I Bet I Can Make You Speak

Chapter One

(Luca's P.O.V.)

I get out of the car and Storm says, "Bye, I love you!"

"L-Love you, t-too. Bye, Ty," I say. Ty is actually named Tyler, but I call him Ty instead. He's my brother's best friend. They drive off and I sigh. Another day of hell. I walk into Frankview Middle with my head down and my blue hair in my face. I walk to my locker and see my bullies Jeffree, Cameron, and Danny. Oh, great. . .maybe I can just go to class without my books. No, I'm already failing math and I need my notes to help me on the test today. I nervously walk over to them and say, "P-Please move."

They all laugh and Jeffree says, "Look at stutter boy! He finally grew a pair and talked to us!" I make a disgusted look on my face at the term 'grew a pair' and shake my head. I don't really like people to talk about s****l stuff or even reference something about the parts that are covered by a bathing suit. I know it's stupid, a thirteen-year-old that isn't perverted. But I'm not an ordinary thirteen-year-olds. We'll get into why later.

"I-I really n-n-need my b-books," I say and they all smirk.

"Fine, if you really need in your locker so bad, here," Jeffree says and opens my locker. He pushes me inside and shuts the door. I start hyperventilating and feel tears in my eyes. I hate small spaces, it reminds me of my past. I hear the bell ring and my bullies laugh and walk away. I start crying and screaming for help.

"H-Help! I-I need t-to get to c-class!" I yell. I'm about to give up when the janitor opens the door. I fall onto the floor and start sobbing. I pull my knees up to my chest and feel terrified. I hate, hate, hate small places!

The janitor kneels down in front of me and says, "Luca? Luca, it's me, Robby. Your friend. Come on, Luca, snap out of it." I look up at my janitor friend Robby and sniffle.

He gives me a small smile and says, "You're okay. No one can hurt you right now." I wipe my eyes as I sniffle and hiccup from crying.

"I-I don't w-want t-to go back," I say.

"Luca, I don't know what you mean because you've never told me what happened in your past. I know you said it was something terrible and that you don't want to talk about it, so I'm going to respect that. But you have to learn that it's called the past for a reason. You don't have to be afraid of it anymore," Robby says. I nod and he helps me up. I try to calm down and wipe my cheeks so they don't have tear streaks on them. Robby sighs and says, "I'll write you a note so you won't be counted as tardy, but remember what I said. And if this happens again I want names of the kids who did this to you." I nod and he writes me a note. I thank him and start walking to math class with my books and notebook in hand. I go into the bathroom first to wash my face to make it look like I wasn't crying. I walk into math class and give Mr. Jewels my note. He gives me a test paper and tells me it's an open note text, which I already know. I sit down and try my best to do all the problems, but I can't. It takes me like ten minutes just to finish two problems. I'm also pretty sure they're wrong. I sigh and try to read my algebra notes and answer them the best I can. By the time I'm on number six, Mr. Jewels tells us we only have two minutes left and to hand up our tests. I feel terrible, I can't believe I flunked another test. I guess I'll just ask to speak with him when the bell rings. The bell rings and everyone races out of the room except for me. I stand up and walk up to the teacher's desk.

"Mr. J-Jewels?" I say.

"Yes?" he asks and looks up at me.

"I-I think I-I flunked a-another test."

He sighs and says, "Again? Luca, are you just not understanding the material? Because I can help you with that." I nod and he pulls out a flyer and hands it to me. "They're having a thing at the high school where high school students tutor the middle school students. You can apply for one, give some information about yourself, and they'll set you up with one. I really think you will benefit from this."

I nod and say, "Th-Thank y-you. I'll t-tell my brother." I put the flyer in my folder and put it in my backpack. He gives me a note so I won't be tardy to my next class. I go to my next class which is science and give her my late note. Mrs. Parks smiles at me and tells me to have a seat. I go to the back of the class and sit down. The kids who are sitting around me get up and move. I feel my eyes sting with tears; am I really that unlikable? I know I'm the freak of the school, but I didn't think it was so bad that they don't even want to be around me. I put my head down and try to hold in my tears. I hate myself. I just want to go home and talk to Storm and Tyler. Okay, maybe not talk. More like listen to their conversation and nod my head every once in a while. I sigh and lift my head up to pay attention to the teacher. She's lecturing us about what not to do to a microscope. I start to write down notes and ignore the girls across the room pointing and laughing at me.