I haven't been able to speak ever since I was a child. I was 2 years old when I got into my first car accident, only me and my mother survived. But after the incident in the hospital, I wasn't able to talk again. I guess I messed up my vocal cords.

It's was 5th grade when I started being forgotten. I was always quiet but I wanted others to know that I'm here. I couldn't speak at all, I couldn't make a sound, I couldn't... Talk. One day I was playing with the kids, the game was called 'Hide n Seek" (seems familiar?)I was one of the hiders so I hid behind a tree because there was a small forest nearby our school. The seeker found one by one. I could hear their voices and their footsteps. I stayed as still as possible, I was so happy. But then, I heard the footsteps getting farther and farther away. I turned around to look and I saw them walking away starting a new game. Right there, I realized that I didn't even matter. They forgot about me. But I didn't want to think that, I knew that wasn't the truth. I screamed, or so I wished I could. Nothing, no sound came out of my mouth.

It was then 8th grade, I got bullied and earned my very first nickname, Mute. Everyone laughed at me. But I didn't really care because I was used to it. I wished I had the ability to be deaf than not being able to speak. What they said to me, I can still remember, "Fat ugly pig." "Go die, Mute!" "Whoa, you were there this whole time?! Oh yeah, I forgot, Mute." It's even funnier yet depressing because those people, they used to be my friends.

By the time I got to 10th grade, my mother started bring strangers home. I thought that they were business men that worked with my mother at her office. I soon noticed that she brought them home on a daily basis. She started not to come home anymore. She didn't come home to the point where I ended up living with my grandparents. It was horrible. I lost my father, and now my mom left too. She left without even telling me anything. I was forgotten again.

I graduated from high school and soon after that my grandparent passed away, leaving me behind. I couldn't move in with anyone because I had no friends, I didn't know any other family members either.
I soon found out that my mother left and started a new family. She now has a husband and 5 kids. It's painful to know the truth, but she seemed so happy with her life. So I just left.

I graduated from collage and now I'm living on my own. I'm now 20 years old. I have a career and a pet. Now that I looked back, it really was a struggle, my life. I am still mute but that doesn't matter. Maybe it was better off that way. I create artworks and work with digital art too. I'm also a photographer. I'm unfortunately not known yet, but what should I expect?
Nothing, just as long as I was happy. I talked with my mother and she's still as kind as ever. My mother got a divorce and said she was looking for me. Honestly, I didn't know she was. Me and my mother still keep in touch. I'm grateful that I'm mute, because that makes my life unique and beautiful. Even though people judge me, by then end of each and every day, all I really need is me.

My name is Risal Will.
Thank you for reading my story.

Ok, for one, your old friends are assholes. Now, I can only imagine what it's like not being able to speak, but people forget about me too, even when I say something it falls on deaf ears, but one thing I've learned in life is that no matter what happens, things may seem shit, people may disrespect you because you're different in one way or another, things will get better, people will start to take you more seriously and not call you names, they'll start to understand you more as yous grow older. So head up, live through it and don't feel depressed, things will take a turn for the better :)

>>1 thank you for writing this, you've given me a little of my hope back. I'm not mute or anything but I can relate to an extent, for a long time, I felt as though I didn't exist, like I was invisible or a ghost or just some passing fog. I found a place for myself on the internet and although it's not much, it makes me feel like I exist.

>>1 You are a really strong person, Risal-san. I was crying while reading your story (i-it's okay, I'm just a highly sensitive person). I'm glad that I'm here, a part of dollars which consists of many strong people. I'm so happy to hear that you are glad with your life and I hope for your life to be full of happiness from now on. You don't have to be worry, Risal-san. Everyone are unique, means there is no human which is really similar, even the twins have their own differences. I may not have ever experienced something as bad as that, so I'm really proud of you who are able to come through those hard parts of life. Sometimes, many people think that some other people in minorities who have a rare kind of personality and life are 'weird' in negative way. But I don't believe it like that. Those people are not 'weird', they are just unique and that unique side of them make the world has more different kind of beautiful colors. when I was in elementary school, my friends tend to call me a crybaby and weird. I know it is not something as bad as what people tend to call you. But it still hurts me because society dislike a crybaby person and because I'm a sensitive person who is easy to feel hurt. I often blame myself to the point I've ever hated myself for being a shy, quite, and a crybaby. But then I realize that it's okay to be me and I learn to be proud of myself and my personality as an introvert and a Highly Sensitive Person which make me become that kind of a crybaby person. I and you and many others here may be a minority in society, but it is not wrong to be different^^ You are one of those people who has realized that. To be able to struggle and come to that point in your life are something to be proud of and it makes you become a stronger human with all those bad experiences. Yes, you're right. What really matter is being happy with your life while you are still yourself^^ Maybe you will face more people who judge you in the future but please believe that someday you will find someone who is willingly to accept you as you and create your own small group consist of people who will always support you and you can call 'my home, my sweet little family'.

Good luck and keep spirit!! Thank you very much for sharing your inspiring story :)