Their Violence, Your Silence.

‘Morning Winter!’ Cassandra met me at the entrance of school. ‘I had such a fun weekend, Shane took me out to dinner. It was soooooooooooo romantic. It was our one year anniversary you know.’

She slipped her arm through mine and steered me in the general direction of the English class, the one other class next to gym I had with her.

‘I think Caleb is in school, I saw his car so you better stick close to me alright? We don’t want Marley to see him near you and have a repeat of last Monday now do we?’

My stomach plummeted at that news. He was in school again? How could I face him after what happened yesterday? My face flushed in embarrassment as I remembered the situation.

I realized that somehow I didn’t care about what happened Monday, with Marley. Honestly it felt kind of nice to know that she felt threatened by me. I mean I was a geek and according to her the ugliest thing in existence so there was no reason for her to think I’d be able to steal Caleb from her was there?

But somehow, miraculously she did feel threatened.

Even more surprising was that I shared this revelation with Cassandra. It made her laugh really hard, before she said: ‘Winter… you’re not the ugliest thing in existence. Trust me, Marley should feel threatened.’

A blush spread itself across my cheeks. ‘You’re just saying that… Besides Caleb really hates me I’m sure of that!’

Cassandra’s normally soft grey eyes hardened a little as she tried to look stern. ‘Winter, you’re so stupid…’ Oh great now I turned her against me! At the thought my heart gave a painful jolt.

‘That boy is in love with you!’

She said it so loud that the people around us looked up in surprise and stared at us. I was so stunned by her words myself that I momentarily forgot to breath.

In love with me? Caleb in love with me? The possibility Cassandra had so nicely presented to me sounded too good to be true. And absolutely impossible.

I found myself laughing so hard I nearly fell off my chair. My laughter was quickly joined by Cassandra’s high soprano and I realized I really had made a friend.

The teacher brought a quick end to our bout of laughter when she entered the room. Behind her Caleb entered and his eyes, his green eyes were confused as he looked from me to Cassandra. Then they hardened the way I’d seen them harden a million times.

See ridicules, he hated me.

I turned to Cassandra with what I hoped was an ‘I really doubt it’ look and found her smirking knowingly.



Lunch brought another surprise. I hadn’t seen Cassandra since English period besides the quick wave she’d given me before joining her friends at a table to eat.

Caleb had ignored me all day and was still ignoring me at lunch seated at his normal table with all his friends and of course Marley. Even from a distance I could tell her nails we’re manicured a scarlet red.

No the surprise was Shane. He passed by my table on his way to Caleb and as usual now said Hi. He’d continued walking and then suddenly turned around and walked back to me.

His face nearly split in two by a wide grin he said: ‘Cassie seems to really like you Winter.
Mind if I joined you?’

I nearly choked on the small sip of water I’d just taken. Join me? What the… I found myself blushing as I nodded to him.

‘Of course, sit down wherever you like…’ and he did, he sat down on the chair right beside me and started digging into the food he’d piled on his tray.



I was staring again, I knew I was, but I really couldn’t help myself. What was he doing there?

What did he want from innocent little Winter? They were seated at the same table together. His chair way too close to her in my opinion.

‘Dude… Relax or something!’ Damian exclaimed from beside me. The guy patted me roughly on the shoulder managing to successfully break me from my trance.

I realized I was gripping the table so tightly my knuckles were turning white. It was hard relaxing them but I managed and placed my fists in my lap underneath the table.

‘What’s up with you lately? You’re all pissed and well… distant the whole time.’ Marley exclaimed from my other side. ‘Try be more nice, I like you better that way.’

I snorted derisively, yeah because being nice to her was all that mattered… She was really getting on my nerves, just like Shane was and I wanted to just punch something.

I decided it would be best to find a way to get my mind of Winter somehow. Maybe go see a movie or something? That should keep me distracted.

On impulse I said: ‘Fine, wanna go to the movies tonight or something?’

Marley gave me one of her billion dollar smiles and nodded, ‘Oh that would be really nice baby, can I pick which one?’

I groaned inwardly, okay this was a very stupid way of distracting myself… Although maybe it was just God’s way of punishing me for my cruelty towards Winter.



‘Winnie! I got a surprise for you!’ were Jared’s words of greeting as I stepped into the car.
For once he was on time and the parking lot was still crowded with teenagers. Most of them staring at the very old beat up car Jared was driving.

‘Hey Jared,’ I said with a smile.

‘I’m taking you to the movies tonight Sis!’ then he hesitated before he added: ‘Well Drew and the guys are coming as well but you know… I thought it be nice if you went out for once.’ He was positively beaming at me as he said this.

Movies, that was nice. I think I hadn’t been to the movies in two years. I’d held the occasional movie night with Katie but other than that…

I smiled back at my brother, ‘you don’t have to take me along… If you want to hang out with just the guys that’s fine with me.’ But he was already driving towards the cinema.

At the cinema Drew and Jared’s other friends were already waiting.

All four of them.

I swallowed convulsively, I liked the guys but I knew I’d be patted and coed at as if I was a little girl. They all were like that, thinking of me as their baby sister.

Most of the guys had been friends of Jared in High school, I’d known them for years just like they’d known me for years and knew how much I’d been bullied.

Drew was the oldest one, being 27 and owning his own garage and all… It didn’t mean he was the most mature though.

That was Chris, always quiet and serious, until of course something happened, then he stepped in and took charge. I’d always thought of him as the future president or something. Smart and just. He studied law and I just knew he’d be a good judge one day.

It was a surprise to see him here though since he went to Harvard and wasn’t around much anymore.

I smiled warmly at him as he stepped forward to hug me. ‘Hey there Winnie. How are you holding up in your new school? Jar said you made some knew friends?’ His cool blue eyes looked at me concerned for a moment before he turned to greet Jared.

Then there was the twins, Michael and Niklas, blue eyed and fair haired. They too worked at the garage together with Jared. But they worked part time and took classes at a college nearby. I had no idea what though…

Shortly after I followed the guys into the theatre, I didn’t really care what movie we’d be watching I was just happy to be here, surrounded by people who did like me.

Chris popped up at my side as we made our way to our appointed seats. ‘So Winter, who is this new friend you made? Or is he your boyfriend now?’ he was smiling at me, his eyes twinkling. He slung his arm across my shoulder as he steered me towards the correct row of chairs.

A blush spread across my cheeks, caused by his comment about Caleb and his arm. I wasn’t used to so much attention from him.

And then we reached our row.

I froze.

My breath got stuck in my throat and my mouth went dry.

‘Something wrong?’ that was Chris but he sounded far away now.

I could hear the rest of the guys mutter and urging me on. But all I could stare at was the boy sitting in one of the two taken chairs in the whole row.

‘Hello Winter,’ was all he said with his slightly rough low voice.

All I could see were those crystal clear, green eyes.