Silence Hidden In Words

17

"James..."

"James!"

My eyes snapped open at the sound of someone calling my name.

I blinked my eyes a couple of times

letting them adjust to the outline of my angry teacher's face.

I was in algebra.

One of my least favorite classes with one of my least favorite teachers.

             It wasn't one of the first times. That I slacked off in math class.

                 She caught me during multiple times, but not just me. It was always the kids..that stuck out the most.

"Sleeping again James?"  I knew anything I said would be futile so I said nothing instead.

                              "Care to explain to the class why you were sleeping?"  

                                          I had no response, so instead I just sat there.

"Maybe our wish came true, he's not going to speak anymore guys." Among the hushed whispers in the classroom this is one of them that was a little bit more louder than others. I was trembling so hard it almost looked as if I freezing from the cold. I wish I was.

I got up out of my seat, my hands balled up in fists. I've been holding it back for so long, I guess the waterfall was going to come crashing down at some point. 

"Do you want a detention James? Sit down or I will not hesitate to give you one."  The whole class burst out in laughter. They were eager to see me fall, crows eager to swoop down and claim their prey. 

I am not weak.

I am not weak. 

I 

a m 

n o t 

w e a k. 

Before I could control it, before I could even think to stop. I started screaming. And I didn't stop. Even when she yelled at me, even when the class threw things at me, I didn't stop. They wanted this. 

And when I thought it couldn't get any worse.

You were watching all of it...in the back of the class.