SILVER HIGH

CAMILA'S POV The shrill sound of my morning alarm pierced through my peaceful sleep, dragging me unwillingly back to consciousness. Damn it! I muttered under my breath, reaching blindly for the clock beside my bed. After successfully silencing the annoying noise, I buried my face deeper into my pillow and drifted back to sleep. Unfortunately, my peace didn't last long. "CAMILA! CAMILA!" Someone's irritating hands shook me repeatedly until I reluctantly forced my eyes open. What the hell? Standing beside my bed was Danny, my younger brother, looking far too pleased with himself. "Hey! Why are you still sleeping? Do you even know what time it is? You're going to be late for school!" he exclaimed. I yawned, stretched my arms, and glared at him. "Damn it, Danny! What's wrong with you? Who gave you permission to barge into my room and disturb my precious sleep?" "Mum asked me to tell you that breakfast is ready, so kindly get yourself together." He rolled his eyes and turned toward the door. "Big head," I heard him mutter just before he stepped outside. My jaw dropped. Excuse me?! I grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him with all the strength I could muster. Luckily, it landed squarely on his head. "How dare you call me that?" I snapped. "Ouch! What are you talking about? I didn't say anything!" he protested, rubbing the back of his head. I shot him a murderous glare, but he merely scoffed before disappearing into the hallway. What a little jerk! Sometimes, I wondered if Danny deliberately forgot that I was four years older than him. With an exhausted sigh, I leaned against the wall beside my bed. Ouch! My head throbbed painfully. What was this annoying headache doing to me so early in the morning? I shook my head slightly, hoping to ease the discomfort, then dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. A few minutes later, I returned to my room, feeling somewhat refreshed. I quickly slipped into my school uniform, pulled on my stockings and shoes, and stood before the mirror to brush my hair. Damn! I'd seriously overslept. As I examined my reflection, a satisfied smile spread across my face. I was only seventeen, but people often mistook me for someone around twenty. Apparently, I'd matured faster than most girls my age, and honestly, I didn't mind one bit. I loved my appearance, especially my curves. My figure was something I took pride in, and I knew perfectly well that plenty of girls envied it. And my face? Well, I considered myself pretty, too. At least, that was what everyone kept telling me. Once I finished brushing my ridiculously long hair, I divided it into two sections and arranged it neatly. I'd always admired long hair, which was why I'd decided to grow mine out. And I had to admit, it looked amazing. Grabbing my schoolbag from the bed, I was about to leave when a sudden wave of pain shot through my head. "Ouuuch!" I cried out, instinctively grabbing the edge of the bed to steady myself. What the hell was that?! Why was my head hurting so badly all of a sudden? I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the pain to subside. When it finally eased, I took a deep breath and made my way out of the room. Slowly, I descended the staircase and headed toward the dining area, where Mum, Dad, and Danny were already enjoying breakfast. "Oh, my goodness! Camila! I can't believe you're only coming downstairs now!" Mum exclaimed while serving herself some beans. "Yeah, I was really tired." I forced a small smile. "Good morning, Mum. Good morning, Dad." I pulled out a chair beside Danny and settled into it. "Good morning, sweetheart. Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Dad asked, studying my face. "Yeah. It's just a little headache," I replied before pouring myself a cup of tea. I'm pretty sure she stayed up watching movies all night. I froze. Wait a minute. What was that? I turned toward Mum immediately. "I wasn't watching movies!" She stared at me, utterly bewildered. "Who are you talking to?" Danny asked, giving me a strange look. "Shut your mouth! I wasn't talking to you, okay? Or have you suddenly become Mum?" I snapped. "Huh? But I haven't said anything," Mum interjected. "You said I was watching movies all night, and that's a lie! I went to bed pretty early," I insisted, rolling my eyes as I reached for a plate and spoon. Mum blinked several times. "I... didn't say that. I mean, I didn't say it out loud." I stared at her in confusion. What on earth was she talking about? After a moment, she simply shrugged and continued serving breakfast as though nothing had happened. The whole thing was bizarre. "Your birthday is coming up soon, right?" Danny suddenly asked. "Where are you taking me?" I scoffed. Was this boy even serious? "Hold on! It's MY birthday, and you're expecting ME to treat you?" "Well, obviously! Or do you expect your younger brother to take you out instead?" he retorted. I shook my head in disbelief. What should I get her for her birthday? Maybe a car... I immediately raised my head. "YES, DAD! A CAR WOULD BE PERFECT!" Silence. Dad slowly lifted his head, staring at me as though I'd suddenly grown two heads. Mum and Danny wore similar expressions. Okay... What had I done now? "Camila, what's wrong with you?" Danny asked. "Who's talking about a car?" I glared at him. "Are you deaf? Dad was thinking about getting me a car for my birthday, and I was simply letting him know that I wanted one! What's your problem?" "Camila, your father hasn't said anything," Mum replied cautiously. "What exactly are you talking about?" I stared at her, completely dumbfounded. What was happening here? Were they all experiencing hearing problems, or was something seriously wrong with me? "Are you sure you're alright, sweetheart?" Mum asked again, concern evident in her voice. I sighed, pushed my chair back, and grabbed my schoolbag. "Bye, Mum. I'll eat something at school." Without waiting for a response, I walked away from the dining room. Dad hadn't said a single word throughout the entire conversation. "Camila! What's wrong?" Mum and Danny called after me. I ignored them. I needed to get away from everyone. I needed some space to think. I couldn't explain it, but something felt terribly wrong. Just as I reached the hallway, another sharp wave of pain exploded inside my head. I squeezed my eyes shut and grabbed the wall, desperately trying to steady myself. Thank goodness I'd already left the dining room. I didn't want anyone witnessing whatever was happening to me. What the hell was causing these headaches? And why did I keep hearing things nobody else seemed to hear? I remained still for a while, waiting for the pain to fade. Eventually, it subsided. I released a shaky breath, straightened myself, and continued toward the door, completely unaware that my ordinary life was about to change forever.