Hearing Damage

Two

Bella admires her sister for her ability to turn any situation into something to laugh over. She's got it tough, yet she's one of the best people she knows. Her and Juno have always had a special connection. When they were babies, they weren't happy unless they were in the same room together. When they were kids, they wouldn't play with other people unless both of them were involved. When they were a little older, Bella would stand up for her sister when she was being made fun of. When Juno first became upset with the way she was, Bella was there to hold her. Bella learned ASL at the same time Juno learned, and they helped each other learn. They'd always been together, never seen without one another. And that's how they liked it. 

There were two guys outside. One old man in a wheel chair, and one teenager. They both had dark tan skin, long dark brown hair, and similar facial structures. They were obviously father and son. The old man was talking to Charlie while the teen kind of stood to the side, laughing at the two. Bella walks outside first, introducing the two to the new people. They smile and say a few things to Bella before turning towards Juno. They didn't try to say anything, they just waved and smiled. Bella must of explained, or they already knew. Juno was thankful for that. She signs hello anyways. Charlie is all smiles as he pats the big, old, monstrous red they pulled up in. He says something to Bella and she freaks out. She runs to the drivers side with the teenager and looks around inside for a bit while Juno just stands alone. She works up enough courage to walk over to the two in the truck. Patting the side of the door, she catches the attention of Bella whose smiling like crazy.

"This is our homecoming present." She signs excitedly. Juno smiles and jumps a little.

"No shit, really?" Juno exclaims. A perk of using sign language, no one knows when you're cursing. Bella nods and scoots over, pushing the boy to the side, making room for Juno.

"This is Jacob, his dad is Billy and they live on the reservation." She says, motioning towards Jacob who just sits there with a helpless look on his face. He waves his hand. Juno gives him a nod and a smile. She hates meeting new people. They act helpless, like they don't know what to do with her. Like she's a sick puppy. She hates it.

They left an hour later. Charlie called the girls into the living room, of course Bella grabbed Juno for him. When they got downstairs, he was waiting in the living room for them. Bella sits on the couch and pulls Juno down with her, who plops right onto her lap, making Bella heave and laugh. Charlie shakes his head and starts telling Bella about school and what they'll be doing. Juno sighs and looks around the living room while they talk, knowing Bella will recount what he says later. She takes in the old framed pictures on the wall and above the TV stand and fireplace. They're from when they were both kids and Charlie and Renee were still married. 

She sticks out like a sore thumb in all of them. Tan, Chinese, and short. White, American, and tall. She doesn't care, though. This is her family. She doesn't know much about her old one. Just that they moved to America when she was a few weeks old and gave her up to their best friends, Charlie and Renee, when she was four months old. Guess they didn't want a deaf child to burden them. 

Bella taps Juno when the conversation is over. She falls off of Bella's lap dramatically and sighs in a heap on the floor, holding her arm out for her sister to grab. Bella laughs and shakes her head, pulling Juno off of the ground. She points upstairs and they both walk to . The girls sit on her bed and Bella recounts the new information from Charlie.  

"We have school tomorrow at seven. We'll probably have to make dinner and go to the store to buy food, but he gave us some money so it's fine. You'll have all of your classes with me so I can interpret things for you. Juno, please don't let people get to you. You know they're going to be mean at first, but they'll get better and you'll get used to the new schedule." Bella tries to make Juno feel better. She nods.

"Thanks Bells. What did dad have to do to make us in the same classes?" She jokes, trying to make Bella laugh. Bella shakes her head and smiles, shrugging her shoulders.

"That all?" Bella nods and Juno goes to her own room. She tidies up a bit and lays down, falling asleep on her white, fluffy bed.