My mute girl

Part 3

nika kinda mugs me making me point to the bleachers. 'i'm gonna go study' i sign and get up not letting paige respond.

"nika! why'd you do that?" i hear her whisper shout to nika as i'm walking off. "what?! she's weird and doesn't talk why should i be nice" i feel tears we'll up in my eyes.

i knew it. she doesn't like me. i'm a weirdo that doesn't talk because of trauma. "she has her reasons nika! what the fuck?" aaliyah chimes in.

i finally make it to the bleachers and sit down at the very top trying my hardest not to cry. i failed though. the second i get my stuff out the tears start falling.

i put my head in my hands sniffling to myself. i'm trying hard not to get noticed cause i don't wanna bother anyone.

i look up to the sky to try and stop the tears. i hear someone walking up the stairs as if they're coming to me. i look over and see evina.

she sees my face and rushes up faster. she doesn't say anything when she gets to me she just hugs me and rubs my back. "you're okay sam, it's okay let it out" i start crying harder but quietly.

i decided to talk. i found her as a safe person and i grew to like her quickly. "i-i'm sorry" she shakes her head at me. "no no don't you dare be sorry. crying is not a bad thing. it's a way of talking when you can't okay? cry all you need then we'll talk okay?" she reassures me.

i nod and we sit in silence listening to the squeaks of the shoes on the court and the basketballs. "you good now?" i nod my head.

"good, talk or write whenever you're ready" man she's the best, she didn't even over exaggerate when she heard me talk. "uh nika, she uh she doesn't like me" i said picking at my nails looking down.

evina grabs my hands to stop me and nods her head telling me to keep going. "uh as i was walking away from paige, she kinda said that i was weird cause i don't talk and there's no reason for her to like me" i continue.

"and how do you feel about that?" she asked me. i look up at her. "hurt...i mean i don't make friends easily you know. but hearing someone say i'm weird cause i don't talk just makes me feel selfish cause of my trauma." she nods her head.

"well sometimes you have to be a little selfish. something happened to you that scared you, okay and you not talking is your coping mechanism." she caresses my hands and smiles at me.

"don't let what she says get to you. it was rude for her to say that yea but you're you and you can't change yourself to please others." i nod my head.

"she'll get over it and come to like you cause you're an amazing person that needs time to be herself. i won't talk to her and force her to like you cause that's not right but just show her that you're better than what she thinks, okay?" i nod my head again.

"now! you're going to go to the restroom and clean your face and come back and support me and your best friend while doing what some studying." i chuckle.

"yea, i was gonna study." she smiles at me and nods. "also thank you for trusting me and taking to me. i know it's hard for you to physically talk to others but i'm happy you chose to talk to me, now give me a hug sam" i smile and hug her.

when she lets me go she tells me where the restroom is and i walk off to wash my face.

when i come back they're in a huddle talking to their coaches. "i'm sorry young lady this is a closed practice" i'm assuming geno auriemma their head coach says. i panic cause i don't have my notebook on me.

"she's with me, i brought her. i thought she'd be a good addition to the managers team" my eyes go wide cause i didn't know this!

"hmm, what's your name?" i look back over at paige. "she's a selective mute she she doesn't really talk she communicates through writing but her name is samantha evergreen." paige answers for me.

"ah i see, okay. i would like to speak to you during practice if that's okay?" i nod my head and smile. he nods his head and goes back to talking.

as i'm walking back to the bleachers i feel eyes burning into the side of my head. i glance over and see nika staring at me before turning back to geno.

i gulp remembering what evina told me. i go up and grab my notebook before walking back down closer to their huddle. by the time i make it there they break out and head to the baseline.

"okay, samantha evergreen. do you have any experience in being a manager?" i shake my head. i grab my note book and write something down. no sir not necessarily. i am very organized though. i also know somewhat about basketball considering i went to a lot of paige's games.

he reads what i wrote before nodding his head. "okay great! we don't have any managers yet for this season so i'll be in contact with you on things i need done. i'll give paige some UCONN drip for you. you'll also be going on away games with us and do team bonding. that sound good?" i nod my head and smile.

"great i'll email you everything. i'll get your number from paige. as of now just sit around chill enjoy the practice and thank you" he finishes putting his hand out for a handshake.

i shake his hand and smile. i walk back over to the bleachers and sit down. i let out a breath.

welp looks like i'm a manager for UCONN's women's basketball team.

(unedited!)

i hope you guys are enjoying this series so far! i'm excited to see what you guys think and excited to see where this one goes! :)