Mute

"Why doesn't she speak?"

"I think she can't"

"She's weird"

"A freak"

"A bitch"

"She must be really stupid. I mean she cant speak"

I hear this everyday because I dont speak. Its not that I can its that if I do speak...I will be punished.

My name is Nova Heartland. I have light brown hair and blue eyes. Im skinny and 5'5. Im in the middle between tan and pail and I am mute. My hobbies are drawing, writing, swimming, and I used to sing a lot.

I dont speak because of an accident I had in 5th grade.

I get picked on everyday of my life because I dont speak. But its better than death...I think.

I have scars on my body, not just from cutting but from burns.

In 5th grade my house was set on fire with me,
my mom, my dad, and my older brother in it. Me and my brother survived but we had no one to take us in. We were adopted into separate homes and that's when problems started.

I still talked until I was being noticed by people. One of my adoption parents friends came over....and threatened me if I ever spoke at all or what he did then I would be punished.

Thats when I stopped talking. My adoptive parents sent me back and I was adopted many times after that.

Now I am living with the same person for 2 years. Her name is Hannah Kate.

This year is senior year, the last year of hell. Then college.

And what she doesnt know is that this year will be completely different...