~*Chapter 4*~
Michelle sat in her homeroom tapping her fingers on her desk as
everyone sat quietly. She focused her attention on her homework that was
due
the next hour. She had been attending Charleston High School for the
past week or so. To her surprise, she had found a group of friends to
hang out with pretty quickly. It was the same group of guys and girls
that had accepted her during lunch on her first day. She had become
pretty good friends with most of the girls, except for Jessica and Lauren
for some reason. They didn’t hate each other of course, but those two
girls were a little stand offish to her.
As far as Jesse and Greg were concerned, they were still annoying, but
a little more fun to be around since she had gotten to know them a
little. They could actually be mature guys for a few seconds at a time,
but that was it. Everyone seemed to really like her, but it wasn’t very
hard to figure out why.
Michelle was perfect in every way, well, almost in every way. She was
about 5’6’’ tall. She had a slim model shape body. She had a natural
tan due to being half Italian. She had long wavy brown hair and
piercing blue eyes. Anyone who looked into them would be captured by her
beauty. In the past she had even been asked to do modeling in local
magazines. Modestly, she declined the offers. She was much more
interested
in her grades then flaunting herself for a perverted photographer.
She was also a beautiful girl inside and out. Although her family was
very rich, she was not snobby, nor was she selfish at all. She was
very down to earth, just like her parents. She had natural beauty that
just beamed through her eyes. It was easy for other girls to be a little
envious of her. She was perfect, except for one little detail.
She felt a tap from behind. Smiling, she turned around to face her
friend Erin.
“Are you going to be part of the carnival committee?” she asked
excitedly.
Michelle’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Carnival? What carnival?”
Erin’s eyes widened at Michelle’s comment. Hadn’t she been listening
to the announcements on the loudspeaker right then?
Erin looked at Michelle carefully and continued. “You know, there’s
going to be an even at school for handicapped children. Its not really
going to be a full on ‘carnival’, but it’ll be something set up with
booths and stuff. There will be fun activities, games, contests, etc.
There’s a meeting after school tomorrow if you want to be part of the
crew to plan it. Why don’t you give me your phone number and I’ll call
you. Maybe we can car pull tomorrow.”
Michelle blushed. Even though her friends were sweet and fun to hang
out with, they weren’t very smart. She couldn’t believe they hadn’t
noticed her disability yet.
Michelle chose her words carefully.
“Erin…..I won’t be able to talk to you on the phone—“ Erin quickly
interrupted her.
“Oh, do you have strict parents or something?”
Michelle rolled her eyes.
“No Erin. Please listen to me.”
Erin stared intensely at Michelle.
“Erin……I’m deaf.”
Erin looked as if someone had told her the earth was actually flat and
her teachers had been lying to her all this time. She laughed a little
at Michelle’s previous statement.
“Yeah right.”
Erin stopped laughing when she saw Michelle’s serious face not even
flinch.
She looked straight at Michelle.
“You’re not joking are you.”
Michelle shook her head. “Nope”.
Erin was confused. “But how come it seems like you hear just fine? I
mean, you talk with the perfect volume and tone of voice! You were even
dancing to the music that was played during lunch yesterday. It truly
looked like you could hear the announcements over the loud speaker a
minute ago.”
Michelle grinned.
“Well, ever since I was about 4 years old I’ve spent a lot of time in
special schools. I have an incredible gift of lip reading perfectly.
I
can distinguish tones, so I can tell if someone is shouting, or
whispering. I can even read lips from really far away, it’s cool.
And as far
as dancing to music? I can feel the vibrations in the floor from it, so
I can distinguish the beat. I can’t believe no body has noticed that I
can’t hear yet. Every time I talk to you I just read your lips.
Also,
I get the daily announcements emailed to me, I just haven’t gotten
today’s yet, so that is why I don’t know about the carnival.”
Michelle’s smile grew even bigger at Erin’s shocked face.
“So then is it safe to trade screen names?”
Michelle laughed light heartedly. “Of course”.
