The Silence She Speaks✔

The Real Story-Lauren

I walked into class after a few day's absence from school for being sick. It was second hour, which was social studies for me. I usually just walked in, threw myself down into the seat in the back, and slept through the class after reading a chapter of whatever novel I was reading. Today, though, I stopped and looked at the blue-eyed, blonde boy sitting in the front right corner of the class.

He had an odd appearance, that's what I thought at first. His jeans and t-shirt weren't odd, but his hair was something different. It was tied up like a small unicorn horn sprouting out of his head; then bursting at the top like a water fountain. He wore a headband, too. It was strange to me, seeing a boy with his hair like that, but I just shrugged it off.

The boy caught my stare, and we shared a brief smile before I got out my book and moved to my spot in the back. I sat beside my friend, Riley, and asked her about the new boy.

"Oh yeah, that's Sam. He moved here while you were sick," the softball-obsessed blonde explained.

I nodded and got out my book to read while Mrs. Zak, our teacher, taught the class. I was exceedingly smart when it came to history, and—due to my older brother—the energetic woman's absolute favorite student, so I never had to pay attention in her class. After my chapter, I glanced over to the new boy. Sam definitely wasn't paying attention to Mrs. Zak. He played with his pencil with a bored expression, then started talking to the kids beside him.

I wasn't sure why I looked at him—this short boy with happy blue eyes, but I decided to just look away and take my usual nap.

Every day went in a pattern. Sometimes I would involve myself in the class, but most of the time I was reading or sleeping. Sam and I never spoke. We had shared that one smile, and that was it, but I was content. I never really was one for having a lot of friends, unlike the social butterfly, Sam. Well, I assumed he was one. He walked into class laughing and talking to somebody new each day.

Friday, February ninth, two thousand and eighteen, we all saw Sam for the last time. His hair, just like every other day, was up in it's unicorn horn-fountain style with his headband. His smile just as real and happy as every other. You would have never suspected that he would be dead soon. Not this eleven-year-old boy who brought a smile to everybody's faces.

Class went by. I just napped because I forgot my book, and then it was over. I glanced at Sam as I walked past him to leave the class. He was really short compared to me, who was five-seven at the time. Of course, almost everybody was short next to me. Sam flashed a smile at his friends, which I barely saw before leaving, and that was the last I ever saw of him.

Saturday, February tenth, two thousand and eighteen. It was just the average Saturday. Playing with my sisters and brother, lounging around the house; the usual. It was later in the afternoon, when I was cuddling my sister, Caitlin, on the couch, that I heard the news from my mom.

"Lauren, do you know a boy in your class named Sam?" She asked.

"There's a few, why?" I questioned.

"According to the news, a boy in your grade named Sam was shot by his mom. Here's the picture." She showed me her phone, and my eyes widened. It was Sam. Sam with a big smile and bright blue eyes full of life.

I stayed silent the rest of the day, thinking of what had happened. Social Media was filled with pictures of him and Fox2News on T.V. screens where the title was about Sam.

We were sixth graders, and we had to deal with this. With a classmate dying in such a gruesome way.

The next day was Sunday, February eleventh, two thousand and eighteen. Sam was still what everybody talked about. I got the full story from my closest friend, Hailey.