Their Violence, Your Silence.

When I woke up that morning I was so nervous that I decided to skip breakfast all together, I was sure I wouldn’t be to keep it down anyway. I had gotten up early and dressed quickly, urging Jared to hurry up as well.

I hoped Caleb would forget all about me but just to make sure I wanted Jared to drop me off at school half an hour earlier than normal. That way I wouldn’t be home if Caleb did decide to pick me up.

If Marley saw the two of us together I was sure she’d do much worse to me then what I’d seen of her yesterday. She might even decide to hurt Caleb as well.

‘I thought Caleb was picking you up Winter…’ Jared said as I told him again that he had to hurry. He was sitting at the kitchen table taking his time to eat his cereal.

I scowled at him as I adjusted the horned rimmed glasses. No matter what I did they weren’t comfortable at all.

Opening my mouth to give him a piece of my mind I was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. ‘And there he is, early though,’ Jared said with a wide grin.

That couldn’t be Caleb… If we’d go to school now we’d be an hour early. Surely Caleb wouldn’t want that, or was it on purpose so he could drive me there without anyone seeing us together?

Jared sighed and got up from his chair to open the door, I was still rooted to the spot.
‘Morning Caleb! You’re early,’ Jared said cheerfully. It seemed like he really liked Caleb, after what happened yesterday.

I couldn’t hear Caleb’s reply but I heard Jared laugh loudly before he said: ‘She in the kitchen, I’ll send her out.’

Gathering my courage I picked up my schoolbag and walked out of the kitchen to the front door. There I mumbled a ‘hi’ without looking, slipped my shoe’s on and grabbed my coat.

When I did look up my breath caught in my throat, Caleb was leaning against the doorframe and he looked (as always) incredible. His brown hair glowing like autumn in the soft morning light, his face thrown into stark contrast.

The piercing green of his eyes made my knees weak as I slowly stood up and made my way towards him. He was dressed immaculately in loose designer jeans with a hole on the left knee, a slightly tight band tee that showed the defined muscles of his chest. Over that a black leather jacket that made him look dangerously male.

‘Take care of her in school today, I’d rather not find more bruises when I pick her up tonight,’ Jared said and finally he sounded serious. There was a warning in his words there.

‘I’ll drop her off safe and sound after school myself,’ was Caleb’s reply. I’d finally reached him and he grabbed my schoolbag and slung it over his shoulder effortlessly. His other hand going to the small of my back to gently push me towards his car.

It was a shiny silver one today, I had no clue what kind of car but it looked fast and expensive. Jared whistled, ‘Pretty ride, what happened to that black beauty?’

Caleb laughed and it was a warm, genuine sound that send shivers down my spine, good shivers. ‘She’s in the shop again I’m afraid. Damian was a little rough with her last night…’

Damian was a little rough? What was that supposed to mean? I didn’t like the guy one bit, heavily build and more arrogant then Caleb had ever been. He was on the swim team as well although he wasn’t as good as Caleb was.

I remembered only too well how he’d ruined my books one day, just for the fun of it.

‘Alright,’ Jared was grinning, obviously looking forward to working on the car again. ‘It’s just a little dent though, nothing spectacular,’ Caleb added.

We’d reached the shiny silver car and Caleb opened the passenger door for me like a gentleman. I sat down on the chair carefully. Smooth leather upholstering again, I stroked my hands over the soft surface. Caleb deposited my bag at my feet.

‘You take good care of my lil’ sister, and I’ll take good care of your car,’ I heard Jared say. When Caleb opened the door on the driver’s side and got in. There was no reply but he might have nodded.

We drove off rather slowly, driving at just below the speed limit. I knew Caleb was only doing that because Jared was watching.

‘You were early…’ I heard myself say, my voice steady.

Caleb cast me an exasperated look, ‘Of course, if I hadn’t been you’d have forced your poor brother to drive you to school even earlier. I had to be early to prevent that.’

Oh… How had he known I’d do that? Did he pay that much attention to me? I couldn’t stop the warm feeling from spreading.

Feeling like I had to put up even a small token of resistance however I said: ‘Nearly got away with it too, few more minutes and we’d have been gone. Don’t get why you would want to ruin your reputation by showing up with me at school though…’

‘Winter! I don’t care about my reputation, not anymore at least. Keeping you from harm is more important than that.’

He sounded annoyed now, as if he was tiring from repeating himself over and over. Of course I had been forcing him to keep saying that. In all honesty I liked hearing him say it.

A smile was tugging at my lips and I was sure he had noticed that as well because the frown on his face disappeared and his eyes started twinkling with mischief. ‘You’re not getting rid of me now, I’ll be your personal bodyguard in school until Marley decides to back off.’

When we arrived at the school it was much later than I expected. Other students were arriving already, groups of them talking spread out across the lawn and parking lot.

Caleb’s shiny silver car drew attention as he smoothly pulled into an empty spot. People we’re already making their way over to greet him. Friends and followers.

Caleb didn’t get out immediately, instead he turned to me with a reassuring smile on his face: ‘Ready to face the music?’

I gulped, obviously more afraid of the crowd and their opinions then he was. He was already getting out, hurrying around the car to get to my door. I could see how people we’re trying to look in through the dark tinted windows to see who I was.

Then the door opened and Caleb reached out his hand for mine. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be right beside you the whole time,’ he said.

I sighed heavily, time to face the music indeed. Then I grabbed his hand and allowed him to pull me out of the car.