaking after this, after all the progress she's made, I'm gonna kill all of you." He exclaims, making my headache worsen. I look around the room, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
• FOURTEEN HOURS EARLIER •
• TW: SEXUAL ASSAULT •
"Has anyone checked on Amalia?" I ask Xander as a girl I don't know passes me a drink. I smile at her and down it within a moment.
Everyone only came over an hour ago, but more people than we expected showed up, and I don't want her to be scared.
"I don't think so."
YOU ARE READING
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Teen FictionAmalia Romano is a selective mute. After years of enduring abuse from her step father, who has ridiculed and hurt her mercilessly, she doesn't want to talk, for fear of what might happen if someone doesn't like what she says. But then her step...
