p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" "Oh, when will he say his first word?" I watch my mom pace back and forth. Her slipper covered feet make almost no noise as she walks on the carpeted floor, where I, a mere two year old, is seated watching my caretaker look so worried./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Darling," I see my tall dad walk over and put his strong hand on my mom's frail shoulder, "he will say it soon enough, don't worry." My mother looks up to my father with tear filled worrisome eyes./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""He's two, hunny, two! Children usually say their first word when they're one!" My mom screams this while pointing a shaky finger at me./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Our baby is not speaking. He is not normal, he isn't ok." My sturdy father gasped and putted both of his hands on my mother's shoulders./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Sweetness, you need to calm down. I-It's gonna be ok." My mother snaps and breaks down crying. Her mascara running down her rosy cheeks, her curly and short blonde hair suddenly seems to get more frail, her arms are now wrapped around my father, searching for comfort./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Our child, our little baby Aaron." I see the image get disorientated and swirl into nothingness./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" I sit up quickly in my lonely all white covered twin bed. My hands support my almost non existing weight until I fully sit myself up. The window to the right of my bed is blocked by the shades, yet the morning sunrise still peaks in through the cracks. I run my fingers through my messy bed hair and huff out. I rub my eyes and stare at my window for a second. My eyes trail down the path of rays peeking out of the shades, rolling down to my wooden floor./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"For a moment I felt calm, relaxed, peaceful. I felt free, sitting there, with the sheets covering my bare legs, a white T-shirt shielding my pale chest, the morning sun shining timidly into the room. I get up, feeling a little off balanced when my warm toes hit the cold floor. I shuffle towards my drawers filled with clothing. Out of the top drawers I pick out black boxers and white socks, in the middle drawer I pick out a dark blue shirt with a pocket on the right chest, and the bottom drawer I picked out black skinny jeans. I shuffle over to my door lazily and open the door. The hallway is quiet, not a murmur was heard./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"I sway across the hall into the bathroom and shut the door behind me quickly. I get out a towel and set it on the sink. I put my clothes on the toilet seat and strip off my clothes. I throw them in the hamper across from the toilet and turn the at first cold shower water on. I wait for it to be heated up until I finally step inside the shower. I feel the hot water hit my chest and drip down every fiber of my being. I turn so my back is facing the shower faucet and rinse my head before I put the sweet smelling shampoo on my scalp. I massage it to get the sweet berry scent in. I rinse my head slowly and I feel myself get loose and relax./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""I have nothing to worry about, all is fine." Once I finish I pick up the fresh white bottle of vanilla body wash. I put some on my fragile hands, much like my mum's, and coat my body with the sweet fragranced wash. I wash myself off and turn off the shower. I open the curtain and I let all of the steam from the hot water search the bathroom. I see that the mirror is fogged up from the heat and pressure cowering the room. I step towards the mirror, not even acknowledging that my body was soaking wet and but only the air was drying it. I raise my arm and start to write on the mirror. I don't know what at first, it is almost like a whole other soul is taking only my right arm. When I have no more space on the mirror, my hand gracefully goes down. My eyes scan what I wrote on the foggy glass and I smile. It reads, "Have a good day." in thought out cursive writing. I nod at the mirror, as if it is a real person and I am agreeing./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""I must have a good day." I think to myself, "Today is a good day." I grab a towel and I feel the soft fabric swoop over my body, drying me. I sigh and begin to dry myself off. Once I am done, I put on my clothes. My legs are still slightly damp, so my black skinny jeans still feel a little sticky on my legs. When I am finished, I wipe the mirror clean, so I can see how I look. I can only see the upper half, but I can see my scrawny chest being covered by the dark blue fabric, my bony collarbones peeking out just above the collar of my shirt. I grab the collar of my shirt and feel the soft material in between my thumb and pointer finger. I always loved this shirt, the color, the fabric, the cute little pocket. I notice my face in the mirror./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"My chocolate brown eyes, big and almond shaped, my eyebrows. My eyebrows have always been kind of, well, big. Well, thick more likely. I didn't mind them, I mean they're eyebrows! My nose, people have told me I have a cute nose, they say it's a "button". A button nose? I have always found that term quite odd. A button nose, how weird. Well I mean, if my nose isn't weird, I'm fine. I examine my whole facial structure for a second. My cheeks were a timid shade of pink, and my jaw was never really that sharp, even though I am very thin and fragile, like my mother. My jaw was just kind of there, plastered over with some skin. My chin looked like a chin. Just you know, a chin. I don't have a butt chin, no, those are kind of weird. Especially if there is hair on your chin. I shake my head in disgust with my own thoughts. I glance at my lips. I have always been complimented on my lips, say it's a "gift" to have lips like that. That it's not common for a guy to have "girly looking" lips. Ok yeah, I have a full bottom and top lip, but they're lips; nothing special./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"I go back up to my head, to see that my hair was still a little damp and was begging to be combed. I smiled to myself in the mirror. I