Deaf Defying Love (COMPLETE)

Chapter 4

The car stopped in my driveway, and I sat there for a moment. "Bye, Marco. Thanks for the rides. I'll see you tomorrow?" I opened my door. Marco nodded, and then tapped my shoulder. "Hey, I'm sorry. I know you don't like it when I say things like that." He signed. But it doesn't matter to me, Marco. I wanted to say it so bad. "What do you mean?" I kinda didn't know, but somehow I felt like I did. He gave me the 'you don't remember' look and then began to sign. "Two years ago. It had been three years since I had moved and we clicked off the bat, and--" He was cut off by my mother appearing at his window, knocking. I rolled my eyes and wanted for Marco to finish so badly. I knew that I knew what he was talking about, but I couldn't remember for the life of  me. "Text me?" I asked and he nodded. "I'll walk you in, I'll say hi to your mom," Marco hopped out with me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into a side hug as he walked me to my door. "Oh my Marco!" My mom wrapped her arms around him for a hug and made me scooch over. "How are you, Mrs?" Marco asked, always calling her Mrs to try and not be too formal but still respectful. My mother signed back that she was okay. "I'll let you two chat, come in soon though Abira, dinner is going to be ready soon."  Don't be so respectful to me, mom I thought. Whenever somebody was around, especially Marco, she was a lot more lovey dovey to me. Marco leaned against the outside wall, and looked out into the road.

His green eyes skimmed as cars went by, and I waited for him to say something. But he never did. In order to take his attention, I gently flicked his chin, and he turned to me smiling. It wasn't a real one. "Tell me, before my mom calls me in." I signed and he shook his head. "What do you mean no? It's clearly bothering you, Marco. I can see it, you know I can see through your face." His head turned to me, and I just stared patiently waiting for him to answer. "It's a memory for another time." He returned the slight flick and smiled, for real. Now I knew he was gonna be okay. "For the record, you can always--" he held up his finger to cut me off. "I know, Abria. You always tell me." Marco pat my shoulder and smiled again. "I know that I always tell you, and I realize that you know. But you can always text me, or come over or just, just... Just let me know if you ever need me, okay? I hate it when you don't tell me things, I'll let this one go. But if anything ever happens and you just need somebody to listen, don't hesitate to come to me." Ever since I met him, I made sure to put my phone in a pajama pocket when I sleep so I can feel it vibrate. Emerald eyes glimmered, and he nodded as he always did. I smiled and turned to open my door, when he turned me around, not tapping. He just turned me around and embraced me for a long time. One of his arms wrapped around my neck, the other around my waist and he pulled me close.

After a second of realization, I put one arm around his neck and the other on his back like he did mine. I don't know how many minutes passed, but I assume after about five he pulled me backwards, and put his hands on my shoulders. "I don't think I've ever thanked you for saying that, even though you say it practically every day. And just so you know, you're the only person I've hugged in two years, you're that important to me. Hold you chin higher, okay?" He lifted my chin with his fingers, and the tip of his nose met mine.  As he signed, I just barely glanced at his hands, and kept my eyes on his face.

"I'll try." I mouthed, not speaking. A smile crept onto his face, and  I felt him slowly getting closer. His eyes looked at my lips, and I froze there in time, not sure whether to push away or just stand there. "I won't," He signed, pulled his face away from mine, still smiling. I sighed, I don't know if from relief or what but I felt it in my vocal coords. "Please tell me," I asked again, realizing her never told me. "No thanks, not now. I'll drive you to school tomorrow, okay?" He signed. "Okay, will do..." I looked back at him as he walked towards his car. "Remember, always here for you." I signed, and he nodded at me.
--
Just as I had unpacked my homework in my room, my brother's girlfriend came into my bedroom, startling me. "Hey, sissy." I hate when she called me that, and I was forced to read her lips to understand. "You're dorky new friend is here," Her eyes hadn't left her phone, probably on Tumblr. She's not dorky. "She's just shy, you were nice to her right?" I signed to Macy, but she was already walking back out and down the stairs to my brother. Typical. Grabbing my cell phone I slipped it into my jean pocket and walked down the stairs and saw Janelle standing awkwardly by the door. When she saw me, she smiled and walked to meet me half way. Only then did I realize how tall she was. Brushing her colorful hair out of the way, she waved at me.

"A-Am I on time?" She asked and I nodded. When my brother came from the living room, he nearly tripped when he saw her. "Uh, who's your friend, sis?" He asked. "Chris this is Janelle." I signed and I think she got the just. Her shy smile stayed, but she held out her hand anyways to him. Lord, is she taller than my brother? Granted Chris is only 5' 8"but he's taller than me, I'm only 5' 5". She must be six foot! I looked down to see if she was wearing high shoes and I saw she was wearing wedges. Okay, that means she is only as tall as Chris. But still, tall for a sixteen year old girl.

"Where do you w-wanna work?" Janelle asked, eyes looking around the house. How could I tell her? Before Chris left I tapped his shoulder, he got I needed him to tell her what I was signing. "The kitchen table." I signed, and Chris nodded. "She said the kitchen table, if thats okay with you Janelle." I didn't sign that last part, Chris don't talk for me. "Oh yeah, sure. L-Lead the way, Abira." Janelle dropped her heavy backpack, and knelt down  to grab it just as Chris did. She quickly and sheepishly stood up, her cocoa skin turning pink. "I'll carry it there for you," Chris grabbed her bag and Janelle stuttered by the looks of it. "N-no,  t-that's okay C-Chris, I c-can--" He cut her off. "Nah Janelle, I got it." I began to walk to the kitchen, and they followed behind me. Well okay, Janelle stuck pretty close to me.

"Here," Chris sat her bag down in the chair next to her. "Anything else?" He asked. I waved him off, and he left the kitchen. I pulled out my notebook.

Do you like my brother? I know he's weird. I slid it over to her and she nodded. "I g-guess... I'm not r-really good at t-talking to n-new people..." She kept stuttering which made it hard to read her lips. "Um, so the a-assignment is an e-expository piece of our choice..." She pulled out her notebook, which was already filled with notes for the first two pages.

So what do you need help with on it? I kept my notebook between us. "I-I don't want to s-sound stupid b-but..." She brushed her hair out of her face.

You won't sound dumb, Janelle. I'm your friend, okay? I won't make fun of you. I smiled and she slowly began to nod, but didn't talk for a moment. What is she so shy and afraid of? "Starting out, I suppose... A topic, I need a topic. I sound so stupid t-talking, and Cassie always tells m-me when I g-get home that I n-need to g-get over everything." She buried her head into her hands. Cassie, I assume her mom was just trying to help her. Maybe not in the most caring way, though.

Your mom probably just tells you that so you can learn to be more yourself. I wrote and her eyebrows tensed together.

"C-Cassie isn't m-my mom." She said. Crap.

Sorry i just assumed. I felt bad for writing anything. It seemed like Janelle had a hard enough time coming out of her shell, now I might've ruined it. "I-it's okay, A-Abira. N-nobody cares enough t-to notice a-anyways. C-can we look o-online for s-some ideas?" She offered, trying to change the subject.
---
After that, we got a good start on her work and after that we ended up off topic. Janelle actually opened up to me more than I thought she would. Cassie is her aunt, who she has always lived with since she was six and shes always too shy to really talk because she has a speech impediment. Then she told me that she feels like she can talk to me about anything, that maybe I can understand her situation a little bit because being deaf is like a speech impediment to her. Then I actually started teaching her how to understand what I meant by my signs. It was only seven when my mom said she could stay for dinner.

Yikes for her...