Read Online The Color of Silence by Liane Shaw - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Liane Shaw
Ads: Link
likes people very much. Not the kind who talk anyway.
Alexandra listens to the music intently, her eyes closed at times, her head moving in perfect time. How wonderful it would be to do that, make your body move with the music, feeling the rhythm and letting it take you over. I have often thought that my body should be quite good at keeping time with music because it certainly doesnât want to keep time with me!
Alexandra doesnât look all that happy about the music, though. Her face looks sad and her hand keeps on straying up to her forehead, rubbing gently as if she has a pain sheâs trying to erase.
The song we are listening to ends, and the music drains out of the room, replaced by silence. This time I watch her as she sits with her eyes shut. I donât think she is asleep, though. A few moments slip by quietly and then her eyes open slowly. She looks at me, and I get a chance to see her eyes for just a moment. Theyâre a beautiful shade of green, like the grass in spring time, but there are shadows moving across them that block out her light. She looks so sad that Iâm afraid sheâs going to cry. She shakes her head and breaks eye contact, stopping me from seeing any more.
âSorry.â She looks at me and smiles. The smile doesnât make it up her face to her eyes. I smile back. Why is she sorry? The music was lovely.
Having her visit me is lovely too. I rather like having someone here who understands about silence.
It makes me feelâ¦connected to her somehow.
She stands, gathering up her things. Iâm sorry to see her go, but my legs are starting to feel sore, and I should get back into bed. Iâd rather do that after Alexandra leaves.
She opens her mouth as if to speak, but no words come out.
She just gives me a tiny wave and walks out of the room, the tapping of her shoes somehow muted by her sadness.
Chapter 11
I run out of Joanieâs room and head to elevator, keeping my eyes down so none of the staff can see me.
I canât believe I was stupid enough to pick West Side Story ! That was the very first musical Cali and I were in together, back in the very first term of high school.
I wouldnât have been in it at all if it werenât for Cali. She made me go to the audition and then made me stay there when I panicked and wanted to run.
She ended up playing Maria. I was Jet Girlfriend Number Three.
It was the first time I actually took my singing out of my bedroom and onto a real stage. It was the most awesomely wonderful thing I had ever done in my life.
I knew that listening to music now would be a bad idea.
Now Joanie likely thinks Iâm crazy on top of being boring.
I just made everything worse. Iâm doing it all wrong.
Just like I did before.
I donât want to think about before.
I start to walk toward home quickly, trying to keep my mind in neutral so that I donât have to think about it. But the memories slip into high gear again, before I have a chance to push them away.
âItâs almost three oâclock!â
âYeah, I know. It almost always comes right after two thirty.â I laugh at my own incredible funniness. Cali does not.
âLet me know when you say something funny so I can laugh.â
âCali. Alex. Do you have something to share?â Mr. Shaker. Cali looks at me and rolls her eyes.
We both hate it when teachers say that. And they all do it. Itâs so grade school. Even in grade school I hated it. Obviously, we have something to share or we wouldnât be talking. Obviously, we donât want to share it with the teacher or we wouldnât be whispering.
âNo, sir. Sorry. We were just discussing the problem on the board.â Cali lies better than anyone I know. She looks the person right in the eye and just says whatever comes into her head. I am the worldâs worst liar. My dad always knows Iâm trying to lie when I stare at his shoes.
Mr. Shaker is wearing shiny
Alexandra listens to the music intently, her eyes closed at times, her head moving in perfect time. How wonderful it would be to do that, make your body move with the music, feeling the rhythm and letting it take you over. I have often thought that my body should be quite good at keeping time with music because it certainly doesnât want to keep time with me!
Alexandra doesnât look all that happy about the music, though. Her face looks sad and her hand keeps on straying up to her forehead, rubbing gently as if she has a pain sheâs trying to erase.
The song we are listening to ends, and the music drains out of the room, replaced by silence. This time I watch her as she sits with her eyes shut. I donât think she is asleep, though. A few moments slip by quietly and then her eyes open slowly. She looks at me, and I get a chance to see her eyes for just a moment. Theyâre a beautiful shade of green, like the grass in spring time, but there are shadows moving across them that block out her light. She looks so sad that Iâm afraid sheâs going to cry. She shakes her head and breaks eye contact, stopping me from seeing any more.
âSorry.â She looks at me and smiles. The smile doesnât make it up her face to her eyes. I smile back. Why is she sorry? The music was lovely.
Having her visit me is lovely too. I rather like having someone here who understands about silence.
It makes me feelâ¦connected to her somehow.
She stands, gathering up her things. Iâm sorry to see her go, but my legs are starting to feel sore, and I should get back into bed. Iâd rather do that after Alexandra leaves.
She opens her mouth as if to speak, but no words come out.
She just gives me a tiny wave and walks out of the room, the tapping of her shoes somehow muted by her sadness.
Chapter 11
I run out of Joanieâs room and head to elevator, keeping my eyes down so none of the staff can see me.
I canât believe I was stupid enough to pick West Side Story ! That was the very first musical Cali and I were in together, back in the very first term of high school.
I wouldnât have been in it at all if it werenât for Cali. She made me go to the audition and then made me stay there when I panicked and wanted to run.
She ended up playing Maria. I was Jet Girlfriend Number Three.
It was the first time I actually took my singing out of my bedroom and onto a real stage. It was the most awesomely wonderful thing I had ever done in my life.
I knew that listening to music now would be a bad idea.
Now Joanie likely thinks Iâm crazy on top of being boring.
I just made everything worse. Iâm doing it all wrong.
Just like I did before.
I donât want to think about before.
I start to walk toward home quickly, trying to keep my mind in neutral so that I donât have to think about it. But the memories slip into high gear again, before I have a chance to push them away.
âItâs almost three oâclock!â
âYeah, I know. It almost always comes right after two thirty.â I laugh at my own incredible funniness. Cali does not.
âLet me know when you say something funny so I can laugh.â
âCali. Alex. Do you have something to share?â Mr. Shaker. Cali looks at me and rolls her eyes.
We both hate it when teachers say that. And they all do it. Itâs so grade school. Even in grade school I hated it. Obviously, we have something to share or we wouldnât be talking. Obviously, we donât want to share it with the teacher or we wouldnât be whispering.
âNo, sir. Sorry. We were just discussing the problem on the board.â Cali lies better than anyone I know. She looks the person right in the eye and just says whatever comes into her head. I am the worldâs worst liar. My dad always knows Iâm trying to lie when I stare at his shoes.
Mr. Shaker is wearing shiny
Similar Books
