Just because I'm silent, doesn't mean I'm innocent.

Mae

I got home, and I was so tired. I didn't want to think about tonight, but I couldn't stop replaying it over and over and over again in my head.

I walked into my room and headed straight for the restroom. I needed a shower. Once I got out of the shower, I changed in my restroom then walked out.

My heart dropped like it normally did because there was someone in my room.

Mitch.

When I saw who it was my heart relaxed and my nerves settled. It wasn't Mitch. He was dead. I guess I didn't have to worry about that anymore.

The relief.

"I'm sorry, Mae... I'm so sorry," Billy said, desperately. He looked at my piano and smiled before looking around my room. It ended quickly because there wasn't much to look at. "You should play the piano for me sometime."

I kept looking at him, not showing any emotion, and he sighed before tossing a bag on the ground in front of me. He made an explosion sound and it reminded me of the first time I tried making the drop-off. He told me to open the bag, so I did. The duffle bag was filled with money. Stacks of hundreds.

"Why?" I signed.

"You need money, and it's an apology. It's from Aaron, Josh, Jose, and me," Billy said. I closed the bag and held it out to him, but he didn't take it. My arms were too tired, so I dropped the bag on the floor and closed my eyes. I just wanted to go to sleep and have a peaceful dream. "It's yours. Treat yourself."

The door opened, and I back up until I saw Zach. I thought it was Mitch, again. I was going to need some time to get used to the fact that Mitch was dead. I looked at Billy, and he looked sad. There was a concerned look in his eyes.

I kept looking at him. He knew what Mitch would do to us and now Mitch was dead. I couldn't help but think they had something to do with it.

"Ask Billy if he had anything to do with Mitch's death," I signed to Zach, so he translated it to Billy.

"I heard it was a drinking and driving accident," Billy answered. "If you're asking if we got him drunk, the answer is no. He didn't deserve a drink from us."

"Did Mitch really die from a drinking and driving accident?" I asked.

"Yeah, but it wasn't as natural as they happen," Billy told me. "Him being drunk was just a coincidence."

"A coincidence? So he was going to die that night no matter what?" Zach asked.

"No matter what," Billy assured.

"Do you know who killed Mitch?" I asked and every time I signed, Zach would translate what I signed.

"Yeah, but it wasn't us," Billy answered, but I couldn't tell if he was lying or not. "He owed some money to the Reapers. Must have been them."

"You kept tabs on him?" I asked, and he nodded.

"We knew the Reapers were going to collect from your father, and we knew he didn't have the money. His debt was paid with his life."

"Could you have stopped it?" Zach asked. I heard motorcycles revving, so I looked out the window then looked back at Billy.

"The guys are out there. They wanted to see you before we left. The crew's a mess. I need to fix it."

"Why is it a mess?" Zach asked.

"Some new recruiters that are family keep looking towards me every time Razor gives an order. They want me to confirm that order, and Razor hates it," Billy told us. I asked him how he was going to fix it, and he said he was going to take his crew back.

We all walked out and the guys couldn't look at me. "I'm sorry, Slugger," Aaron said and got off his bike. "I never meant for that to happen. I blame myself. If me and Billy would have never asked you to get that tat, you would have never gotten burned."

"It's okay," I told him, but he shook his head. He and I both knew that it wasn't okay. "You had orders. You can't disobey those."

"I'm sorry," Jose signed and that was the first time he signed something on his own without me teaching him.

"The crew is gonna change, but you'll always be protected," Josh assured. "If you need anything, just call. We'll come riding back." They got off their bikes and kept apologizing. After they hugged me, they got back on their bikes.

"You'll also be protected by the Serpents right?" Billy asked and smiled, smugly. "He's good looking, I guess. If you like the little boy look."

"Didn't you have that look when I met you?" I asked, and he laughed after Zach translated it.

"Yeah, and you liked me then too," Billy said, and I smiled just a little bit because I didn't know he knew.

"I did not," I lied.

"Keep telling yourself that," Billy said, and they all started their bikes.

"What happens if Razor doesn't want to give up his position?" Zach asked, putting his hands in his jean pockets.

"He's a brother... but that position should've never been his," Josh stated, strongly.

"Take care of yourself, M.K. It's a crazy world," Billy told me.

"You too."

"I'm leaving so this is goodbye to you and the boys," Aaron said, and he had a bag with him. "I'm going to see some loved ones I haven't seen in a long time." The way he said it sounded like a goodbye forever.

