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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
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UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER 17"Very well, then," she said, her voice ringing with a rare note of satisfaction. "Let's see if any of you can match Miss Emerson's incisive analysis."A murmur echoed down the rows of desks, the pupils bending forward in rapt attention, their eyes gleaming with the excitement of the challenge."Next question," Mrs. Wilkins said, her chalk striking against the blackboard in decisive strokes. "Analyse the significance of the valley of ashes and its symbolic representation within the broader context of the novel."A beat of silence ensued, with the students exchanging apprehensive glances as they searched their minds for an appropriate response. Caleb's eyes raised as he locked an intense stare on Lila from the back of the classroom.Mia's hand shot into the air as she saw the change in the dynamic, she looked angry and determined. But before she could say anything, Caleb leaned forward, his lips curving into a sneer as he directed his mocking whisper at the target of his hatr
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER 18Dylan couldn't believe it when Lila raised her hand to answer Mrs. Wilkins' question. He hadn't seen her voluntarily speak up in class in months, not since her vocal problems began. Over the year, Lila, who was once vivacious and gregarious, has grown more distant and quiet. Dylan was surprised and impressed by Lila's composed and articulate response, which included a quote from the assigned reading. Mrs. Wilkins smiled warmly as she complimented Lila on her "well said" answer. Dylan felt guilty for having separated himself from his old friend throughout her problems.Dylan hung back as the session ended, hoping to grab Lila and congratulate her on her breakout performance. But, before he could approach, Mrs. Wilkins had led Lila inside her office. Dylan stayed outside, unwilling to disrupt what he assumed were well-deserved favorable remarks.After a few moments, the office door reopened, and Lila emerged, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears of excitement. She was soon s
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER 19Caleb's POVThe final bell rang through the halls, signaling the end ofthe day. Caleb swung his bag over his shoulder and approached Miranda's locker. His proposed girlfriend was always slow to pack up, allowing him to capture her attention before they left school together. As he turned the corner, Miranda appeared in front of him, her blonde hair flowing down her back and those big lips curled up in a flirty smile directed at him. Caleb felt his body react instantly, with desire stirring deep in his gut. "Hey babe," Miranda said softly as he approached her locker, one arm wrapped around his neck. "About time you showed up."Caleb grinned wolfishly and wrapped an arm around her waist, bringing her flush against him. "Just being tormented by the notion of you all, period. "You know how crazy you drive me, babe."He dipped his head, seizing her lips in a hot kiss that had them both breathing rapidly when they parted. Miranda's green eyes were dark with want as she suggesti
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER 20Lila's POVLila virtually danced through the front door and the beautiful spring sunlight that penetrated only added to her upbeat mood. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, pure, unadulterated ecstasy flowed through her veins.She eagerly dropped her backpack and started looking about for her father. They want to tell him about her fantastic day, every ecstatic, uplifting detail, caused an exciting flutter in her breast. "Dad, I'm home!" She signed, pouring extra force and emotion into her actions.After a few seconds of silence, Lila continued into the home, trailing the tantalizing fragrance of garlic and herbs coming from the kitchen. A smile tugged at her lips; it looked like her father was preparing one of his famous dishes.When she popped her head around the corner, she discovered Ethan methodically chopping vegetables at the counter, his powerful forearms flexing with the rhythmic slicing movements. Even at nearly fifty, the once-stout football star
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
CHAPTER 21*** THE NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL AFTER THE QUIZ ***Lila should have known better than to openly reveal Miranda's ignorance, risking her fury. Even if it had been an innocent correction during the lit quiz, the entitled bullies would not tolerate having their apparent intellectual superiority challenged.It started tiny, with poisonous stares and sneers thrown Lila's way anytime she tried to draw their attention in the halls. She tried not to give them any satisfaction by shrinking away and holding her head high with what little confidence she had left.Then followed the sly murmurs and not-so-subtle teasing whenever she passed by their group standing court in common spaces. Loud enough for Lila to hear every nasty insult and disparaging remark about her."Well if it isn't Willow Creek's pint-sized professor, gracing us all with her vastly superior intellect," Yuria's nasal tones carried one morning, prompting a round of contemptuous laughing."Yeah, we'd better be careful, ladie
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
CHAPTER 22Lila's POVThe last bell sounded like a starter's pistol, announcing the daily race to exit Willow Creek High School. Lila quickly packed her possessions, her actions crisp and efficient due to tight habit. She refused to stay any longer than necessary in these soul-crushing passageways.Clutching her bags tightly, she made her way to the acknowledged meeting location near the eastern exit, where Mia always waited. Sure enough, her best friend was already stationed there, passively looking through some irrelevant feed on her phone.As Lila arrived, Mia looked up, her eyes crinkling warmly as she pocketed the device. "Here you are! I was beginning to suspect you were held up trying to debate the finer points of The Odyssey with another teacher."Lila's lips jerked upward, forming a momentary smile. She enjoyed Mia's playful attempts to lift her permanently down spirits, even if the humour frequently fell flat these days. With a tiny shake of her head, she flung her bag from
