Things We Left Unsaid

A Different Turn

Letting out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

The past few weeks had been exhausting.

Between school, the stupid feud , trying to understand my own feelings and everything concerning my father that I had been trying not to think about too much. I had almost forgotten what an ordinary day felt like.

Now, for the first time in a while, there was nothing waiting for me.

No argument.

No confrontation.

No uncomfortable questions.

Just home.

Mum was in the kitchen humming quietly as she prepared dinner.

" Viola? "

I look toward the kitchen.

" Yes? "

" Come and help me."

I groaned.

" I just got home."

" And? "

" And I'm tired. "

" So am I. "

I laughed as I got up.

" You always have an answer."

" Because you always have an excuse."

I walked into the kitchen.

" What are we making? "

" Rice "

" Again? "

Mum looked at me.

" You want to cook."

I immediately picked up a spoon.

" No, thank you."

She laughed.

" That's what I thought. "

I helped for a while,and for once, we didn't talk about anything serious.

I liked that.

Maybe peace doesn't have to mean everything was perfect.

Sometimes it was just sitting beside your mother in a small kitchen, arguing about who was doing more work.

Later that evening, I went upstairs.

As I reached my room, I glanced through the window.

The house next door was still busy.

A moving truck was packed outside, and two men were carrying boxes through the front door.

I hadn't really paid attention to the house before.

Now that someone was moving in. I found myself wondering who they were.

" New neighbors," I muttered.

I watched for a few seconds before closing the curtains.

I'd probably meet them eventually.

There was no need to be curious.

At least that was what I told myself.

The next morning at school felt surprisedly normal.

I walked into class and found Dami sitting on my desk.

I stopped.

" Move."

He looked up.

" Good morning to you too."

That's my seat.

" And? "

" And you are sitting on it."

I smiled.

" Then sit somewhere else."

I stared at him.

" Dami."

" What? "

" Move."

He laughed and finally got up.

" You're becoming bossy."

" I've always been bossy."

" No, I haven't."

" Yes, I have."

Folani, who had been sitting nearby, laughed quietly.

I looked at him.

" You think this is funny? "

" A little."

" Whose side are you on? "

He shrugged.

" I'm staying out of it."

Dami pointed at him.

" Smart man."

I dropped my bag on the desk.

" You two are irrating."

" Yet you still talk to us." Dami said.

" Unfortunately."

Folani smiled.

I caught him looking at me.

" What? "

He looked away.

" Nothing."

" You were staring."

" I wasn't."

" You were."

Dami looked between us and smiled.

I noticed.

" Don't."

" I haven't said anything."

" You were about to."

He raised both hands.

" Okay, okay."

I rolled my eyes.

The bell rang before I could say anything else.

The day went by quietly.

Maybe too quietly.

But I didn't mind.

During our free period, I was copying something from the board when I realized my pen had stopped working.

I shook it.

Nothing.

I tried again.

Still nothing.

" Seriously? "

Folani glanced over.

" What happened? "

" My pen."

He reached into his bag and handed me one.

" Here. "

I looked at it.

" You have another? "

" Yeah."

I took it.

" Thanks."

" No problem."

I continued writing.

A few minutes later, I looked at the pen again.

It was the one I had seen him use.

I looked at him.

" You're sure you don't need this? "

" I have another one."

" You always have extras."

He smiled.

" Maybe I'm prepared."

Dami, sitting behind us muttered.

Or maybe he's just ...

I turned around.

" Just what? "

He immediately shook his head.

" Nothing."

I narrowed my eyes.

" Why are u acting weird? "

" I'm not."

" You are."

Folani laughed.

Dami looked at him.

" Don't laugh."

" I'm not doing anything."

" You know what you're doing."

I looked between them.

" What are you two talking about? "

" Nothing," they said at the same time."

I stared at them.

" Okay .... "

Something was definitely going on.

I just didn't know what.

The next few days were much the same.

School.

Homework.

Conversation.

Laughter.

Nothing dramatic.

And honestly, I was beginning to appreciate it.

One afternoon, Emma's family finally seemed to be settled into the house next door.

I saw a girl around my age struggling to carry a box.

I almost walked past.

Then the box tilted.

" Careful! "

Then she quickly grabbed it.

" I'm fine."

I laughed.

" Clearly."

She looked at me and smiled.

" You're the girl from the next door, right? "

" Yeah."

She put the box down.

" I'm Emma."

" Viola."

" I know."

I smiled.

" Your family finally finished moving in."

She looked behind her.

" Finished? "

She laughed.

" We've barely started."

I looked around the boxes scattered on the porch.

" looks like it."

" My mum said we'll be done soon."

" And do you believe her? "

" Not even a little."

I laughed.

There was something easy about her.

She wasn't trying too hard.

She wasn't asking strange questions.

She was just another girl trying to survive a move.

" Are you starting school soon? " I asked.

She nodded.

" Probably, my parents are sorting everything out."

" Oh."

" Same school as you actually."

I looked at her.

" Really? "

She smiled.

" Yeah."

" When? "

" I'm not sure yet.Maybe next week."

" That'll be nice."

" Hopefully."

We talked for a few more minutes before her mother called her.

" I'll see you around." Emma said.

" Yeah."

She disappeared into the house.

I walked back home.

Nothing About the conversation felt unusual.

Still, I was glad I'd finally met her.

Maybe having someone around wouldn't be so bad.

The next day, Emma wasn't in school yet.

I didn't expect her to be.

She had said maybe next week.

So I went through my normal routine.

During break, I sat with Dami and folani.

Dami was telling a ridiculous story I wasn't sure I believed.

" And then he actually fell."

I laughed.

" You're lying."

" I'm not."

" You always exaggerate."

" I swear."

Folani laughed.

" Dami doesn't know how to tell a normal story."

" Thank you." Dami said.

" That wasn't a compliment."

" I'll take it anyway."

I shook my head.

As I laughed, I saw folani looking at me.

Again.

He quickly looked down at his food.

I frowned.

There was something about the way he looked at me lately.

Not obvious.

Not enough to mean anything.

Just...

Attentive.

Like he noticed me even when he wasn't trying to.

When I got quiet, he noticed.

When I laughed, he noticed.

I didn't know what it meant.

Maybe that was simply what friends did.

At least, that was what I told myself.

After school, I was packing my books when I heard folani behind me.

" You forgot this."

He held my notebook.

I stared at it.

" I thought I put it in my bag"

" You didn't."

I took it from him.

" Thanks."

He nodded.

Then he looked at me for a moment.

" You're smiling."

I touched my face.

" I am? "

" Yeah."

" Maybe, I'm happy."

" Good."

There was something warm about the way he said it.

I looked at him.

" What? "

" Nothing."

I laughed.

" You really like that word."

" What word? "

" Nothing."

He smiled.

" Maybe."

I shook my head.

" Bye, Folani."

" Bye."

I walked away.

He stayed where he was for a moment, watching me leave.

Neither of us noticed Dami standing a few metres away.

He looked at Folani.

And the direction I had gone.

A small smile appeared on his face.

" Interesting."

Folani looked at him.

" What? "

" Nothing."

Folani frowned.

Dami laughed and walked away.

Folani shook his head.

He didn't follow.

But for some reason, he couldn't think about the smile on my face.

And maybe that was the problem.

He hadn't meant to notice.

He just did.

And neither of us knew yet what that would eventually mean.