My mother yell at me to speak but I turn away not saying a thing. I have so much to say but there is a lock on my mouth, keeping everything inside. I am so afraid to speak because I know that people will hear me. How can I protect myself if I am exposed? I can't speak! There are so many people that judge the way you speak. It like having a bottle in you that you can’t open then one day you explode saying things you regret! But once it’s out there there all bare and alone you can’t take it back. You want to delete and backspace the words. Then you close up one more, you "shut down" as my parent call it. But I only do this to protect you from my word and to protect me from the guilt of saying it. My mother asks why don’t you speak? Why are you so shy? Why don’t you socialize? I reply in a whisper “It is because of you people who judge.”