Page 16 of Shattered Silence Duet

“Up to what chapter?”

I flip the book closed, showing the back cover.

“All of it?” he asks with raised eyebrows. “Wasn’t yesterday the first day you’d even seen a chemistry book?”

I nod.

“Holy shit…” he whispers as he stares at me. His intense gaze starts to make me squirm, so I turn my attention back to coloring.

He doesn’t say anything else after that, thankfully, and it’s not long before class ends.

“We’re going to eat in the cafeteria today. You think you’re up to it? You’ve been doing so good in class,” Jasper asks as he praisesme. My cheeks heat in embarrassment for being complimented for doing something as basic as sitting in a class.

I nod. I don’t want to disappoint him. And if he and Max are there, how bad can it be?

Chapter9

Mina

“Hey Maxy!” A high-pitched, female voice cuts through the cafeteria noise, pulling my attention to the girl standing beside Max, where the three of us are seated.

I turn to see her—a stunning girl, slim in all the places I’m not, with sleek blond hair that falls perfectly to her shoulders.

“Tiffany, I told you I don’t like that name. It’s Max, not Maxy, not baby, and definitely not honey.” Max’s tone drips with irritation, and I bite back a small smile behind my sandwich. He really doesn’t like her.

When we got here, the boys pulled food out of their bags and placed half a sandwich in front of me. I tried to give it back, but they wouldn’t hear of it. So I reluctantly started eating. The sandwich had some sort of meat on it, cucumbers, lettuce, cheese and some sort of white sauce, and was the most delicious one I’d ever had. Eating it wasn’t a hardship. I was glad they weren’t trying to feed me as much as they did yesterday, the last thing I wanted was to vomit in front of a cafeteria full of students.

Tiffany places a hand on Max’s shoulder, making my hackles rise in anger, and speaks again. “Oh, you’resofunny, Max! That’s why we get along so well—we have such a similar sense of humor.You’re coming to the party on Friday, right? I thought you could give me a lift?”

Oh god, this girl. My hands tighten on my sandwich. I want to rip her hand off his shoulder and punch her in the face. Max is my friend, and I don’t want him to be friends with her. Is that weird? He must have other friends, but the thought of him being with other girls makes my blood boil.Get a grip, girl, he’s not yours!

“Sorry, Tiffany, I don’t think so. If I do go, it’ll be with Jasper and Mina, not you,” Max says bluntly, gesturing toward us.

Oh no, why did he say my name? My eyes widen in fear when her sharp gaze lands on me, and her scowl deepens before she smooths it out into a fake smile. She reminds me of my mother, the way she can change her expression so seamlessly.

“Oh, how cute! Is she your sister? I didn’t know she goes here, too!” Her syrupy tone grates on me, and I bite into my sandwich, chewing slowly to avoid glaring at her.

“No, she’s a new student. She started this week,” Jasper replies with a hint of agitation in his voice. Good, he doesn’t like her either.

A glance at Tiffany and see when a lightbulb seems to go off in her head. “Ohhhh… she’s the mute girl,” she says, her voice laced with condescension.

I stiffen. Was there a double meaning in her words?

“That’s so sweet of you guys to befriend someone who’s… so special.”

Is that how everyone sees me? Some charity case student who needs help and pity? I don’t want pity. Is that how Jasper and Max see me? I want them to like me because of who I am. But how can they get to know me if I can’t talk? My stomach churns and I set the last bit of my sandwich down on the table and stare at it in worry.

“Tiffany, what the fuck is wrong with you?” Max snaps, his anger sharp and immediate. “Do not belittle her like that again. Just because she doesn’t talk doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with her.”

His frustration surprises me.

“You could take a note from her book and learn to talk less yourself,” Jasper adds coolly.

“Whatever. You’ll get bored of her silence soon enough. See you later, boys.” Tiffany gives a sultry wave and saunters off like their words have no effect on her.

But her parting words linger. Is she right? Will they get bored of me because I can’t talk to them? I sneak a glance at Jasper and find him already watching me.

“Not gonna happen, Angel,” Jasper says softly. “You could never speak a word, and we’d never grow bored of you.”