Silent Scream (Hiatus)

Chapter 2

To take my mind off it, I pulled out my social studies homework.

I had just opened my student workbook, when I heard, "Ashley baby, you make me feel so alive. I’ve got purpose once again (Yeah Yeah) Ashley baby, you make me feel so alive, I’ve got purpose once again (Yeah Yeah, Yeah Yeah)." – My cell phone was ringing.

I picked it up. The caller ID read, "Unavailable." Hmm ...

"Hello?" I answered, curious. Wrong number, probably.

The voice on the other end of the phone sent Goosebumps up and down my spine.

"I didn't like those jeans you wore today. Don't wear them again." It was deep, scratchy and it sounded disguised. I couldn't tell if it was a guy or a girl.

"Who – who is t-t-t-this?" I stuttered, my hands shaking. "Brooklyn, is that you?"

"DON'T tell anyone about us, or your friends and family will be dead," was the response I got.

I shrieked, pressed the "end" button and threw my cell phone across the room. Us? What’s “us”? I wondered.

I brought my knees to my chin and wrapped my arms around my legs. I rocked back and forth, panicking.

"Why is this happening to me? Why? Why? Why?"

There was a knock on my door - my mom. "Ash, honey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, mom," I croaked. "Just ... bad cramps," I lied again. I have a knack for that.

"Okay, sweetie," Then I heard her go back downstairs.

I thought I would have a heart attack when once again, I heard, "Ashley baby, you make me feel so alive. I’ve got purpose once again (Yeah Yeah)."

I gulped. Should I answer it?

But what if it's that person again?

"If looks could kill you’d be the one, that takes my world and makes me numb. I’m nothing without you, I can’t breath (I can’t breath)."

But what if it's not?

I slowly inched off the bed and crawled across the floor to my phone, where it lay against the wall.

With my hands shaking, I picked it up, pressed "talk," and said, "H-h-h-h-hello?"

"Ashley?"

Oh, thank God. I released a huge puff of air that I hadn’t realized I'd been holding in.

"Oh, hey, Rach."

"Are you okay? You sound strange."

"I'm fine ... I was just ... seeing how long I could hold my breath for ..."

"Oh, ha ha, that sounds like you."

I chuckled. "Yeah ..."

Rachel is my best friend. She's much prettier than me, or maybe I just have low-self esteem. Guys couldn't get enough of her long blonde hair and green eyes. Rachel has a gorgeous figure from playing sports. Because she's athletic, guys really like her too. Although, she's even shorter than me, at 5 feet, it's easy to over look. She has a bubbly personality and she can be funny when she wants to be. The one thing that I admire about her is that she's not afraid to talk back to teachers. Boys also find that attractive in her. It shows that she has confidence.

I've been friends with her for so long, I wonder why she's put up with me for all these years. She's way more popular than me.

"So, what's up?" I asked her, beginning to calm down.

"Not much. I just missed you after school. You headed home so quickly, I didn't get a chance to say bye."

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that."

"Its okay," she paused.

"What?"

"That wasn't the real reason I called."

"Oh really? Care to elaborate?"

"Indeed," I could just picture her grinning on the other end of the phone. "Guess what?"

"Hmm ... what?" I asked, slightly distracted. I couldn’t tell her about the phone call…I mean…I couldn’t risk it. What if he was serious, and would kill her if I told?

"Kurt asked about you." Kurt is the guy I have a crush on. Too bad he doesn't know I exist – Until now.

"He did?"

"Yup. Get this – he asked me what you're doing this weekend."

"Are you serious?"

"Mhm. I guess that makeover I gave you for that party last weekend really did the trick."

"Yeah, I guess," I replied, finding it difficult to be excited. "Does Brooklyn know?" Problem: Brooklyn likes him too, and she hates me. Who knows why? According to my mom, she just "jealous."

"Ash, are you sure you're okay? I thought you'd be totally thrilled about this. And no, she doesn't, at least I don't think she does."

"Good. And I'm sorry ... its just – " I can't stop thinking about a certain someone I met today.

"Is there someone else?"

"Yes, I mean, sort of. I mean, not really ..."

She was smiling, more like smirking, I could tell. "What's his name?"

"Patrick."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I met him today. And Rachel, gosh, is he ever gorgeous."

Rachel laughed. "Really? How'd you meet him?"

Shoot... "Um... he... ran me over with his bike..."

"Oh my God, are you okay?!"

I laughed. "Yeah, not a scratch on me." I should hope not, considering you were in an imaginary bike collision. I thought.

"Good."

Then I heard a faint, "Get off the phone!" coming from Rachel's end. "Well, I guess I gotta go," she told me.

"K, Rach."

"See ya tomorrow." And then my phone beeped, telling me I had a new voicemail message.

"Yup. Ciao."

I hung up, and dialed my own number to listen to my message. I wondered who it could be. No one besides Rachel ever calls me.

I held the phone to my ear, and that same scratchy voice greeted me on the other end. "You should try wearing your hair up. It would look sexy."

"Leave me alone!" I screamed at my phone.

Then I threw it against the wall, knocking the battery from it.