mute [r. tozier]

one

may's fingertips brushed past the spines of books she had already read; the dust flying in the golden hues of sunlight. she scrunched up her nose as she desperately tried to find a novel she had yet to read. waltzing past the great gatsby and the death of a salesmen she found herself in the fantasy section.

she could always reread the harry potter series again. may had found herself wrapped up in the imaginary world of witches and wizards too often. they were her go to books if she couldn't decide on another.

may sighed, pulling harry potter and the sorcerer stone from the shelve. she placed the book into her book bag before walking past the door. the librarian trusted may to bring the books back. she was an older woman in her early 50s. her hair had gone grey and she had thin glasses that were always perched on the tip of her nose. the librarian had no reason not to trust may, after all, she always did bring the books back.

may walked outside of the library, a soft smile on her face. she stuck her hands into the front pockets of her sun bleached, jean cut offs as she admired the setting sun. the warm august air blanketed mays skin. she walked toward a familiar blue car parked out front of the building. may skipped to backseat and waited for it to open.

vic opened the backseat door and stepped out of the car before running his fingers through his already slicked back, platinum hair. his dirty blond roots were showing, and may knew that he was due for another hair-dying session in her small, closet-sized bathroom. she didn't mind though. vic was kind and soft spoken, though the boy knew nothing about dying hair.

 he gave may a soft smile as she crawled into the middle seat. patrick sat on her left behind the driver, which was belch, and vic sat behind henry.

"took you long enough sis," henry teased, gazing behind to the backseat. may sighed, flushing slightly from embarrassment, but the heat covered for her redden cheeks like an alibi. henry nudged mays knee gently before twisting back into his seat. henry stuck his hand out of his rolled down window and waited for bleach to place the car into drive. he liked feeling the air and wind whip around his skin.

"hes just kiddin ya babes" patrick muttered from beside her, "now, show me. which one did you pick out?"

mays eyes lit up as she scurried to grab her book bag, and a playful smile tugged as her glossy lips. patrick waited patiently, chuckling at how excited the girl got over something as silly as a book. patrick wasn't a huge reader-- or really a reader at all for that matter. he had dyslexia and hated how much he struggled, though he would always get excited with may whenever she would get a new novel. may pulled out the hard-covered book and set it gently in patrick's lap, waiting to grasp his reaction.  

"harry potter?" he paused and looked down at the blonde. her eyes were still on the book's cover. "baby, haven't you already read this one?" patrick smirked, studying the back of the novel. may shyly nodded her head, toying with the story strings on the bottom of her short's cuffs. patrick huffed playfully, then let a soft smile grow on his flips. "must be real good then."

may nodded her head sheepishly again, before taking the book back and placing it into her bag gently. patrick clicked his tongue softly as he reached over to push mays hair out of her face. an action he did quite often. if she wasn't going to express herself through words, patrick found it easier to watch for micro expression through her eyes. a whirlwind of emotions were always held in the soft, ocean foam-colored eyes of hers, and he had learned that in his three years of knowing her.

may was not much of a talker. she never had been. may had always been naturally quiet and rather shy, but ever since the passing of their mother, may and henry's home life had never been the same. any of the sparse words she would speak had vanished completely. 

once henry met vic, belch, and patrick, he immediately started to feel happier. they kept his mind off of the things his father would do to him once he was home. the boys found out henry had a sister, and offered her into their group with open arms, even if she was a year younger. may was henry's biological sister, but she quickly became a sister to the rest of the boys too-- or at least most of them. the whole group would go to hell and back if it meant protecting may, and for the four boys, may was their only weakness. each held a soft spot for the younger.

"first day of school tomorrow, you excited?" patrick leaned down to mumble in mays ear. she sighed, slumping in her seat. 

junior year started tomorrow for may. she hated being at home but didn't like school all that much either. her only friends were henry and the boys. and henry was her brother— so she didn't count him-- but, may didn't hang out with the boys during school. she didn't like see what they would do to all those kids. she couldn't bring herself to watch them bully underclassmen, though she did know that it was only henry. the rest of the boys had fallen out of their ways.

henry was troubled to say the least. may knew that. she tired her best to help him stay calm during the moments when she could, though she couldn't be with him all the time and that crushed her. he was getting better, but helping henry took time.

may shook her head, finally answering patricks question. his eyes soften. "no? why not?"

may shrugged her shoulders, leaning her head on patrick's shoulder. he softly smiled before wrapped his arm around her shoulder and patting her head. "i understand."

patrick and henry were the only ones who understood her quietness. vic and belch knew vaguely why may was mute, and about her social anxiety but they really didn't understand. they found it best to not ask questions, and so they let the older two look after her, and take care of her. 

may just wished henry and patrick would show their soft sides at school. may wanted to show people why she wasn't scared of the bowers gang. she was a bowers; she had no need to be scared.