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
CHAPTER 23Caleb Matthews sagged in his chair as the last bell rang, marking the end of another Weekly school day. His attention shifted to the window, where the rain beat against the glass in a constant pattern. Basketball practice loomed, and after missing last Friday's session and discussing it with Coach Harris, he knew the coach would be watching him intently."Earth to Caleb." Maddie elbowed him and smirked. "You have been spacing out all day. Still dreading practice?Caleb jolted out of his daze, his mouth clenching slightly. "Just prepping myself mentally." "I bet Harris is gonna run you ragged," Trent said as he slid into the desk beside Maddie. "No more slacking off for you, dude."Caleb felt a leaden knot in his stomach, but he refused to make any more excuses. He'd messed up, plain and simple. He shifted in his seat and feigned a casual demeanor. "It will be OK. "Not a big deal."Maddie raised her brow, evidently skeptical. "So no more putting it off. Want to grab an earl
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
CHAPTER 24"Your sister, Julia, will be starting at Willow Creek High on Monday."Caleb was taken aback by his father's statements. This was the last thing he expected out of all the scenarios he was thinking about. "You're joking, right?" His laugh was harsh. "Julia attends my public school?" Why the devil would she transfer from Brookfield Academy?His father gave him a serious look. "Because it's time she experienced the real world instead of that privileged bubble she's been coddled in."Caleb's stomach hollowed out as the implication set in. Julia is at his school. Suddenly, his safe refuge of anonymity, his escape from the weight of familial expectations, was about to be destroyed."This is ridiculous," he exclaimed, his frustration palpable. "You can't just upend her entire life like this two weeks before the Championships!" "We can and we are." His father's tone accepted no debate. "Your sister needs a reality check, and you're going to help provide it whether you like it or
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UNSPOKEN BOND 76
The library had settled into its usual afternoon lull, the air thick with the musty scent of aging paper and the soft rustle of turning pages. Lila sat hunched over her laptop, fingers flying across the keyboard as she transcribed her latest research notes. So engrossed was she in her work that she failed to notice the looming presence approaching her table until a shadow fell across her screen.Glancing up with a start, Lila found herself face to face with Caleb's towering bulk. Her muscles tensed instinctively, body coiling as if readying for fight or flight. The last encounter with this lumbering bully still burned fresh in her memory - his sneering disdain, the casual cruelty as he'd snatched away her notebook filled with painstaking calculations and schematics.But something was... off. Instead of the usual sneer twisting his features, Caleb's expression seemed almost sheepish. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, hands shoved deep in the pockets of his varsity jacket as he r
UNSPOKEN BOND 75
The echoing silence stretched unbearably as Caleb's hulking form loomed over Lila. She remained frozen, muscles coiled tightly, awaiting the inevitable belittling remark or physical intimidation tactic from the lumbering brute.Instead of lashing out verbally, Caleb simply stared her down, pale eyes drilling into her with an intense, unblinking glare. The seconds ticked by agonizingly until Lila had to fight the urge to squirm under his domineering scrutiny. Finally, he broke the oppressive silence by jutting his thick neck forward, the cords of muscle straining beneath his skin as he fixed her with a callous sneer."Give it here," he growled, the gravelly timbre of his voice reverberating through the stillness.Lila's brow furrowed slightly as she met his imperious glare, refusing to be cowed so easily despite her growing trepidation. She tilted her head in an exaggerated questioning expression.Caleb responded by leaning down until his meaty face filled her field of vision, hot bur
UNSPOKEN BOND 74
The library had settled into an industrious hush, the only sounds the occasional creak of chair legs against tile or the muffled clacking of Lila's fingers flying across her laptop's keyboard. Dylan pored over a sheaf of printouts, lips pursing in concentration as he made notations in the margins with a stubby pencil.Mia broke the silence with a jaw-cracking yawn, slumping back in her chair as she stretched her arms overhead. "Well, I don't know about you two, but my brain feels like an overstuffed piñata about to burst after cramming in all those thermospheric equilibrium models."Lila shot her a sidelong glance, the ghost of a smirk playing about her lips as her hands articulated a response. Dylan watched the deft weaving of her fingers with a hint of envy, wishing he could fully grasp the nuanced expressiveness of that rich, silent language.Mia snorted, translating Lila's gestures with a rakish grin. "She says no one ever claimed saving the world would be easy, especially when th
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER 73
