Free Silence by Natasha Preston Page B

Second-guessing myself every two seconds was just driving me crazy.
    I woke up to my phone alarm bleeping loudly. Quickly turning it off, I forced myself to get out of bed and not hit the snooze button for five more minutes. I was still tired from barely sleeping and felt like crap.
    After a long shower, I got dressed and went downstairs for a much-needed hot chocolate. I didn’t drink coffee and rarely drank tea; hot chocolate was the drink that turned me into a human in the mornings.
    “Good morning, sweetheart,” Dad chirped, looking up from behind his paper. Why was he so cheerful? I smiled weakly, waving at him sleepily and grabbed the biggest mug I could find. “Didn’t sleep well?” Sleeping well wasn’t something I really did any more but last night had been worse: I had something else to consume my thoughts.
    I shook my head and sat down opposite him, wrapping my hands around my boiling drink. Dad’s eyes were boring into me, but I pretended I didn’t notice and focused on flicking through one of Mum’s Better Home magazines.
    “Hey, Oaks,” Cole sang loudly and cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen. I grinned, so grateful he was with me now too. I didn’t like being alone with Dad. I could never quite figure out how to predict his behaviour, and therefore how to act.
    Cole grinned and sat down beside me, and – grabbing my mug – stole a sip of my hot chocolate. How was he up and out so early? I guess he slept properly last night and hadn’t spent hours stressing over what had happened between us. I frowned and pressed my head against the table, making Dad and Cole laugh.
    “Hurry up and finish your drink, Mia said we’re leaving in fifteen minutes.”
    Why did I agree to go shopping, again?
    Taking two large gulps, I handed the rest to Cole and made myself go and get dressed. Cole started talking to Dad as I walked out of the room.
    I had always wondered if Cole would believe me if I ever did manage to tell him everything; or if Dad was right and everyone would believe him. As much as it I wanted to believe Cole would choose to have faith in me, I could never risk it. In just over two years, I would be eighteen and could leave home. There was no point in ripping my family apart and hurting so many people when I would leave soon anyway.
    I quickly got ready and sprinted downstairs. Cole stood as he saw me enter the kitchen.
    “See you later, Max,” Cole said as he made his way towards me.
    “Bye, kids. Have fun,” Dad called after us.
    “Ready for this?” Cole asked, scrunching his nose up. I nodded and smiled.
    Mia was waiting for us in the car outside my house, tapping the steering wheel impatiently. I jumped in the front seat and stuck my tongue out at Cole. He raised an eyebrow suggestively, which made me blush like crazy.
    “Morning,” Mia greeted me, and launched into reciting her shopping list.
     
    Cole followed us into the first two shops, and I could tell that he was already getting bored. As I stopped at the swimwear, he brightened up.
    “The little blue one,” he quietly whispered in my ear, discretely pointing to a light blue bikini with a white polka dot pattern.
    I smiled shyly and picked it up. Oh, God, I was buying something for a guy! Should I? Was it for him? Yes, but it was different because I wanted to look nice for him. He wasn’t forcing me to wear anything. He had only suggested it.
    Avoiding eye contact with him, I stepped to the side to pick out a pair of flip-flops. I also picked up a few little tops, maxi dresses, shorts, and new sunglasses. Cole leant against the wall near the changing room and played with his phone. There were another two men standing near him, all with the same bored look on their faces.
    “Oakley,” Mia squealed, holding up two short halter neck dresses, one in salmon pink and the other yellow, a look of indecision on her face. I pointed to the yellow.
    “Thanks,” she shouted, slamming the pink one down on the rail and flicking