Briar's Patch

Chapter 2

"Why?" Halsey demands suspiciously as he eyes the three of them warily. 

"Why not? You guys seem awesome," Emmett replies with a gentle smile, but his eyes linger on me, and I sigh with a shrug of not caring. 

"Briar, what time are we meeting at your place tomorrow?" Marley questions as we continue to eat. 

'Um, any time is fine since dad's shift starts at 8 a.m. tomorrow,' I reply with my right hand as I use my left hand to eat. 

"How about noon?" Halsey asks with a smile. "Still early enough to go do something if we want, but late enough, so we can sleep in."

'Yeah,' I agree with a smile at my friends, and I notice the three newcomers at the table starring at us in wonder. 

Looking at them with a raised left eyebrow in silent question, so Emmett says; "Can you teach me to speak with my hands?" 

'I guess,' I shrug unsure why he wants to learn, but whatever, and Halsey tells him my answer. 

"Why do you use sign if you can hear?" Morgan questions, and it's a valid questions since I didn't come to this school until I moved in with dad. 

Sighing softly, I grab my small notepad and pen from my back right pocket to jot down; "I'm mute due to an unfortunate situation from a couple of years ago."

Sliding the pad toward her, I avoid looking at them to focus on my food. I don't want to see their expressions, whatever their reaction to my vague answer. When they don't say anything, I peak at them through the fringe of my hair to find them studying me as they eat. When they still remain silent, I take the notepad back, and turn my attention to my friends. 

'Dad is leaving money for us for food, and if we want to do something out of the house. We can't be gone too long though because of Duke,' I sign with a stupid - happy grin; Duke is our tuxedo colored pit-bull, he is three-years-old, and we have had him since he was two months old. 

"How is my buddy?" Halsey asks while grinning fondly as we finish our lunches. 

'He's great, and I think he has finally stopped growing,' I grin as we stand to throw away our trash, and place the trays on the 'dirty' stack next to the trash bin. 

"Briar, hang on a second!" Emmett hollers form behind us. 

The three of us wait off to the side by the door of the cafe for them to join us before Emmett asks; "Can we meet up tonight, so you can start teaching me?" 

Shaking my head while signing, and Halsey translates; 'I can't since I'm spending time with dad before his shift.'

Emmett frowns at me as he asks like I'm lying to avoid being around him; "Why, what does he do for work?"

'He's a fire fighter, who works three days on in a row,' I sign with Halsey translating again.

"That's cool, so when are you free?" Emmett asks with a slight frown. 

'I can do this at our lunches during school, and maybe Thursday after school for an hour or two,' I sign with Halsey again translating.

"Your dad will be back to work Thursday morning, Bri," Halsey reminds me, and I nod that I know.

"That works, so can we start this Monday?" he excitedly asks, and I nod in agreement while wondering why he is so excited to do this, but whatever. 

Waving at them as the three of us head off to art class, which I'm always happy for. I have two art classes in a row, and then band. During the first art class that Halsey and Marley are in, Mr. Brown lets us work on a canvas painting, so I'm going to sketch out uncle Kenny in full fire fighter gear. Uncle Kenny is one of dad's friends, and they both work together, and have been friends since they were in high school. 

By the start of the second art class, Mr. Brown comes over to see what I'm working on, and I have finished sketching out uncle Kenny is in his full fire gear. 

"Briar, this is excellent, and your talent never ceases to amaze me," he praises causing my skin to flush to the tips of my ears. "Who is the man, your father?"

'My uncle Kenny,' I sign, knowing that he will understand me since all of my teachers have learned ASL. 

"Are you giving him this when it is finished?" he asks, and I nod eagerly with a hug grin. 

"That is awesome!" Emmett praises from behind me, and I jump from being startled. 

Snapping my head to my right, I find not only Emmett, but River and Morgan, too. All three of them are starring with wide eyes, and slack jaws at the pencil sketch I've completed. 

"Is that your dad?" Morgan softly asks, and I shake my head in response. 

"It's his uncle," Mr. Brown tell them for me after I nod my permission. 

"Ya know, it would be easier for everyone if you would just verbally talk," River grumbles at me while they sit on stools to work on their own canvases. 

Scowling at him as I flip him off, I verbally speak in my low, raspy, pain filled voice; "Easier for everyone else, yet painful for me, so fuck you."

Turning my back to them, irritated that River acts like my lack of speaking isn't an inconvenience to me, more than everyone else. I can hear them murmuring to each other, and they all sound mad, but I don't care. My throat pounds in anger, and I know it will continue to become worse until I can get home, and take some pain relievers. Focusing on my canvas, I am completely engrossed, and I didn't notice Emmett standing beside me until he clears his throat softly. Turning my attention to him, I silently raise my left eyebrow at him in silent question. 

"I hope River's comment doesn't ruin our chances in becoming friends, and you teaching me ASL," he softly comments, hope in his pretty eyes. 

Grabbing my pen and pad of paper from beside me, I write down; "I think it is best that I don't teach you ASL. I also don't think we should become friends, as I refuse to willing be around or associate with people like your friend who finds my problem as an irritation. I also don't appreciate him implying that I am lying, and doing this for attention. So, I'm sorry, but please leave me alone from now on, all three of you."

Ripping the page from the pad, I hand it to him, and once he has it, I start cleaning up my work area without paying any attention to him. He finally walks away when he realizes I am not going to give him any more of my time. Exiting the classroom when it ends, I ignore the creepy feeling that I am being stared at. I head to the band room, where Mr. Shay smiles at me when I enter, and he nods me off to the private room to work on my violin piece for solo and ensemble that we had discussed at the end of last school year, and this is the first week of school. 

"Briar, I will be checking on you after class starts," he calls after me, and I nod in reply.