"I'm going to miss you," I told him. I wasn't mad at Aaron. Just disappointed and hurt. He could have been the one to burn me, but he didn't. He also didn't stop it so that's why I felt that way. He reached out for a hug, so I hugged him. Aaron was like a dad to me.

Sometimes, I wished he was. He would joke that he could be my grandfather but that he wasn't because his son wouldn't have been a son of a bitch like Mitch.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Slugger. I'll watch over you," he said, and I smiled. I backed up, and they left with Billy leading.

I saw as Aaron parted to the left. I forgave them. I saw the regret in their eyes, I knew they were sorry. I may have forgiven them, but I can never trust them like I once did.

*~*

When I woke up in the morning, I wanted to go to the mall and that was exactly where I went, it was the only place that I really liked. When I was stressed, I would either buy food or clothes I would never wear.

"Are you stalking me?" I heard, so I turned around and saw Owen. "Mae, right?" I hated it when that happened. When they questioned my name, but I remembered their name so perfectly.

I nodded.

What are you doing here?

"My little sister wanted makeup, but I'm a lost cause," he laughed, and I smiled. "Can you help me?"

I'm a lost cause too. I know nothing about makeup.

That was kind of a lie considering I knew how to hide a scar and bruises fairly well.

"We should hang out," he suggested. I had nothing better to do so why not.

Wow, that sounds bad.

What should we do?

"Ice cream?"

I nodded, and we left to go get ice cream. He talked to me about his sister and how she was a teenager but it sometimes felt like she was the mom.

Sounds about right.

"Yeah," he said through his laugh. "She's a good kid though. Always does well in school."

How old is she?

His phone started ringing and it was his sister. "Yeah?" He asked as his sister FaceTimed him.

"I want some new clothes too," she said.

"That's why you should have come with me," he told her, and she started naming the things she wanted. "Okay. Okay. Text me what you want. I'm kind of busy right now?"

"Doing what?" She asked. He showed the camera to me, and I hid out of habit when the camera would hit me. I hated it when Zach would point the camera at me.

"Is that Mae?" She asked. "The girl you told me was cu-" he hung up on her, but I could guess what she was going to say next.

I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. The atmosphere became thick, and I felt too embarrassed to break it.

You talk through a phone. It should be easy.

"It's true," Owen confessed, shyly. "I told my sister that I met this extremely cute girl at the mall."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Do you know sign language?" I asked. If he did it would be easier to communicate with him.

"No, just some signs," he confessed. "My girlfriend knows sign language."

How is she?

I didn't know he had a girlfriend. Why would he say that I was cute if he had a girlfriend?

"Well, Ex but..." he shrugged and looked down. He looked genuinely heartbroken by the mention of his ex.

What happened? If you don't mind me asking.

"She wanted to date other people. People in her school and I didn't want her to because I loved her but ultimately, that's what she felt like she needed. So we broke up. She fell out of love with me, and I'm still in love with her. It feels like one of those loves where you never fully fall out," he said. I felt bad for bringing that subject up, but he quickly changed it.

We stayed talking, and he was funny. Really funny. He said he thought by talking to someone new, he would forget about his ex, but he didn't want to do that to me. I appreciated that.

They're going to close soon for lunch. I should get going.

"I'll talk to you later. See you around," he smiled, and I smiled as I walked towards the exit of the store. Owen seemed like a nice guy. He made me laugh a lot. He was the type of guy that there was more to than meets the eye.

*~*

This weekend went too fast for my likening. How is this fair: we go to hell for five days but then we only really get one and a half days off of school because Sunday is the day most people do their homework and wash their clothes for school along with stress over their anxiety.

"Hey, I'm not going to be there for any of the classes we have together. I have football practice and drills we need to do for the rival game that's coming up, probably all month considering the games at the end of the month."

"What about your schoolwork?" I asked.

"Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings before school starts, I have study hall. Our teachers are there and since we're doing the work, they give us our participation points."

"I'm not going to have you in any of my classes? For a month?" I'm gonna miss him so much. Even though I see him at home. He helps me feel less lonely, and I don't feel anxious when I'm with him. "I'm gonna be a Loner."

"You already are," he joked. "For real though, I'm sorry, little sis, but we need to win. The school's on a winning streak of ninety-nine, so we need to win. It's important. I'm sorry, Mae."

"No, it's okay. I get it. It's important to you. Do you need anything like lunch money or new equipment?"

"Well, actually-"

"Just ask." I cut him off.

"It's expensive."

