The people of America come flooding into the school room. I didn't even know they were coming this year.

Oh well, I'm always the last to find out news.

The others around me begin moving their lips and clapping their hands. I think they're singing our school's welcome song in our native tongue of Lugandan, but I can't be sure.

The Americans smile and applaud when my classmates are done singing. The way their voices vibrate from their mouths to the ground and into me gives me the sense that everyone is very excited.

I follow the rest of the class into our little schoolroom. As usual, I just sketch on my chalkboard while the teacher gives instructions. No one even tries to stop me anymore. Whatever. Being a nobody at school is the least of my problems.

I'm just invisible.

Except, apparently to one American boy in particular.

A tap on my shoulder brings me away from the fantasy world I'm trying to bring to life on my board. I look up to find a young man standing next to me. He gives me a smile and begins to slowly move his lips. I bite my tongue. I don't want to make this boy feel like I disrespect him or his people, but I can't speak to him. I bring my pointer finger up just behind my ear lobe and then down to the corner of my mouth, signing 'deaf.'

His lips pause as he waits for an answer. When he doesn't get one, he furrows his eyebrows and glances across the room. He doesn't speak sign language I guess.

I follow his gaze and find a girl with hair the color of fire speaking to him from across the school room. Her hair is breathtaking... I've never seen anything like it. It's the color of our dirt roads only twenty times more bright and beautiful. I stroke my own knotted black hair. My mother used to tell me I was beautiful...

The girl turns and continues talking to the boy she's sitting with. I whip my head around to find the American boy eying me curiously. I try signing deaf again, I even try signing mute but he thinks I'm making pointless gestures. I breath in deeply through my nose.

I tap my fingers on my chalkboard. If only I could write in English.

Next: resorting to literal sign language. Pointing to my ears, I shake my head.

He continues to stare at me like the puzzle I am for a moment. Then his eyes go wide. He's frantic; doesn't know what to do since he got paired with the deaf kid. His eyes search for the fiery haired girl again. I fight the tears threatening to spill over.

No one knows what to do with me.

         __________________

Perks to year round school: The longest I have to be with my uncle at one time is two weeks. Our breaks are break every two months and last two weeks. Sometimes people just don't show up for school on any given day anyway though. Sometimes people's family situation cause them to be unable to pay school fees. My uncle keeps sending me to school. I don't know why he still cares about my education when he obviously doesn't care about me. Probably something about the family name. I don't know and frankly, I don't care.

He might not even be paying anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if the school just lets me come. I rarely complete assignments or even classwork anyway, I guess. I just have to get away from him.

I hate walking back from school. It's lonely and I have two miles to walk. Two miles to wonder if my uncle feels like feeding me tonight. Two miles to wonder if he's beatings will just be from his hands or he'll crack out a stick or something worse.

It's a common misconception that because I can't talk, I can't make any sound at all from my mouth. I actually still have the ability to laugh and scream and such. Weird, I know, but true.

What's the point though? No one can hear me scream. Not even I can.

I rub my stomach. Even with all the lunch I ate at school, I'm starved again already. Maybe that's why he lets me go to school. So I can eat enough to stay alive and still be his punching bag, but he doesn't have to be the one to give it to me.

We wouldn't want him acting like family and causing me any joy now would we?

I rub a tender spot on my arm. I want my mom to kiss it and tell me everything will be ok.

Why do I even go back to this place?

Cause he'll find me if I don't. And at least at home I have a bed and a mosquito net.

Better get my crying done before I get home. Whenever I cry he makes a point to show that I'm weak and slaps the tears right off my face.

So I do. I cry. I cry for what used to be and what could've been. Too soon, I find I'm almost home.

Trudging up to my little hut, I pause to wipe my tear stained cheeks. I decide not to walk in for just a couple seconds. But all too soon, he appears at the door. Glaring at me, he grabs the collar of my shirt and throws me inside.

He says something to me and shoves a beer into my hands. Of course, I can't make out what he said. I wonder if he even realizes that because of him, I'm not able to reply to him about anything or even know what he wants me to do if he were to ask a favor.

I grip the bottle in my hands and clench my teeth. I refuse to drown my sorrows in his lousy drinks. I've seen what it does to people. He's shown me what it does to people.

Momma always said I was a strong girl and she told me never to lose that, no matter what comes my way.

Maybe that's why I don't just give up on life. I'm keeping this whole thing up for Momma.

My uncle glares over at me and out of nowhere, kicks me in the gut. I double over and fall backwards, dropping he beer bottle. Glass pieces fly everywhere and the liquid seeps into the ground. He comes stalking over and I scoot up against the wall, clutching my stomach and trying my best not to show fear. He's not in any kind of good mood today.

This is going to be a long night.

A.N.

Yo! Peeps! Lol so thanks for reading this it means a lot. If you have any advice, please share I am still learning a lot about writing and would love your advice! Who's ya'll's favorite character thus far? Peace out and God bless:)