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His parents talked about it constantly. Late at night when they thought he was asleep he'd hear their hushed whispers. "He thinks he's to good to talk." His father would say.
"I think somethings wrong, he talks to us" His mother would reply.
"Well, he needs to speak with everybody else, or else he's going nowhere in life. No matter how smart."
He listened silently, staring at the ceiling.
"They're talking about you again." Missy would groan.
"I know."
"Its because you're a freak."
Sheldon didn't respond. He couldn't talk anymore. He closed his eyes but he couldn't sleep.
Because she was right.
The first time Sheldon went to therapy it was for his fear of solid foods. This would be his second time.
"So Sheldon, your parents have told me you're not talking to people."
All he can do is nod. His throat is starting to close up and he can feel his stomach churning.
"Why is that?"
Why. Isn't that the problem? Why cant he just speak? It seems so easy for everyone, to just talk to people, so why cant he do it.
He placed a hand on his knee to stop it from bouncing.
"Okay, I see that this isn't going anywhere."
He nods. Shame washes over him. He's messed something up again, all because his stupid mouth can't form words.
Albert Einstein never shut down and stopped talking whenever any social interaction took place. He's a fraud, how can he call himself a physicist if he cant even talk?
The kids at school don't help. They call him names and shove him in lockers. He comes home with tears pricking his eyes and covered in bruises.
His mom tries to comfort him. She runs her hands through his hair and tends to his scrapes.
"Oh shelly, why don't you talk?"
"I do" he whispers "I speak with you"
She smiles sadly "I know, but speak with them"
He feels shame again. Shame because he makes his mother sad.
"I cannot"
And he doesn't know why.
At 13 Sheldon is accepted into Caltech. He's starstruck at the thought. It was always his dream to go to CalTech, move far away from Medford. It didn't seem like a dream anymore. More like the future
He doesn't slip up as much at CalTech. Its full of smart people like him and it makes him feel a tad bit lighter. Sure, he still clams up sometimes. But not as much.
He has to give a presentation for his final. His palm started to become slick with sweat.
He stood in front of the class staring at all the faces. His breathing quicken and he opened his throat but nothing came out. He cant give his final and he's going to fail this class and everyone is looking at him. Waiting for him to start.
"Mr Cooper?" His professor questions.
He faints.
His roommate is leaving he doesn't really care. He was a rather bad roommate. So when he couldn't manage to say 'bye' as the other man ran out the door it didn't bother him that much.
And then Leonard arrives and he doesn't think about it.
"Are you still renting?"
"Yes" Sheldon replied quickly. He found himself proud at how smoothly he was able to reply.
He finds talking to Leonard quite easy. He listens and he doesn't get mad at Sheldon when he cant find his words.
One night they get into an argument.
"Oh please i just turned down the temperature, it's boiling in here!",
It doesn't matter! You signed the contract that clearly states a no changing the thermostat policy!"
"Fine whatever! Its not that big of a deal!" Leonard marches to his room and slams the door like an upset teenager.
"Not a big deal" Sheldon mutters to no one in particular.
Later that evening Sheldon is sitting on the couch watching the same The Next Generation episode over and over again.
He likes repetition when he's mad. Its calming.
Leonard walks in front of him, obscuring his vision of the TV and sets a mug down in front if him.
"What is this?" He asked.
"Well, you're upset so i made you a hot beverage."
"Ah. Thank you." He takes the mug into his hands and let the warmth spread across his palms.
Him and Leonard watch Star Trek for the rest of the night.
Sheldon decides that he likes Leonard.
It takes him awhile to talk to Penny. She's loud and she constantly breaks his rules on purpose. The first time he 'shuts down' as Howard likes to call it was a week after she moved in.
Leonard invited her over for dinner. Howard and Raj were running late and Leonard had left to use the facilities.
"So Sheldon, what do you do around here?"
His throat closes up. Girls were the worst to shut down in front of.
"Hello? Are you ignoring me?"
He wants to say no. No Penny, i am not ignoring you. my stupid brain just doesn't work right.
He says nothing.
"I've seen you talk to you're friends before? Does your throat hurt?"
He shakes his head. Im not sick, just weird.
"So you just can't speak sometimes like your other friend?"
He wished he was like Raj, he could at least talk to the same sex as him with no problem. Even if the other 49.73% of people are off limits that's still better than everyone.
He nods.
She doesn't call him a lair or accuse him of being rude. She just nods her head and says "Okay."
He finds himself smiling at all the things she isn't saying.
It takes almost a month before he can talk to Penny.
"Chinese food is way better than Indian!" Howard receives a sharp elbow to the side from Raj and he whispers a faint sorry.
"I personally think Indian is better." Leonard butts in. Now the whole group is debating whether Indian or Chinese is better.
"Honestly, I think Pizzas better." They all stop at Penny's comment.
"Nonsense." Sheldon says.
Now everyone turns to him with shocked expressions on their face. And she doesn't go 'It speaks!' or 'If you can talk then why don't you all the time?'. Instead she just smiles.
"Oh yeah? Then which one do you prefer?"
"I like both equally"
"Sure.." she turns to Leonard "I bet he likes Chinese."
He turns back towards his computer.
He thinks he likes Penny.