Those Three Words

     "If you tell anyone, I'll kill you." It's been eight years since I've heard those words. It's been eight years that those words have replayed over and over again in my head. It's been eight years since I've spoken a word. At first, my family thought I was playing a game. They took me to psychologists after about a month. I saw so many doctors. It was a year before everyone realized it wasn't a phase. It was hard, but my family learned to accept it. No one knows why it happened, and I just couldn't tell them.

     I've lost all of my friends. My family has been torn by it. The one person who has always stayed by my side, though? My brother. Declan is a year older than me. Even though I haven't phsyically spoken to him in eight years, he knows I love him and I know he loves me. We have a special bond. I really wish I could speak to him, but I'm too afraid to speak anymore. I'm afraid I forgot how to. Afterall, It's been a long time since I have.

     My phone started vibrating on the desk next to my bed. It was a text from Declan. It read, 'Av, let's go to the park today.' I smiled and replied 'Okay, I'll meet you downstairs.' I got ready quickly as I walked downstairs and waited for him. My dad walked out of his bedroom and saw me sitting on the couch. He knew if I left my room it was because I was going to hang out with Declan.

     "I take it you're going to the park with Dec?" He asked. I nodded 'yes' in response. He kissed my forehead and told me to be safe. It took so long for him to understand that when he asked his little girl a question, she wouldn't reply. I nod, and I text. That's the only way they'll ever be able to communicate with me. My dad is pretty accepting of it now. It was too much on my mother and fathers relationship, and they divorced because of it. I will always feel guilty for that, but it is what it is. My mom found someone new, someone that she loves a lot. My dad never did, though. He's never seemed happpy, not since I caused all of this pain on everyone.

     After a short while Declan came hopping down the stairs ready to go.

"Av and I are going to the park!" Declan yelled.

"Have fun. Love you both," He hollared back.

"We love you, too." Declan always answered for me. Sometimes it was nice. He was also always around, that way nobody picked on me. Accept in class, of course. Kids act as if I'm deaf, too. It hurts. The words they say truly do hurt. I've grown used to them, though.

     It didn't take long for Declan and I to arrive at the park, considering we lived fairly close to it. It was a nice day out today. Days like this made me happy, especially when I spent them in the park with my brother.

"Wanna play?" Declan asked, tossing the ball up in the air. I nodded yes. We'd always throw the ball back and forth in the park. It was our thing. Our bonding time. I loved it, and I knew he did too. I backed up one way, and he backed up the other. He tossed the ball, I caught it. I tossed the ball, he caught it. We went back and forth doing this for a while before he accidently tossed too far, and I had to run after it.

     I ran after it into a little wooded area, where I accidently bumped into someone and fell backwards onto the ground. He fell on top of me.
"I'm sorry about that," the raspy, out of breath voice of a man spoke to me. I looked up and saw his eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of blue I had ever seen. "This yours?" He asked pulling himself up off of me and showing me the ball that I was running after. I nodded yes, and he smiled. "Here ya go." He handed me the ball back, and helped me up. I couldn't help but smile at him. He was honestly breath taking. "So, are you from around here? I just recently moved here, and haven't met many people."

     I heard a noise from the trees and bushes behind me, and I turned around. It was Declan coming to check on me.
"Hey, you okay?" He asked, and I nodded. "Oh, hi." He said to the guy standing in front of me.

"Hi, your friend here bumped into me. I found your ball and gave it back to her." He said pointing to the ball in my hand.

"Thanks." Declan smiled. He was protective over me, and he didn't want anyone to hurt me. He didn't seem too angry, but I knew he was freaking out on the inside.

"No problem," He smiled. He looked in my direction, "and you should pay more attention to where you're going." He chuckled a little bit. "I'm messing around, but be more careful. Wouldn't want to see a pretty girl like you get hurt." He flashed his award winning smile again.

"She doesn't talk, by the way." Declan spoke to the guy. He had a confused expression on his face. This was usually where he would either ask a bunch of questions or say that I was a freak or something.

"My sister is mute, too." I was shocked. Never in my life has anyone said that. I've never met anyone else who didn't talk. "She's been mute for three years."

"I've never met anyone else with a mute sister." Declan said, suddenly sounding less defensive, and more understanding.

"Neither have I. I have to get going, though. I'll see you both around. By the way, I'm Carson." I smiled. I loved the name Carson.

"I'm Declan, and she's Avalon," he shook Carson's hand, "see ya around." I waved good bye at him.

     It was strangely exciting meeting someone who has a mute sister.. meeting someone for the first time in eight years who didn't think I was a freak. It gave me hope.

     Declan and I went about our normal routine. We tossed the ball around for about another hour. Something was different today, though. I liked it. I couldn't get Carson out of my head. Did I have a crush on a stranger that I just met? I guess it wouldn't be that hard. I never get out of the house to meet anyone. Declan doesn't think it's a good idea, he doesn't understand that I'm okay with people making fun of me. Everyone in this town pretty much knows that I'm mute, they've lived here their whole life. There's rarely anyone new who moves in to this small little town. It was interesting meeting someone new, especially someone who has a mute sister.

    I must have not been paying attention at all, because the ball hit me in the face. I rubbed the side of my face and Declan ran over to me.

"AV! Are you okay?" I nodded yes and smiled to show him I was. "That's enough of that. Let's go home." I nodded.

     Declan decided he wanted to take the long route home, and I was okay with that. I enjoyed walking around. It was peaceful. There wasn't many noises at all, except for the birds singing. We passed a bunch of Declans friends houses, and they all decided to stop him to say hi. After the fifth one, he could tell I was getting a little annoyed. He decided not to stop at the rest of their houses. We continued walking, and then I saw him again. He smiled and waved at us.

"Declan, Avalon! What's up?" He jogged down the drive way to us.

"Woah, man. Is this where you just moved? What happened to the Kent's? Didn't they live here?" Declan asked pointing up to the house that he just jogged from.

"Yeah, they're my grand parents. My sister and I are moving in with them. My parents thought it would be good for her."

     Declan and Carson were talking for quite sometime, but I was so lost in starring at him that I hadn't been  paying attention.

"Huh, Av?" I looked up from undressing Carson with my eyes. "You want to hang out with Carson and his sister tomorrow while I'm at football practice?" I smiled and nodded, it was probably noticable that I was checking him out.

     We walked down to our house that was only three houses down from where Carson is living now. I was happy about tomorrow. I was going to get to hang out with an adorable guy, and meet someone else who is mute.