The Sound of Love

Chapter Three

            I woke up to my bed trembling as I turned over sleepily. It couldn't possibly be six-thirty already. I glanced at my clock and sighed. Yeah, it was. I turned off my alarm clock and threw my legs out of bed, placing my feet on the ice cold floor. I sit there for a minute, feeling sick to my stomach. I don't think I can do this. I'll be a freak and won't be able to talk to anyone... I shake my head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts.

            I take a quick shower then dry my hair, making it become long, bright red waves that reach my hips. I then decide to put on a little bit on eye liner and lip stain. I glance at the clock, shocked to find that it is already seven-thirty. Crap! I wanted to get to school early. I shrug to myself then rush down the stairs, grabbing my car keys and heading to the garage.

            Sooner than I would have liked, I arrived at my new school. I sighed as I got out of my car and headed into the main building. I followed the signs cluelessly as they pointed me towards the office, until I finally saw a woman sitting behind a desk in the office. I saw her lips begin to move. When hers stopped moving, I spoke.

            "Hello, I'm Olivia Miles," I say in what I hope is an almost inaudible voice. A sympethetic smile lit her face as she realized I was the new deaf student. A few moments later, she gave me my school schedule and locker combination and pointed me down the hall in the direction of my first class.

           

Hour                Instructor                    Room              Subject

1                      Flora, Delilah              261                  Sign Language

2                      March, Nolan              237                  AP Pre Calc

3                      Greene, Shelia             346                  AP English IV

4                      Leon, Sundai               389                  AP Chemistry

5                      Gwen, Walter              479                  Art

6                      White, Rayne              263                  AP English History

7                      Byrd, Devon               322                  Creative Writing

            Well, I couldn't have an easier schedule, to be honest. Especially first hour... Considering I'm fluent in Sign Language. I slowly walk into the classroom and all eyes turn to me. But my eyes only focus on one individual; my little brother in the back row. My eyes flit away from his and I act like I don't even know him. To be honest, I don't think I do; not anymore.

            'Class, welcome our new student. This is Olivia Miles. Say a little about yourself.' My new teacher, Mrs. Flora signs. She then says it again aloud, obviously not expecting me to know sign language.

            'Actually, I can't really talk; I'm deaf.' Her eyes widen to the size of saucers as she reads my signs.

            'I'm sorry no one informed me. Please take a seat where ever you would like. Would you like me to introduce you?' She signs, her eyes returning to their normal size again.

            'Sure. And you can tell them I'm deaf. It might make things easier.' I sign then look at the class. The whole class is looking at me with awestruck eyes; they obviously don't know how to sign very well.

            'Of course Ms. Miles. If you ever need anything, or anyone to talk to, I'm here for you.' Mrs. Flora signs to me and I feel a tightening in my stomach. She expects me to have a hard time here, I was hoping I wouldn't, but her offer just makes me realize how true that statement is.

            'Thank you.' I sign then sit down in the nearest seat, turning away from the gawking class. I watch as Mrs. Flora announces something to the class, then the whole class turns to each other, words being exchanged between the students rapidly.

            I ignore their gawking stares as a new thought occurs to me. Maybe I will be able to talk to some people, I bet the second year Sign Language students will be able to communicate with me. Maybe this school year would be as disasterous as I thought it would be.

            I quickly realize that first hour is going to be a huge bore considering the year had just begun a few weeks ago, Mrs. Flora was still teaching the basics, those being the alphabet and family members. I glance down at my notebook and begin to doodle as I wait for the class to end.

            *          *          *          *          *

            I give a sigh of relief as I exit my fourth hour AP Chem class. I honestly wasn't thinking it would be so hard here, but I'm going to have to work twice as hard as I did at Miles Academy because... Well, I can't hear the instructor.

            I follow the huge crowd to the cafeteria, and my stomach clenches. Where am I going to sit? I stand in the long line for roughly ten minutes, before deciding to eat limp salad for lunch. I purchase my food then walk out of the small kitchen area and to the courtyard. I set my eyes upon an abandoned tree and decide to make that my destination, when a boy and girl step into my line of sight right in front of me. They both smile awkwardly before the girl begins to sign, 'Hi, I'm April. You're Olivia right?' I look down at my hands that are holding my tray, unable to reply when I realize I can simply nod my head. Great, now they probably think I'm slow as well as deaf.

            'I'm Derek, how is your melody?' The boy next to her greets me. I puzzle over his sign language for about ten seconds before I realize he meant 'day' instead of 'melody'. I let his error slide, and decide to try speaking a few words.

            "It is going well."

*        *        *        *

 'Well honey, how was it?' My mom eagerly smiled at me as I shrugged my shoulders unenthusastically.

            'It went. This school is more tiring. The classes will be much harder too, but I'll survive. Alyx and I share Sign Language together.' I gave her a grim smile as salt was poured onto my fresh wound. Family should be people that I can count on. My mom inquires about the teachers and classes for quite a while before I excuse myself to my room.

            Once I finally reached my room I sat on the bed engrossed in my thoughts. I don't know what it was that made me speak in front of April and Derek; I don't know them. Their surprised expressions had been priceless though, and I spent the rest of the period explaining that I knew how to speak some things, I just wasn't confident about the things I spoke. I wanted normalcy in my life. I bit my lip as my eyes flickered over to the keyboard in the corner of my room that was propped up against the wall.

            I hadn't touched a piano since the car wreck seven years ago, but I was yearning to know what it would feel like. I sat the piano on my bed and turned the volume down completely before putting my music on the stand. I was going to play Canon in C. My shaking hands hovered over the keys as I began to play the silent melody. I watched my fingers move over the keys with a grace that I had forgotten long ago. When I had finished I allowed my fingers to hover on the final notes for a moment before my resolve broke.