The Pretend Mute

IX

I walk in the door, and Miss Amber came running to the door with a frenzied look on her face. As soon as she saw me, her face relaxed and she told me that dinner would be ready soon. I nodded and went straight up to my room in the attic. I have my own living area upstairs because the other girls made fun of me when I first came to the orphanage. I dropped my bookbag on the floor beside my desk, and flopped onto my bed. Then, remembering my homework, I got back up and walked over to my desk. My immediate thought when I looked at my bag was that I forgot my camera at school. My very expensive camera, the most expensive thing I own, except for the laptop my mom bought for my birthday last year. How was I supposed to get it back? Everyone knows that as soon as school lets out, the doors lock from the outside! When Miss Amber calls me to dinner, I go down and she can tell something is wrong. She told me to talk to her after dinner. My automatic thought was that I don't talk, but I still understood what she meant.
After dinner I walked to her office with her, and she got right down to business. "What is going on Kira?" I simply mime a camera and then shake my head no, like my camera isn't there. She frowns, "did you leave your camera at school?" I nodded and she scolded me for not telling her sooner because she can get access to the school, and in turn, I can get my camera, which I didn't even think about. Because I don't think at all! I thought silently, but then I realized that I was downing myself for something dumb, I was upset and didn't think about it in the heat of the moment.
  When we got the school, there was one door unlocked as a favor to Miss Amber by one of the teachers she had called. I grinned and ran to my locker while Miss Amber talked to the teacher in her classroom. As soon as I had my camera, I felt so relieved, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Even though it had been in a locked locker, someone could have figured out my combination and taken it out.

I went and found Miss Amber, and lifted up my camera, showing that I found it. She smiled and said it was time to go home. I cringe at the word home, but I don't think Miss Amber noticed. I don't want her to know that I hate living at the orphanage because she's extremely nice and does everything she can to make my stay there enjoyable. I really appreciate her, even though I don't show it much, if at all. When we get back to the orphanage, I simply smile at her before going inside and up to the attic.

When I get upstairs, I lock the door, and I begin to sing.