Silentious
Shannon Freeman SUMMIT MIDDLE SCHOOL
The Most Beautiful Bully Silentious
The Alternative All About My Selfie
Copyright © 2015 by Saddleback Educational Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, scanning, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher. SADDLEBACK EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING and any associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Saddleback Educational Publishing.
ISBN-13: 978-1-68021-007-1 ISBN-10: 1-68021-007-6 eBook: 978-1-63078-289-4
Printed in Guangzhou, China 0000/00-00-00
19 18 17 16 15 1 2 3 4 5
Acknowledgements
First, I have to thank Trang Vo, who opened up to me in a way that kept the fictional Pham family real and relevant. I am humbled by the experience. Thank you so much for sharing your life with me.
Thank you, Connie Kim! You cleared up so many questions that I had dancing through my head. You helped me make the characters in this book rich and full of life. I am forever grateful.
Thanks to all the readers out there who are enjoying Summit Middle School. This series is close to my heart. I hope you love it as much as I do. Enjoy!
Dedication
To Kingston, Addyson, and Brance— Mommy loves you.
Chapter 1
A New Beginning
It was a cold, crisp day in Texsun City. Mai Pham sat in her room, listening to the crashing waves at the nearby beach. She was excited. More than excited. She was elated. She’d never felt this way before.
After Christmas break there was usually nothing to look forward to. Just the monotony of school. The kids at Summit Middle School were always so excited when they returned after the holidays. Mai thought about the delight in their voices as they caught up with friends and bragged about their gifts and vacations.
But Mai’s life wasn’t set up that way. Her family didn’t even celebrate Christmas. Friends were minimal.
This year was different, though. In the fall a new student transferred to school: Carson Roberts. Mai knew she had found a kindred spirit. Quiet Emma Swanson felt the same way. Neither fit in with the popular cliques. But the three girls had created an unbreakable bond.
This semester Mai was happy to return to school. She was ready to see her new friends. They made her feel free, even though her parents, especially her father, kept her on a short leash.
Mr. Pham ran a tight ship. She dared not cross him. The first time she had ever disobeyed him was because of Carson. When the girls’ PE lockers were broken into in the fall, her father ordered Mai to never hang out with Carson again.
But Mai went straight to her mother that very day, barging into her master suite. Her mom was in her enormous closet, choosing an outfit for a church meeting. You really couldn’t call it a closet. It was more like another bedroom. It was that impressive. There were at least one hundred pairs of designer shoes, glass cabinets for her handbags, and a jewelry island in the center of it all. There was even a comfortable sitting area.
“Mom, Father is being unreasonable. You know I’m not to blame for my clothes being stolen. I did nothing wrong!” Mai had said.
“Calm down, Mai. I’ve already spoken with your father. Everything will be just fine,” her mother had said. “I’ll handle him.”
“You didn’t have my back at school. You never stood up for me.” “That wasn’t the time. I needed the facts. I like Carson. Just don’t let your father know that you two are still friends until I can win him over.”
Mrs. Pham winked at her daughter. Mai threw herself at her mom and gave her a tight hug.
“Thank you, Mom!” she’d said excitedly. To this day she had not received word that her new friendship was okay. So she kept her mouth shut. The last thing she wanted was for her father to find out. He was not to be disobeyed. But Carson and Emma were all she had. She wasn’t going to give them up.
As Mai went downstairs for breakfast, she could hear her little sister talking. Lan was two years younger, but they looked a lot alike. With their heart-shaped faces, dark eyes, and silky black hair, they were striking.
The Pham girls clung to each other. There weren’t any school events that they were allowed to attend: no socials, no carnivals, and no fundraisers. Their father was strict. If it wasn’t an event with their church, they were not allowed to go. That meant many nights at home and many nights together.
The girls would fantasize about what life would be like if they were able to make their own decisions. They couldn’t wait to turn eighteen. They both agreed they would go to the same college. They would always be there for each other, no matter what. High school graduation was many years away. So for now, they just had to deal with their father’s rules.
Mai studied the massive school hallway as she headed to her locker. She searched for her friends but couldn’t find them. She was disappointed. She was looking forward to the moment when they would reunite.
She was about to give up. Go to class. Then she saw a mane of curly red hair coming her way. Emma. It couldn’t be anyone else. Emma’s face lit up when she spotted her friend. Carson was at Emma’s side, waving like crazy. Mai smiled.
“There’s Mai!” Emma yelled. They were an unlikely trio. But maybe that’s why they clicked. Mai, with her exotic features and long black hair. Carson, with her natural hair, twisting and turning into a regal African updo. And Emma, with a mass of dancing curls framing her face. They were very different. But they were drawn together by the knowledge that they were meant to be best friends.
Carson and Emma wore their feelings out in the open. First they hugged Mai. Then they blew air kisses. For Mai this was a first. Emotions were not meant for public display according to her father. His face was always unreadable. In public or private.
