Chapter 8

Miley walked in the doors of Pacific Coast High. Aside from the fact that her heart was pounding in her chest, she surprisingly felt calm as she walked to the front office. The door was open and many kids filed in and out of the large room.

She walked in cautiously and when it came her time she stepped up to the large wrap around desk that fills most of the room. The woman behind the desk handed her the schedule and list of class names. She went through a file behind her chair and pulled out a small card. She handed the card to Miley and told her that it was her school ID until picture day came in which she would receive a real ID.

Miley smiled and walked out the room back into the crowded hallway. As she walked she looked at her class list. She was surprised to see that she had a ton of classes. Sharon had told her that this high school didn't allow under classmen to choose their own classes. Only upper classman were able to do that.

She opened up the map she had been given and walked to the second floor of the school. The bell rang and she panicked, struggling to find her homeroom. The hallway emptied quickly except for other stragglers trying to find their own way. She looked down at the paper in front of her next and didn't see the body walking in front of her.

"Ouch! Watch where you're going!" The girl screeched. But when she looked up she dropped the angry look on her face. 'Well, she looks like someone who might be popular. Maybe I shouldn't mess with her too much.' The girl thought. She smiled and held out her hand, "Hi! I'm Selena. Sorry about that whole scene, I didn't mean to get angry at you."

Miley nervously shook the girl's hand. She smiled and tried to get along as much as she could with out letting the girl realize she couldn't talk. "What homeroom do you have?" Miley nervously handed the girl her schedule. Selena looked it over and smiled, "You have homeroom with Mrs. Storm. She's pretty cool and a lot better than the other nerdy teachers." Miley nodded and Selena spoke again, "but if you want to be on her good side, you should probably drop the silent act. She doesn't like quiet people. She loves to holding conversations. If you need any advice, go to her. I've gone to her so many times, especially about boys!" Selena laughed and Miley silently giggled, making it clear to Selena that she was laughing although no sound was coming out.

Selena lifted her head and glanced at the clock, "Crap! I gotta get going to my own homeroom. So come on." Selena started walking down a hallway and Miley followed.

They came to a classroom, the door was already closed. "Well here you are. This is Mrs. Storm's room. I better get going." She quickly hugged Miley, "Hey, you've got B lunch too by the way. Sit with me at my table. You'll like everyone there." She turned quickly as her dark hair swung around her neck line down towards her back, making her tan California skin glow.

Miley turned back to the door in front of her. She cautiously lifted her hand from her side and set it on the cold brass handle. She turned it slightly and pushed it open. It made a high pitched creak that made every student in the class glance up. She felt her cheeks grow warm. She didn't like being put on the spot.

A young women with a lot of make-up on looked up from behind the desk at the front of the room. "Hi there! Can I help you?" she smiled waiting for a reply. Miley walked over and handed the girl her new student application as the woman at the front desk had instructed her to do so. She also handed the girl her ID card and schedule.

"Whoa!" She laughed, "Do I look prepared for an over whelming welcome? I just need your ID." She continued giggling. The rest of the class laughed too. Once again Miley's cheeks grew red.

The girl looked over the list on her desk and back at Miley's ID, then she looked up at Miley. "Hi Miley! I'm Cordelier Storm. So this is your first year here right?"

Miley nodded. Mrs. Storm waited for a reply but Miley instead handed her a letter from the Fostering agency. She was supposed to let every school read it but since this was the first school she had gone to since she was put into foster care she had no idea what it said. Mrs. Storm spent less then a minute scanning the 4 page long letter. She didn't once concentrate on it. She looked up with a frown and quietly said to herself, thinking Miley couldn't hear, "Ugh! A freaking mute. I hate those…" Miley's smile faded but she pretended she hadn't heard.

"You can sit there," She said, pointing to one of the farthest open seats in the room. Miley walked over and set her bag down. She felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up to see a smiling blonde haired girl looking at her. "Hey Miley. I'm Emily!" Miley smiled and shook her hand. She turned back to the board and hoped no one else would introduce themselves.

After what seemed like forever the class was let out. She filed out with the rest of the students into another heavily crowded hall way. She ran to the nearest corner where it was less crowded and looked down at her schedule once again. She scanned it for her next class. She stared at it and felt even worse then she had first.