"Just ask, you know I want to make sure you have everything you need and besides, I have two matches and a race Saturday. Plus I have the money from the guys."

"I need shoulder pads. How much are you making Saturday?"

"Well, for both matches five hundred and for the race a grand." he blew out a whistle and laughed.

"Maybe I should take that up."

"No. You know it's dangerous, and you need that scholarship." I said in a stern voice. I knew I sounded hypocritical, but I didn't want him getting hurt.

"You're doing it, and I know. I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it." He grumbled, looking annoyed. "You know I'm older, right?"

"Really? I couldn't tell," I joked. "And its only twenty minutes. Don't get a big head... ooh wait."

"Haha," He cringed his face, mocking me.

"That's a knee slapper," I joked.

"Yeah-yeah hilarious. Now, let's go. We don't wanna be late." I parked my car in the driveway this time. My new parking spot, which still felt weird. "Hey, I want you to ask Ryder if the car has any sentimentality to him. Okay? If It does, let him keep the car, and eventually, I'll buy you one. Not too expensive though."

"No problem," he gave me a huge grin as we stopped at my car and got in. I drove off and sped down the street.

When I stopped at the red light, I was going to say something but the sound of a car cut me off. I looked to my right and it was none other than Ryder.

"Hey, Mae, roll down his window," Damien shouted, and Ryder flinched because Damien shouted in Ryder's ear. I hesitated but rolled down Zach's window anyway. I raised my eyebrow once, so he continued. "Can you show him the trick?"

"She's not a magician, you idiot," Zach snapped, so I patted his shoulder and shrugged. "This is gonna be interesting." He laughed, shaking his head slightly.

"Don't break eye contact and keep the car straight. Oh, and Ryder... don't kill us," Damien told Ryder. Ryder nodded, so I revved my car and waited for the light to turn green. I made eye contact with Ryder while Damien was looking at the light. "Go!"

I drove off and surprisingly Ryder didn't break eye contact, but I knew he wanted to. His eyes kept shaking, wanting to naturally look at the road ahead of him. I accelerated and so did he, but he broke eye contact and slowed down.

I sped up and went right and left passing cars. I pulled into the parking lot and got out but waited for them to park. When they finally did, they parked next to me and got out.

"You're right, Damien. She is badass," Bennett chuckled, and Damien elbowed him. I raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed, nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

I smiled at him. I found his nervousness adorable. I looked into Damien's eyes and it felt like a challenge; he was challenging me to keep making eye contact with him.

"Here are the keys," Ryder tossed the keys to Zach, but I caught them without breaking eye contact with Damien. I kind of felt like a badass. Not gonna lie. I looked at Zach and nodded.

"Does the car have any sentimental value to you?" Zach asked.

"Yeah, it was the last thing my mom gave me... before she..." he trailed off, and I saw the pain in his eyes before he turned around and started to walk away, so I nudged Zach.

"Ryder, catch," Zach called out to him, so I tossed the keys to Ryder.

"Why, you won them?" Ryder asked as he caught the keys.

"Because when you have something that valuable, you don't let it go. But I have to ask, why race for it if it has sentimentality to you?" Zach asked.

"I really didn't think I'd lose the second time," Ryder said. Another car pulled up and a boy and a girl got out of the car.

"What's up?" He nodded to Damien.

"Girl trouble?" Zach asked as the girl he was with was rushing away from him.

"Eww! She's my sister," The guy said, completely repulsed. Zach put his hands up and apologized. "Wait!"

His sister was basically running to the front door. "Can't. Gonna be late!"

"School hasn't even started yet," Her brother told her as the bell rang.

"See? Catch you later," she said and opened the front door. Zach and I turned around and walked away. Zach said goodbye and walked to the field, so I went to Math and sat in my seat.

Bennett and Damien walked in, and Damien sat next to me while Bennett sat in front of him. The teacher walked in and the bell rang. I wrote on a piece of paper and gave it to Damien.

Is this your first time not being late?

"You know me so well," Damien chuckled and passed the note to Bennett. Bennett chuckled too before passing it back. The teacher didn't care if I passed notes as long as it was me because she knew I was Mute. Bennet turned around, looked at me and smiled, so I returned the gesture.

"You're late," the teacher said as the boy who came with his sister walked in.

"I know. I'm sorry. My sister wouldn't get out of the restroom. I practically had to drag her out. Can you believe it?" The boy who walked in late said and sat next to Bennett. "I guess it's her world, and I'm just living in it."

"Just... do your work," our teacher said, confused by the boys rambling and the boy nodded.

