Say Nothing... (The Speak Series Book 2)

by Roth, T. A.

  I jerk awake; my heart is still racing with fear as I take in my brightly lit room. Ben. I scramble off my bed and immediately regret the quick movement. When did I come to bed? Three loud knocks sound on my front door matching the pounding in my head.

  Making a slower attempt this time, I drag myself down the hall.

  "Who is it?" I call out. Looking through the peephole, I see that it’s Alba and Amelie. The annoyance on their faces is evident the minute I open the door.

  "Good morning, sunshine. You look like shit." Alba’s always one to state the obvious.

  "Thanks. What the hell are you guys doing here so early?"

  "Nice to see you too," Amelie says smiling. "It's past eleven, first of all, and second, your boyfriend is losing his fricken mind over you. Do you remember him?"

  I press my fingers to my temples; I don't remember much of anything at the moment.

  "Holy shit, Rely. He's called at least thirty times," Alba says scrolling through my phone.

  "Give me that." I snatch it out of her hand and quickly dial his number.

  "Babe?" The relief in his voice breaks my heart.

  "I'm so sorry." My sisters don't need to hear me grovel, so I walk back toward my bedroom.

  "Jesus, Ari. Do you have any idea how fucking worried I've been?" Relief quickly turns to frustration.

  "I'm so sorry. I was missing you and drank way too much. I laid my head down to rest and . . . Please don't be mad. I'm fine. I just didn't hear my phone."

  He sighs, and by the sound of the shuffling on the other end, he's probably wearing a hole in the floor.

  "How's your new flat?" I ask in my best British accent.

  "Don't," he snaps.

  "I can't- Do you know how frustrating it was not to be able to get a hold of you? I was stuck on that plane for eight hours with no cell phone and no way of knowing if you were okay. I had to send my fucking uncle to the house to make sure your car was still there. I won't last here if this happens again. You were upset, I get it, but this isn't a cake walk for me either."

  "Wait, you what? You sent Amos over here to check on me?" The table. I remember falling asleep at the table while taking a break on my way to the kitchen, but I woke up in my bed. My stomach roils at the thought of him being here.

  "Before you get mad, I just had him check to see if your car was still there. I panicked when I couldn't get a hold of you, and I didn't want to worry your family."

  "Ben, does he have a key to the apartment?"

  "No. Why would you ask that? I know how you feel about him. I wouldn't intentionally make you uncomfortable."

  "I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't."

  "Look, I'm not expecting you to call me every minute of every day. I just need to know that you're safe."

  "It won't happen again. Promise." The shuffling stops. Emotions are running high, and I'm not sure what else to say to fix this.

  "Are we okay?" I ask.

  He answers after a long pause. "Yeah . . . we're fine. I just need a hot shower and something to eat. Will you be around later?"

  "My sisters just got here. I'm not sure what they have planned for today, but I'll have my phone with me."

  "Okay."

  "Okay."

  Our mingled breathing is the only sound on the line as we wait for the other to hang up.

  Click . . . Silence.

  Clutching the phone to my chest, I head back into the living room.

  "So are you on timeout?" Alba asks as I make my way into the room.

  "Shut up. What are you guys doing here, anyway?"

  "When Ben couldn't track you down, he texted us to see if we had heard from you. You weren't answering our calls either, so we decided to take a road trip."

  He must have been really worried to reach out to my sisters. Now, I feel like an even bigger jerk.

  "What the hell were you drinking?" Amelie asks looking around. "You hid all the evidence."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Ben said you were sloshed. We were expecting to find you under a pile of wine bottles with "All By Myself" playing on repeat." Dicks.

  "Yeah, Relz. Did you go on a drunken cleaning spree? I've never seen your place look this good," Alba asks.

  A chill runs through me as I look around the living room. I drank almost two bottles of wine and could barely walk from what I remember. There should be an empty glass lying around, a bottle, something. The trash bin in the kitchen is empty and is sporting a fresh liner. If I weren't suffering from a massive headache, I would think I dreamed the whole thing.