Ready Literature………………………………… Mrs. Parr-Special Education student's session

Pre through Advance Mathematics…………..Mrs. Parr-Special Education student's session

The rest of her classes she didn't have anything to worry about. They weren't with special education classes.

What bothered her the most was the 7th class on her schedule.

World History……………………………...........Mr. Cartel-Mix Students session

That freaked her out. Miley immediately knew that that meant special education and remainder students mixed. Not only would she have to be in Special Ed classes, but every kid would know because she would be mixed with the 'normal' ones. This was horrible. Why would Sharon and Jason put her in Special Ed classes? She was perfectly normal. Except being unable to speak, she was smart. She hated how everyone belittled her because of her disability. In fact, it wasn't even a disability! She used to be able to talk…just not currently…

Miley sighed and pushed herself off the wall where she had been leaning.

Minutes later she found the room she was looking for. She purposely waited until the bell had rung so she could step into the classroom unnoticed.

As she walked through the mess of chairs an older woman walked in with a group of teenagers. Miley thought they looked normal at first, until she saw the way they acted and walked and just about everything about them except the way they looked.

"Oh hello there! Can I help you?" The woman said. Miley walked towards her and handed her the letter from the front desk. She read through it thoroughly. Rereading certain parts over again to make sure she had seen them correctly. After 10 minutes the woman set the paper on one of the chairs, "Well you must be Miley then!" Miley smiled, 'Well it seriously took you long enough'.

She thought annoyed. "I'm Mrs. Parr! How are you?" She said in a childish voice, as if she were talking to a 4 year old.

'Jeez, I hope I get through this quick enough.' She thought remembering she had two classes with her.

The time seemed a decade before both classes ended. The whole time, Mrs. Parr spoke with a high pitched voice. She wouldn't let Miley do anything on her own and when the time came, she sent the group down for a restroom break with 2 other teachers watching to see that they didn't try to leave. It was humiliating. Luckily no one was in the halls to witness it. Though she wasn't so sure it would be that way the entire year.

She had to show them she wasn't retarded like the others. Right now speaking was at the back of her mind. She started thinking of ways to prove to them that she was smart and didn't need to be in her class.

The bell rang and broke through Mileys thoughts and plans. She picked up her bag and was about to walk out but Mrs. Parr stopped her. "Where are you going? You can't go anywhere. You have to wait until the hallway is less crowded or you might get lost."

'You're kidding me right? No seriously, is she really that stupid' Miley thought to herself.

"Why don't you come sit next to me and the other kids while we wait?" She continued. Miley was really starting to dislike her. She walked over and stood there until Mrs. Parr grabbed her hand and Miley was forced to sit down.

"Now honey, let me see that paper the pretty lady at the front of the building gave you." Miley knew she was referring to the woman in the front office and the schedule she had gotten. This was it; she honestly hated this teacher now.

Miley handed her the paper and she looked over it.

She read it and frowned with a confused look on her face.

"Why honey, why do you have so many classes with the other kids. Why don't you have any other classes with your new friends?" Friends? These kids were not her friends. She was normal, much more than these.

When Miley was younger she'd go with her school to see kids in the hospital, often the kids were like the ones in the class. She loved visiting them but being a part of them really bothered her.

"Well, I guess since you have real classes to get to I might as well let you go" Miley thought it was another woman speaking but she looked up to see Mrs. Parr in front of her.

'She actually knows how to speak in a human voice?' Miley thought.

She got up and ran out of the room before she could change her mind.

After her next class that lunch bell rang. She sighed and walked to the cafeteria.

Stepping in to the large room filled with students, she cautiously walked towards the line. Minutes later she had a tray in her hands and was searching for a place to sit. Every table was filled by now seeing as she had come in late due to Mrs. Parr's unnecessary concerns. She headed towards the door outside and started walking when she heard a voice calling her name. She slightly turned her head.

Selena, the girl she had met earlier was waving and gesturing for her to sit at her table. Seeing that there were many kids at her table she turned and pretended she hadn't heard and kept walking. She knew that if she had given in and sat with Selena, she'd be asked many questions, and questions she couldn't answer.

She decided it would be better off if she didn't even have friends. Friends meant letting people know about her problem. Which would lead to the whole school knowing. Facing reality wasn't something she could do…at least not yet…or anytime soon…