Smile

2

My first day of school

wasn't too bad.

I met a girl

named Josie.

She smiled at me

and showed me around the school.

She never once

made fun of me

or called me ugly.

In fact, she didn't even ask

why I'm selectively mute.

She just nodded her head

when the secretary told her

I don't talk.

Josie is very pretty.

Her hair is long and chocolate brown.

She has warm, welcoming, grey eyes.

Her smile is gentle and caring,

and I was tempted to smile

every time hers was turned to me.

I gave in one or two times,

but they were small ones.

Not every kid

was as nice as Josie, though.

Some weren't as accepting.

One boy,

named Eric,

made fun of me,

and told me I was so retarded,

that I couldn't speak.

Another kid,

named Alice,

asked if I had a cat

that stole my tongue

and wouldn't give it back.

She then continued to make cat meows

every time she passed by me.

I sat with Josie at lunch.

She had a lot of friends sitting with her,

who never once spared me a glance.

They just talked about their summer

the whole time.

They didn't bother to include the mute girl.

I wouldn't have joined them if they asked.

But it would have been nice,

if they at least tried.

When I got home,

nobody was there.

Dad was still at work,

and Mom left a note

saying she was out at the country club.

Delilah,

my sister,

was still at school.

She called later,

saying she was going over her new friend's house.

Her new friend's name is Mary.

Nobody asked about my day.

No one forced me to eat.

No one made me do anything.

I know some teens would kill

for this kind of freedom.

They don't get,

how lonely you feel.

How it seems that no one cares

about you anymore.

They just want to do whatever they please.

I may be able to do

whatever I want,

but the loneliness crushes me.

Its weight forces me

to relieve it somehow.

Or forget about it.

That's why I went to the beginning of school party,

and got drunk,

and drove back home.

When I got back,

only Delilah was home.

But she was too busy

texting on her phone,

and watching TV

to notice my predicament

and that something was wrong.

But I guess being mute

also makes you invisible.
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A/N attached is a pic of Josie