Silence to the Surface

The Beginning

You know what the biggest mistake of my life was? Going to Jadens end of the school year party. Worst. Fucking. Mistake. Ever. Let me fill you in about 48 hours before.

I woke up that Thursday morning unable to sleep. My head was spinning and I had a recurring dream for about a week now. My thin blankets were no match for the chill of the morning. So I got up. I stared outside at the bright sun radiating off the surface of the dry desert and peeking behind the tall cacti. Arizona's sunrises in my opinion are some of the greatest ones I've ever seen. I heard pitter patters of footsteps behind me and turned to find my little brother, Max.

"Good morning. Sleep well?" I moved my hands to eject. Max grinned, moving to say.

"Yes, do we have cereal?"

I nodded in response to make my way over to the cabinet collecting the cereal boxes, setting them on the table in front of Max.

"Get bowls." he nodded, moving to the cabinet.

I watched Max pour out the Honey Nut Cheerios in his bowl then carefully closing the cardboard box.

"None for me?" I signed. He smiled glaring at me with his big brown eyes.

"You hate Honey Nut Cheerios." he signed. I nodded, grabbing at the Rice Krispies across from me.

A skinny woman entered the room tying her hair into a messy bun.

"Good morning my babies." she signed with her hands, and spoke out loud. She kissed me and Max on the head pouring herself iced coffee into a tall slim glass. She hates hot coffee, even on chilly mornings like today. We've made it a habit to sign even when Max isn't looking at us, even when he isn't in the room, we always find ourselves now moving our hands along with our words.

"How is everyone?" she asked while sitting across from me and Max.

"Good." We mimicked each other.

"That's good." she sighed as a spoon circled the inside of her glass. Sunken olive eyes and bags under her eyes, my mother was overworked and tired, which figures. My mother is an over qualified mathematics teacher who gets paid way too little for way too long.

"We should get a move on." She jumps up from her seat pouring both her and Max's dishes in the sink. Then rushing down the hallway. 

I turn to Max as he turns to me. "Come on, we have to get ready." I motion.

He nods sliding off his seat down the hall.

I slip on an oversized hoodie with ill fitting jeans on my lanky body. I throw my long curly black hair into a messy bun pulling the pieces out as I like them. I slip on my black Dr. Martin's on my way out of my bedroom, I never really dress up for school. It's school, I'm there to learn not to meet the president. I peeked my head into Max's room as he's finishing up. He sees me in the doorway and I sign,

"You ready?" he nods, grabbing his things walking under my arm.

My mother dropped me off in front of my school and I watched as the yard filled with screaming morons who care more about their social status than they do about a college degree. I stared out the window for a long period of time which felt so short.

"Enama, please get out, you're making us late."

I turn to look at Max. He sits still in the back with a patient look in his eyes.

"You teach second period mom." she narrowed her eyes through her thick framed glasses. "Second period starts at 9:38, so you're good." I smirk.

"Right, but his period starts at 8:30." she points in the back. I glance at the clock. 8:25 am. "So we're not good. Get out."