More Than Ears

Coming Home (5)

When the bell rang, one of the most merciful things to ever happen, Anja hastily threw everything from her desk into her bag and rushed out the door.  She quickly turned left and followed the concrete hallway towards her next classroom.  Before she could make a safe getaway, someone tapped her cautiously on her shoulder.

Spinning around, Oliver was standing directly behind her, his arm still outstretched.  He began to speak as Anja craned her head for Michelle.  The interpreter quickly ran up. 

"We need to work on our project," Oliver said.

In class, we have lots of time, Anja countered.

"We have a lot of work, too," insisted Oliver. 

Tomorrow? Anja asked, her face contorted in worry as she dashed a look over her shoulder towards her next class.

While unhappy about the decision, he reluctantly nodded.  "Fine, tomorrow but you better.  Can you at least start thinking of books?"  he said, folding his arms angrily over his chest.

I will, she promised before scampering off to the next class.  She already had a few titles running around her head for the semeser long book-report project they were going to do together.  When she was honest with herself, she knew that really, she was dreading the though of working through a whole semester with someone who did not sign.  Even with an interpreter, the process would take a long time.

She had seen him a few times through the rest of the day.  He always gave her a look that ranged from 'I wonder what she's doing now' to 'she better not forget.' Either way, it made her struggle not to roll her eyes in annoyance but she kept her temper in check--a feat her mother consistently complained about. She could do it when she wanted to, she just usually didn't.

 When the final bell of the day went off, Anja was among the first to leave her room.  As was quickly becoming habit, she appeared at the front of her school before anyone else.  She sat down on the bench along an office building but did not have time to read before Kristin arrived with a blonde girl in a skirt following close behind.

How are you? Kristin asked

Fine, you?

Same.  This is--

Suddenly, and quite rudely, the other girl disruped Kristin's signs.  They turned towards each other to converse quickly before the blonde turned to her.

My name Y-V-O-N-N-E, she signed, her eyes sparking with pride.

My name is Anja, she answered, spelling her name then demonstrating the sign.  Do you know ASL?

Yvonne turned to Kristin again.  This time, Kristin answered the question.  She doesn't sign but does speak French. 

Why is she here? Anja asked, sending a quick glance at Yvonne before she could stop herself.

We have a project together, Kristin answered.  While the signs themselves were perfectly polite, the attitude was the problem

So?

She's coming over so we can work on it.  I asked Mom, Kristin huffed.  She adjusted her backpack strap and waited for a retort.  Luckily, Raina drove up before anything else was said.

 Anja hurried to the front seat even though, this time, Kristin was not racing.  The girls did not say much, a fact Anja knew by consistent checks behind her with a mirror. 

When, after a ride that felt much longer than it was, they arrived at home, Anja quickly ran up the stairs to her room while Kristin and her partner stayed downstairs where the largest table was.