No way would Mai ever give up her girls. This was the first time a classmate had missed her. The first time anybody searched for her after a long break. And the first time she felt like she was actually a part of Summit Middle School. She needed it. Like air. She truly needed their love and friendship.
Chapter 2
My Father’s House
Lunchtime was the best time of day for the three friends. They had thirty minutes to catch up. It was as if they were the only ones in the crowded lunchroom.
“This has to be the fastest thirty minutes of the day,” Carson complained.
“I wish math class went by this fast.” Emma laughed.
“I know. We need more time together,” Mai grumbled, gathering her tray. It was time to clean up and dump their trash.
“Oh my goodness! I can’t believe I haven’t thought of this before. Let’s have a sleepover. Then we can talk all night,” Carson said.
“That’s a great idea!” Emma exclaimed. “We can do it at my house. I’m so excited.”
Mai didn’t know what to say. She knew her father would never agree. It wasn’t happening. Not in this lifetime. But she didn’t want to be left out.
“What’s wrong, Mai?” Emma asked, noticing how her friend’s face was contorted with worry.
“I can’t go to sleepovers. It’s not allowed.”
“Wait. What?” Carson asked, moving closer to her friend. “What’s not allowed?”
“I can’t spend the night at a friend’s house. My father would never let me.”
Mai was uncomfortable. She could feel her friends’judgment. She wanted to run out of the cafeteria. She hated explaining her family dynamics. Knowing that nobody but her friends from church could understand, it was easier to avo
id situations like the one that she was in right now.
This was one of the reasons why she was not close to anyone at school. She was in a situation she had avoided for years.
“Look, I don’t want to talk about it. I just can’t. All right?”
Sensing that this was a touchy subject, her friends backed off. The bell rang. Lunch was over.
“Hey, if you need my mom or dad to call your dad, then they would be more than happy to,” Emma whispered to Mai.
She’s just not getting it, Mai thought to herself. “Thanks, Em. But that won’t help.”
Mai felt lonely again walking down the crowded hallway. Everyone else seemed so normal. I bet they can go to sleepovers and have friends over. Why can’t I just be like them?
Lost in her thoughts, she absentmindedly entered her next class and slumped into the seat. She went over the conversation she would have with her father when she tried to ask him about going to Emma’s. She knew the end result. It would never turn out how she hoped it would. Stupid me for even hoping.
After school, Mai didn’t feel any better. Talking about it would only make it worse. The thought of talking to her father made her ill. He always won; she always lost.
“Hey, Mom,” she said as she walked into the kitchen. Her mother was cooking dinner.
“Hi, Mai. How was your day? Grab the bowls and chopsticks for me. Let’s get the table set.”
Mai did what she asked, but too slowly for her mother. “Quickly! Your father has to catch a flight. I need to feed him before he heads to the airport.”
Mai could feel the blood coursing through her body. She didn’t want to be disrespectful or let her mother know what was going on. She tried to speak. But her words got caught in her throat. “How long will Father be gone?” she asked cautiously.
“He’ll be gone a week this trip. He has to meet with a few distributors.”
Mai couldn’t hear anything her mother said beyond a week. She could already see herself at Emma’s house. She was picturing what her first slumber party would look like.
“You know this is a huge deal for your father. The business is expanding. Try to show him some support.”
“Uh-huh,” she said, not knowing exactly what she was responding to. She wanted to escape so she could call her friends. But she didn’t want to set herself up for disappointment. She had learned from past mistakes to hold back—especially in this house.
Her father came down the back staircase into the kitchen with his luggage. “Now, Mai, I don’t expect any problems from you while I am gone,” he said. He sat down at the kitchen table where her mother had begun to place the meal. “Where is your sister?”
“I’m not sure. She should smell food soon,” Mai joked.
Just then, Lan appeared in the kitchen. “Nobody was going to tell me dinner was ready?” she asked.
“We knew that you would be down as soon as you smelled food,” Mai said, sitting down next to her sister.
Dinner was simple and traditional: spring rolls, white rice, fish, and steamed vegetables. Everyone picked up their chopsticks and began to fill their plates. Mai’s stomach was in knots as she prepared herself for the after-dinner conversation she planned to have with her mother. Even though she had put food on her plate, she couldn’t eat.
“You are not eating,” her father said, breaking into her thoughts.
“I am,” she said, looking down at her plate and moving her food around. There was no way to hide it. Something was on her mind. Her parents could always tell when something was bothering her. Her appetite was usually the first to go.
“Okay, I have to get going if I’m going to catch my flight,” her father announced, pushing away from the table. “Be good girls. Listen to your mother.”
It was Mai’s job to help clean up after dinner. She had the sleepover on her mind. But she didn’t know how to bring up the topic. What she was about to ask her mother went against her family’s rules. She would be playing her mother against her father. That was the only way she would be able to go to Emma’s.
