Hey all, here's my new idea. Hope you like it as it's different that what I've done and popped into my head a bit ago. Don't know exactly what the end it yet, or rather how to get there to please bare with me. Reviews will let me know if I should continue or not, so writing them would help me out with this!
DISCLAIMER: NOT CC, If I was I'd not the cast of the TV show and I don't :)B
ALEC
I blinked as I was shaken awake and smile at my twin sister. We had been through everything together and the fact that we were now on our own, in New York City no less, well...it was liberating. You see, a few years ago, we were in an accident and our little brother died. Izzy was driving and only came out with a few scrapes. Me, well...I was fine. Izzy had to go to therapy though because of the guilt of losing Max. The accident itself wasn't her fault, but the drunk driver. At first, the hospital thought I had lost my hearing until our mother explained that I had been this way since I was a baby.
Being deaf isn't as bad as one may think. It's actually quite great as I don't have to hear what people really think of me so it doesn't really matter. As for the present and why we're now on our own, our parents found out I was gay. I came out of the closet when we graduated college last month and they kicked me out, cut me off, the whole shabang. Izzy, my darling sister, said a few choice words and left with me. She was starting out at Ralph Lauren in their photography department since that's what she went to school for. Me, well...I was teaching at the deaf school here in Brooklyn. I was to teach the second years and I was very excited as today was the first day.
Izzy just smiles at me as I shake my head to get the thoughts out and signs "morning" before going to get herself ready for the day. I get up and throw the comforter off my body and stand up, heading to my bathroom. Our apartment was two bedrooms and two bathrooms, which was awesome as each bathroom was in the bedrooms. I loved having my own since my sister hogs that room every freaking morning. I shut the door and lock it, turning to turn on the water. I do my business and brush my teeth before stepping into the tub. I lean my head forward and let the water run down my head and face, down the body and into the drain. I take my shampoo and lather my hair, scrubbing my scalp to get it clean.
I close my eyes as I lean my head back and run my fingers over to get the soap out. I then take a rag and clean my body before getting out of the tub and turning the water off. I take my black, fluffy towel and wrap it around my waist, turning to the counter. I plug the sink and make a little pool so I can have a rinsing bowl for my razor. I then take my shaving cream and lather my face and then carefully take my razor and shave the whiskers. I smile when I finish and unplug the sink, letting the water run down the drain. I open the door and walk to my closet, taking out a pair of black skinny jeans and slipping them on. A good thing about this school, if you work with the really small kids, you don't have to dress up as much. I pull down a blue button shirt, the same blue as my eyes, and slip my arms through. I then button it up and roll the sleeves. I slip my converse on my feet after applying socks and then grab my messenger bag that has all my things in it. I head to the kitchen so I can grab some toast and see my sister with a bowl of cereal.
I tap on the counter and she looks up.
"You look pretty." I sign, turning to pop bread in the toaster.
I turn to look at her and she smiles. "Thank you. You look good. Have fun with the kiddos today, brother." she signs.
I smile and nod and then she leaves.
I had gone to this school till I was in high school, so I was looking forward to being back there again. The school only goes to age 14 so that the students get some social interaction with people you aren't like them, which is actually a good thing. That's how I met my best friend, Jace. He was also how I knew I was gay. Not that I was totally lost before. I just never found girls attractive. Jace though, he was the first crush. That had lasted about a month till Clary moved to the school. They had dated all through high school and got married our freshman year at NYU. I turn as I see a blinky light out of the corner of my eye and see my toast is done. I take out some butter and spread it before wrapping the pieces in a napkin and heading out.
I lock the door and head to the subway down the street, munching on the bread on the way. I pay for my monthly pass and then go down to wait on the train. I sit on a bench after throwing away my empty napkin and look at the spot the train would come so I can see when it was here. Izzy and I rode this train for the last week before starting our jobs so I could count the stops to my job. This is so if I space out and don't know which stop it is, I won't get lost. The train comes and I smile, standing up and walking forward. I get on and find a seat, sitting next to a man with some earplugs in and what seemed to be a camera case. I watch the street sign change and don't turn my eyes.
I'm kind of nervous about being on here for the first time. I hadn't ridden it by myself before. When my street came up, the man beside me also stood. I let him walk first and then followed him onto the platform. I didn't put my messenger bag back over my back till I was on the street and then made my way the two blocks to the school. I sighed when I reached the big brownstone building, walking to the front door. The kids still had about thirty minutes to arrive and I knew the parents would be interested in meeting me. The old teacher had passed last week and the principal texted about switching grades. I get to the principal's office and knock on the door, which opens.
"Morning, Alexander." She stated. She wasn't deaf, but would sign as she spoke since being able to read lips was a required lesson at the school.
