Their Violence, Your Silence.

School seemed as normal as any day although I hadn’t seen Caleb yet and he’d usually have found me by now. I didn’t mind. I didn’t want to see him so soon after Saturday. I was still not entirely over the shock of seeing him at my brothers work.

I shook my hair out of my face. Hating how it was always in my face and obscuring my already bad sight.

I sat down at the first empty table I spotted, not really caring where I sat anyway. As long as it wasn’t within Caleb’s line of sight. My eyes already scanning for his ever so familiar tall frame and mop of brown hair.

I spotted him on the other side of the cafeteria, good, and sat down placing my math book in front of me and pulling an apple from my backpack. I’d been running late this morning and because Jared had to get to his job in time I’d only had time to grab an apple for lunch.

I knew it meant I’d be hungry again next period but I didn’t want to waste money buying lunch. Skipping lunch for once couldn’t really hurt anyway.

I tried to focus on the math problem in front of me. I was trying to finish my homework as quick as possible so that I’d have time to walk to the mall or something to look if I could get a job there. I’d already done most of it during class this morning.

I couldn’t concentrate, not with the hundreds of students talking loudly around me or Caleb sitting there on the other side of the room. My eyes darted up automatically to look for him again.

I was startled when I realized he was walking in my direction. A determined look on his face. Was he coming towards me? Was he going to yell at me again? Make fun of me?

I slunk back further in my chair and tried to keep my eyes peeled on the math problem in front of me. Hoping he’d just pass me to talk to someone behind me or something.

‘I was wondering if you’d…eh… come over this afternoon? Play some video games or something?’ I heard a voice say and I knew it was Shane talking to Caleb. I’d heard excuses like that a dozen times the past week.

I smiled to myself. Well at least someone was trying to look out for me.

When I looked back up I could see both of the guys walking back where they came from.
Shane looked over his shoulder once and winked at me.

It made me smile again, maybe somehow I had a friend in this god forsaken place. That girl
Shane was always with looked really nice. Maybe I could talk to her someday… I had gym with her last period today.

I knew I’d be to chicken to say something though. I always was.

My eyes drifted back to Caleb’s table and I could see he was still looking in my direction. Was he really staring at me? He didn’t look violent or mad right now. He looked almost…wondering? Did he change his mind?

I blushed at that thought, his piercing green eyes boring into mine. Caleb Thornleigh would never change his mind about hating my guts.

I could only wish and dream.



Last period rolled around quickly. I was pleased with myself for managing to avoid Caleb even more although of course I still saw him in class but we had assigned seats there.

He’d rushed out without even looking at me, unlike normally where he’d wait for me in the hall to torment me as soon as I left the room.

It was gym now and I was incredibly nervous as always. Me and sports didn’t go well
together. Since the teacher insisted I take off my glasses so they couldn’t break. I’d spend the rest of the period paralyzed in one spot afraid the ball or whatever object we were using would hit me.

Or if the teacher took pity on me, I’d spend the whole period sitting on the bench. Pretending I was watching whatever they were doing closely while in fact all I could see was vague blurs.

Today we were going to do badminton and I knew it would be a disaster. An utter disaster because since we’d be pairing up in teams to play the teacher would never allow me to sit it out.

It would mean a miserable hour spend standing in the corner trying to keep out of whoever
was unfortunate enough to get teamed up with me’s way. Hoping the opposing team would be kind enough not to aim at me because I couldn’t see for the life of me if the shuttle was coming at me or not.

I stood quietly by myself as the teacher explained how the game worked and then accepted the racket carefully. I was starting to consider faking feeling sick so I could get out of the class.

People were teaming up all around me and going off to the different play fields that had been set up. And I for once wasn’t left standing alone. I could see the shapes of three different people looming in front of me although I couldn’t tell for sure who they were.

‘Winter you’re playing with me today,’ the voice sounded cold and a little of but it was unmistakable, Caleb. I knew I’d been to lucky to think he’d leave me alone all day.

‘Ah man I wanted to team up with her!’ came another voice I didn’t immediately recognize.
But it was female and sounded nice and genuine.

‘Come Cass, we’ll play together against them, it’ll be fun,’ that was definitely Shane’s voice. I knew because I heard him and Caleb and Marley’s voices most often.

So that girl had been Cass, if I wasn’t mistaken that was Shane’s girlfriend. They were almost always together.

‘Fine with me, do you agree Winter?’ said Caleb, his voice had a dark edge to it as if he was mad. But he’d never asked me if I agreed with anything so I was quick to nod. Being teamed with him couldn’t be as bad as playing in the team against him I reasoned.

Caleb’s warm hand on my arm was surprisingly gentle with me as he guided me towards an I assume empty field. And I could hear Cass and Shane follow closely behind us and then passing by to get to the other side.

Caleb raised his voice: ‘Careful alright? She can’t see a thing without her glasses!’ His voice still sounded cold and off and I worried about what he could have planned to humiliate me now. Although his words already caused bouts of laughter around us.

‘Caleb be nice!’ yelled Cassandra as Caleb pushed me around the field till he was satisfied I wouldn’t get in the way. I kept my head down and tried to be as small as possible. He wasn’t rough exactly but not gentle either, a little hurried. Maybe because he didn’t want to be seen touching me.

The game soon began and I cringed every time the shuttle whizzed past me. It made Cassandra laugh but it didn’t feel mean. Good natured laughing that almost made me smile as well. I really must look so stupid, standing there.

I could feel Caleb close by occasionally as he manned the entire field on his own. I could tell he did a great job because Cassandra kept score count out loud for my benefit. At least I think it was for my benefit.

I could almost feel the anger radiating off of Caleb by the end of the game. It scared me to think of what would happen next.

But when the game was over he just said goodbye curtly and stalked off. Shane patting my shoulder before hurrying off after him.

‘You okay there?’ it was Cassandra still and she softly grabbed my elbow and started steering me in the direction of the locker room without a pause.

I nodded my tongue already tying itself in knots. I knew she was a nice person but really didn’t want to say something stupid and make her hate me like everyone else.

‘Caleb looked pissed but don’t worry we’ll keep him out of your hair whenever we can. I’m Cassandra by the way, Shane was the other guy we were playing with. Do you know you have the most amazing hair I have ever seen?’

Her chattering was nice and comfortable and It reminded me strongly Katie. I bet these two would get along great.

We’d reached the locker room now and I slipped on my glasses gratefully. Looking up to look Cassandra in the eye for the first time. The girl was almost a head taller than me but that was almost everyone.

Her hair was tied up in a messy bun but dark brown locks fell into her eyes that were a soft grey color. She wore a friendly smile on her face.

‘Thank you Cassandra, that is very kind of you… my name is Winter,’ I mumbled feeling like an idiot but I owed her a reply after her kindness.

‘Oh nonsense! We should hang out sometime, we’ll I gotta go see you around girl,’ and with those promising last words she was done dressing and ran out of the locker room.

I watched the door close with a sickening thud. Already hearing the laughing voices behind me.

‘So you’re trying to steal Caleb from me are you?’ I knew that particular voice all too well…