[CLOSED] all the roads we have to walk are winding

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She covered her mouth again, chewing on her lip. She couldn't relate to having friends to hang out with. But she did know that she didn't like to live alone. She was always alone, but she liked hearing people moving around, knowing she was safe. If she was alone, she couldn't defend herself.

"Teaching is nice.." She said quietly, taking another bite of her melted treat. She looked at it curiously, then pushed it away. She looked down, wringing her hands together.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne smiled faintly, nodding. He watched her quietly for a moment, reached for the spiral notebook again. 'Something wrong?' He slid it back, tossing his empty bowl in the trash before he stretched, a silent yawn passing his lips. One might have made a pleased sound at the relaxing feeling, but he couldn't.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She glanced down at the paper and shook her head. "I'm fine." She mumbled, chewing on her lip. She kept thinking about how her brother has teased her, called her everything but a whore, which was his usual name for her. She had over heard her parents talking about how slow she was, how they were going to be stuck with her until she died because no one wanted a simple minded person. But they didn't seem to realize that they had done it to her, that she wouldn't be so afraid of people if it weren't for them.

"I uh.." She squeezed her hands together, looking down at the table. "is there a reason you don't talk? Or you just can't?"

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne smiled at her until she questioned him. He reached for the notebook, grabbing the pencil up in his left hand. 'Can't. Vocals don't work or exsist or something along those lines. Can't make any sound, never have been able to.' He slid it back her way, tucking the pencil behind an ear. He cpuld sigh, things that took just breath, but he couldn't form a single word. He leaned back, watching her gently.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She read the paper slowly, then nodded. "Thats kinda.. different." She said quietly. She wondered what it would have been like to have taken care of him when he was a baby. Her phone went off and she fished it out of her pocket. She bit her lip, reading over it slowly. 'My friends are here. They want you over.' It was from her brother. She typed back quickly that she couldn't and pocketed her phone again.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne nodded. 'I was homeschooled until I learned to read and write because I couldn't really communicate until them.' He made the face of a scoff, watching her with a curious smile.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She looked down at the paper, and was halfway through what he had written when her brother texted back. 'Home. Now.' She pushed her phone away uneasily, reading over what he had written again. "So you.. learned to talk with your hands?" She asked, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "Can we please go back before my brother finds me?" She asked, then looked down, biting her lip.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne nilodded at her question about the sign language, watched her posture and attitude change and couldn't help be worried. 'Of course,' He jotted down, gathering his things before he held out a hand to politely help her up.

[alyssa jane 'AJ' tucker]

She took his hand, getting to her feet. She didn't want to let it go, moving close to him as they walked out. She waited for him to get her door, not wanting to get in his way. She got in and lowered her head, looking down at her shoes. She reached down to brush a bit of dirt off the toe, watching her brother walk past the car with his friends. She lowered her head again, listening to their loud annoying talking.

[zayne atekahr thompson]

Zayne kept her close and helped her into the car before rounding it and getting in on his side. He closed the door and pulled on his belt, setting the notebook on the middle console as he started up the car and pulled out of the lot, heading back home. He glanced her way, an eyebrow raising in question.