Angels Can Fly

Chapter 2

*beep beep beep beep*
I slam my alarm off. Today is the first day of school. My parents went yesterday to tell my teachers that I don't talk, now I have to deal with everyone staring at me.
I get up and get dressed. I slide into my boots then go to do my makeup. Once I'm done, I brush my teeth and straighten then spray a little bit of leave-in-conditioner to make my hair look healthier. I grab my book bag and go out to my bus. I grab a seat near the front of the bus and put my music in. Today is Fireworks by Sounds like Harmony. I put the volume up and close my eyes. A few minutes later, the bus pulls up to Star Prep. I hop up and shoulder my bag, then quickly leap down the steps. I follow the crowd and try to find the office, which it noticeably harder by myself.

As I turn a corner inside, I run into Lucas, who catches me so I don't fall. I quickly pull out of his grip and gulp. He silently takes my hand and pulls me down the hall. As we walk, he whispers, "The office is this way." I nod my thanks then type into my phone, 'Sorry about the other day,' so my phone says it for me. He stops and looks at me shocked.
"C-can you not talk?"
'I can. I just don't.'
"Oh... Okay..."
I shrug and he points to a set of glass doors. "There's the office. Get your schedule and come back out here so I can walk you to class."
I stare at him until he shoos me away. I get my schedule and return to show him. This semester I have US History Honors, German, Pre-Calculus Honors, and Orchestra. He says he has all the same classes and I almost don't believe him until he shows me his own schedule. We walk to first and he babbles about everyone he knows. I stay silent. I don't want to get close to this boy. I can't. I won't be able to handle it if he leaves. We walk into the classroom and I wait till he sits in his chosen seat before choosing a seat in the back and away from him and everyone else. I watch as everyone comes in and sits in their desired seats, ignoring me and saying hey to Lucas. One girl, stunningly beautiful, comes in and sits on his desk. He looks uncomfortable but she looks happy. He glances back at me, not for the first time, so she notices and glares me. She turns his head back and kisses him, slowly. I look away. Satisfied, she sits beside him, moving another girl, who looks sunken. He begins to argue with her lowly, still glancing over at me occasionally. I put my music in and turn the volume all the way up. The Gift by Seether.

After a few minutes, the teacher walks in and starts class by asking everyone to say their name and something interesting about them. Lucas says he loves fishing with his grandpa. The girl says her name is Kimberly and her dad owns the mall where almost everyone works, including Lucas. When the teacher gets to me, I merely stare at him, feeling every pair of eyes in the classroom trained on me. Just when I start to feel really uncomfortable, the teacher moves on. The next girl is the girl that Kimberly made move, McKenzie, who loves ice skating. Soon I zone. The teacher talks about what we can expect this semester and his expectations of us in his class. He passes out a syllabus and I put it in a binder, then sign what I have to, not even bothering to read it. I put the binder away and close my eyes, turning up Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. Music up loud, I watch the teacher's lips move, unable to actually hear what he says. I feel everyone watching me but I try to ignore them.

After class, Kimberly kisses Lucas, distracted him long enough for me to slip into the hall crowd. I find my second period, pull my hood on, sit in the back again and put my head down, trying to hide. After a few minutes, I feel someone tap my shoulder and I look up to find Kimberly standing in front of me. She's glowering down at me so I steel myself for the panic attack I'm sure will come. She begins speaking, with a lot of overzealous hand gestures, but I can't hear her, which makes me smile inwardly. When she realizes I can't hear her, she almost goes nuclear. I take my earbuds out slowly, deliberately. She begins her new tirade with "Listen bitch..." I just stare at her. She says something about staying away Lucas. I'm all too happy to agree. But, right as she calls me a stupid bitch for not talking, Lucas walks in. A vein pops in his head as he marches over, grabs her arm and pulls her away. I put my headphones back in and lay my head back down until I feel another, softer, tap on my other shoulder. I glare up at Lucas then quickly type into my phone, 'Leave me alone. Listen to the cunt and stay away from me.' Kimberly looks livid, him, crestfallen. I just put my earbuds back in and wait for class to begin.

After about ten minutes after class is supposed to begin, a tiny woman walks in with red eyes, looking like she has just finished crying. She introduces herself as Mrs. Lanely. She does what first period did, and again, I don't say anything. She asks to see me after class. I shrug and start doodling. Another syllabus and soon class is over. As everyone gets up, I stay seated. So does Lucas. He slowly puts his things together but stays seated. After a small glance over at him, Mrs. Lanely walks over to me and perches on my desk. She tells me that I have to speak in class or I'll get a zero for participation. I type into my phone, 'No. I don't.' She stares at me, shocked, as I get up and walk out. I don't stop until I get to my third period, then ignore everyone until the end of the day, listening to Drown by Blood on the Dance Floor on repeat at top volume. I ignore Lucas but Kimberly and her friends try to target me, tripping me in the halls and throwing stuff at me in class. But I don't care. I'm numb.