Chapter Ten

"I don't have a good feeling bout this Paige. But..."Jude kam said as he parked his white SUV at the lot. I tried all I could to convince him to let me. I even threatened him tgat Id kill myself. I surprised myself though, because I wasn't the type that would want to live outside my home but the school project, though seemingly hopeless to achieve, I wanted to attempt no matter what. It's one of my resolutions anyway. Though I had no idea how to make our team work.

"Dad, I thought we have settled that already."

"Remember my rules. Do not make silly associations, don't try to make your own show of "living", don't..."

"I know them all kam!" I shrieked.

I walked out of the car, fetch my box from the boot and drove into the school. The others were already at the bus, as soon I joined in, it took off. I took a last glance at my dad's car, I would be away from him for five weeks. My biggest dream coming true. Maybe this school isn't bad afterall. I felt like i'd be happy but deep down, I knew it would be watching me. Do I care?

What's left of my life? I would be on a vacation with people that hate me anyway.

It was a long train journey out of town. I sat alone at a corner of the window, deserted by my classmates. I felt a little jealous, every other person had someone, someone to talk to. The train was noisy but I was left alone to my own world, my own thoughts. I deserve more, don't I?

*

We settled at the school's annex at Brooklyn. We were assigned our rooms, kinda got mixed up with the usual boarding students at the school. Fortunately or rather unfortunately, I had no room mate from my school. The fact that my room mate was a stranger made me feel a bit lucky. She seemed like a junior. She was quiet all through the time I unloaded my box and arranged my things. She seemed to be studying though.

I sat on my bed watching her. She wore glasses too. She had an olive tone skin, like an African-American. Her thick black hair was packed into a puff. She had a straight chin and her brown eyes were so focus on her book. I felt she has chosen to ignore me. I didn't want to start my new life cold, so I decided to call her attention to myself.

I stood in front of her, trying not to be shy. "Hey, I'm your new room mate."

She didn't budge. I was getting pissed.

"Hey!" I banged the table, that was when she looked up. 

"Hey."She said, more like a whisper. She had this deep masculine voice that I thought was faked.

"I will not be a pain. I..." I lost my damn field of thought. Wait, what am I supposed to say to her? Nice meeting you?

"I'm sorry."She turned her chair. "I can't hear you. I... don't hear. I mean..."

Oh wait! She's deaf?!

"You mean you're deaf but can speak?"

"Yeah, I'm deaf." She was making hand signals.

Did she just apologise for being deaf?! 

"You don't need to be sorry for being deaf. But how do you understand what im saying?"

"I can understand what you are saying. I can read your lip. As long as you are facing me."

"Oh...cool."I walked over to my bed. She came over and made another sign. I was confused.

"You know why I'm here right? We're you informed? My school at Albany. I'm a final year student and it's our..."

"Oh I get it."She smiled. 

"I see you were studying..."

She sat on the edge of my bed. 

"Andra"She said.

"Paige."

"Did you say Paige?"

I remembered she was deaf.

"Yeah Paige." I nodded

"Nice to have someone here. It's been..." She sniffed into an handkerchief. "A long time since i had someone to live with me."

I had the chance to look at her face more. She had plump pink lips, she was beautiful. Huh...i acknowledge girls a lot. She looked sick though, her eyes has a red rim around it. Her nostrils weren't dry either.

"Thank you."She was facing down.

"For what?"

"You don't understand."She coughed. "First, get off your coat. You brought it from outside and I'm allergic"

I was awestruck. A lot ran rgrough my mind in seconds. I pulled off the coat and placed it in a waste bin. My boots and all.

"I'm sorry, if you are uncomfortable but I'm sick and I..."

"It's no problem Andra."

For the first time in my entire life. I felt a sense of connection to someone. This girl, there's this thing about her I can't place my fingers on.

"I never get room mates..."

"What is wrong with you? Your eyes, your ears, your allergies. What is it?"

"It's a syndrome. I don't know. I don't know..."She trailed off. "I don't know what it is called. I don't know."

"Oh..."

"You can't see without your glasses too?"She asked slyly.

"Yeah."I smiled. "How long have you been...deaf?"

"Ever!"Her voice always was a whisper and masculine but somehow I liked it. I liked to hear it. "I was born with it. With everything."

"But you're so cool. You can study. You can hear me. Wow!"

Her life, spoke some deep words to me. I wished it could change me but...

"It's not as easy as you say it. Everyone avoids me like a plague. They say I don't belong here. I don't, right?"

"Why do you..."

"I'm supposed to be in a special school right?"

"Uhm"I swallowed. She sighed.

"I hope you enjoy your stay with me. I just told you what you need to know." She walked back to her study table. "I'm allergic to almost everything. So you have to disinfect before coming in. I'm not a junior student. You may think I am but I also have final exams coming. Why I study."

Final year student?! She doesn't look like one. She was short and lean. Her glasses weren't cat eyed like mine and it had a rope unlike mine. 

"You can leave if you want to. I can be a pain in the neck."

Is she asking me to leave? 

I wished I could completely understand her.