"I didn't see this on your schedule," Damien said and the boy turned in his seat. His body was facing Bennett, but he was looking at Damien.

"I asked Ryan," the boy smiled and turned to me. "I'm Max. It's nice to meet you."

I smiled, and he extended his hand, so we gave each other a handshake. "Can't stay away from me?" Damien asked.

"Maybe," Max said and shrugged while the corners of his right lips turned into a lopsided smile.

"Turn around," the teacher said, so Max turned around.

"Sorry," Max said. The teacher looked back at her book and Max turned back around. "M-A-E."

"What is that?" Bennett asked.

"I learned the alphabet in sign language when I was younger but I did forget a lot. Mae will have to teach me some time," Max smiled as he looked into my eyes. I nodded and smiled back. He looked at Damien and winked. I looked at Damien, but he was looking at his worksheet our teacher passed out.

*~*

The bell rang signaling that it was the end of the day, so I walked out to the parking lot, but I heard my name being called.

"Mae!" Damien, Ryder, and Bennett were waving at me while Max was on the phone. People started turning to look and then they started whispering. Some people didn't care, which I appreciated. Others were looking just to see what was happening.

"That was pretty badass what you did out on the street. Have you thought about street racing?" Bennet asked, and I couldn't help but get stiff. I relaxed as soon as it came. I couldn't give it away, so I just shook my head.

"Well, you should try it out. There's this one racer. He's undefeated. I'm trying to get a race with him but it's hard," Ryder replied. Why does everyone think that I'm a guy? Can't a girl be just as good?

"A girl can be a fighter," Max said. I looked at him, and he smiled at me before looking back at Ryder. "Didn't my sister kick your ass one time?"

"One time. And I let her because she was new, and I wanted her to make a good impression," Ryder admitted.

"Was crying really necessary? Or was that for the show too?" Max teased and hung up the phone. Ryder's face turned a little red from embarrassment. "I have to go pick up my grandma. I'll see you guys- and girl later."

"Later," Bennett said.

"No one will miss you!" Ryder shouted after him as Max got into his car.

"Damien will," Max shouted back as he drove away.

"As I was saying. You should come to a race one day" I just nodded when my phone pinged, so I got it out of my pocket. It was a text from Zach.

Gonna stay after school for drills my friends are gonna take me home. -Z

Okay, be safe and don't work too hard. Do you need money for food? -M

No, it's fine. -Z

I'm bringing you money. -M

You're so stubborn you know that? -Z

Thanks. ;) -M

It wasn't a compliment:( -Z

Well, I took it as one. :) -M

I smiled at my brother's stupidity, and I looked up to find the boys looking at me. I raised my eyebrows asking what, but they just smiled.

"Do you wanna hang out?" Damien asked. I was surprised by his questions because no one has ever asked me that besides my brother and James. I texted Damien.

I'm no fun. I'll just be boring because I won't be talking. And I have to give my brother something. Sorry. -M

"Well, we could watch a movie so there's no need to talk," I looked at the boys, and they genuinely seemed like they wanted to hang out.

It's probably a dare. Why would three guys want to hang out with you? Three of the school's most popular guys.

I haven't seen them hanging out with the popular kids.

You haven't even seen the popular kids hanging out. What are you talking about? Did you forget you hang out in the library... alone?!

Why do you guys want to hang out? -M

I didn't want to ask if it was a dare because that would make me sound some type of way. Self-conscience maybe?

You are.

"We think it'll be fun and besides each other and Max, we don't really have friends at school," Damien admitted.

Are you sure? I don't want to bore you guys. You probably have better things to do. -M

Just say you'll hang out with them before they stop asking you, and your feelings will be hurt.

He showed them the text. "We want to, really. I think we got off on the wrong foot." Ryder reassured.

Okay, I have to give something to my brother, so you guys can wait here. -M

"We'll go with you to keep you safe," Ryder put his arm on my shoulder, but Damien took it off and glared at him. Ryder smirked at Damien, and they started shoving each other.

"You get used to it," Bennett told me, and I pointed to him. "Yeah, I got used to it, but I still get annoyed if it goes on long enough," I nodded, understandingly.

We arrived at the field, and I saw my brother standing there shaking his head at me while I walked up to him with a big smile. He was also with James.

"I told you. You didn't have to," I shook my head and gave him the money. He took it and ruffed my hair. I glared at him, but he laughed knowing that I wouldn't do anything. "What are they doing here?" He looked at the guys.

