The Boy in the Red Raincoat

~~~Nine Years ago~~~
I looked up at the little boy in the red raincoat once more. The same little boy who now held a large black umbrella over my head and thrust his hand out for me. I looked at him warily and trustingly placed my hand into his. He lifted me from the puddle spotted pavement and offered me a small smile. I dropped my head shyly, I was soaked to the bone and my face was red and splottchy from crying. I stared at my feet as I felt I small weight on my shoulders and looked up to see the red rain coat drapped over my back and that little boy still smiling.
"The name's Teddy, short for Theodore" he shook my hand gently, that happy smile never falling from his lips even as I stared at him unresponsively. "What's your name?"
I didn't respond. I couldn't. I mouthed it instead.
'Avondra'
Theodore nodded "Okay Avondra, you're my new best friend and I'm yours. Now we sit next to each other on the bus and we share lunches and we talk all the time and we go over to each others houses and we have all kinds of fun. Okay?"
My eyes widened and I just nodded. He couldn't be serious.

Little did seven year old me realize that when that peculiar little boy walked away with his umbrella leaving me alone with his bright red rain coat...he'd meant every word he'd said that rainy Monday. Little did I also realize that nine years later those words would still be true.
My name's Avondra. I'm mute and I have been since I was six years old. Doctor says it's selective mutism (Let's just say I didn't have the greatest childhood). Either way that rainy awful day was the day I found my bestfriend...Teddy. This is our story.