I will start a couple days before the day I met her.
July,28
[the last day of sophomore year]
Finally.
I get the summer to not have to write on white boards unless I want to.
I can sit without having to try to talk.
I jump off the bus and wave goodbye to the bus driver. I pretty much skip home and throw my backpack into my room.
I slowly walk around the house trying to find my mom without scaring her.
I find her in the library reading and I knock loudly on the wall.
She looks up and smiles
"Hi honey. How was the last day?"
I shrug and she closes her book and sets it down next to her curled up legs.
"Listen, I know you just got home and it's the first day of summer and all but I want to ask you something."
Oh god.
"You seem to be kind of lonely a lot....." she stopped and looked at me. "And I found this really cool camp."
I stand there slowly processing what she just said.
She wants me, a kid who can't speak, to go to a camp for kids who only want to speak.
"I already signed you up.." she stammers.
I sigh loudly and slide down the wall into a sitting position.
"Please just give it a chance, I know you will like it." She says standing.
"Just, think about it." she adds before leaving the room.
I sit there trying not to think about it too much.
I'm trapped, there is no way I am not going to this camp so might as well spend the time not at the camp doing what I want.
I stand up brush off my jeans and go into my room.
I move all my school stuff into the back corner of my closet and turn on my cd player.
As I listen to the music a little too loudly I flop onto my bed and pull out a sketch book.
My mom tells me that god felt sorry for taking my voice so he gave me art in return.
I would much rather have a voice.
I start drawing a boy sitting inside a tent in the corner while the other boys are singing a camp tune.
I close the book and just lay in my bed soon drifting off into a much needed sleep.
[dedicated to @unsociablecoffee because she is super nice and lovely]