“Mom, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
There was a small pause as Mai searched for the right words. She took a deep breath. “I was invited to a sleepover at Emma Swanson’s house on Friday night.” She paused again, letting her words sink in.
“That’s not a question, Mai.”
“I know. I want to go. I mean … may I go?”
“You know your father would explode if he knew I let you stay the night at a friend’s. Come on, Mai. Don’t ask me to do that.”
Mai put the bowl down that she had been washing and wiped her hands. She joined her mother at the table. “If I don’t go this weekend, I’ll never go. He’ll never let me. Did your father ever let you?”
Her mother’s eyes glazed over as she thought back to her own childhood. Her father had been as strict on her as her husband was on Mai. “No, he did not,” she said honestly.
“Well then, you understand. It’s one sleepover, Mom,” she pleaded with her mother. She searched her eyes for any sign of wavering.
“I need to speak with Mrs. Swanson and—”
Mai didn’t let her finish her sentence. She was running around the house, screaming as if she had won the lottery. Lan joined them in the kitchen, confused by the commotion.
“What? What did I miss?” she asked.
“I’m going to a sleepover, Lan,” Mai said breathlessly. “A real-life sleepover. At my friend Emma’s house. There will be Emma and Carson and me. I can’t wait!”
“Can I come too?” Her little brown eyes lit up with excitement.
“Not this time, Lan. You’ll get your turn someday.”
Mai ran up the stairs two at a time to call her friends. She couldn’t wait another second to tell them the news.
Chapter 3
The Sleepover
Mai knew that Emily’s family had a lot of money. But she wasn’t expecting her house to be so grandiose. The main entrance was brushed stone. There was a portico and huge leaded glass entry doors leading into the Swanson home.
Emma’s nanny, Miss Arina, greeted her. She was a round Russian lady with a thick accent. She had caring eyes. You could see her love for Emma in them. She let Mai know that Emma and Carson were upstairs. They were expecting her.
As soon as the girls saw each other, they let out squeals of happiness. They had a whole wing of the house to themselves for the night. Emma was blending milkshakes using their favorite Bluebell ice cream. She told them the plan for the night.
They sipped their milkshakes in Emma’s private kitchen. Then they made their own pizzas, layered with their favorite toppings: mozzarella, pepperoni, Canadian bacon, pineapple, mushrooms, sausage, and an assortment of olives.
Then they tried different and unusual flavors and toppings. When they were done, they called Miss Arina to help them put their pies in the oven.
“So, Carson, how’s it going with you and Holden?” Emma asked. She wanted to know what it was like to have a boyfriend. “I don’t know. Fine, I guess.”
“He’s the most crushed on guy in school!
What do you mean?!” Mai asked.
“I just don’t think I’m into the whole
boyfriend thing right now. I like his friendship. I’m scared to break up. Maybe he won’t
want to be friends. And then, what if he gets
another girlfriend? She won’t want us to hang
out. It’s all so complicated.”
“I see what you mean,” Mai told her. “I
know I’m not ready for a boyfriend. Plus, my
father would never allow it. Shoot, he doesn’t
even like for me to have friends.”
Normally that whole conversation would
upset her. Mai hated the rules her father put
on her social life. But tonight she was breaking them. She wasn’t going to let thoughts
about her father ruin her fun.
Miss Arina came in just before the oven
timer chimed. She had the girls put on their
aprons. Then she slid oven mitts onto their hands. Under the nanny’s careful watch, they
removed the pizzas from the oven.
“I am going to have to taste some of
these,” Miss Arina announced. “What a fine
job each of you did!”
They ate until they hurt. They tasted
each pizza creation.
“My favorite was the vegetarian pizza,”
Mai announced. She rested on the floor,
putting her feet on the pillows in front of the
fireplace.
“I don’t think I can move,” Carson
admitted. “Can someone just bathe me?” “Ladies, it’s time for your showers. You
will have time to relax after you wash up,”
Miss Arina said. She had everything ready
for them. There were towels, robes, and new
pajamas, all compliments of the Swansons.
One thing was for sure, Emma knew how to
throw a sleepover.
“Seriously, Emma, I can’t imagine living in a house like this. I can’t imagine having a nanny,” Carson told her. Her mom’s little two-bedroom house was smaller than one
wing of the Swanson estate.
“My grandfather was very successful in
the rice industry. When he retired, my father
and uncle took the business to the next level.
So I guess we can thank my grandfather for
all this.”
Mai peeled herself off the floor. “I’m
going to take my shower. If I don’t go now,
I’ll never go. I think I ate too much pizza.” “Or maybe it was the three milkshakes,”
Emma added with a laugh.
“True, true,”Mai said. She almost limped
to the bathroom because of her full stomach. Mai turned on the water. The shower had
multiple jets. Some jets were for water. Other
jets were for steam. She got in. Ah. It felt
Silentious (Summit Middle School) Page 1
