I woke up in the quiet today, and I don’t know why.
My mom was not making breakfast when I went downstairs, she was …
Staring at the cup of coffee in her hand.
“How are you, honey? Will you be ok on your first day of high school?”
I just nodded, unable to say anything.
“Here’s your lunch.” She said briskly.
I grabbed the brown bag from her without looking inside--
I knew what was in it—
And headed out to the car.
We pulled up to the school and I just stared at the sign for a minute.
High school. That’s scary to think about.
People were all around me… twisting, weaving and bending in a weird dance.
I didn’t hear any of it.
I walked in the silence today.
“Hey!” my two friends from middle school were by my locker.
“We have lunch together and P.E. and English…”
I half-listened, I was still numb from the sign outside the school—High School.
I went to my classes. The teachers wrote everything, everything, on the board.
I wondered if this was a normal thing or if it was just my school.
Lunchtime. It seemed to slow down endlessly.
I didn’t like it… it was too quiet,
for me.
P.E… we were doing basketball.
Joy.
And then finally, finally the end of my first day of high school.
Everyone was crowding around the buses or gathering in the doors.
My dad waved at me to get my attention.
I ignored him and stood still—
Just for a second, I went against the flow of students.
Then I turned and walked to my father and the car.
I woke up in the quiet today, and it has been quiet ever since. I don’t know why.
I don’t know why this happened to me.
As we drove away, I saw the sign one more time.
Meridian High School for the Hearing Impaired.