Following the stress of the conversation at the dinner table and then being woken up after midnight by Aiden, I drag my feet through school most of the day. It's all I can do not to fall fast asleep in just about every class. I actually end up being woken up after homeroom by Mr. Biggs lightly shaking my shoulder.
"Erik? Can't sleep here, bud. If you need to go splash some cold water on your face, you're welcome to go to the bathroom and do so."
I rub my eyes and nod. I hear someone loudly drag a chair from the desk in front of me and sit down. As the purple haze fades from my vision, I see who else but Leo, sitting backward in the seat to face my, his crossed arms resting on the desk not two inches from my own.
"Oh." I say to myself—and wave.
He smiles at me, flashing those dimples of his and point to my notebook, raising his eyebrows.
"Oh, sure." I say. "Go ahead."
"Thank you." He says.
I remember learning that sign in elementary school and was refreshed again on Lifeprint last night. Although it's just one word, it feels amazing to understand something this beautiful person is saying to me. Leo flips to a blank page and scribbles something down, passing it back to me. It reads: I wanted to say "sorry" for laughing at you the other day. It wasn't nice and it was super cool of you to come up to say "hi" to me. So, yeah. Sorry.
At first, I don't know what to do or say. I sign "Thank you," and write a note back to him: No worries. I'm just glad we're talking now J
Leo nods, still smiling and starts to get up, but I quickly tap his shoulder.
"Wait!" I say, holding up one finger, and quickly write another note: I really really want to learn ASL. I don't have any money for classes or anything but am learning a lot online! Any chance you could help?
Leo studies my note carefully and looks up at me, weighing this in his mind. After what seems like ages of silence, he grabs the pen and writes back: I mean, I was kind of a dick to you when we first met, so . . . I guess I could help you practice sometime. Not sure when though and practice ONLY! I'm not much of a teacher.
I grin wildly and hold out my hand to him. He chuckles to himself and shakes my hand. Deal.
YOU ARE READING
Alterity
Teen Fiction15-year-old Erik Morris is beginning his freshman year of high school at The Ducharme School: a specialty school, following being held back the previous year due to struggles with learning disabilities. Despite initially feeling entirely alone, Erik...
