I Hear You

Chapter 1

"Baylee" I moved my hands giving out my name for the class to see.  They all nodded "Call me Bay" I added on.  The teacher then gave the "okay" gesture with her hands.  I had just transferred to a new school called Calhon.   Here in this school everyone was like me, everyone shared what I was going through and I finally felt like I fit in.  We continued going around the room getting everyone's names.  I had learned the girl sitting on the left of me was named Clara and the boy on my right was Teddy.  I hadn't caught the name next to him but I think it started with an E.  

The school day wasn't hard. I had history, science, math, English, and advanced ASL (sign language).  The day moved rather quickly and before I had even checked the clock in ASL the lights flashed signaling for us to leave the class, although in my old school we had a bell.  Everyone in class grabbed their books while the teacher, Mrs. Harpen signed goodbyes to all of us as we filtered through the narrow door.  Most people stopped at their lockers or went to greet a friend.  Some of us, like myself began exiting the school doors.  I sighed a very large sigh of pure relief.  The first day of Junior year was officially behind me.  

I thought about my peers. At lunch I sat with another Junior called Maya, she constantly talked about boys and only boys.  I totally get it though, boys are not the only hormone crazed teenagers.  I hadn't thought about boys much in this school.  Sure there was a nice selection it is a moderately sized school.  Not too big but not to small.  So far it was starting to seem like a perfect school. 

At that moment, I came to the street where my car was parked, I looked both ways about to cross, there wasn't a single car on the road, so before I continued I straightened my dress and began crossing.  The next thing I know are blinding lights followed by lying on the ground on the other side of the road with a large mass on top of me.  Is this what dying was like? My eyes hurt to open so I kept them shut. Did I get hit? I felt the earth underneath me: grass.  I wasn't in the street, I guess I didn't get hit.  I tried going onto my elbows but the mass was too heavy for me to move.  I pried my eyes open to see what was happening.  Right then, I came face with gorgeous blue eyes.  They had so much depth to them I probably could've drowned if I stared long enough.  Before I could look at anything else, The Eyes lifted off me and a lightness overcame me.  I propped myself up and looked at the person who had these eyes.  His mouth was moving and he looked worried, although I couldn't hear a thing.  I read his lips,  "Are you okay?" was all I could make out because after that he began talking to fast for me to see what he was saying.  

I pointed to my ear. He scrunched his forehead in confusion and looked at me again.  "Deaf" I managed to croak out.  This were 3rd words I'd ever said out loud in my life.  Deaf, what a strange concept.

"Hearing loss, hearing impairment, or deafness, is a partial or total inability to hear. In children it may affect the development of language." -Wikipedia on Deaf

Notice that? "May affect the development of language." So yes I can't talk.  Kind of funny you lose your hearing and suddenly you're a mute too.  Unfortunately i never even had my hearing in the first place.  I was born this way, deaf.  I still remember my mother's face when she told me about the time the Doctors told her I was deaf .  A look of sorrow crosses her face every time she signs the word "Deaf". "Your daughter has failed the hearing test," she signed.  Apparently that's what her Doctor said, the first thing the doctor said to her after saying "Hey, Mrs. Marlin, it's a girl!" 

I looked at the boy again, his face was wearing a mask of sadness and guilt.  The look I get from everybody.  The guilt is not from finding out I'm deaf but for trying to talk to me and begin yelling at me when I didn't reply.  Of course the sadness was the fact for me being deaf.  I stood myself up next to him.  wiping the grass of the black dress I was wearing and straightening it once again.  I touch my had to my chin and then tipped my fingers towards him, while mouthing "Thank you." He seemed to understand.  I saw him repeat the words and the sign.  I nodded.  He touched his hand to his chest the went to his fingers and signed "Archer." His name, I guess.  

"You know sign language?" I quickly signed, astonished. 

 He shook his head and slowly and said, "No, we learned the alphabet in the 1st grade." I nodded, reading his lips.  "So are you, okay?" He asked again.  I nodded signing thank you again.  At that moment I saw one of the school interpreters about to leave campus. I signaled for her to come over and immediately she come to my aid.  

"I'm okay thanks to you, you saved my life! The car almost killed me." I signed to the interpreter and she said it to Archer.  Out of no where I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn around not quite sure who it is.  I see a block down the car that almost hit me is parked and there is no one in it.  I guess the driver decided to come out.  

"Are you crazy?! I could've hit you! Do you have a death wish?!" I could tell the driver was yelling at me but these were the only lines I could catch from staring at his mouth.  Archer said something to him, I'm not sure what but he definitely said something to make the man have the look of guilt and sadness on his face.  Archer told him I was deaf.  He played the deaf card, of course.  It made me mad but I shrugged it off.  

Then signed to the interpreter.  "I'm sorry, I didn't hear your car.  Are there any damages.?" She spoke it to him and shook his head.  I nodded and let him be on his way.  Then turned back to Archer.  

"I have to go but-" I was reading his lips before he stopped and slipped a slice of paper into my hands.  "Be safe." I saw him say again before he ran to catch up with a group of people several yards away from us, whom I hadn't noticed before.  

Hello Reader, My name is Jordan I have created a new story.  This isn't a fanfic if you can't already tell but I promise I'm working hard on it and it should be good.  BTW I have found out it is incredibly hard writing from the point of view of a deaf person.  Anyways please leave any suggestions in the comments and vote, follow, and fan.  Love you all. -Writer