maybethistimecx

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The Loudest Silence 

Chapter Four

For the rest of PE, guys hit on me, mostly because they wanted to hit on agirl that turned Matt down.
The girls seemed shocked that I had turned down "super-hunky Matt".
~
After PE, I toughed out 2 classes before lunch.
I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and found the girl from the locker room, who was named Beth.
I set my tray down next to her's and took a sip of her juice.
"Hey!" she said, snatching it back.
I grinned and took a bite of my grilled cheese.
It was greasy, and the cheese was layered onto it. I placed the sandwich back on my tray.
A hand dropped down on my shoulder.  I jumped, and turned around to see Theo.
"Do you need something?" I snapped.
"This is my seat," he grunted.
"Does it have your name on it?" I said, raising my eyebrows.
Theo narrowed his eyes, but sat on the other side, placing his apple on the table.
"Why is she here?" Theo said, grimacing.
"Theo. Be nice," Beth snapped, leaning towards me protectively.
"Why should I?  That... that... that person stole my locker, then walked away without even telling me who she was!" Theo said, his tone sharp.
"My name is Lucy, now shut up and eat your stupid apple," I said, taking a swig of Beth's juice.  "Whats up with you guys anyway? Are you two dating?"
Theo burst out laughing, and Beth spit out her food.
"No," Beth said, coughing.  "He's my older brother."
"Older?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. I tried to give Theo a once over without being obvious. By Theo's amused expression, I wasn't doing a good job.
"Yeah. One year. I'm 17," Theo said.  "Beth's a junior."
"I see," I said.
I wasn't sure, but I think Theo was growing on me.

The Loudest Silence 

Chapter Three

First period I had PE. Great, I would get to be sweaty all day.  I stomped my way across the courtyard to the gym, where a bunch of girls and guys were streching and talking.
I walked into the locker room, where I bumped into a girl in a towel.
"Whoops," she laughed. "Sorry.  Can't see with all the steam."
The girl grinned, her black hair curling around her shoulders as it dried.  Her eyes were big and dark, rimmed with thick lashes.
"PE uniforms are back there," she said, gesturing towards the room to the right of the room we were standing in.
"Thanks," I said, pushing past her and grabbing a random uniform.  I slipped it on. The shorts were a little long, so I rolled them a little bit.  I checked the tag. Small.
I hate being short.
I pulled my hair into a ponytail and jogged out of the locker room, my ponytail swishing, and my side bangs flopping against my forehead.
I heard a guy whistle as I ran to sit with the girls, my boots still slapping against the ground. I narrowed my eyes at the boys, scanning for the pervert.
He ended up standing up and making his way over to me.  He had short blonde hair, and his eyes were an amber brown.
"Hey," he said, winking. "I'm Max."
"Lucy," I said, shoving past him and making my way over to the girls.
Some of the guys wooted for me, and laughed at Max, who stood there dumbfounded.

The Loudest Silence 

Chapter Two

I nudged my way through the crowded hallway to my locker.
A boy with black hair was standing at it, suffing his bag inside of it. I tapped his shoulder, and he turned around. His hair fell into his eyes, which were a startling blue.
"Can I help you?'' he asked.
"Yeah, that's my locker," I said, gesturing behind him.
"No, it's mine." he said, as if I were slow.
I held up my paper.
His brows furrowed.
~
Ten minutes later we were standing in the office while the receptionist looked over her papers.
"Anything?" I asked, tapping my boot against the tile floor.
"Sorry, sweets, no luck today," she looked up at us, as if she truely wished she could build another locker.  "We can try again in a couple of days, but for now you'll have to tough it out."
"Are you sure?" the guy asked, placing his hands on the edge of her desk.
She closed her eyes and clasped her hands, nodding.
The guy staightened up and walked out without saying anything.
I ran after him, his legs much longer than my petite ones.
"HEY! HEY YOU!" I called, my boots clacking on the floor.  "WAIT."
The guy stopped abruptly, and I ran into him. I fell on my butt.
He turned around and crouched down, looking me in the eyes.
"Find another locker, blondie," he said in a threatening voice.
The nameless boy stood up and started to walk away. I scrambled to my feet and followed him.
"NO!" I shouted.  He turned.
"What did you say?" he asked, eyes narrowing.
"I said no. Find your own locker, goth boy," I squinted up at him.
"My name isn't goth boy," he grimaced at the name. "It's Theo."
"Well my name isn't blondie either," I said, walking away, not bothering to tell him what my name really was:
Lucy Bennet.

The Loudest Silence 

Chapter One
One Year Later...

