The Light in the Dark (completed)

Crazy about you

I watched curiously as people emerged behind Zach. Four older boys, three older girls-all probably in college- and a little girl around the age of four   maybe. His dad also emerged behind them all. Zach looked pretty content but he wasn't displaying much emotion. I saw the little girl- which I assumed to be his sister- play with the bottom of his shorts and he picked her hands off carelessly. At first I was mostly surprised at his sudden act of annoyance but then he placed his hands under his sisters shoulders and lifted her to rest on his hip. A waitress then took them to their table what's right across the aisle from me. I then turned back to Kacy.
    She smiled like an idiot and wiggled her eyebrows.
Oh shut up. I teased and turned back to see Zach's eyes location me. He was seated between his little sister and one of the older boys. He smiled at me for a moment before his father snapped at him to get his attention. He turned toward him and said something back. I looked at his sister which had the same piercing Amber eyes but dark brown hair like mine with loose curls at the bottom. Her smile was sweet and innocent. I then observed Zach which had his nose in the menu. He suddenly looked up as if he had just got smacked in the cheek. The older boy next to him  looked over at him and asked him something.
    I think he said something like, "Is that the girl you won't shut up about?" I turned back to Kacy and I'm sure I was uncontrollably blushing thought I couldn't help but look back to see Zach slowly shaking his head yes. The boy beside of him broke into a fit of laughter but stopped quickly after Zach's dad-and maybe his- give him a stern look and he looked down at the menu.
I turned back to Kacy and she signed. You ready to go or still staring at lover boy? I rolled my eyes but then I felt a hand on my shoulder and immediately stiffened.
The smug look on Kacy told me who it was but I had to make sure. I turned and saw Zach smiling down at me.
You wanna come meet my family? He signed and I nervously looked back at Kacy who just nodded, grinning like an idiot. I stood up and walked with Zach to the table where his family was obviously expecting me. I had never imagined his family this big? I wonder if they're all related? Some of them were way to close in age and didn't Zach's mom die when he was seven? So how can that be his little sister? It's all very confusing. He said something I couldn't quite understand and then turned to me.
That's my dad over there, you know the one I don't get along with. Zach signed and pointed to the oldest man which I already assumed to be his father. Then there is Jacob, Josh, And Caleb who are all my brothers and then there is Christina who is Jacobs girlfriend and Danielle who is Caleb's girlfriend. Josh doesn't have a girlfriend though. Then there is my sister, Piper and her boyfriend Will. I nod as he points everyone out. Now I understand they aren't all related, I guess that was kind of foolish of me. And there is my youngest sister, Ginny. Some of his family watches in amazement as he signs so quickly and I actually nod in understanding.
Translate me. I check with Zach first and he nods. Nice to meet you all. I sign and turn to watch Zach repeat it. I watch him introduce me to them and say,
    "This is Holly, um...." He hesitates. "She is my girlfriend..." He says and I wonder if he knows I can read his lips? And I really did think he had told his family about me. I see one of his brothers, I think Caleb, say something and I read his lips.
    "Your dating a deaf?!" That kind of hurt. I remember how Zach read a lot of books, like the divergent books. Caleb? He resembles Caleb Prior a bit.
    "Yes? You have a problem with that?" Zach says and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. "And I wasn't finished." He turned to me.
Do you care if I tell them about... You know, anorexia and cancer? I just want them to understand what you've been through. And what you will be going through. Zach signs and grief grows in his eyes. I know his mother died from lung cancer when he was younger and I think it might still be a sore spot for him. I nod.
What's there to lose? I sign and he sighs turning back to the table. I take a peek at Kacy who is watching me. I nod and turn back to watch Zach talk.
    "Also, Holly became anorexic during winter break, that's when I was gone so long when school started back. And then she started back again and she... Um... Fell from a tree on my watch and dislocated a shoulder but they also discovered she has an early form of breast cancer" he pauses. Some of his family look taken aback.
The first thing somebody said was, "Why did you become anorexic?" It was Christina think. The first thing that comes to mind with her is Christina Yang from Grey's anatomy and Christina from divergent.
Just bullying I say after Zach translates though I can read her lips.
"At school?!" Christina says loudly by the looks of it. Zach translates and then I realize I'm trapped. I look at Zach, which has the same look.
No... I paused. At the orphanage. I sign and Zach raises an eyebrow at me to make sure I was okay with him translating and I just nodded.
"No, at the orphanage" Zach says. "It was a new girl." Some of them give me blank stares and others look surprised. Caleb has an unreadable expression placed on his face and Ginny stared at me curiously.
"Great! A deaf orphan! Way to go bro!" Caleb says and stands up abruptly.
"You know she can still read lips!" I see Zach scream. I just grab his arm to keep him from tackling his brother. Danielle stands up with the confused and surprised Caleb and storms him out of the building. I turn back to Kacy and she is staring in disbelief and pity.
    I then look at Zach's dad who watches me. "You know, Ginny is mute?"
    I watch him confused and then I look down at the innocent little girl staring up at me. I turn to Zach and wonder why he didn't tell me? The corners of my lips flip down into a frown. Zach looks at me for a moment and then says something to his dad. I hadn't even noticed till he pulled me across the room that my arm was still connected to his. He put his hands in his shoulders and forced me to face him.
I'm so sorry. He signs and wraps his arms around me. I just allow myself to fit my head into the curve of his neck and curl my arms up to my chest. He pulls back for a moment and I search for the cause. I look down and my eyes meet familiar, piercing, Amber ones. Her hands moves swiftly.
You know he is crazy about you?