Page 9 of Fractured Souls

I feel a blush come over my cheeks as Ryker leans towards me and whispers, “I've never seen someone look so goddamn beautiful and at peace as you just did playing. You enrapture me.” His voice and words send a shiver down my spine, bringing tears to my eyes that I quickly blink away.

I should not be feeling so strongly based on a few words from a stranger.

The rest of the period flies by, and I find myself smiling more than I have in three years just from being around a piano again. At least I'm telling myself it's the piano and not the company. I should've known it wouldn't last.

ChapterFour

Harley

After class, Ryker winks at me and takes off as I wait for Lex outside the classroom. When Lex and I walk into the cafeteria, a lot of eyes turn to look at us, and I feel the need to turn back and leave, but Lex drags me through to a table in the middle that has two other guys and a girl at it. Lex introduces us and lets them all know I'm mute. I get weird looks, but they soon move on to have conversations between each other.

The cafeteria is a fairly large room with long rectangular tables set up throughout. When we first came in, we walked by the food area, and just smelling all the food makes my stomach grumble. I want to eat, but I don’t have money to get anything. So instead, I am sitting here trying to ignore my rumbling stomach.

As I zone out, I feel eyes on me and look around the room, spotting a corner table in the back. Ryker from piano class, the guy from the office who I know is Cayden, and one other guy are sitting there by themselves, and all three of them are staring at me.

When I look at them, the third guy looks away, but Ryker and Cayden keep staring right at me. Ryker winks at me and quirks an amused grin. I look away and with shaky fingers grab a notebook from my bag and write to Lex that I'm going to the bathroom. She nods and returns to her lunch and chatting.

I shakily stand and try to calmly walk out of the cafeteria to find the closest bathroom. I go in to hide in a stall; I know it's pathetic, but I'm not used to this. I've been locked away for three years. It's hard to adjust.

I take some deep breaths and work on calming myself down. I know I just need to adjust to it all. So much noise, the strong smells, eyes on me… Just as I start to calm down, the bathroom door bangs open, causing me to jump, and some other girls come in. I raise my feet up on the seat with me wanting to stay hidden. They talk about makeup and their classes for a while, and then it gets quiet.

“So what do you think of the new girl? Did you see how Lex has been attached? She probably has a crush on her,” one girl says.

Then the other one pipes up, “Cayden has been staring at her all day. I saw him doing it in history and at lunch. Ryker and Grayson, too.”

Before she can say anymore, someone who I am assuming is Queen B speaks up in her high-pitched, shrill voice. “I'm not worried. She's a freak who can't even talk and dresses like a homeless person. Ry and Cade are mine. I'm still working on getting them away from Grayson, which I need to talk to Lex about anyways. Let's go, girls.”

They all leave, and I stay for a few more minutes. Why would she need to talk to Lex? That's odd. But not my business. I try not to take offense to what they said, but it still sucks. I just wish I could talk so I could at least protect myself better.

I hide in the bathroom for a few more minutes before I decide I can’t just run and hide from things all the time. I am supposed to make use of this time out of my hell. I leave the bathroom and wander around. I find more of my classes and the library. I round a corner, planning to just head towards my locker since I still have ten minutes before class, but I stop short when I see Ryker, Cayden, and the other guy, Grayson I'm guessing from what that girl said in the bathroom. Fuck.

I turn quickly, trying to get away before they see me, but that plan goes to shit when I plow right into the wall. Ow, fuck. That hurts. I rub my nose and then realize I am supposed to be getting away. Before I can even take a step, a deep chuckle comes from behind me.

I turn slowly and see Ryker standing there. “You okay there?” he says with a look of mirth. I nod and give a thumbs up. He shakes his head and tries to hide a smile. “Come on, come hang out with us before the bell rings.”

Before I can try to figure out how to get away, he loops his arm with mine and pulls me towards Cayden and Grayson, who are still standing by the lockers. Cayden looks stone-faced while Grayson’s lips are turned in a kind smile.

"Are you okay? That looked like it hurt." I nod again at Grayson's question.

I seriously wonder if Mother would truly know if I talked. Not being able to fucking sucks. But I think this is one of those things that's not worth the risk. My mom used to say to me, 'Pick your battles. Sometimes they aren't worth your energy, and sometimes they are.' I think this one isn't worth it. I don't want to jeopardize Mother pulling me from school. Especially since I don't know why she's sending me here.

A throat clears, pulling my attention from my thoughts. I look at them and all three are staring at me. The differences between these three astonishes me. Cayden is silent and broody. He looks like he's always calculating things with his eyes. Grayson seems gentle, softer. His eyes show his emotions. The complete opposite of the brute next to him. Ryker, though, is hard to understand. Maybe that's just because I'm not used to being around people, but he seems like the funny, loud one. Still, when I look at his eyes, they show a different story. It's confusing to me.

"How's your first day going?"

I realize I can't actually respond. Before I try to pull a notebook out to answer Grayson's question, a rectangle is shoved in front of me. I glance at it and see a white screen and then what looks like a tiny keyboard. I glance up at Cayden, who is holding it out to me.

I must show my confusion because Ryker jumps in, "Harley, do you not know what this is?" I hesitantly shake my head, getting worried about where this conversation is going. Ryker glances at Cayden and Grayson before looking back at me. "It's a phone. Do you not have one?"

Oh, a phone. Wow, I feel like an idiot. My mom had one, so of course I know what it is. I just haven't seen one in three years. And this one looks fancier than what I remember Mom having. I shake my head at Ryker's question. He grabs the phone from Cayden and shows it to me. "Just type on the keyboard part and we can read whatever you put. It'll be easier than always having to pull out a notebook."

I give a tiny smile. Tears burn the back of my eyes, but I blink them away. They are being so nice to me. I don't understand. I take the phone from him when he offers it to me.

"Do you use sign language? I don't know it, but I've always been interested in learning it," Grayson says, his cheeks turning pink when Ryker picks on him for being nerdy.

I shake my head.

"You don't? How do you communicate with your family at home?"

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