Deadly Silence (complete) Chapter 51

Theo joined them for lunch again on Tuesday.

That evening while chatting on the phone, Miriam said, “I told you he was into you.”

“Or he’s avoiding Abby.”

Vivian could almost hear her friend’s eyes roll. “You can’t be that dense.”

True. Vivian was aware of how things looked but she just wasn’t willing to believe a boy would be interested in her at all. “Either way, it doesn’t matter if he is or not since I’m not interested in him.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. “Vivian.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re impossible.”

“Thank you?”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

Vivian let out a bit of a sigh. “Why are you so invested in my non-existent love life anyway?”

Another moment of silence passed before Miriam spoke again. “My love life is dead so I need to live vicariously through you.”

“Why not just ask someone you like out instead of waiting for them to come to you? Do you not have a crush on anyone?”

Another long silence passed before a sigh came through the phone. “It’s not that… it’s just…”

Vivian had an idea what the issue was but didn’t want to push her friend into saying anything she wasn’t ready to say. “Sounds like we’re both in the ‘no love life for me’ boat then.”

A small laugh from Miriam came through. “Alright, I get it. I’ll keep my nose out of your love life.”

“I just don’t want… help?” Vivian explained, unsure how to put into words what she wanted to say. “If someone likes me then whatever. I don’t mind talking about it but I don’t want to be pushed into anything. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah. It does. I’m sorry, Vivian. I didn’t mean to do it. I just got… excited, you know?”

“I’ll let it slide this time. But if it happens again I’ll just have to do the same thing to you.”

“Hahaha. Good luck finding someone interested in me!”

Vivian shrugged, though her friend couldn’t see it. “I’m resourceful. I’m sure I can figure something out.”

More laughter came through and they soon ended the call. It felt nice to have someone to talk to about whatever came to mind. Smiling, Vivian went to bed, curling up with a pillow locked in her arms. If this was what having a friend was like she regretted not putting in the effort sooner.

——

The following morning Vivian was woken by another nightmare. Glancing at her phone, she let out a groan at the time. There was still an hour and a half before she had to be at the school’s track; there was no point in her trying to go back to sleep.

Instead she rolled out of bed and took her time getting ready for the day. By the time she’d eaten a light breakfast and packed her school uniform in her bag she still had lots of time left and wondered what else she could do before Gilbert arrived.

“You’re up early.” Laurent’s grumpy voice wasn’t new and Vivian nodded in response, already knowing he wasn’t interested in holding a conversation. A morning person he was not.

She watched him get his own breakfast and make for the door before he suddenly stopped and, after a brief hesitation, let out a sigh. “You want a ride to school?”

Startled by the offer, Vivian wasn’t sure how to respond. It would be nice to leave now, and having Laurent willingly extend this kind of offer was a first; but Gilbert would be there in twenty minutes… “Uhm. Sure, if you’re okay with it.”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t,” he snapped as he started moving again.

Vivian hurried to catch up, falling into step a few feet behind him as he led her to the garage where his car was parked. The doors unlocked with a beep as her brother neared the vehicle. As he slid into the driver’s seat she paused after opening the passenger’s door.

The car had two doors and to get in the back where she would normally sit she had to move the front seat forward; that meant getting out fast would be problematic. There wasn’t anything particularly wrong with sitting in the front, but if Reagan, who usually seemed to be with Laurent, was also picked up for practice it wouldn’t be right to have him sit in the back.

“What’s taking so long? Don’t know how to get in a car?”

Vivian pursed her lips together, not bothering to answer his questions. Finding the lever, she pushed the seat forward and squeezed herself into the back of the car before pulling the seat back into place. All the while Laurent watched her, his expression unreadable as she fastened her seatbelt and held her school bag on her lap.

Laurent grunted once and flicked a switch on the rear view mirror. The garage door began to open as he turned on the car, its engine purring to life.

Vivian had never been in such a fancy car before. The one Gilbert drove was a higher end model of what she would consider a regular car, but this one was much sleeker. Maybe it was time she took an interest in cars.

Shaking her head, she banished that thought almost as soon as it entered her mind. Cars just didn’t interest her enough to bother learning more than the basics. It did remind her to text Gilbert she’d gotten a ride with Laurent. Hopefully he was an early riser and wouldn’t feel put out when he learned she didn’t need him.

They rode in silence for about ten minutes when Laurent turned the car into a driveway. The property was well maintained and landscaped with an eye towards wild growth instead of manicured perfection. Even the house, a single story building that had to be just as big as the Devreaux’s minus the extra stories, had ivy growing in what had to be strategic locations to give the entire thing a fairytale look.

Reagan exited the front door and waved as he jogged to the car as it came to a stop. “Morning!” The redhead greeted as he opened the passenger door and hesitated when he noticed Vivian in the back seat. “Vivian! Good morning.”

She gave him a wave but said nothing. Reagan slid into the front seat and buckled himself in. “I didn’t know you were bringing your sister this morning.”

“Last minute change,” Laurent replied, voice gruff as he stepped on the gas.

“How’ve you been?” Reagan asked, turning to look at Vivian. “Enjoying track?”

“It’s alright,” she nodded a little. He didn’t need to know how on days without practice she used the treadmill in their home gym and how bad it went. Three eighths of a kilometer was the best she could do before wanting to collapse in a breathless heap.

Vivian stayed quiet the rest of the drive, listening to the idle chitchat between the two boys before Reagan turned on some music.

Once they arrived Laurent found a parking spot near the back entrance to the school and climbed out without so much as a glance back at his sister. Vivian didn’t mind being ignored as she struggled to squeeze out from the backseat, tripping over the seatbelt with the grace of an elephant. Reagan managed to catch her arm before she hit the pavement, saving her from injury.

“You alright?” He asked after she was able to stand by herself once more.

“Yeah. Thanks.”

“No problem. See you at practice!” The redhead waved as he jogged after her brother, who’d stopped at the door to wait for his friend. Laurent glanced her way before following his friend inside, letting the door close before she reached the stairs.

It was still an improvement to how he’d been dealing with her since arriving; he’d been ignoring her before and now he’d acknowledged her existence. Baby steps were still steps.