chapter one

                                    

                                          
***
                          
Dan sighs, looking in the mirror once again.
                          
Despite the fact that he's dressed mainly in black, he knows that the whole school's eyes will be on him, or at least it will feel like that to him. He screws up his face at himself in the mirror, trying to appear a tad unfriendlier. Although he's wearing black earrings, predominately black clothes, has pale skin and a dark brown fringe, he still feels and acts like he's the total opposite.
                          
There's only one issue with Dan's whole 'tough, badass' attire - he can't utter a single word. Something went wrong when he was younger, he was sick, and during some throat surgery gone wrong, he ended up with no voice.
                          
Which is just fucking amazing for Dan, but at least he has an excuse as to why he never talks, and also Dan is especially awkward, so at least the awkward thoughts have no way of making themselves known.
                          
"Dan! Get down here, you have to be at school in ten minutes!" Dan's mum yells from downstairs, making Dan sigh yet again
                          
Maybe this school will be different. Yeah right. Who wouldn't jump at the chance to pick on and tease the emo kid who can't talk. But despite his reluctance, Dan still finds himself walking in the school gates, because it must be worse for his mum, to never hear her son's voice.
                          
Dan walks to the school office slowly, dragging his shoes along in the dirt and gravel, past the point of caring. Suddenly, he thuds into someone, staggering backwards before looking up and meeting a pair of ocean-coloured eyes.
                          
"Oh sorry, I didn't see you there! Are you okay? Are you the new kid? I'm Phil! Sorry about that by the way! You must be the new kid, I haven't seen you before! What's your name? Where'd you move from?" This guy, Phil, blurts at him
                          
Dan frowns at him, unsure as of what to do next. This guy did not stop for a breath when he talked, and couldn't seem to stop. Phil looked at Dan expectantly for an answer that Dan couldn't give him.
                          
So Dan just stood there, looking slightly scared until he looks at Phil once more and just runs the rest of the way to the school office, his school bag swinging.
                          
"Hello, you must be Daniel Howell, I'm Mrs Hall." The woman behind the desk says, her blonde hair cut into a bob and a few wrinkles etched into her tanned skin.
                          
Dan nods, shoving his hands in his pockets and shifting on the spot awkwardly, looking at the ground.
                          
"Oh, right, sorry." She says, obviously remembering about Dan's condition, "here's your timetable, come to me if you have any problems, this is your locker number and code too. Enjoy your first day!"
                          
Dan takes the papers off her and walks towards where the lockers are, stopping in front of his. He ignores the stares and whispers as he tugs his locker open, already stocked with his required textbooks. He checks his timetable and puts the correct books in his bag before shutting the locker again. 
                          
He swings his bag back on his shoulders before slowly walking towards where he thinks his first class is. A couple of girls giggle when he looks over to them, but Dan knows it won't last, people are generally put off by people who can't speak. But Dan doesn't blame them, after all, who would want to be friends with someone who can't talk?
                          
Dan is walking down the hall towards his class before he is stopped by an all too familiar voice.
                          
"Hey! Are you okay? What class are you in? Sorry if I scared you!" A voice yells, and sure enough, Dan turns around to see Phil running towards him.
                          
Dan shifts awkwardly in his spot, unsure what to do in this situation. So he decides to just show Phil his timetable to shut him up for a second.
                          
"Oh hey, you're in my class! That's cool! Do you want me to show you where it is?" He asks, smiling hopefully at Dan
                          
Luckily, this is a yes or no question, so Dan just nods, taking his timetable off Phil and following him towards the classroom he was already walking towards.
                          
"So where you from? What's your name? Why haven't you said anything? Don't you like me? Sorry. Am I scaring you? Do you like school?" Phil's questions bombard Dan all the way to the classroom, making Dan wish he could tell Phil to shut up.
                          
They sit at an empty desk towards the back, Phil still talking away, completely oblivious to the fact that Dan still hasn't answered any of his questions. So Dan pulls out his notebook, flipping to the back and writing in big, capital letters;
                          
I'M MUTE.
                          
He taps Phil and thrusts the notebook in his face, and Phil's eyes widen before his face settles into recognition with this fact.
                          
"Oh, that's why you haven't replied to me. Thank god, I thought it was just because you didn't like me. That's a relief. I was wondering why you haven't told me to shut up yet, people normally have by this point." Phil says, chuckling
                          
Dan sighs and rolls his eyes, partially wanting to write SHUT THE FUCK UP on some paper and glue it to his face to Phil can see it every time he looks at him, but he doesn't, because he's just told Phil he was mute, and Phil is still talking to him, which is something.
                          
"Dan, you know, I have a feeling we're going to be good friends. I mean, I don't mind that you can't talk. If you want to be friends, do you?" Phil asks, sounding so hopeful the only response Dan feels he can do is just nod
                          
Phil's face breaks into a grin and he starts talking about all the things they can do, and how Phil's other friends will love him. 
                          
Dan sigh, annoyed at how much Phil talks, but then again, he's also somewhat grateful, because he finally has someone actually willing to be his friend. He just hopes that everything won't end up crashing and burning like at all his other schools.
                          
Because after all, what's the use of a person without a voice?
                          
**********
                          
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