"We're gonna go watch a movie," Damien answered. I looked at my brother and nodded, confirming that Damien was telling the truth.

"If you hurt her-" Zach started.

"Yeah, I know you'll kill us." Zach just laughed, and Ryder looked at me.

"No, Mae will," Zach laughed, and I smiled because it was true.

"Suddenly, I feel like that's true," Ryder replied.

"Okay, be safe and don't be afraid to fight them if you have to. Although, it wouldn't be fair... to them," the guys just laugh, but my brother knew the truth.

We walked back after I hugged my brother, and he gave me a kiss on my forehead. I felt a little embarrassed because the guys were there even though I was used to it.

Some siblings 'hate' each other and get mad when they touch you but for Zach, he always felt the need to protect me. Anything I didn't have, he would want to give me and Vise Versa. 

"Where's my money?" James asked and walked closer to me. I put my hands on his waist to stop him from coming closer. "I'll take a different kind of sugar." I needed my hands to sign but when I took them off him he came closer.

"In your dreams," I signed fast and put my hands back on his waist to stop him from coming closer. He cupped my cheeks and smiled.

"This is a dream. Let's kiss to find out if it's real," he said, and I chuckled a little through my nose. James looked up, behind me and looked back at me. His lips parted a little bit and his head leaned a little closer. He breathed into my face, so I backed up. "Do you smell the onion rings?" He breathed, and I gagged, silently.

"You need to be put in a cage. Seriously," I said, and he laughed.

"You were the one who didn't back up when you thought I was going to kiss you. What does that say about you?" James asked.

"It means that your terrible breathe paralyzed me," I told him. "Seriously... don't go making out with girls-"

"Because you'll get jealous?" He asked, interrupting me.

"No. Because you'll kill them with that breath." I turned around and forgot the guys were there. I could feel my face getting hot from embarrassment. I wiped the sweat from my nose and upper lip, discreetly as we walked to the car.

"How long have you and James been dating?" Bennett asked, and I snapped my head towards him. I couldn't help but smile.

We're not dating. We're best friends. That's all. He flirts like that with everyone.

I kept smiling as they read it. I found it funny. They all nodded, understanding.

"Mae, can I go with you?" Damien asked, so I nodded but put my hand out for him to stop. I pulled out my phone and texted him.

Your phone stays with them. I'm not that stupid. -M

"No, you're quite the opposite," he smiled and gave his phone to Ryder.

"I'm going through it," Ryder said and got in his car.

"I'm helping him," Bennett laughed and got in the passenger side.

"You better not," Damien warned them. We got in, so I drove off. "We could go to my house," I remembered where it was, so I started to accelerate my speed and felt relaxed.

"Why do you like to drive fast?" I forgot he was in the car. See this is why I can't have friends. I'm so used to being alone, I keep forgetting they're here. I looked at him and shrugged. I reached eighty miles per hour in a twenty-five-mile zone. "You're crazy, you know that?"

Ping

I slowed down my car and went the speed limit. "Why'd you slow down?" I pointed the cop car, so he turned his head to look at the cop and then looked back at me. "Did you make that software?" I hesitated, debating if I should tell him, but I decided to tell him. I nodded. "Would you sell it?" I shook my head, and he nodded.

We arrived at his house and it was huge. It was so classy and heavily guarded. We walked in and there was a big staircase, I could already tell that there were a lot of rooms.

I looked up and there was a nice chandelier with a round table under it that had lavender flowers in a vase.

Stop being nosy, I thought.

"What do you want to do? Besides, watch a movie," I just shrugged, and Damien laughed. Damn that laugh. "There's a lot we could do," my stomach grumbled, and they laughed. My face turned a slight shade of pink. How embarrassing?!

"Or we could eat. Uhh... none of us really know how to cook. Our friend usually cooks for us. I can call him?" Bennett suggested. I shook my head and point to myself. "You cook?" I nod. I liked how easy it was to talk to Bennett. He was patient and wasn't rude to me because I didn't speak.

They led me to the kitchen, so I look around. They had a lot of food. I chose what I wanted to make which would be delicious. Well, hopefully. I don't want to jinx it.

I prepared the meal and chopped the vegetables. I learned from a chef himself. I volunteered in a kitchen because I wanted to learn. It was good because I didn't have to talk to anyone.

A half-hour later, the food was ready, so I served them and when they tasted the food, they moaned. I smiled from ear to ear because I knew they liked what I made. I was going to start eating when Ryder ruined everything.