 The first day of the last year of high school, I though to myself as I stomped into the giant brick building of Washington Central High School, or WCHS.
My combat books were heavy, and my eyes felt heavy, but I put on a strait face and walked through the doors.
Last year I had been perfect. Captain of the soccer team, dating a football player, nice, friends with just about anyone.
Then Greg died.
He was my 7 year old brother.
I knew I had friends, but I felt like their friendship was only to be popular.  So I broke off all ties with them. I took my hair out of the preppy, disgusting ponytail, and lost myself.
My aunt and I moved later that year. We went from our sunny California home to a tiny town in Ohio called Athens.
Some of my friend's tried to keep in touch with me, but I lost their numbers, and I didn't try to contact.
I didn't care anymore.
The only thing that kept me living was the fear that my nightmares would follow me to hell.
I had been registered at my new school last year, but I refused to go. I stayed in bed, and ignored my Aunt Meredith's pleads to get up.
What was the use?
During summer I went shopping for the first time in what felt like forever.  I only bought some eyeliner and a hoodie, but then I saw my boots.
I had a pair just like it when I was younger. My brother had gotten me them for my 15th birthday.  Combat boots, light brown. I had drawn all over them.  When we moved, I had grown out of them. They sat on my shelf until my aunt threw them away, telling me it was time to stop this nonsense and move on.
But now I had them again.
~
I walked straight to the office. I pushed my hair behind my long, almost to my waist, hair behind my ear as they handed me my schedule and locker combo.
Number 174.
When I saw the combination, I almost choked. 9-29-10.  The date of Greg's death.
I turned to the receptionist.
"Are there any other lockers available?" I asked, trying not to freak out.
"Sorry, hun," she said, her voice so sugary-sweet it was bile. "Fresh out"
I nodded and pushed open the door to go into the hallway.
The bitter lonliness made me feel like I was captured in the loudest silence I'd ever heard.

The Loudest Silence 

Prolouge
I looked down at his grave, a tear falling from my cheek.
He's gone. He's really gone. I could barely believe it.
Without Greg talking my ear off, the world was uncannily quiet, as if the entire world had stopped for his passing, as if no one could bear interrupt this horrible moment.

I wished I could scream, or even whisper, just to break the quiet.
"Lucy," Aunt Meredith tugged at my arm. I shrugged her off. I didn't need her. I didn't need anyone.  I was alone. Forever.
I lay a single white rose on the grave and kissed the picture of him smiling, his hair standing up in all sorts of ways, his front tooth missing.
/ Why would you take him? Why would you take the only thing that had ever cared about me?
Why did you take my brother from me?
Why not me?

Chapter Twenty-Three

Seven Years Later:

I walked up the ailse towards him, in his black suit, his hair slicked back, his eyes shining.  I passed Lizzie and Zach, holding hands. I passed TJ, his arms wrapped around a girl with brown hair and big brown eyes.
As I neared the altar, my heart pounded, but when I got there, and he took my hand, I was ready.
"We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of Hunter Chance and Josie Doer.  You may be seated."
I looked into Hunter's eyes, and I saw the past seven years reflected in them.  When he proposed to me on the beach where we first met, going off to college together, planning our life. Buying our house.
I barely noticed when Hunter started his vows.
"Josie, I love you. I will always love you. I promise to make you happy, to fight through whatever happens, to tough it through anything, to celebrate, and to cherish our life together. I promise I will never leave your side, I will always treasure waking up next to you every morning, and I will never regret loving you. Josie Doer, I have waited my entire life for someone like you, and I won't ever let you go."

THE END!

Chapter Twenty-Two

After a few minutes of sobbing in his yard, I stood up and started running. I didn't know where, or why, but I ended up on the beach.  It was late, so there weren't many people there.  I sat down in the sand a pulled my knees towards me and let my tears flow.
A while later I felt someone touch my shoulder.
I looked up to see Hunter.
"Go away," I muttered, rubbing my nose. I must look horrible, after crying for an hour.
Hunter stopped touching me, but he sat next to me and pulled his knees in too, staring out at the ocean.
"What's wrong with me?" I sobbed, my knees covered in tears.  "Why do I mess up everything?"
Hunter hesitantly laid his arm across my shoulders and pulled me to him, leaning my head on his shoulder.
I hiccupped as I sobbed, trying to get out words.
"Shhh, it's alright," he muttered, kissing my forehead.  I cried for what felt like hours  before I stopped blubbering and pulled away.
"Are you alright?'' he asked, concern filling his gorgeous eyes.
I nodded, and rubbed my nose,  scared that my voice would fail me.  His shirt was covered in black.
"S-Sorry," I said.
"It's alright," Hunter murmurred, wiping my eyes with his thumb.  His hand lingered on my cheek, and he pulled me towards him. I closed my eyes and let his lips touch mine, thousands of emotions racing toward the kiss.
He didn't try anything, we just sat there, lips pressed together in pain and sorrow and love.  New tears flowed down my cheeks, and I felt myself reach around him to clutch his hair.
"Josie," Hunter said, pulling away.
I rested my head on his chest, my eyes shut tight, afraid to see him, in case it was a dream.  "Don't leave."
He didn't, and we sat there, tangled in the sand, until it started to rain. The rain washed away the salt of my tears, and soaked my thin pajamas.  When I looked up at him, his hair was plastered against his forehead.
"Josie," he whispered, kissing me again.
"Hunter," I muttered against his lips when we stopped for a breath. "I'm so sorry."
"What?" he asked.
"I'm sorry about everything. About what I've done, about what I said, about Matt," I whispered. "I love you Hunter."
"I know," he whispered.  "I love you too, Josie."

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