LOOKING FOR ECHOES

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Natalie's POV

When the bell rang signaling the end of the last period, I packed my books in my backpack and walked home. Our house wasn't that far, but the wind was chilly.

My 8-year old brother Jake was in front of the tv playing video games. I just ruffled his hair, it was no use trying to talk to him now.

"Hey Mum, Dad, I'm home!!" I yelled before trudging tiredly upstairs to my room. "Hey, Honey," I heard my mom's faint reply. Dropping my backpack on the floor, I threw off my jacket and went back downstairs. Delicious smells came from the direction of the kitchen. I walked in and sat at the table watching my parents cook. It was just weird how they liked to do stuff together. I grinned.

"How was your day?" My mom asked.

"I survived." I answered, picking up an apple from a bowl on the table and biting into it.

"Ooh, sounds fierce," my dad winked at me.

"The battle was bloody, but I lived to tell the tale."

"Well, you're going to have to keep your armour on a while longer, Sweetheart," He said over his shoulder while cutting carrots. "We have guests coming over tonight."

"Oh?" I said, interested, "Who are they?" I took another bite from the apple.

"Old school-friends of mine. They moved here so their son could get into a good college."

"Dad," I answered with my mouth full of apple.  "Amaruq doesn't have any colleges!"

"It has one," he replied unfazed, "a small photography college on the other side of town, near the Park. Supposedly very good."

I sat up straighter.

"So is he starting there after the holidays?"

My dad shook his head. "He's the same age you are. He'll be starting at Amaruq High on monday."

I nearly choked.

"He's got another year left before he goes to college."

"So why did they move here now? Can't he just finish his last year at his old school?"

My parents looked at each other. Then my mother slowly turned to face me. "That's the thing, Honey,"

What's the thing, I wondered, putting down the half eaten apple. "What?"

"He, has to adapt here before he can start his college courses."

Adapt?

They made him sound like some kind of prehistoric mammal.

I blinked.

"He's deaf."

Oh, My Word. How did they expect him to survive in that awful place?!

"But Mum, how will he cope? Who will translate, help with the lessons, take notes, talk to the teachers..."

"...Well," my father interrupted, " we were hoping, you."

I could feel the blood draining from my face and my pulse pounding in my head.

ME?? That kid is dead meat.

He will surely never survive with me as his guide.

He will fail and drop out and die an awful, lonely death.

He will become depressed and waste away, and...

"NATALIE!!" My father was shaking me by the shoulders.

"Yes?" I squeaked.

Jake was clinging to the table, howling with laughter. "Sis," he cried, "you look like a ghost!!" Mom slapped the back of his head, but I saw the smile she was trying to hide.

"Dad, I.. I can't... You know how bad I am with people! I'm like, a borderline glossophobiac, or something..."

Jake started convulsing with laughter.

"A gloss'o... a galossopha... a gollago-sophigac..." He couldn't seem to get the word out right. Mom giggled. Dad's face was screwed up like he had something sour in his mouth that he couldn't spit out.

Pretty soon my whole family including me were holding on to each other for support and crying from laughing so much. I felt a lot better about the whole situation right then. Come hell or high school, my family would keep me sane.

My father smoothed his hand over my hair. "Natalie, you are definitely not a 'border'-anything! And we trust you."

"Yes, Honey, otherwise we wouldn't have asked you to do this." Mom added.

"Besides," Dad smiled at me, "he's done this before. His previous school was also a normal high school. The only difference is that he had a translator then who signed him the lessons."

"Yeah, so don't worry, Sis," Jake piped up, "you're not a glossy-whatsisname. Maybe you should try doing more stuff, so you'd stop being so scared all the time."

I grinned at him. "You really are a know-it-all, aren't you?"

"So anyway," Dad said, ruffling Jake's hair, " you girls go take a shower while Jake and I watch a little tv."

Walking upstairs I wondered how on earth I was going to pull this off without getting both of us to fail the year.

Two hours later I walked toward the front porch, my heart hammering in my chest. Looking down at my clothes for the last time, I smoothed my long- sleeved Snoopy shirt over my stomach and pushed my glasses higher up my nose. I plastered a smile on my face and opened the door - and immediately regretted it afterwards...

A pretty lady with short brown hair and a muscular man greeted me warmly and introduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Taylor before stepping inside. Behind them followed their son - Mr. Forest Eyes himself.

Please, PLEASE just shoot me now??!

...

....

Click.