“Me and Oakley. We’re… We’re together,” I said, confidently as I could, and unashamed.
Everyone fell silent. Jasper gasped theatrically and slapped his hand over his mouth. He looked between his parents and then back at us. Idiot.
“Would you believe it?” he said, shaking his head. I glared at him, which did nothing but make him laugh.
“And how long have you been together?” Sarah asked, looking at Oakley who was chewing on her lip. Max looked angry, and my parents looked happy. Well, that was two out of the four at least.
“Since the holiday,” I replied honestly.
Max stood up, his face hard and his eyes tight with anger. He looked like he was about to murder me.
“So it is true?” he spat through gritted teeth.
Oakley looked lost, and tears welled up in her eyes. She grabbed my hand squeezing tightly for support.
“No, it’s not. We are together, but nothing like that has happened,” I said smoothly, hoping they would believe the lie. Jasper raised his eyebrows. Say something, Jasper, and I swear you will lose your balls.
Max started pacing the room, deep in thought, obviously trying to figure out if he should believe me or not. “She’s fifteen!”
“Max, calm down. She’s sixteen now,” Mum said soothingly.
“Not when they first got together,” he growled. Oakley shrank back in the sofa, pressing the side of her body against mine.
Sarah knelt in front of Oakley.
“Are you sure this is what you want, honey?”
Oakley nodded at the same time I shouted, “What the hell does that mean? You think I’d take advantage of her or something?”
I actually felt sick that they would think that. I would die before I let anything happen to her.
My parents jumped in to defend me while Sarah tried calming everyone down. The room was buzzing with tension.
Max glared at me.
“You’re seventeen, Cole! What on earth do you want with her anyway? You know how she is!” he shouted, making everyone flinch.
I felt my blood boil; I wanted to punch him so badly. ‘How she is.’ What the hell was that supposed to mean? Oakley jumped up and ran. Damn it.
I turned to follow her, but my dad held me back.
“Let him go,” he said in my ear as Jasper ran after her. “You need to sort this out, Cole.”
“I didn’t take advantage of her,” I whispered to Dad.
“I know you didn’t, and deep down so does Max.”
He pulled me back around and I locked eyes with Max again. He still looked angry. Sarah was holding his arm, sobbing quietly.
I shook my head. “You know I would never hurt her.”
He took a deep breath and nodded.
“I know, but she’s not like other sixteen-year-old girls though, is she?”
There’s nothing wrong with her!
“Why her?”
That one was easy.
“I love her,” I answered simply. I wanted to be with her, and I wanted to make her happy. “She’s not a little girl any more. Just because she doesn’t speak that doesn’t mean she’s a child! There are plenty of mute people out there that have everything everyone else has,” I reasoned.
I was so angry. Angry at Max’s reaction and angry at myself for promising her it would be okay. Max laughed humourlessly and shook his head. Sarah let go of his arm and wiped away the tears that were falling freely down her cheeks.
“If you love her could you not wait until she’s got everything sorted out?” Sarah asked.
“What do you mean?” I asked, frowning.
“Well,” she started, sitting down on the sofa. “I think maybe you should wait until we’ve sorted out her speech problem.”
“Sorted out her speech problem? When are you all gonna realise there’s nothing wrong with her not speaking! If she wants to talk, she will, but until then, back off!” I ranted, tensing my muscles so much they started to ache.
I was so pissed off with everyone thinking that she had to be fixed somehow. As if she was a broken doll that needed a spare part to make her whole again. Of course I would love her to speak, but if she never did then it wouldn’t change a thing in my eyes.
“And you say you love her!” Sarah scoffed, shaking her head at me.
“You know what? I think I might be the only one that does. You don’t see her how you used to, do you? She’s not your perfect daughter any more!”
Sarah started crying harder. “I love her.”
“That’s not what I asked, Sarah.” Her face suddenly fell, and she gasped. I spun around and saw Oakley standing by the door, looking at her Mum with the most heart-breaking expression. Tears poured down her cheeks. No! She’d had heard everything.
Sarah shook her head. “No, Honey...I…”