Lee's frustration had reached its peak as he stood in front of Jackson, angrily trying to get his backpack back from. Jackson, a boy several inches shorter than Lee, kept jumping back every time he got close, a smirk playing on his lips. Lee's adrenaline was pumping, his mind racing with wild thoughts and angry words.

"I'll give it back, man," Jackson taunted. "Just talk to me. Something more than one word."

Lee wanted to scream, to let out all the pent-up frustration and anger that had been building inside of him for weeks. But he knew it wouldn't do any good. Jackson would just mock him further, and the teacher would sit back in his chair, hoping someone else would intervene.

"No!" Lee finally yelled, his voice echoing through the classroom. He turned to look at the teacher, who had not moved from his chair. "You need to speak up for yourself, Mr. Collins," he said, pointing a finger at Lee.

"Yeah, Lee, just speak up," Jackson chimed in, a mocking tone to his voice.

Lee threw his hands up in defeat and stormed out of the classroom in a fit of rage, ignoring the teacher's calls for him to come back. He needed to get out of there, away from Jackson and the teacher who refused to help him.

Lee sat on the ground, curled up in a ball with his hands over his ears. He could hear the security guard talking to him, but all the other voices were just too overwhelming. He couldn't handle it anymore.

Suddenly, a new voice cut through the chaos. It was a girl's voice, and it had a strange accent that Lee couldn't quite place. "Get away from him," she said firmly to the security guard. "Can't you see he can't speak?"

The guard hesitated for a moment before finally backing away. The girl knelt down in front of Lee and gently touched his shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft and comforting.

Lee slowly removed his hands from his ears and looked up at her. She had long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail and bright blue eyes. But what caught Lee off guard was that she was signing as she spoke.

The girl sat in front of Lee, her blue eyes full of curiosity and concern. She handed him a pad and pen, and he hesitantly took them. "Why not?" she asked again, gesturing to the pad.

"No one taught me," Lee wrote down, trying hard to make his handwriting legible.

The girl's expression softened. "That must be really hard," she said sympathetically. "My name is Lily." She pointed to herself as she signed her name.

Lee hesitated for a moment before writing his name on the pad. Lily smiled when she saw it. "Nice to meet you, Lee," she signed, speaking at the same time.

“You have a translator in class, yet I can hear you speak. Why is that Lee wrote.

Lily's smile faltered for a moment before she replied, "I was born deaf and learned how to sign and speak from a young age. I can lip read but it’s too much to keep up with in class so I have a sigh language interpreter help me."

“How about you? How is it no teacher realizes you are a mute? Haven’t you’re parents talked to them.”

“My parents are dead and my foster parents don’t care. They get money for me and the rest is to much for them to bother with.” Lee wrote.

“I see. Well let’s get your backpack back. Come on stand up.” Lily said with a smile.

Lee stood up.

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“Now copy my signs. Lily said then signed and spoke. “I want my backpack back, now please.”

Lee copied the signs.

Lee walked back into the classroom, he felt Lily’s hand grabbing him to indicate she needed him to wait. She went and signed something to the sign language interpreter who came and stood near by Lee.

“Go ahead Lee. Tell him. Tell him using sign.”

Lee's heart was racing as he walked over to Jackson, who was still holding onto his backpack. He repeated Lily's signs, this time with more confidence. "I want my backpack, now please," Lee signed. The translator stepped forward and interpreted Lee's sentence. But his confidence quickly faded when Jackson's eyes narrowed at him.

Jackson's expression turned to one of disbelief as he looked at Lee. "He's not deaf," he stated..

"He's mute," Lily replied calmly, standing by Lee's side.

Jackson turned back to Lee, his eyes searching for an explanation. "Are you saying you don't talk to me because you can't?" he asked, sounding almost offended.

"Talking hurts," Lee said out loud.

Lee grabbed the white handkerchief from his pocket. He spit out some blood into the handkerchief before showing it to Jackson.

The classroom fell silent as everyone watched the exchange between Jackson and Lee. Some students looked worried while others seemed confused or intrigued by what was happening.

Jackson hesitated for a moment before finally letting go of Lee's backpack and walking away without saying another word. The tension in the air dissipated and Lily let out a small sigh of relief.

Lee's pen scratched against the notepad as he wrote "Thank you," a sense of gratefulness shining in his eyes as he looked up at Lily. Meanwhile, Mr. Walters frowned and gestured for the class to return to their work. He leaned in closer to his computer screen, his frown deepening as he scanned through some documents. Finally, he turned to Mr. Colins and requested that he stay after class for a discussion.

Lee let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes before nodding yes.

"Mr. Colins, our records show that you do not have any disabilities," Mr. Walters' voice was concerned as he spoke. "But based on what I saw today..."

Lee gestured towards the notepad and pen on Mr. Walters desk, signaling that he needed to communicate through writing. Frustration etched across his face as he scribbled furiously on the paper. "The damage to my throat happened before I entered foster care," he wrote, hoping to make his situation understood. "But the paperwork got lost and no one listened when I tried to explain."

“I tried to tell people I’m not Adam Colin’s but no one listen. Nothing is in “Adam Colin’s record about a hurt throat so nothing was done about it.” Lee scribbled furiously

“Hold it they didn’t just loose information about your disablitly they actually got the wrong person and didn’t do anything to look into it or fix it.” Mr. Walters said in shock.

“I’m sorry Lee I need to report this.”

Lee shrugged. “You won’t be the first teacher of the last to report this.” Lee commented in his writing.

"The foster system is short of decent people to take care of the kids in it so they aren’t going to bother with a parent who provides basic needs while skimming the rest of the funds for themselves. Also the Alcoholic in charge of paperwork over at the foster care facilities is the directors brother so they won’t admit a mistake was made.”

“With a mistake this grave surely someone will do something about it if we make enough noise.” Mr. Walter said sure of his position.

Lee simply shrugged in response, knowing that many others had reported similar issues but nothing had been done to fix them. "The foster system is overrun and understaffed," he wrote, continuing to convey his thoughts on paper. "They prioritize basic needs and turn a blind eye to corruption among those in charge. If we are done I need to go to class.”

“Sure Lee go on to class.” Mr. Walters waved him on as he picked up the phone.”

Soon Lee noticed his friend Tyson waving him over. “Lee, Lee my parents are taking us to to the Renaissance festival and said we can bring one friend along so We are going right? Your coming with me?”

Lee sighed and then nodded at his friend. “Cool check your texts for updates then. Gotta go gonna be late for class.” Lee shook his head slightly bemused as his friend ran down the hallway. He jumped as he heard Jackson behind him. “Renaissance festival huh, might be actually fun. I’ll meet you to there oh by the way here is my number.” Lee’s eyes went wide as he air dropped his number to Lee’s phone as he passed him. Lee’s eye’s got wide in shock. Had he completely misread Jackson. He shook his head to clear it when Lily walked up with her translator.

“What was that about?” She asked handing Lee a note pad.

Jackson is going to meet up with my friend Tyson and me at the festival. “Hum sounds like fun count me in.” She signed as her translator translated it. “Oh and here is my phone numbers.

Lee stood there stunned. Lee avoided making friends because deep in his heart he was terrified the men who he witnessed murder his parents would find him and kill any friends he had. Now he seemed to have three unwanted friends he would have to guard with great care.