Signing His Life (complete)

In The Shadows 2

Emily POV

I walked out of the principals office with my class schedule. Today I was wearing my jean jacket, and black pants. The halls had students running everywhere. I walked to my new locker to pull out my math book. I finally found mine, but soon wished it were another. A girl in was leaning against my locker. Her finger was jammed up her nose.

"Um... could you like go somewhere else?" I asked a bit annoyed. I sighed when she ignored me. The tardy bell rang loudly in my ears. By now the halls were almost empty. The girl took her finger out of her nose and put it in her mouth. I shuddered in disgust. She walked off down the hall to the right.

I quickly walked to my locker and put in the combination, on the lock. I pulled out my math book and ran through the halls trying to reach class. I reached my classroom and slipped in as quickly as possible. "Emily Taylor! You're late! Take your seat and catch up." The teacher said. I walked over to a desk in the back of the room. He turned back to the smart board and started jotting down questions and answers. Once I finished writing I zoned out.

I wonder what I am going to do when I get back to the house? Hopefully Alyssa had a good time at her new kindergarten class. I remember when I was in kinder- kindergarten.....

I woke up and bonked my head on something. I could hear laughter around me. I looked up and saw a boy standing over me. He had black hair and amazing green eyes. He was wearing a black leather jacket and black skinny jeans. I'm guessing he is the kinda boy you would see surrounded by girls, but he wasn't. I looked in front of me to see a bunch of people laughing at us.

What happened?

"Ha looks like the freak has a new girly-friend to complain to... oh wait he can't!" I heard one of the boys yell. I bit my lip and slung my bag over my shoulder. I slumped out of the room with that boy walking behind me. Why does this boy keep following me!? "Why don't you just go find some other girl to cheat on, because I don't want that kind of extra attention!" I yelled trying not to cry. Now quieting my voice, I continued. "This is supposed to be my fresh start! Then I'm gonna have to leave again, to a new foster home and get made fun of there! So just ignore me like everyone else! Please!"

I hadn't meant to tell him that much of my personal business, but it just came out.

He blinked a couple of times, before realization hit him in the face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be such a jerk. I just... things have just been hard, but that doesn't give me any right to be rude." I said, looking away and holding back the tears, that were now forming. Suddenly I felt warm arms come around me. I looked up and saw the boy hugging me.

Jonathan POV

I couldn't help but hug her. She just looked so upset. I know how it felt to be alone like that, having no idea who you can trust.

Her body was tiny compared to mine. I could feel warmth coming off of her body and calming my own. I let go of her not wanting to creep her out to much. She stepped back and smiled kindly at me. I nodded my head, not exactly being the smiling type, or the talking type, considering...

I turned around and started walking back down the hallway. As I passed I could see the glares and looks of disgust on peoples faces. I ignored them and kept walking. I made my way to the schools front door not caring about the rest of my classes. I pushed open the door and walked out into the rain. Today was rainy and cold, not that I minded, I actually enjoyed it. I walked through the rain not wanting to drive.

Some people miss this because they are afraid of messing up their hair, or getting wet. They miss the feeling the rain thump down on their face. I love the feeling it helps you forget your worries and problems. I think of it as if the rain is washing away anything in the past that has caused you pain. I closed my eyes and lifted my head up. The rain ran down my face and dribbled off my chin. My clothes were soaked by the time I opened my eyes again.

I decided to take a short cut to my favorite spot. I got off the asphalt road, turning down a dirt one. The dirt was now turning into mud. I quickened my pace until I was running.

I remember when I was younger I had run down this rode. I was eight years old. My father had come home drunk again. I could hear them yelling from my room. When I walked down stairs I saw my father beating my mother. I got scared and ran off. It was raining like it was today.

Tears now mixed with the rain as I remembered the past. I fell to my knees. I ignored the mud that would most likely stain my pants.

When I ran from my parents I never went back. I couldn't even look back in fear that my father would find me. When my father beat me nights before the incident with my mother, I had hated it. I never left, but when I saw him hurting my mother it caused me to open my eyes. It made me realize the red flag in the situation. Ever since then I had tried to block out my feelings for my parents. I tried to pretend that I didn't care about my parents but deep inside Inside it
still hurt.

I got up and turned around. I was surprised to see a girl behind me. It was that girl from earlier today.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked. I shrugged my shoulders, trying to pull off the casual look. Thankfully my tears blended in with the rain. "Why won't you talk to me?" She said narrowing her eyes.

Great now I have to explain this to her, but how? It's not like she will even understand me! No one does. My father didn't even understand. Only my mother did but father never let her translate!

"Because I'm deaf." I signed. "How can you hear me?" I pointed to myself, then I pointed to my lips. "I can read lips, obviously." I signed. I knew she wouldn't understand sign language a lot of people don't, but signing things came naturally to me. "You can read lips." She stated. I shook my head yes slowly.

How did she know what I signed?

I tried to make it easy for her to understand by signing it slowly, "How did you know what I said?" "How did I not know what you said? Wait, that doesn't sound right. How did I know what you said? I used to know ASL when I was a little girl. One of my foster care parents was deaf. I haven't thought about it for a long time so I'm a bit rusty." She pulled a hand out from her pocket and signed, "A, S, L." A smile tugged at the sides of my cheeks.

"Can we... restart... this day?" I signed. It took her a second to comprehend what I signed. She signed yes. I put my hand out. "I am Jonathon, and you are?" " I'm Emily." She shook my hand trying and failing to bite back a smile of her own.

Pic on side is Jonathan!