  My dream. Ben was holding me, but then he called me his sweet girl.

  "Earth to Ari," Alba snaps getting my attention. "You look like you’ve just seen a ghost. You good?" I nod, still trying to work it out in my head.

  "Pack a bag. Mom's worried about you. She wants you to spend the night at our house."

  For once, I don't argue. I'm completely creeped out at the thought of staying here alone tonight.

  Shit. The relief I'd hoped to get from talking to her has turned to anger and frustration. I don't even know what I'm mad at. She said she was sorry and that she had passed out just as I suspected. The jet lag must be catching up to me. Tossing my phone on the counter, I head to the master bathroom to take a shower.

  When Larry said I would be staying in a loft, I was expecting a small studio-type apartment, not this three bedroom monstrosity. My eyes almost bugged out when I walked in. The place is massive and takes up the sixth and seventh floors of the Victorian-style building. Large windows give me a perfect view of Trevor Square.

  Feeling more relaxed after my shower, I raid the kitchen for something to eat. Once again, no expense was spared. I won't have to shop for the rest of the month. The refrigerator and pantry are fully stocked with anything I could possibly want. Exhaustion is starting to set in, so I decide on a sandwich and a bag of chips. Grabbing an ale from the fridge to wash it all down, I plant myself on the couch and enjoy a quiet dinner.

  My phone buzzes with an incoming text.

  Ari: Sisters are kidnapping me. I'm staying the night with my parents. I love you.

  My thumb traces over those last three words, and I feel like a prick for not saying them to her before I hung up the phone. Relieved that she'll be with her family tonight, I reply to her message.

  Ben: Glad you won't be alone. I love you too.

  "Why are you grinning like a loon?" Flipping my phone over, I show Alba Ben's response.

  "Oh my God, are you dense? Of course, he loves you, you idiot. Do you think he'd be tracking down half of L.A. to come check on you if he didn't?" I shrug.

  "Just meet us at home," she says, closing my car door completely exasperated.

  "Mija.” My mom is at her usual post in the kitchen.

  "Hi, Mom." I lean in to kiss her cheek, and she whacks me in the arm.

  "Ow. What was that for?"

  "That's for making that poor boy stress out half the night."

  "I'm surprised her phone didn't explode. You should have seen all the missed calls and messages, Mom." I narrow my eyes at Alba, and she sticks her tongue at me. Little shit.

  "Arely." When my mom uses my full name, I know I'm in trouble.

  "That boy loves you, we all see it. So you need to put on your big girl chonies and get yourself together. He should be concentrating on his internship, not worrying about your safety." Well, if that wasn't a kick in the balls.

  "Your sisters told me how upset he was on the phone. Y tu como una borracha."

  "Mom, I'm not a drunk. Geez, and thanks for being all Team Ben. I was upset about him leaving and had one too many glasses on an empty stomach. I already apologized to him. It won't happen again."

  She pulls me in for a hug. "It better not. You're not too old to whack with the chancla," she says making me laugh.

  She put the fear of God in us with that flip-flop. It was like a boomerang; she would get it to cut around a corner when we'd run away from her as little girls. Just the t
hreat of getting whacked kept me from acting up. Alba, on the other hand, probably has the words Puerto Rico permanently printed on her ass. She gets the chancla award hands down. The girl still doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut.

  "What are you cooking?" The kitchen already smells amazing, and there are a few pots boiling on the stove.

  "Pork chops, tostones, red beans and rice." My stomach growls; I haven't eaten since yesterday.

  "Yum, do you need any help?"

  "No. I'm almost done. If you're hungry, your dad packed up some leftovers from breakfast in the fridge."

  Half an omelet later, I start feeling a little human again. As much as I hate to admit it, it's nice to have my family around to distract me today. I'm curled up on the couch watching Dirty Dancing for the millionth time when Amelie chucks my cell phone at me.

  "Are you trying to give him a stroke?"

