Mute

Chapter 2

   Finally the ride was over. I stepped off, my legs shaking. Remind me to never go to Cedar Point. I'd probably puke before the ride even started. Ugh, speaking of puking... I felt queasiness rising up inside of me. Oh no. Oh no no no. I unstrapped myself, fingers shaking, and jumped off. I grabbed Maddie's hand, thinking silently, please, let's leave. Hopefully I could get to a bathroom before I puked...

   "Maddie!" I heard a squeal behind me and groaned inwardly. Seriously? Right now? Those two girls we'd seen were coming towards us, huge beaming smiles on their faces, dragging Josh along with them.

   Maddie turned around, a smile spreading across her face. "Nell! Alli! What are you two doing here?"

   I tried to keep from smirking. Like she hadn't noticed the girls before.

   Annie grinned widely, totally ignoring me, and gave Maddie a quick side hug. "Oh, Maddie! It's so nice to see you here. I mean, what's the coincidence!"

   "I know, right!" Maddie smiled back. "I haven't seen you guys in forever!" Without missing a beat, she added, "Oh, and hi, Josh!"

   Josh gave Maddie a little grin, but his eyes were focused on me, gazing intently. Why? I shifted uncomfortably, feeling his gaze on me. Don't stare at me, stare at the pretty girls, the ones that are normal. Don't waste your time on a weirdo like me.

      I think Maddie noticed him gazing at me, because her face dropped for a second. But only a second. Maddie was too confident to get let down because of boys. Plus, she probably knew that never in a million years would Josh like a girl like me. He was probably just thinking how much of weirdo I was.

  Nell and Annie finally seemed to notice that I was there. "Oh, who's that?" Nell questioned Maddie, turning to stare at me. 

   "Oh, this is Hailey," Maddie responded, turning to me. 

   Annie and Nell both backed up a step, like I had the plague. "The deaf girl?" Annie said to Maddie in a hushed whisper, looking me up and down. 

   "She isn't totally deaf," Maddie defended me. "She can read lips."

   An expression of disgust crossed Annie's face. "Maddie, why would you hang out with someone like that? She doesn't even talk, does she?" 

   Did I mention how much I hated when people talked about me like I wasn't there?

   "No," Maddie started, "but-"

   Nell whirled around, turning her back on me. "Well I don't know why you bother with her." She suddenly switched back to her happy self and grabbed Maddie's arm, smiling. "You should come with us! We saw this awesome ride a little ways away from here. It's one of those ones that spins you around until you stick to the wall!"

   Just hearing the description made my stomach churn. There was a reason I hated amusement parks, fairs, and anything with crazy rides involved. Even the carousel made me nervous. 

   Maddie glanced at me uncertainly. I knew she was dying to go. 

    "Hailey... do you mind?"

   Yes I mind. I want you to leave those snots alone and we can have a fun day out by ourselves. I want to go home, chill with a bucket of popcorn, and watch The Walking Dead- the TV show that I love and you hate. I certainly don't want to be dragged behind all day with a crowd of fake people that I don't know that hate me, being forced to eat greasy food I don't like, and scuffing up the brand-new sneakers I got yesterday. Yes, I mind. I mind very much. I...

   I shook my head.

   An expression of relief crossed Maddie's face. "Thanks," she said, smiling.