UnMuted (Sequel to Mute)

Prologue

(Edited and added)

"Mamá! Mano!" My little voice calls out, tears thick in my throat. My brother comes running down the stairs into the kitchen. His eyes widen and he pulls me to him. I hide my face in the bandana hanging from his pocket, undoubtedly getting tears on it.

"Y/N, what's wro-," my mom cuts herself off with a gasp, making me look over at her. Her hands covered her mouth in horror and she rushes over to the sight. "Mario! Mario, wake up!" She cried, shaking my father.

"Ma," Julio tried, but she ignores him. "Mario! Please, don't go!" I stared at the man, laying in front of the couch with a small cut on his head. I had watched him pump the drug in his arm and when his heart gave out, he fell forward, hitting his head.

The band was slightly loosened, but the syringe remain in his vein. Julio moves me off of him then crouches in front of me, "Go in my room, 'Queño. Imma help ma."

"I-I wanna help, too," I say, lip quivering. I wipe my eyes with my t shirt, looking into his light eyes pleadingly. "You're too little, Y/N. Go," he says sternly. I start to cry again, "B-But-" "Y/N, go upstairs... You've seen too much already." He looks down at me sadly then over at our weeping mother.

"Go," he says. I hug his legs tight, "He won't hurt us now." I feel him grab my shoulders, and he got down to my level, eyes searching mine. I sniff again, breath labored, "Upstairs." He gently pushes me towards the hallway and I trudge up the stairs.

I had stopped crying, simply because I felt a strong sense of relief. Which was why I was crying to begin with. Fucked up when your child is happy to see you go in the most disgusting way.

I open Julio's room door and closed it behind me. I got into his slightly messy bed and curled up into a ball. My moms cries echoed through the air vent on his floor, followed by him trying to calm her down.

"Ma, he was no good anyway. He hurt Y/N. He hurt you. Why would you want a dude like that?" His rough, but gentle voice soothes. Ma's crying dies down slightly. "We have to call the p'lice," he states. It was quiet for a while. My eyes start to get heavy and I give into the desperate sleep I've been denied every night before.

-----

I close my eyes and shake my head slightly to escape the memory. They still come after me a little less often, but nonetheless. I stare at the dark skinned girl, who is chewing her bottom lip nervously.

"How? We used-," "The last time, we didn't, Y/N," she bows her head. I run a hand through my hair, blowing air out through my nose. "How d-do you know?" She goes into her purse and pulls out a pink and purple box.

She takes out a white stick and shows me the lines. My eyes wide as I look back at her. "We need to be pos-s-sitive. We gotta g-go to the c-cli-nic," she nods, wiping a single tear away. "But what if it comes back positive?"

Her eyes start watering again. I wrap my arms around her tight, letting her release her emotions onto my shirt. Her sobs muffle into my thin hoodie; I could feel her tears on my skin. I kiss her forehead, shushing her quietly.

Her sobs turn into shallow breaths until they calm down almost completely. I let her go and look into her eyes. "Honestly, Mani...I'm not m-mentally ready for a b-baby just yet, but I s-s-swear to you, if the t-test come back pos-siti-tive, I am not leaving your s-side."

She bows her head and I lift it back up with my finger. Tears are rolling down her cheeks and she sniffles, "Look at me," I wipe a tear away. "I got you, okay? I'll tr-try my h-hardest for the s-sake of our ch-child. We got the g-girls a-and our f-families."

She nods as I continue, sighing before giving her a small smile, "We'll figure it o-out. I-I'll start t-talking to the g-girls. S-See a c-couns-selor, even." I kiss her forehead, "I'll s-sing to you b-belly every night. C-Cater to you the bes-st I can." She smiles with a chuckle, wiping tears free from her face.

I caress her cheek, a smile on my face, "I love you, Mani. I'm not g-gonna leave y-you. I want a fu-future with y-you." I start to tear up, so I sniff with a deep breath. "We'll go ne-xt week or a l-little later, okay?" She nods and wraps her arms around my neck.

"I love you so damn much, Y/N," she says then places a kiss on my lips. I put my hands on her hips as I kiss back, putting my all into it. I wanna show her that I'm serious.

If she is pregnant, I'm gonna be a fucking parent this time. I'm not making the same mistake twice.