  Dammit, I was too busy watching Johnny Castle rescue Baby from a corner and forgot my phone charging in the kitchen.

  "Hey."

  "How's it going at your parents?" Ben's voice is gravelly.

  "Good. Were you asleep?"

  He has to be exhausted from traveling, and I'm sure I didn't help the situation by being M.I.A.

  "Yeah, I made myself something to eat and must have dozed off. I'm gonna hit the sack, but I just wanted to tell you good night."

  "Okay, maybe we can FaceTime tomorrow. I want to see your new digs."

  "Okay, babe, sounds good. We'll talk tomorrow. Have a good night. Love you."

  "I love you too."

  It's only four weeks.

  I'm completely disoriented. The sun-filled room is blinding, and it takes me a minute to remember where I am. Sliding my phone out from under my pillow, I check the time. It’s 8:00 A.M., too early to be awake and too late back home to call Ari.

  Resting an arm over my eyes, I contemplate the rest of my day. Sightseeing is an option, but I'm not in the mood. Man, not knowing anyone in this city sucks. It's around midnight back in L.A. Amos is probably out somewhere. I shoot him a text in hopes he might have some ideas.

  Me: I'm up way too early. Have a whole day with nothing planned. Any suggestions?

  He calls just a few minutes later.

  "Hey, mijo. How are you feeling?"

  "I don't know whether I'm coming or going, man. This jet lag is no joke."

  He chuckles. "Yeah, it'll take a few days for you to get accustomed to the time change. It's good you're up early. It will make it easier to get on a schedule."

  "So do you have any suggestions on what I should do or see around here? I'm afraid if I don't get up and get moving, then I'll sleep the day away."

  "What part of the city are you in?"

  "I'm near Trevor Park."

  "You might want to do a guided bus tour. You'll have the choice of hopping on and off or just enjoying the sights from your seat. It'll get you better acquainted with the city without having to do too much walking."

  "Thanks. That sounds like a plan. So what are you up to? Are you heading back here anytime soon?"

  It might be nice to have him here to show me around. I won't be meeting the other interns until Monday, and from what Larry told me, there's only one other guy.

  "It'll be at least another month. Ari's firm was able to prevent Jalen from serving any jail time, but he has to do some court-mandated DUI classes and about three hundred hours of community service. We'll be recording here for a while."

  Figures. Rich bastard.

  "Speaking of. I passed by Ari's on the way home, and her car was gone."

  She'd flip if she knew he was keeping tabs on her.

  "Yeah, I know. She's staying with her parents. Uh . . . it's cool. You don't have to go out of your way to do that anymore. She just fell asleep, and we're good now."

  "It's no problem. She's just a few minutes away."

  "Yeah, I don't think she appreciated me sending you over there."

  "Why's that?"

  Insert foot in mouth. What the hell am I supposed to say?

  "No reason. She just didn't like that I sent someone to check up on her without her knowing."

  "Well, if stopping by makes her uncomfortable, I could always call her for you. I mean, with the time change and all, it'll be hard for you guys to keep in touch."

  His persistence makes me uneasy, and I'm starting to see what Ari was talking about.

  "No. We've worked it out, and I think it's better that I give her some space. She has enough going on to keep her busy."

  "Okay. Well, if you change your mind . . . I don't mind."

  He's the only link I have left to my dad and grandmother, and I don't want to fuck up our already strained relationship by saying something I might regret.

  "Okay. Listen, I'm going to start getting ready to head out. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes."

  "No problem, mijo. Anytime."

  Actually leaving the king-size bed was easier said than done. I finally will my body to the kitchen and make myself something to eat, using the time to convince myself to leave the apartment. It's really nice out, and I know I'll regret it later if I miss the opportunity to go explore.

  Heeding my uncle's advice, I hop a train into the city and look for a guided bus tour. Taking a seat on the top of the double-decker bus, I put in my earbuds and settle in for the two-hour tour.

  Being around my family is just what the doctor ordered. I wake up to the smell of fresh coffee and a home-cooked meal.

