Whatever Remains, T. Richardosn [brene brown rising strong TXT] 📗

The whole class was beginning to end. It was nine fifteen though. I had some time to walk with Amanda, unfortunately, she angrily disappeared.
“So how did the both of you find yours, what was it?” the teacher asked.
“Sleeping Beauty.” Glytherin said. “Do you have any easier, less lifting kind off ballets?” She walked back to the bucket of books that had three more ballets in it.
“The little Mermaid,” she announced. “Cinderella, and Romeo and Juliet. All very theatrical really. I would pick Romeo and Juliet though, those are real crowd pleasers and I must have the judges impressed, would you like to try it?”
I looked at my partner who didn’t seem he liked the idea. “It’s all about killing one person for another, it seems dramatic and fake.” The teacher’s eyes widened. “First of all, all of the other stories are magical princesses, Romeo and Juliet is the realest I’ve had yet. Are you saying you could live knowing that Orphelia was dead?”
I smiled helplessly. He laughed. “There’s a huge difference. Orphelia is not my lover.”
The teacher smiled. “Ok,” she said. “It’s either the other ones then if you’d like, Romeo and Juliet has less touching though it’ll make the both of you feel more comfortable.” Glytherin smiled and shook his head.
“Can I see the dances in it then?” The woman gave him the book as the rest of the class left.
“What’s wrong with sleeping beauty anyway?” I showed the woman my leg extension. I could hardly do a split; there was no way I could play sleeping beauty. She nodded. “I understand, but you can go farther than anyone in the class, but not far enough.” Glytherin frowned at the choreography and sent the book of to me to look at. It seemed less hard and was more comfortable. The only thing there was, was the swinging around of legs, the killing, the kissing, and the death. I was so glad that I didn’t have to talk to dance but this one was even worse. I shook my head.
“Come on,” Ms. Alberry said. I shook my head again but smiled faintly. “Do you feel uncomfortable with it?” she asked. “I can take out some parts like the lifts, and then I can replace it with something.”
“You don’t understand, that would ruin it.” said Glytherin.
“So you like it?” the teacher asked.
“It’s nice indeed, but-”
“Good! We have ourselves a crowd pleaser! I’ve been waiting for this moment forever!” She was smiling outrageously. I looked at Glytherin who was shaking his head and repeatedly saying no.

In the end, we had to do the play or else, “Or else what?”
“I cut you off the team.”
“I don’t even like ballet!”
This went on.
“Lea likes ballet; she won’t have a trained partner to work with.” He looked at me now. “Your name’s not Orphelia?” he asked. I shook my head. It is. I wrote on a sheet of paper. “Well,” he said. “Ok, I’ll do it. I don’t want this to be unfair.” He frowned. “Wait,” he said again. “She doesn’t like ballet either!” My eyes widened. This was an inside message saying do not go on any further. He shut himself up. “Never mind,” he said through gritted teeth. “We’ll do the Romeo and Juliet.” It was ten o’clock now. I pointed towards the door. He nodded.
“Bye, I’ll see you Monday.” He said. What about you? I wrote on the sheet of paper as I put it toward him. He smiled. “My mother and she are friends; she’ll pick me up at eleven.” I nodded and I waved to my teacher. I left through the double doors. I held my clothes in my hand and I threw the sheet of paper in the garbage. I walked down the line until I reached home. The rest of the night was a blur when I reached home. Shane opened the door and saw my dizziness. Why was I like this?
“Hey Orphelia, what’s wrong with you?” Shane said holding me under my arms to keep me from falling. My step-mother came too. “Honey what’s wrong?” Where was my dad? I looked around. “He went out, he’s on a trip, last minute one or he could loose his job, and he’ll be gone for a month. My eyes widened. I went up steadying myself finally better. What had just happened? “Honey how was it today?” she asked. I shrugged. So, so. I’d say. Good. I mouthed to her. She smiled. “Time to go to bed it seems,” I nodded putting my bag on a jacket holder. I used the jacket holder for many things. I walked into my room and slammed myself on top of the bed.

