Silence

7

"I'm just saying it's weird." Sana signed quickly while walking to the lunch table with Mina. When they sat down, Mina looked over, frowning. "What?" Sana signed.

"Where is everyone?" Mina pouted while signing. Sana shrugged, pulling out her lunch. Mina continued to pout before pulling out her own lunch. It was odd being the only two again, but she didn't mind it. She sort of missed just having time with just Sana.

"Excuse me.." Sana looked up from her sandwich, seeing a girl from her math class next to the table. She was average height, long hair and wore glasses. She seemed nice, a small smile on her face showing off her bunny teeth. "Can I sit with you guys?" She asked, her voice slightly nervous.

Sana looked at Mina, who had no idea about the conversation that was going on. She knew that a new friend for Mina meant more having to focus on her, and more translating. But for her, she would have to talk. She didn't mind talking, she just felt like she talked too much sometimes.

"Sure." Sana finally said, watching the girl sit in front of her and next to Mina. Mina looked up at the sudden movement, seeing the girl sitting next to her. "She's deaf... Just warning you." Sana said quickly. She didn't know why she felt so nervous around this girl. She really didn't.

"Oh. Okay." The girl nodded. "How do you talk to her?" She asked.

"I sign." Sana answered quietly. The girl nodded again, looking down at her tray. "My name is Sana." She muttered without looking at the girl. "What's yours?" She asked.

"Nayeon." She gave her a small smile, hopeful that they would be good friends. "I think we're in math together.." She tried to continue the conversation.

"We are. You're failing." Sana frowned, knowing the girl struggled. Sana sat in the next row over from her and saw her most recent test grades already. All of them way below what was expected.

"Yeah... I know." She sighed, looking away from Sana.

"Mina's a genius when it comes to math. She could tutor you." Sana explained while tapping the tabletop in front of Mina, catching her attention. "What math are you in?" She signed. Mina pulled out her schedule, showing Sana her classes, giving her all the answers she wanted while she ate. "Yeah, she's in the same class as us. Just a different period." She said to Nayeon while handing back her schedule.

"No offense... But how can she tutor me?" Nayeon frowned.

"Mina, she needs help in math. Willing to tutor?" Sana signed while raising an eyebrow.

"Sure." Mina signed, looking at Nayeon and nodding.

"She has her methods." Sana smiled.

--

After a few days of the trio eating lunch together and chatting, Nayeon was able to pick up on everything but sign language. The only thing she could do was the alphabet, barely. But she was good with facial cues and reading body language. Which in turn made the two happy. After a week, Mina was able to come up with a method for Nayeon to work with for her to tutor her.

"Nayeon! Your friend is here!" Her mother called. Mina waited patiently in front of the door, unable to understand what was going on. "Come in, come in." The woman gave Mina a smile, moving away from the door. When Mina didn't move, she was a little afraid.

"Mom she can't hear you." Nayeon chuckled while walking up to the door. "Come." She held out her hand for Mina, pulling her inside. After she discarded her shoes near the door, Nayeon dragged her to her room, beginning their tutoring session.

After an hour, Nayeon was about to give up with math in general.

"Mina, I don't get it." Nayeon groaned while dropping her pencil. She had a giant headache, and rubbed her temples as Mina picked up the pencil. She felt a hand on hers, seeing Mina tap the paper a few times.

'Like this.' Mina wrote on the paper. Nayeon watched as Mina rewrote what Nayeon had done, and crossing everything out. Nayeon scoffed, mainly because she felt like it was right. Until she saw the correct way that Mina was doing right next to the crossed out version. She drew little arrows from each step, explaining in simple words how everything was done, step by step.

"Oh.." Nayeon whispered, the jumble of numbers finally clicking in her mind. It just took a few extra hours to get it. Once their little session was over, Nayeon walked Mina out, seeing Sana waiting outside already. "You two walk home?" Nayeon asked Sana.

"Yeah, I need to get my license." She chuckled. "Not like it'll matter... I wouldn't have a car.." She mumbled.

"I could always drive you guys home..? My parents won't mind. I think they would feel better if I did." Nayeon offered.

"Really? You would drive us home?" Sana chuckled. Nayeon nodded, quickly grabbing her bag, keys and shoes. She hurried to tell her mom she would be back soon and left.

"So you guys live close enough to walk?" Nayeon asked after everyone piled into her small car.

"Not really. It's close enough." Sana shrugged. "Mina lives a few houses from me, so it's not too bad." She added. Nayeon nodded, the three staying silent as Nayeon drove.

Mina was the first to be dropped off, waving at her friends as she hurried up the driveway. Sana directed Nayeon down the road, after insisting she could walk from Mina's house and getting a denied answer.

"The house with the rose bushes is me." Sana pointed.

"You call that a few houses?" Nayeon frowned after going a whole block.

"It's not that bad." Sana chuckled. Nayeon pulled up to the house, stopping completely before looking back at Sana. She watched as the younger girl looked at the house with what looked like fear in her eyes. "Um... Thank you for the ride." Sana muttered.

"No problem." Nayeon whispered.

"See you tomorrow?" She asked. while climbing out of the car.

"Yeah.. Tomorrow." Nayeon nodded, giving her a small smile. She watched as Sana walked up the path to the front door, taking out her key and opening the door. She waved one last time before leaving, hoping that Sana was going to be okay.

She knew they were new friends, new friends that had only been friends for about a week and a half now... But she was worried.

Nayeon was a transfer student. Her last year of high school, and she had to start brand new because her parents took new jobs, relocating them to where they were now. Granted, it was extremely close to her new school, only a five minute walk, but really, she wished she hadn't left. All of her old friends were back home, not here.

When she got home, her parents greeted her, asking how the trip was and grateful that their daughter had offered them a ride.

"I'm glad you're making friends." Her mother smiled.

"I'm glad one of them is tutoring you." Her father sighed. "It's about time you learned how to do your school work properly." He chuckled.

"Not my fault math and I don't get along." Nayeon smirked, watching her father laugh slightly at her own joke. She hated math so much, that if it were a person, she would murder it. But it wasn't and she hated it.