Air

14. Kisses, Osiris Shoes, and Drama

Chapter 14

(Jackie's POV)

"I love you," Noah whispers into my ear and our lips meet. He whispers a soft goodbye and swiftly exits the room.  I'm forced to look up at the crowd, grin, and chatter as if I haven't spent the past two hours crying and kissing my (Is it safe to say?) boyfriend.

I wave at the thirteen people in front of me. Out of all them, ten know me and three don't. There's Josh, Tina, Cayla, Alexia, Hallie, Joseph, Ben, Phoenix, Jupiter, and Willow. And then a girl with dark brown hair, a girl with a blonde ponytail, and a boy with green, purple, and black Osiris shoes on.

Willow and Phoenix, my main youth group friends, rush up and hug me. The other eight I know follow, leaving the other three standing awkwardly at the back of the group. After the great hugging fest is over, I motion for the three strangers to step forward.

"What are your guys' names?" 

"I'm Amber," says the girl with the dark brown fishtail braid. 

"Will," the boy shakes my hands. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice shoes." I say weakly. I don't have much strength because I'm recovering and my stump still hurts like crazy. I can't stop looking down at my hospital clothes. My shirt has short sleeves, and my arm doesn't come out of the bottom. 

"Thanks."

"What about you?" I gesture to Blonde Ponytail Girl. She looks confused, like she's deciding what her name is. 

Amber waves her hand in front of Blonde Ponytail's face and her head jerks up. She was staring at Will's shoes before. "She said, 'What about you?' She's asking your name."

"Oh, right. I'm Liliana Paige Lacey. Everyone calls me Lily." Lily has a voice that's difficult to understand. Maybe a speech impediment? 

"Nice to meet you Lily. Everyone should pull up a chair and we can get to know each other better? It would really take my mind off of things because I love learning about people."

A million squeaks from the shifting chairs fill the room.  Lily pulls her chair to the back of the crowd. She must be really shy. 

"How about... Three things about yourselves? I'll start." I say. Everyone on the room focuses on me, still. "I'm Jackie Pines, I'm fifteen, I love Jesus, I've been in my school choir since seventh grade, and my birthday is next week."

I point at Cayla and she smiles. "I'm Cayla John, I'm sixteen, I have diabetes, I own three baby pugs, and I like putting flowers in my hair."

I grin and glance at Lily, who's fiddling around with her cell phone. "Amber?"

She looks shocked. "Me?"

"Yeah you." I try to giggle but it comes out as raspy breaths. I take a drink of water and turn my attention to her.

"Um... I'm Amber Kelly, I'm fifteen, I love red velvet cakes, I like pottery, and people always say I look like Shay Mitchell. Except my nose and forehead are bigger and my eyes are farther apart."

This sets Will off laughing. He stands up and excuses himself to the bathroom, where we can hear his laughs echoing off the walls. Amber's face turns bright red under her freckles. She rubs her left arm with her right arm, like a nervous twitch.

"Lily?" I ask to try to steal attention away from the fact that Will is still laughing himself to death.

When Lily doesn't acknowledge me, Amber shakes her. Lilly spins to face Amber. "What?"

"Jackie just asked you tell everyone three things about you. Start with your name and age." Amber says this slowly and Lily nods as she goes.

"You know you don't have to talk that slow for me!" Lily protests. "I'm not a baby. I've been dealing with this my whole life."

"Lily, I'm sorry-" Amber starts.

"I'm Liliana Paige Lacey," she cuts Amber off. "I'm sixteen, I play the guitar, I love poetry, and I like hiking."

"And...?" Amber ask, but then looks like she regrets it. Lily's face twists with rage.

"I can't believe you!" She shouts. "Do you think that's important? Seriously?! You and I have been friends for a year and you still think it's important?! It's not, okay. I'm tired of people treating me like I'm a little kid. I know things! I know how to communicate!  I learned sign language when I was seven!"

"Lil, I didn't mean it like that. I just thought people would like to know-"

"You thought people would want to know that I'm deaf so they can talk really slowly and just assume that I don't understand anything?! Because I can! I'm not different than you! And if you think I am, get out! You aren't my friend! I never even want to see you again!"

As Lily was yelling, she started signing, too. Either it was a habit or she wanted to prove to Amber that she could speak two languages at once. 

"Alright guys." I feel like I'm in the middle of this big argument. Like I'm powerless. I can't do anything to stop them from flashing evil looks at each other. "I think that's enough of that."

"Tell us your story?" Phoenix suggests. 

"Why not?!" I get ready, wiping my eyes. Had I been crying?

A.N. Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading my story for this point! I'm thinking of ideas for a new book called As I Knew It. I don't know if I'll write it or not, but in case I do I won't spoil it for you. ◕‿◕

I love you guys so so so much! Bye bye! -Maddy (not edited)