Malory and Kyle must participate in the annual April Fest production as the leading co-stars. If they can cooperate by the end of the production, their long records of uncivilized behaviour towards each other will be forgotten. 
Malory and Kyle attempt to cooperate, grabbing the opportunity to make a positive impact on their own future. In the process, they become entangled in the chaos of the other’s personal life. Malory learns of Kyle’s disturbing reality, and Kyle learns of Malory’s scarring past. Can these two brilliant but messy teens learn to rely on each other in the face of their silent battles?

Between The Lines

 The blackout curtains of my bedroom are closed and the lights are all off save for one small, blue nightlight. Knowing that Ace will be out of the house again makes me feel more at ease, but the easiness won’t settle into my body until he’s actually gone. I’m pacing. My hands are shaking. My head is aching. There’s a cold chill at the back of my neck that won’t move. I can’t stay still for even a moment. 


 He’ll be here any moment now. He’ll be here any- 


 -I hear them; the heavy footsteps approaching my room. When the noise ends, I see the shadow of the man outside my door. It blocks all the light from creeping in through the crease. I hear the knock –and though I was aware that it would come, it startles me. I flick on my bedroom light before opening the door. 


 Ace towers before me. I don’t look directly at him. 


 He clears his throat and I can feel his expressionless gaze down at me. 


 “Take my stuff down to the car. I’m ready to leave.” 


 Ace walks away without another word... but I know that I must follow closely behind him. He passes his own bedroom, and I stop there to get his belongings while he continues walking down to the front of the house. Opening his bedroom door, I find two suitcases standing against the wall. I take them both with me, down the stairs and through the front door, placing them into Ace’s new car. 


 Ace approaches the car. I finish fixing the suitcases just as he steps before me. Still, I don’t turn to look directly at him. He grunts, studying me. I wonder if he’s looking at the bruise on my face. 


 “Yes, sir.” I respond without hesitation. 


 He leans in to cast a shadow over me. “And next time...” his spiteful tone appears “Do... the job... right.” 


 I swallow nervously. I struggle to find a reply. “Yes, sir...” 


 “Louder, you imbecile!” He yells at me. 


 Flinching, I repeat myself. “Yes, Sir!” 


 Ace opens the automatic front gate and waits for it to open out entirely before he moves an inch away from me to get into his vehicle. I stand there as he drives out of the yard. I stand there as he closes the gate. I stand there long after it shuts. 


 I walk back into the house, breathing in deeply and finally processing how tense I’d been –how breathless I’d become in those few minutes. I clutch my chest to feel my heartbeat. It has only just begun to slow to a calm pace. I look around the room –the house. The silence is deafening. I can still hear his voice from unexpected corners. I can hear him calling to me. I can hear glasses shattering, furniture being destroyed. I can hear it all in this room full of no one but myself. 


 I drag myself up to my room and slam the door. I switch off the light, sloppily moving towards my bed as I watch the sunlight shine through the spaces of my blackout curtains. I dive onto the bed, pulling the blanket over my body. I rest my heavy, aching head on a pillow that feels hard and uncomfortable. I shed a tear and cover my head under the blanket, hugging another pillow. 


 Next time... Next time... Next time... I bite the pillow and muffle a pained scream. I break down. I fall asleep.


A Silent Scream [7]