"So why don't you talk?" That question made my blood boil. Of course, this is why they asked me to hang out with them. I'm such an idiot! I thought they were different. I took a deep breath and glared at him which made him gulp.

"Dumbass," Bennett hissed, and Ryder looked scared.

You would think after what Billy and the guys did to me, I would learn not to trust anyone. I shouldn't trust anyone and this is exactly that reason. I was mad. Furious. And it didn't help that I was basically starving which made me angrier.

I got up and stormed out of Damien's house. I heard them shout at me, but I was far away. They couldn't reach me. I got into my car and drove off as fast as I could.

How could I be so stupid? I can't trust so easily. I drove to the gym and worked out. I had to prepare for Saturday.

*~*

After five hours of working out, I finally cooled off and went home. I checked the time and it was nine-fifteen in the night. I parked in the driveway and went inside. Zach was already home.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Zach yelled. He was mad but hell...so was I.

"I was at the gym, sorry." I looked at him, and I could tell he was worried. "Why are you worried?"

"Maybe because some psycho killed Mitch, and we don't exactly know if the debt ended with him? What happened to make you go to the gym?"

"I have two fights on Saturday," I said, but I knew he didn't buy it. "It doesn't matter."

"What happened, Mae?" He asked in a stern voice, and I knew I had to tell him. We had a rule to always be honest with each other, and I was currently breaking that rule.

"Don't go all protective mode," he looked at me with an impatient look, so I continued. "I was making something to eat at their house and it was ready, so I served them. Before I was going to eat, Ryder asked why don't I talk," after I said that he was livid.

"Who the hell does he think he is? He fuckin gets the whole world served on a platter and now that you guys hang out he thinks he can just ask you that?!" He almost punched the wall, but I caught it.

"FUCK OFF, MAE!"

"What? You gonna hit me like dad did?" I asked as he did to me. "That was your good hand. Don't. Don't ruin your future because of me," I spoke, nonchalantly and let go of his fist. I suddenly felt the pain in my palm, so I put my hand around my right wrist and winced at the feeling.

"I'm sorry. I'll get you an ice pack," I just nodded and sat down at the table. He came back with an ice pack and wrapped my hand with a towel before putting the ice pack in my hand "Will it be fine for Saturday?" I clenched my hand then repeated the action.

"Yeah, before. It should be fine by Thursday."

"Do you want to rent a movie?"

"Yeah, how about you rent it, and I'll buy the snacks."

"Deal. But take a shower first. You smell," I rolled my eyes and took a shower before we went out, and I drove off.

My car beeped signaling my tank was empty. We pulled into a gas station that was close to our house, so I got out and started pumping the gas after I paid with my debit card.

"I'm sorry," I looked up and saw Ryder in front of Damien, who was on his left; and Bennett, who was on his right. My brother heard and got out of the car.

"You asshole, how could you ask her something like that?" Zach asked. He was starting to get mad. "Do you know how insensitive you were being?"

People have always asked me that question, and I always got mad because they had no right to ask me. Do they really think I trusted them to tell them?

"I was just curious. I didn't think she'd get mad."

"And what? You thought she'd answer you? You thought she'd actually talk to you?" Zach asked, harshly.

"I don't know. Maybe?" Ryder mumbled as he looked down.

"Why? Because you guys went to the same high school for three years, but you never once bothered to talk to her. To make conversation and be her friend? But now that you guys hang out for the first time in your life, you realize she isn't so bad, right? You realize that she's actually an amazing person and you don't understand why people hate her? But you're curious, right, so you ask her what everyone else wants to know? Why do you think she's not friends with anyone? Because they're all after the same thing!" Zach snapped. "Do you really think she'll talk to you if she hasn't spoken to anyone for over ten yea-" I glared at my brother, and he stopped talking.

He knew he already said too much. The gas pump clicked signaling that my tank was full. I put the nozzle back and closed the tank to my car.

"I really am sorry, Mae." I looked at Ryder then Damien. I got in my car and drove off, screeching my tires in the process.

"How are you?"

"I don't know. I really thought they were good people and that they were different because they didn't ask when we started talking, but they're just like everyone else who wants to know," another reason I was mad was I finally thought good people existed, and they weren't nosy, but they were.

We went to the movie store and checked out a comedy movie before we went to the store to get some snacks. We headed back once we got everything we needed and watched the movie.

**********************************************
A/N: How are you liking the story so far? The quote at the beginning was made by me, so I take full credit. 😂

What's your favorite animal?

{Lion.🦁}