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CHAPTER FORTY ONE
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UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY TWO
CHAPTER 42The house was swathed in stillness when Lila finally trudged through the front door that evening. Despite the warmth of the setting sun filtering through the curtains, an inescapable chill seemed to permeate every nook and cranny. She raised her hands and signed, _"Dad?"_ more out of rote instinct than any real expectation of response. The lack of an answer only confirmed her suspicions - Ethan must have been pulling another graveyard shift down at the cannery to make ends meet.Lila sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly as the silence pressed in all around her. While she tried not to dwell on it too often, there was always an undercurrent of melancholy that came with being home alone these days. Almost like the walls themselves were haunted by specters of better times when her mother had still been around to imbue their humble dwelling with warmth and levity.Shuffling towards the kitchen, Lila's eyes were immediately drawn to the collage of old family photos Blu-Tacked
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY THREE
CHAPTER 43Caleb's alarm pierced the early morning calm like a scorching knife. He grumbled and swiped at his bedroom table until his fingers found the snooze button, which temporarily silenced the unpleasant sounds. Caleb allowed himself a few indulgent seconds to lay amidst his rumpled sheets and silk pajamas, squinting against the hazy streams of dawn that filtered through his bedroom window. The advantage of coming from a wealthy family was that he could enjoy leisurely mornings like these while the rest of Willow Creek's peasantry was already racing off to whatever menial task occupied their sad existences.Of course, such leisurely respites seldom lasted long in the Matthews home. Not when their illustrious family lineage necessitated the ongoing cultivation and upholding of the highest standards in every possible field.Caleb's eyes rolled up in disgust as he heard a loud tapping on his door. "Yeah, yeah—I'm decent. Julia, you are welcome to come in.The door flew open, reveal
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY FOUR
CHAPTER 44By the time Julia and Caleb made their way downstairs, their usual squabbling had subsided into an uneasy truce. Caleb marched ahead in sullen silence, while Julia trailed slightly behind, giving her brother tense back furtive glances every few steps.She couldn't resist the nagging suspicion that Caleb's obvious animosity towards this scholarship competition originated from more than just his normal rebellious behavior. There was an apparent undercurrent of worry and dread in his statements, which felt out of character for her generally calm sibling.Of course, making such observations openly would only invite Caleb's scorn. He had little regard for any hints that he was straining under the tremendous expectations that weighed heavily on their privileged family. Julia knew better than to poke that particularly territorial bear without a verifiable reason.Instead, she merely let the tense silence to stretch between them as they approached the huge circular driveway where C
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY FIVE
CHAPTER 45Julia gazed owlishly down at Lila's sloppy scrawl for a moment, assimilating this unexpected discovery. Caleb had been assigned to the same competitive group as Lila for the upcoming scholarship challenges. Julia's gaze softened into a slight smile, as opposed to the disgust Lila had expected. While the grouping appeared unusual, she saw the judges' objective to produce a group with different abilities and backgrounds. "Well, this certainly explains Caleb's bad mood lately," Julia observed aloud. "Though I'd hoped he'd have outgrown preemptively writing things off just because they don't align with his narrow expectations."She shook her head and gave Lila a kind gaze. Despite their separate social circles at school, the two sisters had developed a strong friendship over time, an unbreakable backbone formed by the same hardships they'd faced.Julia admired Lila's tenacity and sympathetic demeanour, which made the disabilities she faced every day all the more impressive. S
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY SIX
CHAPTER 46As the first class finished, a commotion of voices and banging lockers reverberated through Willow Creek High's hallways. Lila clasped her books securely to her chest, her gaze fixed on the rough linoleum floor. She flinched when a bunch of noisy boys swept by her, their loud laughing grating on her ears.Caleb swaggered down the corridor, accompanied by his ever-present sidekicks Maddie and Trent. Miranda, his lover, trailed behind them, her painted lips curved in a continuous scowl."Can you believe I got stuck with that mute freak for the group project?" Caleb spat, his voice full of scorn.Maddie snickered. "Dude, it is rough. How are you expected to work with someone unable to speak?Trent interjected with a mocking tone. "Maybe she'll just sit there and stare at you the whole time, like the creep she is."Caleb's face broke into a nasty grin. "Nah, I've got a better idea."His gaze focused on Lila's hunched posture, and a vicious glint appeared in his eyes. He walked
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN
CHAPTER 47The harsh ring of the bell announced the start of the midday break, and Lila lingered behind, her shoulders bent as she grabbed her bags, hoping to dodge the chaotic rush of students.As she made her way to the cafeteria, she noticed a familiar figure - Julia, who was resting against the lockers, her forehead furrowed as she wrote in her notebook.Lila paused for a time, her heart still heavy from the morning fight with Caleb and his companions. But Julia had always been an ally, a shining beacon of kindness among the sea of hatred that frequently surrounded her.Lila mustered her bravery and approached her buddy, gently patting her on the shoulder. Julia looked up, her expression softening into a loving smile as she recognized Lila."Hey, Lila," she said, her voice full of real compassion. "How's your day going?"Lila's shoulders slumped as she grabbed for the tattered notebook tucked safely within her rucksack. Her fingers flew across the pages as she quickly scribbled he
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT
CHAPTER 48*** THE NEXT DAY ***The corridors were alive with activity as the last bell rang, signaling the conclusion of another long school day. Dylan made his way through the throng of students, his backpack slung over one shoulder, his thoughts immediately turning to the forthcoming group project.As he neared his locker, he noticed Caleb and his gang lounging close, their loud laughing booming off the metal doors. Dylan steeled himself, stiffening his shoulders and preparing to confront the aggressor."Hey, Caleb," he cried out, his voice rising above the clamor of the busy hallway.Caleb turned, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Dylan with a mixture of disgust and contempt. "What do you want, loser?"Dylan took a deep breath, unwilling to let Caleb's taunts penetrate his skin. "I wanted to talk to you about the group project we're working on together."Maddie snickered and elbowed Trent in the ribs. "What about a group project?" What's with the mute freak? "This should be good.
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER FORTY NINE
CHAPTER 49Mrs. Wilkins pursed her lips, her expression softening as she looked at her student. "I understand your concern for your friend, but reassigning group members is not the solution. It would just encourage Caleb's aggressive behavior and send the incorrect message to the rest of the class."Dylan's shoulders slumped and his hopes deflated like a ruptured balloon. "But how about Lila?" It's not fair for her to have to cope with Caleb's antics on top of everything else.Mrs. Wilkins leaned forward, her face determined. "Dylan, I understand your frustration. But the reality is that we can't keep Lila or anybody else safe from people like Caleb forever. They'll eventually have to learn how to advocate for themselves and manage challenging situations."Dylan opened his lips to object, but Mrs. Wilkins raised her hand, effectively silencing him."However," she said, "that doesn't mean we'll ignore Caleb's behavior. I'll talk to him and his parents about the consequences of his acti
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