Dear Little Deaf Boy

Chapter 13- Polaroid

Chapter 13: Polaroid

My body was squished and pushed over as Bee sat beside me and Lucas pressed in on the other side. Nani and Zane sat close together while I was awkwardly crowded in the middle of the group.

"Uh, hey guys, this is Jasper."

They all waved. Nani extended her hand for him to shake.

"I'm Nani. I've heard so much about you."

"Hell yeah, we have. Our little Kinny over here can't shut up about you—"

I elbowed Bee in the side before she could finish her sentence. She groaned, holding her stomach in fake agony.

Lucas snorted and rolled his eyes.

"This is Lucas," I said, motioning toward him. "He's kind of an ass. He's not my friend; he's just here by association because of Zane."

Zane gave Jasper a small nod as a greeting.

"Whatever," Lucas muttered. "I'm just here because KP said you could talk. Now prove it, Deaf Boy."

"Lucas!" I snapped.

"What?" he asked, clueless.

"Jasper, don't worry about him. Like I said, he's an ass."

I spelled the word ass in sign language with my fingers. Jasper smiled—it was almost like a silent laugh. Then he pointed at his head and back at me.

I wasn't sure what it meant, but the laugh Bee let out told me enough.

"Little Miss Brainiac does superb in sign language," Bee teased.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"Agreed," she said.

Jasper looked at me with amusement in his eyes, fully aware that I now knew what he said. He agreed that Lucas was an ass.

Lucas mumbled something under his breath.

"This is a waste of time. Just admit you're wrong, KP, so we can go back inside," he said.

Things didn't go as expected. Jasper hadn't spoken or even made a sound, leading us to believe maybe he couldn't. I wasn't sure why, but he didn't.

I waited, looking at Jasper with pleading eyes, hoping he would say something.

He didn't.

I sighed, realizing I had to come up with something.

"You can go inside, but I won't admit I'm wrong—because I'm not. Like I said, he can talk. Matter of fact, I enjoy having conversations with him more than I do with you."

Lucas went quiet. It was strange how upset he seemed. What was his problem with Jasper? What was his problem, period?

He grabbed his things and just left—no snarky comment, no side-eye glance. Usually, I was the one storming off, annoyed by him. He'd tease me, and there'd always be that spark in his eyes when he did. But this time, there was no spark. Just anger.

He always seemed happy.

"I should go after him," Zane said, standing up and jogging after Lucas.

Jasper shifted awkwardly, now surrounded by a bunch of girls.

"Shit," Nani muttered, checking the time.

"What?" Bee asked.

"We have to go," Nani said frantically, her eyes glued to her phone screen.

"Wait, why—"

My words were cut short as she grabbed my hand and yanked me up. I grabbed Bee, pulling her along with us. Jasper looked at me with questioning eyes as I was dragged away.