A Quiet Place

2.

Kha'Mazi Noelle Carter

I sign, "Fuck you hit me for?"

He points with his head and signs back, "This girl named Jordan is going to show us around. Be cool and stop mugging."

I sigh and nod. I look at the principle to see her looking at us in confusion, probably wondering what was said. I look over at Jordan, letting my eyes scan over her. Not to be mean or nothing, just trying to read her I guess.

"Okay well, Jordan will show you guys to your classes. Oh, and here's your schedules." The principal said, walking with us outside her office.

"Let me see your schedules." Jordan said, with her hand out.

Okay..

I side eye Carson and he just shakes his head, basically telling me to calm down. I suck in a breath and look around the hallway.

"Okay y'all got like every class together except your electives." She said passing our schedules back, "Oh, what's y'all names?"

"I'm Carson and she's Kha'mazi." He said, pointing at me.

I nod at her.

She looks at me confused probably because I didn't say my name.

"Your name is unique." She said looking at me.

I nod and smile a little. My mom picked my name, that's why I love it so much.

"Okay, here is your first class. You need me all day or you got it?" She asked, stopping outside our classroom.

Carson looks at me.

I shrug and sign, "We good."

"Nah, appreciate it doe." He said.

She nods, "Okay, coo. We have the same lunch wave, you can sit at my table."

Carson looks at me and I shrug.

"Coo coo, thanks." He walks in the classroom.

I nod at her then enter the classroom. The teacher greets us then tells us to find a seat. I sat in the middle- near the back. I put my headphones on and lay my head down. I woke up to somebody shaking me.

"Cmon so we can go to lunch, somebody said they having chilly cheese fries. I'm too geeked." He said waiting for me to get up.

I put my headphones up and grabbed my bag. I then sign, "I bet your fat ass is geeked. Let's go nigga."

He pushes me out the classroom. I turn around and glare at him- I sign, "Let's not."

He laughs and go to the cafeteria. I look around for a table. I tap Carson and sign, "Get your food then meet me over there." I point to a table.

He scrunched up his eyebrows, "Ol girl said we could sit with ha, so we gon sit with ha. I'll meet you over thea' but we gon go to ha table after" He said pointing with his head.

I nod and go walk over to the table. The whole time I walk to the table, I feel eyes on me. Multiple, just burning into me. When I sit down, I bounce my leg a little to calm down.

I need a blunt.

I look around the cafeteria, I make eye contact with another stud who was standing near the entrance with a boy. She looks away quickly before telling the boy something making him leave. She goes into the line before looking back at me then once again, quickly looks away.

Hmm. She's pretty. She looks social so I don't know how we would even approach each other. Nor, if she would be cool with-

My thoughts get cut off by Carson since he called my name. I look at him and lift my eyebrows. He nods his head over- telling me to come on. I sigh and get up.

Once we make it over there, Jordan say wassup. Carson says it back and I just nod.

"Y'all play sports?" She asked, opening up her chips.

"Yea I play ba..."

I tune Carson and Jordan out. I'm not thinking of anything particularly, I just zone out. I come back to reality when Carson hits my chest. I furrow my eyebrows and put my hand where he hit me. Now if that PTSD kicked in, I woulda been onna floor. I hear chuckling.

I look away from Carson to see the stud I made eye contact with earlier. Oh shit.

She smiles at me, her smile is pretty.

Jordan speaks up, "This is my younger sister, Blake. Blake, Carson and Kha'Mazi. Kha'Mazi and Carson, Blake."

"Wassup.' Carson said.

I wave.

"Hey, do y'all play sports? You look like you do." She said, propping her elbows on the table.

What's up with them and sports, damn.

Carson nods, "Yea, I play basketball and she-"

I stop him mid sentence by tapping him on his arm and shaking my head. They look at me confused while I take my phone out.

I type, ' I play 7v7... y'all got a team?'

They look at the phone confused then look at each other. I sigh and rub my hand over my face. Carson chuckles and I mug him. Ain't shit funny. I retype, 'a flag football team..'

Jordan speaks up, "Ohhhh- yea, we do. I'm actually on the team, second round of tryouts is Saturday."

I nod with a small smile on my face. I sign to Carson, "I'm going to try out."

He nods, "You should and you could also do bask-"

I cut him off by shaking my head then sign, "Fuck no, no shade."

He hits my neck, "Right."

I mug him, I'll get him back later.

I look over at the siblings to see them looking at us- or me confused. Probably because I haven't spoken a word. Blake whispers to Jordan- but I hear- she asked if I was deaf. I'm guessing Carson heard since he quietly chuckles. I shake my head. Jordan shrugs her shoulders at Blake's question, indicating that she doesn't know.

Carson taps my shoulder and signs, "They slow."

I quietly chuckle then sign, "Real bad." I shake my head.

Blake leans forward and asks, "Are you deaf?" looking like she was hoping I could read her lips.

I pick up my phone and type, ' I'm not deaf, just mute. I can hear you'

They both say "Ohhh."