  "Morning.” I turn the corner into the kitchen and find my dad flipping pancakes while my mom sets the table.

  "Good morning, mija. How did you sleep?"

  The bed in the guest bedroom is pure heaven; I could have stayed there all day.

  "Too good. That bed is so comfortable. I might have to come trade you."

  My sisters come trailing in a few minutes later.

  "Morning," I say cheerily. Alba ignores me and heads straight for the stove. Amelie plops down on the chair next to me.

  "Morning. So are you moving back in?" Amelie asks looking hopeful. "Yeah, Relz. It was fun having you here overnight. Maybe you can just stay until Ben gets back," Alba says chomping on a piece of bacon.

  "No. I'm all for the occasional slumber party, but I like being at my place."

  "They just worry about you, mija," my dad says placing a plate in front of me.

  It's just like old times, us sitting around the table enjoying Sunday breakfast together and talking about the upcoming week. I do miss them, but nothing beats being able to wake up to Ben every morning. Four weeks.

  "We lost her again," Alba says breaking me out of my thoughts.

  I toss a crumpled napkin at her as the back door opens.

  "What's up, primas?" a voice calls from behind me.

  "Letty? What the heck are you doing here?" I ask getting up to hug her.

  "I just got back a couple of days ago."

  Letty and I are first cousins. We're only a few months apart in age and were inseparable growing up. I haven't seen her for almost a year.

  "So what have you been up to? How's Esteban?" I hope that was his name. The girl changes boyfriends like I change my panties.

  "Esteban? Oh, please, we broke up months ago."

  "What happened?"

  "He wanted to settle down and put a ring on it. You know I'm not a for sure thing."

  "So how long are you in town for this time?" I ask with a laugh.

  "About three weeks, then I'm off to Texas."

  Letty is a freelance makeup artist. She was at the right place at the right time and got the chance to do makeup on an indie film. One job turned into another and she's been traveling ever since.

  "Are you working on anyone we know?" Amelie asks.

  "Not really, just some local news anchor. She's getting married and has a bunch of events coming up. I used to do her makeup a while back. She asked if I'd come out to do it for her wedding."

  "Vonne's going to be bummed
she missed you."

  "How is that loca? I’ve missed you guys."

  "She's good. She's in San Diego for her internship. She'll be back at the end of the summer."

  "That's cool. So a little birdy told me you have some hottie football player boyfriend. When do I get to meet him?"

  I shoot a death glare at my sisters, and they're looking everywhere but at me. I love my cousin, but she has no filter. She lives to embarrass me, and I do enough of that on my own.

  "He just left to London yesterday for his internship."

  "Fancy. So are you going up to visit?"

  "No. He'll only be gone a month, and I couldn't get the time off."

  "That sucks, but maybe we'll get some time to hang out."

  My phone starts to ring from the other room.

  "Definitely. Hold on, let me go get that."

  The loud ring comes through again letting me know it's a FaceTime call. I rake my hands through my case of bedhead and get to my phone before the last ring. It takes a few seconds for the screen to come into focus and Ben comes into view.

  "Hey, babe."

  "Hey, yourself. Where are you?"

  He looks like he's sitting in some kind of convertible, large buildings are moving in and out of focus behind him.

  "I'm on a double-decker bus tour." He pans the phone around, giving me a better look.

  "That's awesome. Do you get to get off and look around or are you stuck on the bus?"

  "I could get off, but this jet lag is kicking my ass and it wouldn't be as much fun without you here with me."

  "Aww . . .” I turn around and my cousin and sisters are eavesdropping.

  "Who's that?" he asks.

  The girls walk further into the room and stand behind me.

  "Hi, Ben." Groupies.

  "Hey. Thanks for checking on my girl. I owe you one." He gives them that dimpled smile and they're all giggling like idiots.

  "Ben, this is my cousin, Letty."

  "Hey, Ben. Nice to meet you. Do you have any brothers?"

  Ben laughs, and I shove her out of the way before she can ask any more ridiculous questions.