Mute Girl

Ch. 4

"Hey Marie Grace. How have you been?" He asked me trying to act cool.

His wet hair and wet clothes smelled so horrifically bad, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The first thing I did was rush to my car and grab my emergency towels. I laid them nicely over the passenger seat, so he could sit down. I  motioned him to follow me into the car. Once we were buckled, I ignited the engine and sped down the school parking lot. He didn't talk to me in the car and I didn't sign or anything to let him know where I was heading. A few minutes later, I pulled in to the driveway of my home and parked.

Justin's eyes bulged out of their sockets when he opened the car door and saw my home. I motioned him to come on with annoyance on my face. I understood why people stared at the mansion, I just never liked it when they started associating me with it. We went inside to find Teresa sweeping the floors. As soon as she heard the doors open, she saw us and rushed towards me and Justin.

"What happened?" She asked. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Let's just say that getting your head then clothes then backpack flushed in the toilet was not how I wanted to end my first week." He said, still dripping wet. Teresa led him to the bathroom so he could get cleaned up. As he took a shower, I sat down at the kitchen table eating some carrots.

"Well, he seems rather nice." Teresa said while doing the dishes. I nodded my head.

"Out of curiosity, why did you bring him here instead of his home?" Teresa asked me. I kind of froze on the spot. I guess it was my first instinct to bring him here.

"I guess instinct." I signed to her. She nodded her head in agreement.

"Because, this is the first friend you've brought home." She went on. "And I know you visit Ben but he doesn't visit us." I didn't have an answer for that. I just shrugged my shoulders. At that, Teresa put her hands on her hips and gave me a look that said, "Mhmm.." Teresa was my second best friend next to Ben, even though she was like 32. She was dark skinned and had gorgeous brown eyes. Her husband, George, was an accountant and very high in the ranks. Teresa didn't actually need the money from working at the mansion, but wanted to work here since she knew that I needed another 'mother'. I guiltily ate my carrots. She doesn't need to know that I may or may not have a teensy crush on a charming boy. After just a few minutes, he came out of the shower with nothing but a towel on covering his junk.

"Hey sweetie, I put your clothes in the wash." Teresa said happily.

"Thanks," He said smiling. He had abs with a tanned body and I don't know what I did in the moment to make him chuckle. I think I might have licked my lips but I'm really not sure.

"For now, these should do." Teresa handed him a clean fresh set of new clothes. He walked back to the bathroom and got dressed quickly. He came back with the clothes on and his hair a little wet.

"Thanks for letting me borrow your bathroom." He smiled at Teresa. "Hey Marie Grace, can you drive me back home?" Before I could nod my head, Teresa spoke up for me.

"It's Friday! Why don't you stay a bit longer, there's a lot you can do here!" Teresa said brightly. I frowned. I didn't want anybody, not even Ben, to explore the house I grew up in.

"That sounds like a great idea-"

"Teresa honey," Teresa finished for him. Teresa shooed us out of the kitchen. "Run along." I begrudgingly pulled a happy Justin out of the kitchen. I ended up showing him the pool, the bowling alley, and the movie theater. His mouth was wide open the entire time, marveling at the sights. We finally stopped at the library.

"Why didn't you tell me you lived here Marie Grace?" He asked in wonder. I just shrugged my shoulders.

"Doing this," He shrugged his shoulder up and down and up and down and up and down like a fool. "doesn't tell me anything." I giggled at his kookiness. We sat down at one of the comfy couches in the library.