[OPEN] silent treatment

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne glanced at her as she dropped the book, watching her for a moment. He switched his pencil to his right hand, reaching and lifting her books from her lap, setting them on the table.

A gentle smile passed his lips at her words, and he nodded in response, gesturing towards the Math and American Sign Language folders sitting next to him.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She looked over at the folders, rubbing her bottom lip slowly with her hand. She glanced over at him, then back at the folders. "Uh.. You can talk with your hands..?" She asked hesitantly, bringing her hand back to her mouth. She didn't quite get it. She knew that's how deaf people communicated, but she didn't think he was deaf. Or maybe he was and she hadn't noticed. She wasn't sure. He hadn't said anything. She tapped her fingers on her lips.

"Uh.." She rocked in her chair a bit. She remembered asking him something, and he answered. So maybe he wasn't deaf. "Can you hear me?" She asked, rubbing her nose again.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

He nodded at her first words, glancing back up from his work with her next. A smile passed his lips, a bit crooked, amused. But he wasn't offended. He nodded again when she asked if he could hear her, pointed at his throat, lips parting faintly.

He reached into a folder, pulling out a sheet of paper and flipping it to it's blank side. 'Mute' he jotted down, gazing back up at her with gentle blue eyes. 'I can here you though.' He switched back to his right hand so he didn't have to move the paper, and could still grade as well.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She craned her neck to read the paper, her hand over her mouth again. She could only think of when her parents turned the sound off of the TV. She didn't know people could be silent too. She was more interested with how he switched hands when he was writing.

"I can't write with either hand.." She said quietly, watching more school kids walk past. She lowered her gaze again, her hand tapping on the table. She ran her finger across it, chewing on her lip. "It always comes out horrible." She rocked a bit in her chair, leaning over to look at what he was doing again before she sat back.

"What time is it?" She asked him, bringing her hand to her mouth again. She was horrified she would be late getting home.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne smiled at her faintly again. 'Guess sign language helps being able to use both,' He jotted down. He had always been able to, though. When she asked for the time, he pulled his phone out, flashing the lock screen for her to see.

'You have to be somewhere?' He wasn't sure if she knew sign, so he just jotted it down, finishing the last few tests and easily calculating each percentage.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She leaned forward, looking at the time. She still had a little while before she had to get home. Her phone was dead, had been for awhile now. She watched his hands move, but had no idea what he was saying. She leaned over to see what he had written, craning her neck.

"Uh.. home.." She said, running her hands up and down her legs. The jock walked past again, tossing a book at her. It hit her leg and fell to the floor. She bent down, picking it up and fixing the pages before she walked over to him.

"Dropped your book.." She said, holding it out to him.

"You're really fucking stupid, aren't you?" he asked her and she shook her head. He jerked the book out of her hand, and walked off, the girl laughing back at AJ. She walked back over to her seat, sitting down slowly.

"I don't get it.." She said, as if she had missed a joke.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne's teeth gritted as he listened to them taunt her. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing his bangs from his eyes, swore if they came back he would punch somebody in the face. It was just who he was, and it wasn't like they were any of his students. They were older than that.

'Problem?' He scrawled, watching them go in agitation. He slid everything back into his folder, glad he was finished and could have the rest of the weekend to himself, had already made his lesson plans for Monday.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She looked over at the paper, then shook her head. She folded her hands in her lap, looking down at her shoes. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, chewing on her lip. She wondered how much time had passed since she last checked, and figured she may as well start on her way home instead of getting in trouble. She guessed if no one was home, she could wait outside.

She slid out of her chair, taking her books into her arms again. It was a lot of weight, but she guessed she would get used to it. "It was nice meeting you." She said with a bright smile, looking over at him.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne smiled gently back, then stood. He slid his folders onto her stack, and took the books, flipping his bangs from his eyes as he watched her, lips pursing slightly. He had no way of telling her he would carry her things out. Not to mention he honestly didn't want those two tackling her again.

He let his lips tilt up slightly again, nodding forward in a motion for her to go.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She brought her hand to her mouth, looking at him hesitantly. She didn't want him to walk her home and get in trouble. Or to think she had a car. Because she didn't. "It's okay.. I got it.." She said, holding out her hands again. She didn't want to take them from him and seem rude. She couldn't deny his smile made her heart beat a little faster, but she just thought it was because no one ever smiled at her.

"You look nice when you smile.." She mumbled. "Not that you don't-.. I mean you-.. I guess.." She bit her lip, hoping she didn't offend him. "You /have/ a nice smile.. That adds to your already nice face.." She choked out.