When Orphelia, the modest of all could not sleep,
She lay on her bed and counted the sheep.
When the sheep were gone, she turned on her bed,
Hopefully she could sleep on her head instead!
When Orphelia the mighty with her hair all untidy,
Said, “I’m done; I can’t do this, come help me Almighty.”
Who was Almighty, this person or thing that she says?
Her prince that helps rescue, and kissed her to bed.

-Wise words of my mother. Orphelia’s Almighty Prince Familiar Faces

Monday

Sunday was the worst day of all for me. I stayed home all day watching Shane

try and knit sweaters with his grandmothers. Both of them, his grandmother that was married to his grandfather and the one that was divorced. No one could even imagine the amount of tension in the house for the hours.
I had to get ready for school again. I had woken up and the house was unusually quiet, the birds not chirping, the sirens not going on and off like it always had in Queens, New York. I frowned. Something was very wrong. My foot steps on the ground didn’t even make a sound. I looked through my closet for my clothing and the clinging of the hangers didn’t cling.
I put the clothing on and I felt the vibration of noises that I couldn’t hear. My whole body froze and I opened my door silently feeling tears streak up inside of my eyes as a warning that I was going to belt out crying without any noises. I looked out of the door and smelt the smell of frying eggs that popped. My step-mother was saying something that I couldn’t hear, was she becoming mute too? Shane answered and he made no noise also.
I snapped my fingers trying to get their attention. Their gazes went straight to me. I hadn’t heard my own snap, hardly felt it going through my fingers. Shane began coming closer to me talking wordlessly coming through my ears. My step-mother burnt the eggs she was making unfocused by the horrified look in my eyes.
"Are you ok?" She said, but I couldn’t hear it. I was probably the only one who couldn’t hear it. I swallowed hard nearly choking myself. I put a finger around my ear. I hear nothing. I mouthed.
My stepmother stepped forwards and embraced me. She yelled something that I could not interpret. She messed around with my ears trying to see if there was another conclusion to this. She knew she didn’t want it to happen. She yelled in my ears but all I felt was her tears and vibrations.
This would be even harder on my case of not being able to defend myself in court. I was reading and writing others notes. I wanted to stay home today; I didn’t want my teachers to see me this way. I didn’t want the ballet students to see me this way. I didn’t want Glytherin especially, to see me this way, I’ll be afraid that he regrets being my partner and to me, that would hurt more than anything in the world. If someone didn’t want to be my partner just because of some hearing thing hurt me so badly.
I covered my eyes as I cried soundlessly not even hearing what was going on around me. Why is this happening to me? Why s my life slowly fading away? Shane and his mother were still talking. His mother gasped. Shane told her about the murder of Matthew. How could he?
I wanted to fall on my knees and stay home. Shane took me by my arms and headed me outside. Why was he still bringing me? I wanted to yell that I didn’t want to go but I couldn’t say anything. He held my hand as we walked across the street and towards the school. I shook my head with tears all over my face. He nodded mouthing something. We have to? I didn’t know what he was saying at all. Was it really that hard to read lips?

Towards the school as we walked in from the bus which Amanda had not appeared to be on, kids looked past me as Shane walked me around making sure that if someone were telling me to move, he’d move me if I hadn’t known. Every one watched. The silence of this loud hallway frightened me. Every one saw my tears. This was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me. I cried into my hands now.
We made it up to the principal’s office. Shane and him were talking as I saw the principal’s eyes widened. I read his lips. Helen Keller. I frowned and cried some more. How could he say that about me? He put a hand on my back and probably said the same thing he had before. Calm down, it’s alright girl.

I’m not a freaking horse you idiot! My saddening worsened as I fell to the floor.
Shane began having a conversation as I felt the late bell ring and random students watching me through the window. My vision began to blur. What was next? My eyes?! Would everything I had to be me become gone? All talents that I might’ve hoped for were gone! With my speech, I’d sing, with my ears, I’d be a life guard. With my eyes, I’d be a dancer, and with this practice, I’d be afraid that it’d be the last. My vision blurred up some more. Perhaps last night was my last.
The upsetting disaster overwhelmed me but I made no sound at all. Help me! All I want is help! The principal tried and calmed me down again but that was his first attempt.


It was later on now and I was hoping that maybe dance would be ok. I was already dressed. Maybe I would try a little harder this afternoon when I practiced at ballet. Maybe the lip reading would