Silence. It can be awkward; it can be comforting. Comforting silence is when me and Ben are reading in the Library. Awkward silence is me and my mum sat at a small table eating brunch. I've stuck to a bowl of cold strawberries and two croissants, whilst Mum grabbed some apple slices and toast. Somehow, I wish I didn't put my phone on silent, a distraction from this would be a literal miracle.
"Sorry about the other day," she starts "I just... I wasn't trying to tell you to change," I put a strawberry in my mouth "I just want you to be happy, and people not liking you, seemed to make you upset," I'm still just staring at her awkwardly whilst harbouring a whole bowl of strawberries in my arms "I don't even want to imagine what Mother Gothel put you through. Once everyone knows she's the bad guy..."
"Yeah..." I look down. I know exactly what she's talking about
"I guess I'm forgetting that you had friends, you were raised in a much rougher environment, you're stronger and tougher than I could ever imagine,"
"What even happened, that night," she looks shocked and I quickly jump to cover up "if you're okay with telling me, that is,"
"No, it's fine. It's your history. You deserve to know," I push a final strawberry into my mouth before placing the nearly empty bowl on the table to show her I'm listening.
"A storm had started the minute you were born; it was that night that it happened. The Isle of the Lost was already established. I was most likely high on painkillers or something. You didn't even have a name. We put you in our room. We made sure all the doors were locked. The windows too. We went to bed, and when we last checked on you, you were peacefully asleep, even though the thunder and lightning was raging on. What happened next, I can only guess. I woke up first in the morning. Your cot was empty. Mother Gothel was the first person I thought of. We got the guards to search everywhere. We found nothing. Even Adam and Belle searched Auradon. They found Mother Gothel but not you. They couldn't search everywhere. I never blamed them though. They've always been sympathetic. Ben was just a few months older than you. Belle couldn't have been more helpful. Back on track, Eugene and I... We expected the worst. The storm was strong. A trip to Auradon from Corona isn't far. But..."
"I guess that's where you got your name from?" she stops her story. It's most likely done now.
"You can only assume," I grab the bowl of strawberries again.
"What was it like there?"
"You really don't want to know," I shove two small strawberries in my mouth at once.
"Tell me whenever you're ready," She places a hand on my knee, then leans back, a piece of blood red apple between her teeth.