Counting Stars and Scars {Kellic}

11. The Silence Is Deafening

{Song- Identity Disorder by Of Mice and Men}

Kellin stops talking to me.

I mean, not completely. But he's not acting like he did before. In only a few days, all I get is a bunch of distant smiles and one-word answers when I try to start a conversation. It baffles me out of my mind, because I'm the one that's usually pulling away, not him.

I'm currently walking down the hallway with Tony after school one day, who's blabbering in my ear about news on the new Star Wars film. I'm not really paying attention, to be honest. We turn a corner, and I almost drop my books at the sight that I see.

Tony doesn't notice that I stop walking. "-and so I think Han Solo is coming back because it just doesn't make sense why he-"

"Tony." I say loudly, trying to get his attention.

He turns around, looking bewildered at why I'm way behind him. "What?"

I point to all the way down the hallway. He looks over, and sees what I saw. Kellin is standing there talking to Ronnie, our worst nemesis. It's not aggressive or anything, they're just talking.

"Does Kellin normally talk to that asshole?" I ask.

Tony shrugs. "I mean, not normally. But I've seen them together a few times now. Kellin is always super shaken up after."

I frown. Even from the other side of the hallway, he looks pretty normal to me. As I watch, I see Ronnie say something, and then Kellin's face contorts into that of total rage. He lifts his arm up, like he's going to hit him, but Ronnie grabs his wrist and twists it back down.

Kellin flinches back, cowering away. Ronnie says something else, and Kellin looks away in defeat.

What the fuck? Kellin never backs down from a fight. He always fights; he would fight even if his life was at stake. And yet here he is, surrendering to Ronnie.

"Seriously?" I ask Tony. "The fuck is going on?"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure he'll tell you if you ask," Tony tells me. "It's really his business though, so we should get going."

I'm still staring at Kellin and Ronnie, though. "You go on," I say to Tony. "I'm gonna talk to him."

Tony shrugs, looking hesitant. "Okay, but don't accuse him of anything. I'm sure Kellin has a reason for whatever he's doing."

"Yeah, okay." I'm only half listening. Tony turns away and is soon out of my sight.

I wait by the wall, waiting for Ronnie to leave before I go up to Kellin. Ronnie is still saying something to Kellin, but soon he grabs his bag from off the floor. Right before he's about to head down the hallway, he gives Kellin a shove in the chest that pushes him a few feet away. Then, he finally leaves. I push myself off the wall and walk towards Kellin, who's still standing dejected in the middle of the hallway. My heart is pounding and I can hear roaring in my ears. I'm so angry, I think I can actually see red in the corners of my vision.

Kellin sees me when I'm a few yards away, eyes widening at my fast approaching self.

"Vic," he says. "I can expla-"

"No." My voice is firm. "Don't come up with excuses. I want the fucking truth, and all of it."

Kellin sighs and runs a hand through his hair. There's a moment of tense silence, Kellin obviously reluctant to say anything. There's this dead look in his eyes, a look that I really don't like. I know because it's the look I see all too often in the mirror.

"Kellin," I ask, more softly. "What's going on? Why aren't you telling me anything?"

"We really need to talk," Kellin says, not meeting my eyes. His voice is quiet, barely above a whisper.