School goes by, I don't get another moment with Pepper and I go home, unable to ask her what I've done. The same goes for Tuesday to Friday. This week has been the worst, mounds of homework, working on my art project and having serious brain blockage, and worst of all, losing Pepper. Matt has spoken to Cass and me a few times this week, but I still haven't heard Pepper's voice. I spend the weekend listening to a random assortment of music, consisting of Sabrina Carpenter, Melanie Martinez, Troye Sivan, Demi Lovato, Carly Rae Jepsen, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and a few more people that showed up on my music spree. I take this time of being a hermit in confinement to work on my art project.
Think you, Addi. Who are you?
An ugly bitch that needs to get a life?
Not you. Can you leave please?
Nah. It's fun to torment you.
Just for now? I need to get this done. This project is due on Tuesday, please just let me work until then.
Fine. But Tuesday I'll be back with a vengeance.
Okay. That's fine by me.
In the end, I create my project by drawing myself in a safety corner. This is surrounded in yellow and black cautionary tape. Inside this corner are all the things that are important in my life. This includes: a picture of Dan, Phil and Me together drawn on the wall, my music blaring out of my earphones, Cass showing up as a call on my phone, my drawing supplies, and Pepper, Matt and Emma. I haven't spoken to Pepper, Emma, or Matt properly, but they are really nice people, from what I can tell, at least. I have words like Peace, Serenity, Hope, Trust and Believe scrawled over the wall inside the corner. This area is vivid and full of colour, but on the outside, just visible, is an oncoming darkness. I wrote some of the things that terrify me in tiny writing in black around the edges. My hand ached by the time I had finished with the piece. Spacing it out over two days does not help in the slightest when you take it way too seriously. My hand had blistered and what seemed like permanent colour smudges were trapped in my hand creases. Dan and Phil tried to get me to leave my room, but after a couple hours of pestering me, they let me be. I can have Monday off from this project, but no doubt I'll end up with more homework. I leave my room, basically for the first time. Obviously I left it to go to the bathroom or get food, but they were only ten minute breaks at most. I head into the kitchen where I hear some rustling.
I crack up laughing at the sight and pull out my phone, snapping a picture of the sight. Phil is in his pyjamas, obviously having just stolen Dan's cereal, and Dan is wrestling Phil, cereal in both of their hair.
'She's alive!' Exclaims Phil as Dan releases him.
'Didn't Dan basically just expose you Twitter?' I roll my eyes at Phil.
'I know, you'd think he'd of learnt.' I sighs, shaking his head mockingly.
Phil taps Dan on the head and they laugh.
'Sometimes I forget that you guys are actually adults.'
'Don't remind us.'
I turn around to walk away from them, maybe head back into my room, but I feel arms wrap around me.
'We only just got you out here, you're not leaving that easily.' Phil says.
I supress the smile creeping onto my lips, and try to pry Phil's arms off of me.
I see Dan walk away, into the direction of my room. He comes back just as I get free and I see the A3 sheet of paper in his hand.
'No!' I shout.
'This, Philly, is what kept young Addi from us this weekend.' He states, showing it to Phil.
'Did you really draw this, Addi?' Phil asks.
'No duh. Give it back, Dan. Please?' I say, reaching out to retrieve my work. Only to fail when Dan holds it way above my head.
'That's cheating, you human noodle!' I narrow my eyes at him.
'Ouch.' He rolls his eyes, mockingly placing his hand over his heart.
Phil grabs the paper and just stares at it. 'This is really good, Addi.' He says, finally, handing it back to me.
'Phi-il!' Dan whines. I turn around and poke my tongue out at Dan, rushing off to my room. I roll the paper carefully and put it in my desk drawer, locking it after myself. I flop on my bed, head dangling off the edge, hair falling onto the floor. I begin thinking about the whole Pepper situation, wondering why she won't speak to us at school. The apparent adults of this crazy family walk in, and I don't realise that they had been speaking to me. Dan clicks in front of my face, snapping me back into reality.
'Have you gone mute, Addi?' Phil smiles.
'Oh my god.' I breathe, shooting up on the bed. 'You're a genius, Phil.'
'What'd I do?'
I grab my phone and call Cass, my breathing gaining pace.
'Hey, loser.' She greets me.
'Hey, don't say anything too incriminating, Dan and Phil are in here, listen-'
'What like the fact that-'
'Pepper's mute!' I blurt out.
'What are you on? You didn't get high with Matt, did you?'
'What?!'Dan and Phil exclaim in unison.
'Thanks for that.' I roll my eyes. 'I've never gotten high, guys.' I reassure the shocked men. 'She's mute, Cass. That's the only explanation.' I say, returning to my conversation.
'Where'd you get that idea?'
'She never speaks at school, not to Matt, not the teachers, and certainly not to me. So unless you've had a super in depth convo with her, I'm almost positive.'
'That's a huge conclusion to jump to.' Cass reasons.
'I don't care, I need answers. I'm asking Matt and Pepper about it tomorrow.'
'Fine, but please, don't ruin my cousin's first day back.' She sighs.
I say a quick bye as I hear Cass hang up, and I fight the urge to either call Cass back and have a go at her or throw my phone against the wall. I realise that Dan and Phil had been standing there and they look shocked from just hearing my conversation. I roll my eyes and scoff as I head out of my room to find a movie. A few steps out, I turn back and peer back into my room.
'You coming, or what?'
**A/N**
I know I said Mon-Tues, but ya know, brain block and whatever. This was a shorter chapter because of brain block, and I will get back to my writing soon enough. Also, I'm working on a new story, not published yet, but I should have it up soonish! It'll be an adoption type story, based on Adopted By The Matthews by GMWJaJa (would be clickable but WattPad's a bitch) and yeah, hopefully you could check it out when I upload it... Please.
Once again, just a filler chapter until my brain block goes away, I have biggish plans for my story and will hopefully be carried out soon enough.
Bye, for now,
Luv Ya,
Elise xoxo