Love Unheard

Chapter 3

(Dipper pov)

Halfway through the day and I am reminded why I hate school. So far it's only been the one teacher who was rude about my deafness but the other kids have been less than understanding about me getting special treatment. Even though I can't hear what they say behind my back I can sense their anger and hate towards me.

I carry my lunch bag into the library since I hate cafeterias. I go up to the librarian and hand her a note I wrote during last hour for this instance.

Is it okay if I eat in here if I'm careful? I can't handle being inside of a crowded cafeteria.

It was sort of a lie but it was easier than explaining the whole deaf thing and why it would bother me if I can't even hear the people. She just gives me a kind smile and gives a nod.

I walk over to a couch in the corner of the room and sit at it as I take out my lunch from its bag. I unwrap the tinfoil from my sandwhich as I start eating, taking a book out of my backpack and reading it as well making sure not to get anything on the book.

Feeling a tap on my hat I look up and see that blond guy from my first class.

"Why are you eating in here instead of the cafeteria?"

Setting my sandwich down I sign to him. I don't do well in crowded rooms full of people talking. The librarian said I could eat in here.

"Why can't you be around people talking? It's not like you can even hear anything."

I don't know why. It just messes with me when I can see lots of people talking but can't hear it.

He sits on the couch opposite of me. "How did you lose your hearing, if I may ask?"

When I was 13 on a bus going back home to California, the bus crashed. Lost my hearing.

"So you hear nothing? No matter what?"

I hear this ringing. I've heard it since the crash. Everything else is just silent except for this ringing. It's worse in a room full of people talking loudly. I think it's called tinnitus.

"Oh...what's your name?"

Dipper. Dipper pines. Yours?

"It's....It's William. William Rehpic. My friends call me Bill though." He holds out his hand and I feel myself smiling slightly as I shake his hand before signing back a reply.

It's very nice to meet you, Bill.

"Sorry about the whole me yelling at you thing in class earlier. I didn't realize that you couldn't hear me."

It's okay. It isn't like I have a sign taped to my back saying I'm deaf.

"Yet you have enough experiance with this to have a note explaining you're deaf."

You aren't the first person to act like an ass to me and you sadly won't be the last one either.

"You said before your home was in California. What are you doing here in Gravity Falls?"

I visited here when I was 12, long enough for my 13th birthday to roll around. Didn't come back because I had to get used to being deaf. My parents are in the middle of splitting up for good now so I was sent here while they figure out. Hopefully in a few months my dad will have full custody of me. Realistically though, I will probably end up in my mother's care.

"How come you specifically don't want to end up  with your mother? Did she ever hurt you?"

No, it isn't anything like that. She just doesn't fully understand my needs. She thinks that making me write things instead of signing them is easier and would rather I pretend that nothing is wrong than inform those around me about my condition.

"Oh....pardon my french, but she sounds a bit bitchy."

I feel myself laugh softly.

You aren't completely wrong. She and I never really saw eye-to-eye on anything even before the accident.

"Did you learn sign language after the accident?"

No. When I was 10 my grandpa lost his hearing. So me and most of my family learned sign language so we would be able to communicate with him. In my family I'm the most fluent with signing. My two great uncles can understand it just fine, they just aren't great at signing themselves.

"And your dad?"

He signs alright, but he doesn't really need to sign to me since I can read lips and all that.

"Can you still talk at all?"

I can. I talk a little bit each day so my vocal chords don't get screwed up. I know I'm talking because I can feel the vibration from my throat.

"That is really interesting."

Why don't you tell me about yourself since we've been talking about me this whole time?  What is your family like?

"I'm not really close with my family, never fully got along with them so I'm mostly on my own."

Oh.

I set my lunchbag back into my backpack and take out the extra work that I have to do. Feeling Bill staring at me I look up at him.

"What's all of that?"

Extra homework from first hour.

"We have extra work aside from what she already assigned us?"

No. She's forcing me to have all of this extra work simply because I can't participate in the class.

"Do any of your other teachers make you have extra work?"

No, just her. All my other teachers understand my disability and just make sure I know what to do before class dismisses. She is the only one who gives me extra work on top of everything else I have to do.

"Geez, I am really hating this teacher more and more as the day goes on."

Tell me about it. She was very rude about me being deaf and didn't believe me at first.

"How come she didn't believe you?"

Because the note wasn't an official doctor's note. She was annoying to deal with.

"Sure sounds annoying." He gets up pulling his backpack on. "The bell just rang."

I shove my things back into my backpack and wave bye to him as I walk out of the library.