Chapter 1: Echo
It's dark….Only the sounds of voices can be heard.
"What should we name him" a man's voice chimes softly.
"What about Echo?" a woman responds happily.
"Echo? Isn't that more suitable for a girl?" the man responds.
"Emilio… Names are names, we will not place our child under these societal standards… It is a different time... " the women retorts.
"Erina… how will I explain that to my mother?" Emilio asks his voice almost to a whisper.
"Honey...It's a beautiful name!" She responds more animatedly. "It also characterizes our relationship. Rember the bar we first met at? Echo lounge!"
"So you want to name our son after a bar?" The sound of Emilio's footsteps can be heard as he paces back and forth. "I know planning this ahead would have been a better idea."
"I'm not naming him after the bar silly...It was a very beautiful lounge! Just think of that night and how beautiful it was! Now look we have a beautiful baby boy and a beautiful marriage, everything was decided the moment we locked eyes."
Emilio signs. "Ok… But his middle name has to be Charles after my father so I can say I tried!"
Erina chuckles. "Of course honey!" She takes a deep breath. "You hear that Echo? Dad's already letting you get your way. It's going to be a mess from here." She says softly.
"Echo!" a voice calls abruptly waking me from my sleep. "Nice to join us." Mr. Harrison says hovering over me.
My eyes shift up and I swiftly sit up in my chair. My mouth makes out a million excuses but nothing comes out.
"I'm sorry Mr. Harrison I will never do it again." Mr. Harrison says sarcastically. "Well Mr. Lima, save us the sob stories and prepare yourself for detention. Maybe you can catch up on all the work you missed."
I sink lower into my seat as the rest of the class laughs.
"There you go mute!" someone says from the crowd and the laughter gets louder more intense.
'Shut up…' I say to myself as a sink into my sweater.
"Quiet class. Let's get back to our lesson. Now! Can someone explain to me how they got the answer to the next question?"
The class continues as I sit there quietly. I hear the whispers and chuckles. 'I just wish I could just say something to them… I wish I could at least scream… Something. Maybe then they won't see me as a weirdo.' I flip through the pages of my notebook and begin to write.
'Detention wasn't too bad. I'm somewhat glad most of the teachers sympathize with the "mute orphan." It has made consequences here a bit more manageable.' I let out a sigh as the thought of how different my life would be if I could speak to them. 'If only.' I reach the door to my house and fumble through my bag to find my keys. I tell myself every morning not to put them in there because I lose them but somehow in the scurry of the morning, they find their way with the rest of my things. I feel the worn fabric of the NYC keychain tag my aunt bought me on our trip to the city. I pull at the tag and suddenly the door opens.
"Don't!" A voice says from the doorway.
I look up with puppy dog eyes seeking forgiveness.
"E you can't keep forgetting your communication device… Also, why were you so late? I was damn near worried about you!" My aunt continues passing me my communication pad.
I open up the communication app and begin typing away. "Sorry, Auntie! I got detention... because I fell asleep in class again." The automated voice states.
"E… This is the fourth time this semester…" She says the disappointment in her voice weighs heavier than the shame I already have. "I have to take away your system until you can get more sleep at night." She continues as she begins motioning me through the door. My lips move to make out the word but and she places her finger over my lips. "Use your device."
I frantically type as I walk through the door. The smell of freshly baked muffins fills the air. 'BLUEBERRY!' I scream internally. I dart to the kitchen forgetting what I was going to bargain. She always manages to make a punishment worth it. Maybe she's just not good at debating but instead bribes me and makes me feel terrible about how good I have it. She is right though… If I hadn't spent hours participating in the rade last night I wouldn't have been tired. What does she expect from me… It's the only interaction I have with people… No one else likes me… they just call me weird. I begin typing. "Auntie Elena… I'm sorry... Thank you for the muffins." The automated voice says.
She moves closer too me and wraps her arms around me. "No need to apologize. I know it must be tough in school. I just want you to work hard to at least get it done. This is your last year. Last semester. Your grades have been miraculous so far don't quit now. You got this." She kisses me on my forehead and a tear forms in my eye.
"It's only a few more months of hell." the voice says again. She begins laughing and I smile. I wish we could share in the laughter together… I wish she could hear me.
I take another muffin and run upstairs. Auntie Elena never had any children of her own but she is the pro parent. It's like she knows when I get detention and knows when something is wrong. Before I get home she manages to have everything gone and put away. My room feels baron as I look at the dust outline of where my system once was. I shrug and grab the squirt bottle from the cabinet in the hall. I pray the stand and wipe away the dust. I connect my phone to the stereo and begin playing music loudly. I shut my door to not disturb my aunt as she prepares for dinner. "Finally!" I say plopping onto the bed.