Because of Her

Chapter 1

Today's the day. I thought. Finally I'm turning seventeen. I opened my eyes and saw light coming in from my bedroom window. My alarm was flashing a bright red color, telling me to wake up. I rolled over and shut it off. Pulling myself up, I rubbed my eyes to help wake myself up. Suddenly, my mom burst through the door.

"Happy birthday, sweet heart." I saw her mouth say. I gave her a small smile. Ever since I was little, I couldn't hear anything. I wasn't born deaf, but at age four I became deaf because of a lame illness. I don't care too much about it. My mom doesn't let me feel different because I can't hear and I love her for it.

She handed me a box that was wrapped terribly. If I'm being honest, it looked like a five year old did it, but I'm not one to judge. I suck at wrapping, too. She tried her best and I appreciate that. I tore the paper off of the box and took the lid off. My eyes widened and I jumped up to hug my mom. She had gotten me two tickets to Europe, the one place I have ever wanted to go to.

I felt vibrations coming from her chest, meaning she was talking to me. I leaned back and looked at her. She gave me one of her big smiles and I saw her say, "I have another surprise for you, Liam." I nodded in response and she turned and walked out of my room. I took the tickets out of the box, placed them inside my pillow cover for safe keeping, and quickly walked to catch up to my mom.

We walk down the hall to our dining room area and I see that she set up a big breakfast for me. It had a small bowl of strawberries, a small glass of orange juice, and two pancakes. This is the biggest breakfast I've ever had. Usually I don't eat breakfast so I know we can have enough for dinner. I give my mom a worried look. She reassures me by saying, "Don't worry. I got a raise. I can afford this." I nod and give her a smile. She's amazing. 

I quickly dig into my breakfast, eating almost all of it in five minutes flat. Although it is my birthday, I still have school to go to. I'm not at all excited for it. No one there likes me. Why? I don't know. I try to be nice to everyone, but I guess that doesn't matter to them. Whatever. I thought. Maybe they'll leave me alone today... I hope. I really don't need them being jerks today. Any other day I can deal with it, just not today.

I finish my food, and run to the bathroom that my mom and I share. I quickly brush my teeth, changed my clothes, grab my backpack, and kiss my mom on the cheek before running out the door. I walk quickly to the bus stop and wait for the bus to arrive. About two minutes later, the bus came. The big yellow doors opened in front of me and I walked on, giving my bus driver a big hello smile. She smiled and I saw her say "Good morning, Liam." She knows that I'm deaf and she doesn't judge me for it. She knows that I don't want to be treated differently because I can't hear the words that she speaks. She's a very nice woman.

Looking down the isle of the bus, I see rowdy children. Teenagers fighting and throwing balls of paper at others, a girl reading a book getting annoyed at the boy sitting next to her that keeps trying to get in her business, and then there is the people in the back of the bus. They are the seniors. No one is allowed to pass a certain point without their permission. I'm a senior myself, but I know that they won't let me back there. They are the people that I try to be nice to, but with no avail. 

I shook my head at the scene in front of me, glad I couldn't hear the noise they were making. I sat in the seat behind the bus driver, and looked out the window, dreading that I had to be at school today. I could already tell that, other than this morning, my birthday was not going to be a great one.