1

Elsa Winters slammed the door behind her with a sigh. Heads all around the parking lot turned towards her, but she didn't know what for. She'd only closed the door to her car. She trotted up to the main entrance, completely oblivious of the countless whispers of mockery, pity and everything in between that surrounded her.

Felton High had been such a great place, she thought, as she pushed her way towards the lockers. Back there, it did not matter if she could hear the school bell. She had close friends and piers that was like her in so many ways. So, when it was announced that Felton High had to shut down, Elsa didn't know what to do. How would she ever fare amongst students that did not understand her? Her way of communication was so foreign to them, she would be ostracized from the get-go.

As she picked up the last book from her locker, she felt a gentle tap on the shoulder. She turned, and was met with a small smile from the interpreter.

"Good morning, Elsa," she signed, and walked along side Elsa, as they made their way towards the first class of the day.

The interpreter, Miss Ingrid, was a woman in her early thirties, and had previously been a teacher at Felton. She was lucky enough to get a job at a new school, and still be able to work with Felton students, which she dearly loved to do.

"Good morning, Miss Ingrid." Elsa's words were few and sentences short, that morning. She wasn't particularly in the mood for any socializing. Miss Ingrid didn't say anything more, either; they just silently walked inside the classroom. Miss Ingrid went up to the teacher's desk and Elsa made her way over to her seat by the window. It started to rain, as Mr. North stepped inside and began the lecture.

OOO

Throughout the lesson, Elsa's gaze left Miss Ingrid and turned out towards the falling droplets outside, and she wondered what sound the rain made, when it hit a window. It was a stupid move to not focus on Miss Ingrid at all times, but the rain was so soothing to look at, and she could feel so many eyes, stabbing her form every direction. She hoped, that if she looked at the rain long enough, they would all just let her be. But the feeling grew stronger, and stronger still. She turned her eyes back on the teacher, and he bore an expecting look. Miss Ingrid waved for my attention and quickly repeated what was said by Mr. North.

"Would you answer this equation, please?" Elsa's entire body tensed and focused on the appointed math equation on the black board. It really wasn't too hard, but she was still hesitant to answer. She knew that if she were to answer, students around her would scoff or slightly cringe at her answer, no matter if it was right or wrong. For nobody understood it, anyway.

"Elsa, do you know the answer?" Mr. North hadn't said anything, but Miss Ingrid asked Elsa anyway. She nodded slightly and very vaguely gave her answer for Miss Ingrid to translate. She didn't want the eyes of 25 people just staring at her, if she could avoid it. Mr. North nodded at Elsa, then proceeded to write her answer on the board, followed by drawing two lines under the numbers. Elsa's gaze flicked back on Miss Ingrid, as she began translating again.

"And with that done, the assignment for next week…" A phone's vibration could be heard throughout the classroom. Elsa reached for her back pocket, swiping off her alarm. Only a second later, the other students rose from their seats in a haste to get out of the classroom and onwards to the next class.

Elsa was the last to leave, as always.

OOO

Lunch break rolled in, and Elsa found herself sitting outside, enjoying the first warm rays of spring, leaned up against an old oak tree, that she had claimed her refuge when she started the semester. Nobody ever came out there, and so Elsa cold enjoy the solitude and peace. She popped out her hearing aids and immediately felt more at ease. She'd never had a need to wear them at Felton, for everybody was like her. Unable to hear the rain on a windowsill, never knowing what laughter sounded like. But it didn't matter to any of them. They could still enjoy a concert, and have parties that caused neighbor complaints.

Elsa pulled out a book from her back pack and started to read, while enjoying her lunch.

OOO

Exiting the school cafeteria, Jack walked across the school yard towards the outer skirts of the school perimeter. Out there, he remembered, was an oak tree. He had seen it the other day, just after ice hockey practice, and he thought he'd check it out to see if it had any sturdy branches for climbing, or perhaps for a swing. He'd promised his little sister to look for a good swing tree near the school, in case she wanted to visit him after her own classes.

"Would you look for a swing tree, Jack? It's almost summer, and I can go there after school and wait for you, before we go home."

Jack thought her cute and innocent, and couldn't possibly say no. Normally, she would be picked up by their mother, or wait on the playground until Jack was done with practice, so he could take her home. She'd always be on the swings when he came to get her, so when he came to take her home last Friday and she wasn't by the swings, Jack got worried. In fact, he realized, there wasn't any swings at all. They'd been removed. He went to find a teacher and asked for his little sister's whereabouts.

The teacher had directed him towards the hillside behind the slide, where they had a rock formation, the kids could sit on.

His sister had told him that day, that the swings were broken, so they had to take them down. The look that followed her sad story was heartbreaking, and thus Jack promised to find a tree for her to swing in, while she waited for him to finish school.

Jack found himself in front of the great oak, without knowing how fast he got there. He looked around the crown of the tree and saw a thick branch protrude to the left. And underneath, a girl sat, reading a book.

"Hi," he said joyfully, walking towards her. She showed no sign of having heard him, so he stepped closer still.

"Hello? Hi, my name is Jack. Who are you?" Still no answer. She looked very occupied with her book, as the pages turned with rapt fingers, her gaze frantically moving along the lines. Jack placed gentle fingers on her shoulder, making the girl jump from the ground and look up at him. Her deep blue eyes scanned him quickly, and she reached out for her back pack. From it, she retrieved a notebook and a pencil, and started to write.

"Is this place forbidden to be in?" She looked at Jack with big eyes, already reaching for her jacket in case she had to leave. Jack just looked at the notebook, then at the girl, and back at notebook. A few seconds went by, before he got himself together and wrote an answer.

"No, not as far as I know. But I came here to check out the tree. Swing for my little sis." He was about the hand it back to her, before he added another line.

"Sorry, but I'm curious. Why do you write on this?" She took back the notebook, and her blue eyes scanned his messy handwriting. She looked away for a moment, taking a deep breath. She then proceeded to take something out of her pocket and reach for her ears. And that was when Jack realized, why she hadn't reacted when he called out for her.

"You're deaf…"

OOO

Elsa stared at the guy in front of her, while he in return stared at her. No one said anything for quite a while. The silence was broken by Elsa's phone, vibrating in her pocket. She fumbled a bit with her books and managed to get up on her feet and start walking away without regaining eye contact with the guy. Once again, she felt his hand, this time on her wrist, as he demanded her attention.

"Sorry."

Another intense pause ensued, as Elsa found herself lost within those deep, clear blue eyes, that seemed almost unnatural in colour. His eyebrows were sewn together right above his nose and his head was slightly dipped. His right hand a tight fist at his chest, he begged her to hear him out. Not that she could, anyway.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "Long time I talk deaf people." Elsa's eyes widened, her eyebrows disappearing behind her bangs, as he continued to speak to her, in a language, she'd thought she'd never would see at school again. He let go of her hand, and she just let it fall down her side.

"Nice to meet you. I'm J-A-C-K. You?"

Elsa found, she could not move. Try as she might, she couldn't get her hands to express what she wanted to say. So she did what she knew she could do without a doubt.

She ran, not looking back.