A Silent Heart

Chapter 4

The officer read, then nodded with a frown. After that, I took care of the fifty dollars fine and the officer brought Jim to me.

"Be careful, kid," he said, looking at Jim, who just shot the officer a glare and looked away.

I sighed and wrote. 'Thank you'.

"You're welcome." He nodded. He looked like he was considering something before he pulled a small card out of his pocket. "This has my number on it. If you ever need help with something, just give me a call."

I nodded at him with a thankful smile. His eyes blinked for a moment too long, then he smiled back.

We took the subway home afterwards. I figured there was no use in getting back to work. By the time I would be there, the day would be over already.

So we headed home, Jim being extra grouchy the whole way back. We both were dreading the impending talk we had ahead of us.

We hadn't really talked ever since that night we argued. It wasn't that we didn't try, it was more that I was never home except for the night, and he was rarely home at night.

Jim walked into the apartment after I had unlocked it, then slumped on a chair by the kitchen table. I sat across from him, and looked at him in silence.

Silence, as always.

And as always, he avoided my gaze. His eyes were trained on his fingers that tugged relentlessly at his sleeve.

'Why weren't you at school?' I wrote then slid the notebook into his line of sight on the table. He read it then rolled his eyes.

"I skipped," he said. "There's nothing to do there. I only get detention whenever I show up, so why bother."

'Because you must be doing things that deserve detention!!!' I wrote, a familiar frustration bubbling in my chest. He rolled his eyes again. I had the sudden urge to take his eyeballs in my hands so he wouldn't do it again. He stayed silent, though, and didn't even bother with a response.

'Do you want to try and change schools?' I wrote. He read it then shrugged.

"It'll probably be the same."

I sighed. 'Then what do you want to do? You can't keep skipping, Jim.'

He smiled derisively. His shoulders jerked like he had scoffed. "I can skip if I want. Don't worry about me, just worry about yourself."

I glared at him. I was about to take the notebook and write on it again when his hand clamped down on it, holding it hostage against the table.

'Give it back,' I signed to him, narrowing my eyes. Jim had learned a little bit of sign language with me when I had been learning. He wasn't very good, so he preferred not to use it.

"Or what!" he said, standing up with the notebook in his hand, waving it like a fan. "Look, let's just forget anything happened today. I'll get you back the money you paid, okay?"

'How would you get the money?' I signed, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. He froze before shrugging.

"I can take care of myself," he replied, turning to walk to his room. I walked around the table so I could block his way.

'How would you get the money?' I signed again, a no-nonsense expression on my face. As far as I knew, he didn't have a job.

He bit his lip, looking over my shoulder, then shrugged. "I'm going to start working."

'Doing what?'

"It's not important," he said with an annoyed scowl. "Point is, I'll take care of myself, and you take care of yourself. Just stay out of my business."