Shut Up and Listen to Me

I walk into my first class with my eyes down cast, ear plugs in my ears and my hands hidden in my black hoddie’s pockets. I glance up quickly and notice that there is only one seat left. It’s beside a guy whose fingers on his right hand are…I wasn’t quite sure what they were doing. There were twitching? No, forming shapes. I recognizes it but I can’t quite work out from where. He’s eyes are closed and he nods his head slightly as if he were listening to music, but I couldn’t see any head phones. His long dark curls sway with the soft nods of his head. I stare at the shapes he makes with his long slender finger, and then it clicks. It’s the Alphabet in sign language, I’d learnt it in 1st grade.

I quickly take my seat not wanting to draw attention to myself. He looks up, his brown eyes sparkle in the light and a smile plays in his soft looking pink lips.

I smile back, “HimynameisLouisa.” I mumble quickly.

He thick eyebrows lower into a frown, and he points to his ear and shakes his head slightly.

It’s then that I realize he is deaf.

“I’m so sorry,” I apologize. He shrugs and looks back at his History book.

I look away embarrassed.

At least I won’t have to make small talk this semester. I lead my elbows against the table and rested my chin on hands. I couldn’t believe it was only the first day of school; at least it was my senior year.
Finally Mr Cox walks into the room and instantly starts to write in his scribble.

I pull out a notebook and pen, as Mr Cox calls my name.

“Miss Harper would you please remove those ‘buds’ from your ears.”

Glaring at him I removed them and let them hang around my neck. I still hear the music faintly.
“Look to the person next to you…the one at the same table Mr Henrik.” I look towards the deaf kid, he’s sketching in a book but I can’t see what.

“This will be your partner for the remainder of the semester. There will be no switching or whining.”

I sigh so much for not having to talk to kids. I rip out a piece of paper from the notebook.

We were just assigned as partners for the semester.

You happy if I do the work and put both our names on it?

No. I want to do my share.. He ignores the paper after reading the message. I’m pissed off, with him, with Mr Cox for making me work with someone, but mostly I’m pissed off at my mother for forcing me back to school after the incident.

It was going to be a long year at this rate.