Stumble Over Words Novels & Stories

What do I say? Why is this so awkward! “I—” A strange wave washed hit me so hard my knees buckled. My head spun lightly, and the edges of my vision blurred. I blinked, trying to focus, but the room started tilting. “W–what…” I mumbled, gripping the side of the table for balance. Dante’s head snapped toward me instantly. His eyes narrowed in concern. “What’s wrong?” I tried to speak, but my tongue felt heavy. My knees finally gave way, and I felt myself slipping, the world spinning faster. I braced for the fall—

Andrew started stuttering, trying to speak but only managing a few mumbled words between bites. I found it so cute that he was at a loss for words, trying to explain why he was devouring the cookies he had previously rejected and said he didn’t like. Before he could continue, the man sitting across from him—whom I didn’t recognize—stood up and turned to me.

The words stunned me and I knew not what they meant. “WE KNOW...”

I stumbled over my words, completely flustered. "Um, um, he's not—I'm not—he's not…" My voice kept tangling up in itself, and I could barely form a coherent sentence. My cheeks were burning, and I could feel everyone around us stealing glances at the commotion I was unintentionally creating. Across the table, Emerson seemed entirely too entertained by my struggle. He leaned back in his chair, one eyebrow raised, lips twitching as though he were fighting back a laugh. It was infuriating.

I wasn't just a runaway; I was a missing piece of their machinery, and Ginny wasn't the type to let a piece just walk away. ​ The silence stretched until it felt too loud, pressing in on my ears. I needed to fill it with something, anything. If I’d had my notepad, it would’ve been easier. Words on paper didn’t hurt. Words out loud did. So I forced myself to speak anyway, even though it felt like swallowing glass. “I… I h-have… a… a ba… ba… bad st–stu–stutter,” I said slowly, carefully, praying I could get through a few sentences without breaking apart. “It h-hurts… to sp… speak.”

I was stunned. Completely frozen in place, like time itself had fractured around me. I was stunned. Completely frozen in place, like time itself had fractured around me. The words I’d just overheard refused to settle in my mind. They scattered like broken glass across my thoughts, each shard sharp, jagged, and agonizing. But the weight of them pressed down on my chest like an avalanche, threatening to crush everything I thought I knew. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. And I couldn’t speak.

Without another word, I stood, biting back the sharp retort on the tip of my tongue. Grumbling under my breath, I stormed off, leaving him alone. As I rushed out, the storm in my mind raged on. How dare he speak to me like that? The words echoed in my head, a constant reminder of the humiliation I had just endured. The anger surged through me, blinding me to everything around me until—thunk—I collided with something hard, a jagged rock. The impact sent a sharp pain through my forehead, and I stumbled back, clutching the spot.

ANNELISE I shivered again at the action, which for sure was weird for a first encounter, but somehow felt so familiar. So right. So, to the point. “I…” I stuttered, lost for words. Who was I kidding? I wasn’t just lost for words. My mind was also wandering. I couldn’t make sense of what had just transpired. I couldn’t even think straight. If you asked me now how much 1+1 is, I’d say, ‘A thousand?’

Jack felt like a stupid fool, as if he made a very stupid mistake. He looked at everyone watching him with an expectant face, and in many of them, mocking smiles began to be drawn. Jack thought that he should say something immediately, and when he opened his mouth, my words came out in another frequency. In his head, they were so slow that he had to tell them multiple times to be heard, but really they just sounded like a silly stutter. “Ah… Hello… Me and me…” No idea could be reproduced clearly, but suddenly his eyes fell on hers. This made the other’s chuckle at him.

My mouth pulled apart and through the clogs I pushed out words. “It…can’t be.”