Downhill

Chapter 23

“I’ll see you on Monday then!” my new form tutor person says to us after we’ve all sat and listened to her speak for the past, what, like four hours? I mean come on, I got my new planner, timetable and stuff this morning, why do I need to listen to her for fifty billion days.

I guess I’m just annoyed that I’m not at home with Harry, he’s stayed with Lucas on the wii or something, I have no idea. I think Hollie’s there too but she’d probably have got bored and gone home. 

I get up from my desk in Humanities 5 and walk out of the room. Our form has about sixteen people in it, two of them went to my secondary school but I barely know them so I’ve kind of just ignored them so far. I sat by a girl with beautiful naturally curly hair, she didn’t say  much and she wasn’t really concentrating on our form tutor, she just doodled in this sketch book. She stays behind after everyone leaves and I see her walk up to the teacher and hand her a note. 

I leave the class and start to walk towards where my locker should be, knowing me I won’t be able to find it. 

I reach the block of lockers and find number 89, it’s the perfect height for me because I’m really short. I can see someone Harry’s height getting frustrated with having this locker. I hold the post-it note with the code on in my right hand and turn the lock with my left. As I reach the final number and open the door the girl with the curly hair walks up next to me and begins to open the locker two down from mine.

“Hello” I say, I guess I should try to make at least one friend. Even though I haven’t really seen her do anything, she seems nice. Her doodles were really thoughtful and intriguing, so I think she’ll be nice. 

I don’t think she heard what I said because she carries on twisting the lock. 

“Hello” I repeat, closing my locker and taking a small step towards her. She turns her head and her eyebrows jump a little. Did I scare her? “I’m Becky” I smile at her and she looks confused. 

What have I done? Is there something on my face? In my hair? My hand reaches up to rub the corner of my mouth but I stop it. 

“I saw your drawings on your sketch book, they looked really cool” I say to try and fill the awkward silence, she stands there with her blank face staring at my lips, like she’s analysing me. I don’t stop my hand as it wipes the corners of my mouth, I don’t think I had food there. The girl looks so confused, maybe she can’t hear me? I don’t want to be rude and try to get her to hear by slowing my words and speaking louder. Maybe she’s just nervous? 

She scrunches her eyes in frustration then blinks at me before rolling up her sleeve to show me a bracelet. She holds her arm out towards me and I see a purple bracelet with a silver tag on it. My cousin has one of these, it means that the person wearing it id deaf. I don’t know what to do. I lean forward and hold the cold metal between my fingers and read the writing engraved on it, confirming what I already know. 

“Oh” escapes my lips, I have no idea what to do. I know a little bit of sign language from spending time with my cousin, he’s partially deaf but he uses sign language at school so its easier for him to use it at home too. 

She gives me an understanding look, as if she’s saying ‘I understand, you don’t need to talk to me’. I don’t want to embarrass myself by trying to say something in sign language that’s completely wrong, so I simple wave my hand. I know that definitely means hello. 

She gives me a reassuring smile, as if she’s happy I’m trying to talk. She waves back and I sign that my name is Becky, thinking before each movement in case I get it completely wrong. She nods and tells me her name begins with C, I guess I’ll have to have a look at her books sometime to find out what her name really is.