That Deaf Girl

That Deaf Girl -- a short story

Oliver's POV

As Mr. Russo drones on about plant and animal cells, all I can do is look at Quinn. She sits across the room, twirling a piece of her golden blonde hair with her index finger. I observe her as she taps the tip of her pencil against her chin, looking off into the distance as if she's in another world. I smile at myself and wonder: what is she like?

She catches me staring at her and looks over her shoulder. Her gorgeous blue eyes meet my tasteless brown ones, and I notice a small smile creep to her face. I hang my head low shyly, my chestnut curls frolicking onto my forehead. 

I turn back around, embarrassed. Just then, the bell rings, signalling the end of the day. "Remember to come in tomorrow with your supplies for the project," Mr. Russo states, "And someone remind me that we have to pick partners."

People hurriedly gather their things, shoving binders, notebook paper, and school supplies into their bookbags. Most people plug in their headphones, and I do the same. Heaving my bookbag across my broad shoulder, I head off to my destination -- but stop short. Looking back, I see Quinn's hair bouncing up and down as she makes her way to her locker. Turning on the balls of my feet, I head over to her.

I don't know what's making me go talk to her. After all, I've always been the shy type. How is this happening? Suddenly, I feel invincible, like I can do anything I set my mind to. And then out of nowhere, it all goes fading away. 

I hide behind the wall and watch her put her books in her locker. Once she leaves, I go digging through my bag in search of what I'm looking for. Once I found it, I take out a pen and scribble a note on a crinkled yellow Post-It. I cap the pen using my teeth and cautiously slide the note into her locker. With that, I turn back again and head to the parking lot. 

Quinn's POV

The next day, I walk to my locker to retrieve my books for Bio. I twist the lock to fit the code and it comes open. I look at myself in the small compact mirror on the door. My blonde hair is almost golden in color, and surrounds me like a halo. The black eye-liner under my eyes makes the blue stand out. I pull my hair back into a fishtail braid and check myself out once again. The freckles on the bridge of my nose laugh at me and I squint, wishing they would just disappear. 

I grab my textbook, but see a little note flutter out and fall to the tile floor. Leaning down, I retrieve it. 

Meet me in the parking lot after school for a surprise. It's always good to make new friends, right? 

        - O.W.

I smile to myself and clutch the note in my hand. Who could O.W. be? And why did they want to meet me in the parking lot? Whatever the reason, I immediately knew I would go. After all, just reading the note made me more curious than ever.

As I shut my locker, I turn and come face to face with three guys. All of them are built, although some more than others. One of them is extremely tall, towering over me like a large building. The other has orange hair and green eyes, ones I find fearful. And the last one seems almost determined. But determined to do what exactly?

"What's that you got there?" The orange haired one says, a smirk plastered on his smug face. He grabs the note, and the other two guys hold me down from trying to get it back. I tried to sign something, words like give it back and please stop, but all they did was laugh.

They looked me in the eyes and my body filled with complete embarrassment and failure. If only I hadn't told my mother to stop bringing my interpreter, Mark, to school. Maybe then, he would have gotten the point across to these guys.

Tears slid down my face, and as I turn around, I see a boy. He comes running up to us and tears the three guys away, peeling them off of me. 

Oliver's POV

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I shout. Even then, I'm surprised by the words coming from my mouth. I was always the shy one who kept to himself, the kid who draws art, the one who creates. What's changing? What am I becoming?

"Get out of the way, Waters. This isn't any of your business." He pushes me away with all his might and I fall onto the floor, my back hitting the lockers behind Quinn and I. 

"Give her the note back. Now."

"Oh," Derek croons, his green eyes bearing into me. "Looks like little Oliver here has a crush on that deaf girl." His friends laugh beside him as if it's some kind of joke. At that moment, my blood starts boiling, running through my veins. I clench my teeth and hold Quinn behind me.

Looking into her eyes, I can see how helpless and frightened she is. She grabs onto my hand as tears fall on her freckled cheeks. 

I turn back to face Derek and his crew. "She's not just 'that deaf girl', alright? She's just as normal as you and me. Now just give her the note back." 

Quinn's POV

I read Oliver's lips and understood what he said. She's not just 'that deaf girl.'  He had said. He's- He's sticking up for me? 

Just then, I watch Oliver knock Derek straight in the jaw, crimson blood dripping from his knuckles. He grabs my hand and signs run, and at that moment, we run all the way down the halls, through twists and turns, until we finally reach the outside parking lot. 

Once we catch our breathes, I sign, You're O.W., aren't you? 

He looks at me skeptically, confused. I grab a piece of notebook paper out of my bag and write in translation. He reads it and a light pink color rises to his cheeks. 

"Looks like you found out, huh?" He runs his fingers through his hair and smiles shyly at the ground. "So you, uh, still want to see the surprise?" I nod. 

He leads me into the parking lot of the school and what I see dazzles me. Under the old oak tree sits a picnic blanket, along with a woven basket filled with turkey and cheese sandwiches. I smile brightly and sit down on the checkered sheet. 

You did all of this for me? I sign, and after a moment, he understand. He nods and says, "Sandwich?" I gladly take it and we end up talking until the early hours of the morning. We lie across the picnic blanket, hand in hand, and watch the beautiful stars shine brightly across the darkened sky.