Silent Genius

Chapter 20

March 2011 continued

The doorbell rings around seven-o’clock Friday night.

‘I’ll get it,’ I yell, jumping over the back of the couch.

Tyler laughs as I stumble to beat Tom to the door.

‘Tanna!’ Tom yells from his room.

I slide across the tiles, slamming into the wall beside the front door. I fumble to open it. When the door swings away, I’m left staring up at a tall-blonde girl.

‘Hey, I’m Quinn,’ she laughs.

She has long, blonde curls surrounding a pale, heart-shaped face and chocolate brown eyes framed with a pair of thin-wire glasses. Her body is tall and defined, a dancers body. I smile up at her.

‘I’m Tanna,’ I reply cheerfully.

I can hear footsteps coming down the hall and turn around to face Tom.

‘Your secret girlfriend is here,’ I laugh.

Behind me, Quinn laughs as well.

‘The secrecy was my fault,’ she giggles, ‘my friends don’t understand the charms that public school boys poses.’

‘Tom? Charm? That’s a good one,’ I laugh, turning on my heel and going back to the living room.

I jump onto the couch beside Tyler. Claire runs into the living room too, squishing herself between us. Tom and Quinn sit on the other couch, holding hands.

‘This is Tyler,’ I nod at Tyler and gives a small wave, ‘and this is Claire.’

Claire smiles widely and waves. Quinn lets go of Tom’s hand and quickly walks over to the couch. She picks Claire up. Claire’s face goes purple with silent laughter.

‘Oh, she’s so cute,’ Quinn coos, cuddling her.

Claire’s smile is wide as she hugs her back, hiding her face in Quinn’s long hair. We all laugh. Then dad walks in.

‘Do you think your family would mind if I took you home?’ Quinn whispers.

We all laugh at the astonished look on Claire’s face.

‘She was kidding, Claire Bear,’ Dad says, taking her in his arms.

She buries her face in the nape of his neck, hiding her embarrassment.

‘So, now that you’re all here, what does everyone want for dinner?’ he asks.

‘Pizza,’ Tom yells.

‘Pizza,’ I yell.

‘Whatever,’ Tyler says.

‘Pizza,’ Quinn laughs.

‘Pizza it is,’ Dad laughs.

Dad leaves with Claire to go get pizza. Tyler clicks play on the remote and we go back to watching the movie that had been on before Quinn got here.

‘What are you watching?’ Tom asks.

‘Lemonade Mouth,’ I say.

‘I love that movie,’ Quinn says, sitting back to watch.

‘Tanna’s only seen this about a million times,’ Tom says, putting his arm around her shoulders.

‘Well, now it’s a million-and-one,’ I laugh, leaning on Tyler.

He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me too him. I lay back on his chest and he rests his chin on my head. Dad and Claire walk in just as the gang are getting ready to sing “Determinate” at the Halloween party. We eat while watching. After, we all get ready for bed. Our plane leaves around seven tomorrow morning so we all need the sleep. By Dad’s rules, Quinn is staying in my room and Tyler is bunking with Tom. None of us complain though.

All the lights are out by ten.