Free The Mute and the Liar by Victoria Best Page B

woods. It will be great to have some company. I am doing a bit of redecorating in my house at the moment. Just the odd bit of paint here and there, you know. It would mean a lot if you guys could help- ”
    “ Of course we'll help, ” Nick quickly cuts in.
    The soft clatter of cutlery against china continues, and it’s not long before every bowl is empty. Kit collects them and quickly loads the dishwasher, then resumes her seat once more.
    “ I still have to finish my aria. I hate leaving a song unfinished. Would it be so terribly irritating if I continued my practice? It will only take another five minutes or so. ”
    “ Sure. We love hearing you sing. I'll even play the piano for you if you want, ” Jayce replies.
    “ Oh, would you Jaycie? That would be wonderful! Oh, also, do you all have clothes and other items? ”
    “ We do, but Alicia doesn't. ” Nick jabs a thumb at the Tesco bag, which has been thrown in the corner of the room. It is only then that I realise I am still in my glorious school uniform, navy tartan kilt and all.
    “ Don't worry Sweetie; I'll give you some of mine. Come; I'm sure you must be tired. I'll show you your room now. You two already know your way to the guest bedrooms on the third floor, yes? ” they nod in agreement. “ Jaycie, I'll be in the music room on the top floor in a few minutes. ” After a table tennis round of 'goodnights,' Kit leads me up the spiral staircase, and I follow her to the top floor and into a huge room.
    The sea.
    That's the first thing I think.
    The walls are a shade of sea-green, and glimmer with paintings of the sea. Two huge arched windows hover side by side and take up the entire space of the opposite wall. Beryl blue curtains float to the floor from the ceiling like waterfalls, and a carpet of tidal waves crashes beneath my feet.
    In front of the wall opposite me is a large, ornate mirror. Through it, I watch as Kit tells me to wait a moment and leaves the room. On her way out, she passes the white loveseat sofa and vanity table. Not knowing what else to do, I hesitantly shuffle to the middle of the room, where there is a welcoming bed veiled in white sheets.
    “ I'm so happy Jayce has you as a friend. ” Kit returns, carrying a bundle of clothing and towels. “ You're so... different from all the others. ”
    She begins laying out the clothes in different piles, and passes me a purple nightdress with a fluffy white cloud pattern, or at least I think they are clouds until she hands it to me; they are actually sheep.
    “ You know how he is. He has all these people around him all the time, but I just don't think he is actually close with any of them. It's a shame, because he's such a lovely boy. Just mixed in with the wrong crowd. ”
    I switch off at this point. She goes on, her mouth moving, but no words reach me. Any person that calls Jayce a 'lovely boy' is clearly not worth listening to.
    She now appears to be talking to me about the clothes and the house, and points to a room across the hall, which I assume is the toilet.
    She leaves, and I begin to get changed. I take my school blazer off and swing it over the white metal chair by the vanity table.
    Just then, a soft meow slips into the air.
    Poking its head around the door is a tiny pure white kitten, probably only a little bigger than my foot.
    I've never really liked animals. They are just... there. They don't seem to have some deep, underlying meaning for being here. And I especially don’t like cats. Not after coming home one day to find a fat grey cat sitting in my sink. It just kind of stared at me for a while with a very questioning gaze, like it had the cheek to wonder what I w as doing t here , when it was the one who had turned up uninvited in my house.
    But this cat is almost... What's the word for it? ... Cute?
    It pads into the room, looking up at me with sapphire eyes. After the kitten spends a few moments judging me, it seems to think I am worthy of being its servant, and pushes