-J a m e s-
"Have fun, baby. Make a lot of friends and get good grades!" My mother, Irene, screeched with her head hanging out the window while driving in reverse completely too fast. Her long blonde hair flew in the wind and spread over her face as the car's tired screeched against the pavement.
"Okay! Don't forget to pick up Jade and Jude at five! Don't drive like a maniac!" I yelled back. She nodded and honked once before speeding off down the road. Sometimes my mother forgot to pick up my three-year-old sisters Jade and Jude from daycare after work. Then I'd have to pick them up because my mother was too exhausted to drive all the way back. Mostly since I was the only other driver in the house.
Since I spent all last year away from school caring for my grandpa who was in critical condition, I wasn't equipped to graduate, neither was I allowed to.
Now I was nineteen and finally finishing up my last year. I didn't regret taking off the year, I got to spend the last year of his life sitting beside him and hearing old stories he enjoyed signing with his shaky hands. He died in his sleep months ago, he made me guarantee I'd go back to school and graduate at some point in my life. Even if I was forty-eight with five kids. Although, I had made the wise decision of resuming the semester after his death.
I made a quick turn after watching my mom zoom off. She often made me worried about her unpredictable driving.
I turned back and crashed smack into a young girl with a full dark head of black silky curls. My hands fumbled but they weren't fast enough to reach her. She plummeted and crash-landed within an inch of the pavement. Her hands just barely keeping her adrift, shaking in astonishment. The breakfast taco she'd been nibbling off of splattered mere feet away in a heap of colorful clumps. Sauce spilled out onto the sidewalk.
A strangled grunt left her lips.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to knock you over!" I apologized. My hands enclosed around her frail arms. Her head of bouncy curls bobbed as I heaved her up in one swift motion. She weighed very little under my arms. Her eyes were frantic and roaming over her for any injuries I'd caused.
"Sorrypardonme." The words tumbled from my throat. Her eyes barely flickered to my lips.
Her eyes...I couldn't help but gaze at them. They were striking, a light pale blue like the sky on a sunny day.
"What's your name?" I asked softly.
Crystal eyes abruptly shoved me away, her grip was vice compared to her petite form. I jumped forward to grab her shoulder in a truce, saying, "Look I'm sorry about your tac-" but she struck me off again and shoved me away furiously. Her eyes flickered to mine once more. She hauled her little black backpack over her shoulder and teetered away, her curls bouncing and a frown drawing her face.
Guilt swirled in my churning gut. "Wait! I'm really sorry!"
She didn't turn or even appear as she'd heard me. I sprinted after her, realizing I was going to churn with guilt all day if I didn't make it right before periods. I was a horrible liar and a horrible cover person. Hitching my backpack higher, I burst into the school. The cold AC brushed my face in a soft breeze and blew my dark brown hair from my face.
Chatter and turbulent noises rang my ears. Teens were slumped against lockers and some were lip-locked, other girls putting on make-up and painting nails. Circles of teen girls huddled around lockers whispering and probably gossiping about other girls. I looked over at crystal eyes.
Her eyes seemed stunned, she was gaping around in shock. My eyes flickered to her chest, her breathing was quick. Crystal eyes must have been new here, I'd never seen her around. The many perks of living in a secluded town were that you knew everyone, I mean everyone. There were no strangers. Except for her...seemingly. I'd ask around.
I started to speak something but she dashed off again, darting down the hall like a Cheetah hunting its prey. I flickered my eyes back, she was gone. The bathroom door fluttered closed. My mouth fell open. Holy God she could run fast. Even in those heeled boots. I had a feeling I'd be seeing her again.
"Who's that?"
I pivoted lazily to find Danny Willa, my longtime best friend, and the lead quarterback for Hipridge High. His face lit up, he held out his hands and ushered me in. "Come on Jamie, bring it in, dude." I snickered gruffly and embraced Dan. He clapped my back with his muscled arm and nodded. A faint pain lingered where he'd struck me.
Since I was a year behind, all my friends had graduated and moved on to college. Only my younger friends I'd be seeing from now on.
"Hey man, I'm sorry about your grandpops."
"Thanks," I murmured. I hoped that Jade and Jude would have grown up with him, had received the knowledge he had provided me. I guessed it was my job to pass it down now. To guide them into this crazy world
"Seriously, who's the chick...I haven't seen her around."
"I don't know...I knocked her over in the parking lot and now she's irritated with me."
Dan drove his large hand on my shoulder and gazed down at me with lazy hazel eyes.
"Go get her. You gotta get back in the game man! Don't let Sarah drag you."
I scoffed and pushed the side of his head playfully. "Says the muscled quarterback who gets all the ladies with minimal effort."
"Hey, it takes a long time to get this beautiful brown skin smooth," he said exaggeratingly sliding a hand down his neck and through his stubbly hair. "Sure dude, sure."
He shouldered me teasingly and slung his long arm around my shoulder.
The bell echoed off the walls and vibrated the lockers. I cast a glance at Dan, he glanced back sharply. If we were younger we would've bolted off and raced to class. Whoever lost had to purchase the other's lunch. "See you after school?"
