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Disclaimer- I don't own anything. All rights go to ABC Family and whoever else :)

A/N: Alright ! So, this is my Emmett/OC story, featuring my OC, Ashlin Jin.
Please go to my profile to read her full bio :D

But, here is a little info about her...
she's white but was adopted by an Asian couple when she was 2months old.
Both her adopted parents died 3yrs ago in an accident, and the depression left her Mute.
Her (adopted) Aunt, Moon Jin, (who is deaf) decided to take her in and bought her a whiteboard so she could communicate with people that way.
Moon also taught Ashlin basic ASL, but Ashlinisn't the best at it...

Italics = Sign Language
Underlined Italics = Writing on her whiteboard

:)


Chapter I :

~ At the Kennish House ~

"Why," Bay started, stomping into the kitchen, "would you even THINK about signing me up for something like this?"

Her 'mother', Kathryn Kennish, tried to play it off with one of her smiles, "Oh honey, I'm sure it won't be that bad."

Bay Kennish scoffed, "Yeah right." She grabbed her morning breakfast, waffles, and sat down next to the person she'd always known as her brother, "Toby, pass the syrup."

Her 'brother', Toby, laughed and passed it to her. "Make sure to tell us all about your new friend later, okay?" he said.

Bay glared at him, "Shut up, Toby. That's not funny."

"I think it's a little funny."

"Ugh," Bay groaned and turned back to the woman who had raised her her whole life, "I don't get why you're making me babysit some girl who should be getting proffessional help!"

Kathryn wasn't all that shocked at her 'daughter's' outburst, as they've already been through this a few days ago. "First off, you're not 'babysitting' her, she's the same age as you." Kathryn corrected, "And second, she doesn't need 'professional' help. She just needs a friend. That's the whole point of this program, to pair two seemingly different teens together to see how strong their friendship will be." Kathryn tried to make it sound as exciting as possible.

Bay wasn't convinced, "So now I'm an experiment?" she asked rhetorically. "Besides, 'two seemingly different teens'? Isn't that what we have Daphne for?"

"Don't say that!" Kathryn sighed. To be honest, she wouldn't have even given this program a second thought if it wasn't for her other friends also signing up for it. Of course, she couldn't tell Bay that. "Don't think about it so much honey, I'm sure it'll be fun."

Bay grabbed a soda and walked out, "Yeah, sure, whatever."


Elsewhere...

" … " I sat back in my aunt's car as we drove down the unfamiliar street.

My Aunt, Moon Jin, glanced at me from the corner of her eye and let out a small chuckle. "Awww, why the long face, Ashlin?" Moon signed with one hand, not averting her eyes from the road.

I furrowed my eyebrows and stared at her. Shaking my head, I went back to looking out the window.

Moon smiled and tapped my shoulder, "C'ommon, it'll be fun!"

I pulled out my dry-erase board, the one Aunt Moon had given me 3yrs ago, and began jotting down some stuff with my favorite Blue Marker. Around my aunt, I only used my whiteboard when I wanted to draw an emoti-con. I felt it showed more of my 'personality'. When the car stopped at a red light, I shoved it in her face " Fun? Meeting some random richie rich girl from a richie rich life in a richie rich neighborhood is FUN :/ ?"

"I wouldn't know," Moon replied, "but you can tell me all about it when I come to pick you up in an hour."

The car started to move again at the green light.


Three Days Ago

"Y'know what the best thing about being part of the Deaf Culture is?" Aunt Moon signed, plopping down right next to Ashlin on the couch. Moon wrapped her arm around Ashlin, a folded flyer in her hand.

Ashlin tapped her chin, wondering what her aunt could possibly want, "Is it making fun of hearing people in front of them? Or is it...making fun of hearing people in front of them." Ashlin signed back slowly, trying to make sure all her signs were correct.

"Haha, very funny. But no. The best thing about being deaf...drumroll please... is having deaf friends!" Moon had a big, open, exaggerated smile on her face. When her niece didn't respond, Moon continued with, "And you know what the best thing about being a hearing person is?"

Ashlin, not knowing where this conversation was headed, tried to leave, "I don't know, and neither do you because, uh, you can't hear."

Moon pulled Ashlin back down, "No, but I can guess! And I bet, it's having hearing friends!"

"You'd lose that bet." Ashlin replied, trying once more to get away.

"Oh really?"

"Yes really, now, my Monday night shows are about to be on and I need to pop some popcorn."

Moon pulled away, but just as quickly jumped infront of Ashlin. "I also bet that this will be able change your mind." Opening the flyer, Moon handed it to Ashlin for her to read.

"W-what?" Ashlin was in utter shock at what she read, " 'A Way for Troubled Teens to Develop Friendships' ?"


Honestly, the fact that this girl had a lot of money didn't bother me all that much. It was just, rich girls were supposed to be pretty and primp and just overall perfect, right? Thinking back to all the movies I've watched, miss Richie Rich was probably gonna be a blonde with sparkly blue eyes with all the latest accessories and in-style clothes.

Looking down at the outfit I had picked out, I wondered if I could've worn something different to make myself seem more...not-rich-but-not-poor. Suddenly, I didn't feel so comfortable in my white Tee, which I'd taken the liberty of spraying the words 'Paint' onto the front with blue. I thought it looked better tucked into my black shorts along with my matching black suspenders. As for my dark brown hair, I decided to keep it classic with a ponytail. Wanting to keep my accessories to a minimum, I only had two blue hairclips in my hair and a blue ribbon tied around my neck into a bow. I silently sighed, running my tongue across the metal in my mouth and adjusting my glasses into place.

Compared to my fantasy of Miss Richie Rich, I felt like a teenage clown.

I guess Aunt Moon could tell I was still troubled by this turn of events, cause she continued to sign. ' I don't get why you're so against even trying to be friends with this girl. '

I capped my blue marker, at a loss for words. ' I don't get why you would WANT me to try and be friends with her. ' I attempted to sign. As upset as I was, I didn't even care that my signs were either out of order or sloppily done.

Aunt Moon always seemed to get the point of my crappy signing though. ' I am so glad that you've embraced the deaf culture, I really am, ' She stopped signing for a moment and placed her hand back on the wheel to finish a sharp turn around the street corner. ' but, I just think you should have atleast one hearing friend. '

At that, I bit my lower lip, a habit I developed when feeling distressed, ' I do have hearing friends. ' I threw out stifly.

Moon didn't respond right away, pulling into the driveway of a monster mansion.

Turning off the car, she turned to face me, her happy persona gone, having been replaced by a disbelieving sternness. ' Friends ? ' she signed the single word slowly.
' Which ones ? The girl that's always making fun of the way you walk ? '

I gripped my left leg, suddenly feeling a bit insecure about my knee injury.

' Or the twins who're constantly harassing you to try and force you to talk ? '

I touched my throat, remembering how I haven't spoken a single word in the past few years.

' Am I forgetting any of your other friends? ' Moon continued.

' Just forget it. ' I didn't even wait for her to respond, opening the car door and stepping out. Without looking back, I slammed the door and began limping to the front door. On the doorstep, my phone began to vibrate and I quickly checked it:

" Smile, Have fun :) "

- Moon

Slipping the phone back into my pocket, I tightly gripped the whiteboard against my chest. Here goes nothing, I thought to myself.

Nervously, I made a couple knocks on the door, and waited.