[ No. She knows the answer's no, she never talks about this anymore, never talks about the shy, scared little girl she wants to forget she was, wants to forget she still is. ]
We'd been in the same school for...awhile, but we didn't... We weren't really in a lot of classes together until fourth grade. I was— ...Things were getting...worse, at home. My, uh...my brother just went off to college, and...well, my parents...always liked him a lot better. [ She lets that sit for just a few moments, before hurrying on. ] Anyway, it meant— well, I was always...quiet? But it was harder. I...didn't know what to...say, or do, to make them feel better, and...it harder to express myself, too.
[ Her stutter kept getting worse. And they just...kept talking over her. Didn't have time for her. ]
It was the first day of class, and...all the other kids, I'd been in homeroom with most of them before. None of them wanted to, you know...sit by me, but Cairo—
[ Again, she pauses, envisioning the moment in her mind. ]
She...walked over to the empty seat, and...introduced herself. When it took me a moment to, um...respond, one of the other kids... He told her to watch out, that...if she wasn't careful, she might...catch my stutter.
[ Her eyes rest on her lap. Even the memory of it's alienating and uncomfortable. Relaying this, it's...terrifying. ]
All the other kids started laughing. I almost missed it, 'cause I wanted to just...get up and run, but Cairo, she—
[ Despite herself, her smile grows again. Now, the memory's so very warm. ]
cw: parental neglect, bullying
[ Her smile flickers, just a little bit. ]
Did...I ever tell you how we became friends?
[ No. She knows the answer's no, she never talks about this anymore, never talks about the shy, scared little girl she wants to forget she was, wants to forget she still is. ]
We'd been in the same school for...awhile, but we didn't... We weren't really in a lot of classes together until fourth grade. I was— ...Things were getting...worse, at home. My, uh...my brother just went off to college, and...well, my parents...always liked him a lot better. [ She lets that sit for just a few moments, before hurrying on. ] Anyway, it meant— well, I was always...quiet? But it was harder. I...didn't know what to...say, or do, to make them feel better, and...it harder to express myself, too.
[ Her stutter kept getting worse. And they just...kept talking over her. Didn't have time for her. ]
It was the first day of class, and...all the other kids, I'd been in homeroom with most of them before. None of them wanted to, you know...sit by me, but Cairo—
[ Again, she pauses, envisioning the moment in her mind. ]
She...walked over to the empty seat, and...introduced herself. When it took me a moment to, um...respond, one of the other kids... He told her to watch out, that...if she wasn't careful, she might...catch my stutter.
[ Her eyes rest on her lap. Even the memory of it's alienating and uncomfortable. Relaying this, it's...terrifying. ]
All the other kids started laughing. I almost missed it, 'cause I wanted to just...get up and run, but Cairo, she—
[ Despite herself, her smile grows again. Now, the memory's so very warm. ]
She punched him right in the face.