There was a girl named Sepia. Sepia was
named after her beautiful hair and eyes. She
had brown almond eyes and sepia like colored
hair. She was a very beautiful little girl.
Her skin was like a perfect blend of milk
and coffee.
It had only been Sepia and her
mother, Jenn for years. Dad left
only a few weeks after Sepia was
born. He claimed he had fallen out
of love with Jenn. Let alone was he
interested in raising a kid.
Sepia's mother, Jenn, was a very
protective mother. Her mother began
to notice that Sepia would mimic other's
decisions, actions and emotions. They
were not always good. Once Jenn
noticed this, she was very strict with
who Sepia spent her time with. She
even monitored how long she would
be around others. Jenn use to think
it was just an immaturity and dramatic thing.
However, that was far from the truth.
Jenn learned her daughter had an
incredible, unique gift. Sepia had the
ability to feel other's emotions. In
particular, negative emotion and energy.
Though this was a gift, at times it
served as a debilitating curse. Jenn
began to take Sepia to a counselor.
Only the three of them knew of
her gift. The counselor began to
teach Sepia coping mechanisms.
Especially when she began to feel
someone else's emotion.
One day, when Sepia was 16 years old,
her mother felt she was finally ready. It
was the beginning of August and school was
about to start. Sepia had never stepped foot
in a school. She was homeschooled due to
her 'abilities.' Her mother feared she would
have been mocked and bullied.
Sepia was a little nervous but beyond
excited. As she got out of mom's car,
she blew a kiss to her through the
car window. As Sepia walked up the steps,
she entered the school doors. To her
suprise, it was not as bad like she imagined.
To her right were a group of boys all
starring at their phones, yelling out
as they played a game. To her left,
there were two girls crying, talking
about a breakup. Immediately
Sepia began to feel overwhelmed with
emotion. Of course, it was not hers. Her heart
began to pound, tears began to form
and her hands grew cold and sweaty.
She quickly reminded herself of the
counselor's teachings. She went into
an empty, dark classroom and closed
her eyes. She took deep breathes as
she slowly counted to ten. She told
herself, "I am safe. These are not my
emotions."
Her peace was interrupted as she heard
a faint knock on the classroom door.
"Are you Sepia?' a tall thin woman asked.
"I am," said Sepia. "Don't worry hun, kids
are crazy but you will do fine here." She was
the principle of Mountain High. Her name
was Teresa. As Teresa guided Sepia to her
classroom she asked, "Where are you from?"
"Montanna," Sepia said. "Wow!," exclaimed
the school Principle. "What made you come all this way to
Colorado," Teresa asked? "For my mom's work,"
Sepia lied. She could not tell her the truth.
She could not say, she was sent to go the
safest High School in the U.S. due to her 'abilities.'
Teresa and Sepia arrived to Sepia's.
classroom. Teresa extended her arm,
welcoming her into the new classroom.
"Welcome Sepia! You may sit anywhere
you like," said Mrs. Latson. Sepia walked
to the end of the classroom and sat closest
to the window. She sat as far away as
everyone as she could.
Then something caught her attention.
Towards the front right of the class, there
was a woman sitting oddly close to a student.
In fact, she was practically right in front of
a student. Sepia noticed that anytime Mrs.
Latson spoke, this woman in black would
make alot of movements with her hands.
As the lecture began, Sepia took notes.
Sepia was listening but was quite distracted
by this mysterious woman dressed in black.
She did not understand what the woman was
doing, but she found it intriguing and
satisfying. She even found it poignant but
did not understand why.
Sepia had dozed off the last hour of class.
She was startled when the school bell rang.
She grabbed her things and headed for the
door. As Sepia walked by the woman in black,
she felt a strong, strange emotion. Sepia had
never gotten this feeling before. It made
her feel very uncomfortable.
As a few days passed, Sepia began to
make friends and fit in well. She made great
grades but would consistently watch the woman
in black every day. Sepia still did not understand
what she was doing. One day after school she
went up to Mrs. Latson. Sepia asked, "The woman
dressed in black, who is she? What does she do
with her hands?" Mrs. Latson said, "Oh honey, she
is the interpreter! The young man that sits up
front, Jason, he is deaf. She interprets what I
say." Sepia was very intrigued and speechless.
She had never seen anything like that in her life.
"Oh,' Sepia said. "Does he ever talk?' she asked.
"No sweetie," said Mrs. Lotson.
As Sepia left the classroom she began to
ponder why Jason never talked. Was he able
to or did being deaf keep him from talking?
She had a thousand questions running in her mind.
Sepia also was still unsure why every day she
passed the interpreter, she got that strong
negative feeling. It felt empty, cold and lonely.
It often times made Sepia feel very
downhearted and distraught.
The next day Sepia decided she would formerly
meet Jason. Sepia leaned forward and mouthed
very clearly at Jason saying, "Hi! It is nice to
meet you. My name is Sepia." Jason gave her an
annoyed and confused look and began to sign.
The interpreter looked at Sepia and said,
"It is nice to meet you too. Do not bother
talking loud or slow, I can't hear you. But
don't talk to me like I'm dumb." Sepia felt
embarresed and silly and did not know
what to say. She headed to her seat.
A couple of months went by and Sepia had
very little dialogue with Jason. That strong
negative feeling never left her. She never told
Jenn because she did not want her to worry.
Sepia noticed none of the classmates ever
talked to Jason. Nobody wrote him notes
or ever wanted to study with him. He also
never answered any of Mrs. Lotson's questions.
After school one day, as Sepia went to her
bedroom, she decided to do some research. She
began to research sign language and interpreting.
Sepia was amazed. She stayed up all night reading
about the deaf culture and watching videos. She
even found some beginner videos and tried
to teach herself.
The next day, Sepia walked into the classroom.
Today, she felt that negative emotion worse
than ever. She felt so sad and did not understand
why. There was even a part of her that did not want
to live anymore. This terrified her. She knew she was
not feeling her own emotions, but someone else's.
All year long she had been feeling someone's
emotions and did not know who. It began to take
a toll on her. Sepia began to felt despair and all,
she wanted to do was cry. Then Sepia thought
of an idea.
At the end of class, Sepia approached Jason
and the interpreter. Sepia lifted up her small hands
and signed, "Everything is going to be okay."
The interpreter and Jason both looked wide eyed.
Jason's mouth was practically open in complete shock.
For a few seconds, there was no dialogue.
Jason's eyes began to water, and he signed.
'Thank you,' to Sepia. That was one of the few
word signs she actually remembered.
Right after that, Sepia all of a sudden stopped feeling
those strong, negative emotions. She then finally
understood and realized. For it had been Jason's
feelings all along that she had been feeling.
Sepia's almond eyes and helping hands
healed Jason's hurt.
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