"See you after school."
~~**~~
As always, since the first day of school here, I was last in the lunch line. Everyone had pushed and shoved me to get their food first. Everyone here was immensely vigorous about things that weren't worth the effort. Mostly the football team, which included my best friend so I sometimes got to sit with them.
Finally, I was able to acquire a tray of food with a plastic cup of peaches, a cold hamburger, chocolate milk I'd definitely be checking the date on and a fresh pretzel that looked decently delicious. I avoided several people that attempted to converse with me, only because I recognized them immediately as Sarah's minions. Trying to get information on my love life, I assumed.
I located Sarah at the corner table with her head down, even as her eyes were peeled on me under her fluttering lids. She was wearing more make-up than usual and had her bouncy blonde hair done up nicely. I felt vaguely guilty for breaking it off, not because I thought it was going to work out in the long run but because she was still hung up on me. In all honesty, it would've never worked out. I save us both the agony of waiting longer and stringing her along.
I flashed her a wave just out of pity and moved on.
My weary eyes tracked Danny huddled with the football team. Dan's head poked up from the group, he pointed across the room once and wiggled back down into the huddle of big buff players. Probably discussing strategies and catching up after so long.
I locked my eyes onto the one and only crystal eyes across the lunchroom and seated at the small bench against the wall. She was curled up and gazing at her food, picking at is occasionally with obvious boredom.
I teetered towards her carefully, afraid to irritated her further or maybe somehow end up tripping and spilling my food all over her. The universe would have found a way to embarrass me in a million different ways.
"Hey look, I wanted to apologize for earlier. I was watching my mom back out to make sure she didn't crash. She's a crazy driver sometimes," I grumbled quickly, brushing the back of my neck in embarrassment.
Again, she failed to respond or even acknowledge my existence.
"Okay, I get it you dropped your taco but if you're going to have something against me this whole semester then that isn't my problem. I'll buy you a new taco? Or new shoes since I scuffed yours up a tad?" Nothing. Absolutely nothing. No reaction. "Fine," I groaned. At least I made an effort to fix this.
Just as I was about to turn on my heels and leave, her eyes flickered up momentarily. Crystal eyes startled and jumped back with a small sound. She pushed over her box of milk in shock. I snatched a few paper towels and sopped the milk up to avoid angering her further. It drenched the paper towel, I squeezed it together and threw it into a nearby trashcan.
I slammed my tray on the bench and slid on the opposite side of her.
"I'm not usually this vigorous but I don't have a single idea why you're so angry about a stupid taco," I said haltingly.
Her eyes became wide and her mouth slipped open, she scanned the room and swiped the clump of hair from her face before lifting her hands. I thought she was going to yell and scream and flail her arms, but I was very wrong.
I'm not mad you dumbo I just didn't hear you, she signed then glanced aside. She was "deaf". Oh my God, she was "deaf". This whole time I had thought she wasn't listening. She couldn't listen, literally. I felt like a douchebag. My eyes fitted her hands again.
Well, you didn't have to call me dumbo.
My signing calculated in her head. Her mouth parted. Crystal eyes tipped her head and gazed at me curiously. Her fingers jumbled together as her face became pale. I wondered if she had an interpreter...she had to have one. How else would she have been able to come here?
You sign.
No, I just make random movements with my hands in hopes you know exactly what I'm saying. The unamused glance she had cast my way caused me to simper. Crystal eyes rolled her eyes at me. I wondered briefly why she'd come to Hipridge to begin with. There weren't many deaf programs...or deaf people in general.
J-a-m-e-s, I fingerspelled, leaving my hand to levitate awkwardly in the air.
E-l-l-e-r-y, she signed back discreetly and accepted my hand. Look, I am actually sorry about knocking you over. I was watching my mom drive away, she's a wacko driver.
It's fine, I only ran away because I was saving myself the embarrassment of explaining my deafness. I thought you would just let it go and move on. I don't talk either, so it would have been awkward for both of us.
Well, I'm a naturally guilty person so I wanted to at least try again, then you dashed off into the bathroom. Are you new to Hipridge? Her cheeks tinged pink as she dropped her head down. Sorry, I was overwhelmed by everyone talking and trying to read lips. Yes, I moved here a month ago, there aren't any deaf schools so I was stuck here.
Well, why wouldn't you just move somewhere with a deaf school?
I don't know. My brother was bent on coming here and here only, she signed hastily. Ellery picked at her plastic cup of peaches and slipped one into her mouth. Her mouth contorted and her eyes scrunched in disgust. Might wanna bring your own lunch, a thing I wish I did. Why didn't your parents just tell him no and move somewhere else?
It's just me and him.
Before I could sign back, the bell went off and startled everyone from their seats. Bell went off. What's your next period?
History.
Same here, want me to show you? I offered. No, my interpreter will be here any minute. It's okay. You should go, you'll be late and you won't have an excuse.
I bid her goodbye with my hand as I hung my backpack around my shoulder and zoomed off just as a lady, who I assumed was her interpreter, stepped in
See you around?
She nodded.