Short Stories

Chapter 4 - It's Not Andra or Alex

Chapter 4
It's Not Andra or Alex

"So you just walked out of the building, just like that?" Izzy jumps on the swing again.
I nod. 'That school sucks. I don't know if I should tell them that I'm deaf or not.'

She laughs. "Well I don't know what to tell you. They'll find out eventually. Dylan and Jordan already know."

'Then I'll let them find out themselves.' I sign in frustration.

Izzy notices and sighs. "Relax Andra. Come on. Let's go to that one ice cream place and then I'll take you back to school." She pulls me off the swing and towards her car.

'You should call me Emerald when we're outside.' I tell her once we get into the car.

She starts it and drives onto the road. "I'll say your fake name when we're around people but it's just us. You worry too much, Andra. Who cares what they think of you. This isn't even you so just hold your head up and if you have to I won't tell mom if you end up punching the mini Kylie."

A smirk forms on her face and I chuckle. 'Thanks Izzy but I'm not going to punch her. I don't want any trouble this year.'

She scoffs. "Says the girl that up and left her school."

I stop talking to her so she can focus on the road and after five minutes pass we entire the ice cream shop aka Sparkle Your Sprinkles. Yeah I know, the name is weird but the ice cream is amazing. They even make fruit rolls that are to die for. We order and then wait for our ice cream.

"Okay, I have to ask you a question."

I nod. 'Shoot.'

"I was trying to sign to you yesterday and I didn't even realize that Dylan knows how to sign!" Her expression is laced with approved shock.

'I know! I was surprised too. Not many people know how to sign.'

"Yeah, Dylan is something else." Her voice sounds like she's about to break into a love song like in those musicals. "I was gonna tell you at the dinner that I thought he was cute but I'm glad you stopped me before he saw. So do you think he has a girlfriend?" Izzy leans into the table more like she's trying to learn my secrets and be discreet about it.

'Ew Izzy! You're twenty and he's still in high school. You probably won't see him again when you go off to college in a week.'

"Have you ever heard about a long distance relationship and he's probably in his senior year which means it's legal, Andra."

Our ice cream comes then and we thank the waitress. Izzy grabs her two scoops of Superman ice cream and I grab my chocolate shake.

I take a big slurp of it until I develop a brain freeze. Izzy stands up suddenly. "Come on we gotta get you to your second to last class before your study hall ends!"

I stare at her in confusion as she drags me out to the car. I was aware that I was eventually gonna have to go back to school but I didn't realize we were going to rush there right after we got our ice cream. I didn't even need to go to school today. Nothing ever happens on the first day of school and if anything did I would be caught up by the next day. I'm a genius and learn rather quickly.

By the time we get to school, I've had too many brain freezes and we almost get into a car crash. Fortunately, I survive and speed walk into the upstairs hallway just as the bell rings. Immediately the halls swarm with over perfumed teen girls and too tall boys. I make my way into my study hall, grab my stuff and leave for my next class. Which is English. I sit way in the back as my pants buzz. I grab my phone out of my back pocket and look at the text that I got.

Izzy:
Did you make it?

Me:
Yeah. C u after school.

Izzy:
👍🏾

I put my phone away and lay my head on the desk, trying to catch my breath. I zone out as the students file into the classroom until I hear a familiar voice. "Hey, I didn't know you were in this class."

Reluctantly I lift my head up to see exactly who I thought was talking to me. It's Dylan. He's sitting in the desk next to mine. I shine my teeth at him in greeting.

"I'm glad I have one class with you at least." He looks around the classroom as the last person comes in and the bell rings. "My friends aren't in this hour."

I could see how he wouldn't think that his sentence wasn't offensive but it was. The fact that I'm his last resort when his friends aren't with him is annoying. It's even more annoying that we just met yesterday and his brother's girlfriend made me not like Dylan. I know that's kind of sexist or whatever but still, I don't want to get into drama with their family.

The teacher walks in and we start the class, ushering Dylan to pay attention to Mr. Smitty instead of me. The class goes by fast and before I know it Dylan is talking to me as I walk out of English. I can't hear Dylan though. I'm not even paying attention to him because someone has approached us.

Jordan.