The Bound Between Us

Layna watched Justin step in to shield Pattie and immediately turned indignant, flipping the blame. "Justin, she started it! Just look at my forehead—she hit me last time. I came here to ask for an apology, but she won't even say sorry. If you don't believe me, ask those four."

Layna's four friends, loyal as ever, jumped in to back her up.

"Yeah, it was the mute girl who picked on Layna first," they chimed in.

Mute?

Justin finally turned to Pattie. Her hair was a messy cloud, but her face was striking-delicate, almost unreal, like she stepped out of an animated movie. Even computers couldn't design someone like her, yet here she was, flesh and blood.

Her skin looked impossibly soft, her hair wild, a fresh scratch streaked with blood on her neck. There was a fierceness in her eyes—a strange mix of strength and fragility that fit her perfectly.

Justin had never met a girl quite like her. Before he could stop himself, he asked, "What's your name?"

Pattie didn't reply-she just studied him in silence.

And that's when Justin remembered: Pattie couldn't speak.

He noticed the cut on her neck, pulled a Band-Aid from his pocket, and reached out to help.

Pattie instinctively stepped back.

cut," Justin said

spot. It stung, but she shook her

He just offered a polite smile. "I'm Justin. Everything's okay now. You should head home and let your family take care of your

name away in

mute. She didn't mingle much, and she didn't mind the quiet. But now, for the first

tell him her name

why should you give her anything?

a look. "Come with me, or I'll tell

of Justin, mostly because she didn't want him to hate her. He was, after all, the most beautiful boy she'd ever seen. Her aunt always said that

Pattie, then trailed

he left, Justin picked up every scrap of torn paper off the ground and carried them away. Pattie stayed rooted in

after everyone had gone did

When they saw the cut on Pattie's

back, Mom. I

involved-it would only make her feel worse. Pattie had her

away. As Pattie walked ahead, Monica whispered,

proud," Anastasia replied. "And

so is our