CHAPTER 73Mia studied a stack of printouts and sketchy diagrams, her brow wrinkled with concentration. Lila's fingers flew across the screen of her laptop with fluid ease, signing a complicated stream of gestures interspersed by brief bursts of typing. Dylan watched the spectacle with a genuine sense of pleasure and satisfaction. Just a short time ago, this ragged company was on the verge of implosion, split between petty power battles and pointless outbursts of ideological grandstanding. However, once their focus moved to actual, concrete goals in pursuit of the Scholsemann Sustainability Scholarship, a perceptible rebirth of synergy emerged.Dylan felt the same explosive spark that had first attracted them together rekindle as he assessed his co-conspirators' single-minded focus on the mission at hand. He cleared his throat, the gravelly rasp cutting through the charged silence like a tuning fork vibration. "Alright, people - I think it's time we regroup and see what kind of big-
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER 72
CHAPTER 72***NEXT DAY AT SCHOOL ***The library's hushed ambiance felt like a taut wire, barely containing the simmering tensions that crackled between them. Lila swept her gaze across the secluded study nook, taking stock of her unlikely crew bound together by shared trauma and a singular purpose.Mia radiated tightly-coiled fury, her lithe frame tensed like a spring awaiting release. Though defiant fire still burned in those dark eyes, the mottled bruises marring her skin served as a visceral reminder of the price they'd paid for resistance. Beside her, Dylan settled into his chair with measured movements, as if afraid any sudden gestures might rekindle the powderkeg hostilities. His jaw was clenched, eyes tracking the others with a wariness born of recent betrayals.The heavy tread of boots against tile announced Caleb's arrival. The towering jock swaggered in exuding nonchalant arrogance, but the corded muscles bunching along his thick neck betrayed the menacing undercurrent sim
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER 71
CHAPTER 71The front door let out a deep, familiar groan of protest as Lila shouldered it open and stepped across the threshold into the Hawthorne home. The entrance stretched out in front of her, tiny but neat, a true reflection of her father's practical principles and workmanlike pride.She scuffed her trainers against the bristly welcome mat, releasing the grit and debris that had gathered throughout the day on their rubber soles. The regular shucking noises resonated hollowly along the front hall, as Lila went about her daily practice of making herself at home.Her backpack thudded on the floor with a muffled whump, spreading its contents in a tangled sprawl of notebooks, textbooks and stray pens. She'd worry about resolving that issue later; for now, the enticing draw of escape into the digital ether called with its siren song of consequence-free distraction.Lila retrieved her smartphone from the chaos, flicking her thumb across the lockscreen in a single practiced flick. The sc
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER 70
CHAPTER 70The bell, which thankfully signaled the conclusion of another academic assignment, rang out in a strong dismissal tone that cut through the noise of the packed corridor. Students rush out of classrooms, eager to get away from academic duties for a few hours.Lila stayed there for a few lingering seconds, watching the storm swell and fall before getting up. She gathered her belongings with deliberate, precise care, her actions honed over years of discreetly traversing a world practically devoid of noise disruptions.As she lifted her bag and turned towards the exit, a familiar figure appeared at her side. Mia fell into step, her face a mix of affectionate irritation and lingering uncertainty."You sure you're okay heading out alone?" She asked, narrowing one eye as she examined Lila. "After this morning's...events, I wouldn't blame you for wanting someone to walk with."Lila's hands moved in a flurry of familiar gestures, her agile fingers articulating the response with prac
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER SIXTY NINE
CHAPTER 69Miranda and Yuria paused in mid-torment, their savage sneers temporarily easing as the sound of an adjacent classroom door smashing open reached their ears."What in the name of blessed reason is going on out here?"The authoritative scream of a male faculty member pierced through the tense atmosphere like a hot knife as Mr. Levinson's towering form approached the corner. The hefty, barrel-chested History teacher stopped short, his already florid cheeks purpling even more as he took in the chaotic sight."Miss Miranda!" "Miss Yuria!" His blustering tones cracked like a whip as he focused on the perpetrators. "Release those young ladies this instant and explain yourselves!"For a brief time, it appeared that Miranda might dig in her heels and refuse the teacher's intervention. Her clean features distorted into an ugly grimace, and her grasp on Lila's hair tightened violently until the mute girl wailed. Then, just as swiftly, the mutinous fury subsided into calm, lazy apathy
UNSPOKEN BOND CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT
CHAPTER 68The heavy wooden door bashed shut behind Caleb with a resounding finality that echoed along the empty hallway. His footsteps sounded like sledgehammers, propelled by a spinning whirlwind of embarrassment, rage, and disbelief.How dare they? How can those small little insects defy him so shamelessly, removing his legitimate claim to power with their pathetic insurrection? As the images repeated in his mind's eye, he let out a low growl from deep within.Those losers and the freak raised their betraying hands in arrogant, coordinated rejection. Dylan, the overhype little b*tch who had fooled himself into thinking he could steal Caleb's natural leadership. A strong shudder shot through the jock's titanium-hewn frame as he pictured wrapping his hands around that thin throat and squeezing until those mutinous lights went out for good.His fists squeezed till the knuckles turned white, tendons cording against the skin like high-tension cables. The abrupt jarring blast of his ring
