*FLASHBACK*
Months after mom's passing, I found myself in a new school, surrounded by unfamiliar faces. I was nine, and the therapist thought a change of environment would help me find my voice again.
“A new environment would be ideal for her,” he'd told dad once during a session. I had pretended not to hear him, staring off into space as he'd asked for my opinion.
Dad had agreed, hoping it would bring me back from the numbness that had consumed me since mom's demise.
The smell of fresh paint and newly waxed floors filled my nostrils as I walked through the noisy halls, a stark contrast to the comforting scent of Abuelita's cooking that I already missed dearly.
As I sat in the alien classroom, the sounds of chatter and laughter felt like a cacophony of nails on a chalkboard, giving me a migraine.
The curious ones asked me questions, but I ignored them, doodling on my desk to escape their prying eyes. The day dragged on and by the end of it, I had earned the nickname "The Mute" from a group of mean girls who took pleasure in tormenting me. Their snickers and whispers felt like a constant hum in the background, making my skin crawl.
I was exhausted and needed to use the washroom before the driver arrived to pick me up. I couldn't wait to go home. Abuelita must've prepared tacos. That infuriating Acio would gobble all up like a pig if I didn't reach home on time. Abuelita's tacos and the comfort of her presence were all I could think about but as I entered the washroom, I was met with the same group of girls who had targeted me. The fluorescent lights above flickered, casting eerie shadows on their faces as they sneered at me.
Their wicked grins and vicious laughter made my stomach twist into knots as I tried to bypass them. But before I could react, a leg shot out, tripping me. I crashed onto the dirty, tiled floor, the breath knocked out of me. My chin throbbed, and I felt humiliated and disgusted. The taste of blood filled my mouth as I bit my lip to hold back tears.
As I struggled to get up, they circled me like wolves, their taunts and laughter cutting deep. "Oh, The Mute wants to weep like a sheep." One of them sneered.
I wanted to tell her how stupid she sounded, but the words remained trapped in my throat. My heart raced, and my palms grew sweaty as I tried to defend myself.
After mom died, I had learned to ignore everyone and everything. But this was different. This was personal. They pushed me, shoved me, and I fell face-first onto the floor again. My forehead throbbed, and my nose hurt as I felt blood trickle down. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I raised my head, glaring at them through tears.
"Look at the poor, worthless thing. She isn't pretty anymore." Their laughter was like a punch to the gut.
“Come on Lu, you know she's prettier than you.” Another said as they laughed.
I watched as Lucy, the ringleader, frowned, glaring at me as she gritted her teeth in anger. I was filled with dread, knowing she walked towards me with an evil grin.
Without warning, Lucy stepped on my fingers, grinding them into the floor. I cried out in pain as she knelt down, her eyes blazing with hatred.
"That's right. You're useless, a pathetic excuse for a human being. Nobody wants a mute like you. Nobody!"
*END OF FLASHBACK*
Voices coming from behind the door snapped me back into the present. The trip down memory lane reopened old wounds.
“I’m sorry sir but you can't go in there. It's the ladies.”
“Move.”
My heart clenched. Reed.