turn to the right of the mirror to find a brush. I see that one was hidden under my towel and I pick it up, feeling a moist texture on the handle. I run the brush through my golden brown hair. I fix my bangs to hit my pale forehead and part my hair. I noticed that I had a little curl when I put my hair down. I tried to comb the curl out, but it wouldn't change./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"I roll my eyes and left it be. I threw my towels in the hamper and quietly walked to the kitchen to see my mother there, leaned up against the counter, a cup of what smelled like tea in her hand. She finds me and smiles. I loved my mother's smile, it was so comforting and sweet./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"I wish I got her smile, but I got my dad's instead, who was odd looking and slightly crooked. My mom set down her cup of tea and came over to hug me. Her slender arms wrapped around my slim being. I hugged her. She is quite short, only 5'3./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""You're getting tall, Aaron." I'm only 5'8, but I smile down at her and nod. She smiles back up at me and runs her fingers through her brown curly hair./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Want something to eat before you go?" I shake my head in response and frowns./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Well, are you gonna at least get a cup of tea or coffee? I can put it in a cup to go." I thought about that for a moment and nodded. She smiled and mumbled,/p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Get out what you want, darling." I stroll over to the cabinet and get out a package of tea. My mother smiled and nodded./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Go get your stuff, I'll bring it to you." I smiled big back at my mother and went to put on my shoes. I lace up my black and white converse and put on my black jacket./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"She strolls over to me with a traveler's mug worth of tea and hands it to me. I first put on my backpack before taking it from her soft hands. She kisses me goodbye with a wave, and I'm out the door. I walk down the sidewalk alone, putting my earbuds in and listens to music from my headphones. Gold by Marina and the Diamonds soon fills my ears. I sigh and walk down the street, without a care in the world. Until, I hear someone yell out as I turn around the bend./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Watch out!"/p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"A boy with a bike is racing towards me from the other side of the street. My breath hitches and I get out of the way just in time. The boy goes flying into a bush, since his bike got stuck on the curb. I gasp and run towards him. He pops out of the bush, holding the side of his head dizzily./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Wow," he breathes out, "I knew I should've worn a helmet." He looks up at me with a smile./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Oh, hello. Sorry about that, man." He gets up and brushes himself off. He has black hair, a couple strands perfectly falling onto his face. He has brown eyes to die for, and a toothy white smile. He's wearing a dark blue jean jacket with a black shirt under it. He's also wearing black skinny jeans, but he has all black Vans. /p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"He shyly puts his hands in his pockets and chuckles. He looks up again and smiles. "I haven't seen you from around here."/p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"I nod, not knowing what to do. I want to talk to him, but I can't. It's impossible./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Well, obviously I haven't seen you, I'm new here." He laughs and looks at me, suddenly his eyes fill up with comfort and confusion. "Are you okay? You're not talking."/p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"I look down, my eyes stinging for some strange reason. I take out my phone and I go to my notes. I start to type something. I know he's curious at what I'm typing, even though I don't look up until I'm done typing the message. I show it to him and I hear him mutter it out loud./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""I can't talk. I'm," he pauses before huffing out, "mute." He looks up at me and gives a sad smile. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize."/p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"I nod and force a grin. "Come on, I'll walk you to school." The boy gets his bike, which seems to have a flat tire. He sighs and manages to roll his bike over the curb. He motions to start walking with him. I start strolling along with him. /p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""So," The boy tries to fill the silence. I take out my earbuds to fully listen, "Do you mind telling me your name? O-Or, typing it..." I smile, making a motion that I'm laughing, just without the noise. God, I wish I could actually laugh. I type out my name in notes and I show it to him. /p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Aaron." He looks at me and grins./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""What a nice name." I nod in a symbol of thanks./p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""I'm Mark." He says. I nod and wave. He giggles and waves back. He goes up to touch his nose before his eyes widen. "Oh, no. MY GLASSES!"/p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"The boy drops his bike and sprints back to the bush. I look behind him to see him basically destroying the bush. I jog back to him, also helping him find his glasses. I pick them up carefully out of the bush. There's only a little scratch on the side of his glasses. He should consider himself lucky. I hand him the glasses and he smiles. /p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Thanks." Mark puts on his glasses. His eyes go a little crosseyed for a second before he looks at me. He gasps and grins once more. God, this man smiles a lot. He chuckles and makes a gesture for us to continue. His cheeks heat up with splashes of red and pink. I wonder why. /p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;""Let's go, Aaron. Let us go."/p
p style="margin: 20px 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify;" /p