"Morning, Camille." I sign.
She opens the door wider and I walk in to see the guy from the train, he was gorgeous. I look at Camille and she smiles. "This is Magnus Bane, Alec. He's going to be the new art and photography teacher for the older students."
I turn and wave, smiling to the new guy. He nods, raising his hand. "Nice to meet you, Alexander."
I smile and nod. "You also. I'm going to my class, just wanted to let you know I was here."
Camille and Magnus wave and I head to my classroom. I walk in and sit my bag under the desk so the kids won't see it, turning the lights off my phone. I take out the name tags I made yesterday and tape them to the tables. The way I did this was that I had the child's name spelled out in sign language as well as the letters. I had four students to the table and five tables. I put two girls and two boys at each table, thankful I had an equal number. I then turned on the smartboard and opened the program for the class.
I had my name spelled out like the names on the tables, but used Mr. Alec. When I asked Camille, she agreed it would be easier for the kids to learn that name instead of the longer names. I had three kids that were recently deaf due to sickness or some other accident and so knew they wouldn't know anything yet. Four of them had deaf parents and were as well, so they would be more advanced. I had set those four together so I could work on other things with them. I had just finished with the program when the lights started to flicker. This was the signal for the door. I turned and saw a little girl walking in with her mother.
I smile and walk over. "Hello, I'm Mr. Alec. You may find your name taped to the tables in front of a chair."
I motion for them to follow me and then show them the table because they didn't sign.
The mother got what I meant and smiles. "Thank you. My names is Helen and this is Maggie. We're still adjusting."
I smile and help them find the little girl's name. I look at the mom and signal to the board. I had put some questions up so the parents would know what I needed to know and that I could read lips. She nods and turns. "We just got her out of the hospital from the accident last month. The doctor suggested this was the best school and so my husband and I were happy to get her in. We don't know much, but if you have anything to help."
I smile and hold up one finger, signalling her to wait. I go to my desk and pull out the packet I made for the three new deaf students and brought it over. I handed it to her and smiled. She took the packet and I watched as she got to the girls level. She waved and the girl clung to her mother. I got on to the girls level and smiled. I waved at her and then pointed to her name. I then took her hand and we made the letters of her name. She looked up at her mom with a smile and I saw a tear in her mom's eye.
I saw the lights flicker and turned to see Camille. I smile and she walks in. I point at the mother and then tell her who the little girl is. Camille explains some of what I cannot and I continue to show Maggie things on the board. Other parents come in and Camille helps me with them so we can get the parents that hear the answers they need. When it's just me and the kids and I open up the program and get started. Today was a lot of cartoon videos to introduce them to sign language. One of the requirements for the second years was that they had some kind of reading already. This was to make it easier on both the teachers and them.
The videos had words I couldn't say and while they were learning the basics, the reading skill would help. Most of our little ones were almost 7, so this usually wasn't an issue. We had a early education center that got them up to this level so they could really learn; these were the first years. This made it to where what we called second year, was really more like first or second grade in elementary. The morning was spent with about thirty minutes of video and then we learned to read the names of the classmates and how to spell them with the symbols.
I would put each students name up with the program and then the whole class would follow me with the signs. Purple lights signal time for lunch and I led them to the cafeteria. I help them find where to go and then sit where the teachers do. I could still see my students and they looked to be enjoying themselves. I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked up to see Magnus Bane. I smile and he gestures to the seat across from me. I nod and watch as he sits, still able to see the kids.
"How was your morning?" He signs while speaking.
I smile. "It was good. The kids are eager, which helps. How was yours?"
"It was alright. Some of the older students have bad attitudes since I speak."
I shake my head. "They weren't born this way probably. The ones that remember what sounds are like tend to adjust bad to their situation."
I see his shoulders shake a bit, knowing he must be laughing. He shakes his head. "You have no idea. Have you always been deaf?"
I blow some air from my mouth and nod. "I got real sick about a week of being born. This was the result. I don't mind it though. What made you want to sign?"
He smiles. "It was considered a foreign language credit at my high school and I fell in love with it. I talk with my hands anyway, so why not use that to talk to everyone."
I nod and see the lights flicker. "I gotta go. Hope the afternoon is better."
He signs "thank you" and then I walk to gather my kids.
We get back into the room and I have art time. Well, more like color time. They were coloring sheets with the letter symbols on them while I printed up the work for the parents to help with at home. This is where we see who actually cares enough to help their children adjust to their outcomes. It also helped the hearing parents to learn about what we teach and how to speak with their own children. After art time, we walk down to music. I loved the way music was set up for deaf people. It was a light show and had special vibrations so we knew what the music was trying to say.
We sat with the other class and then I stepped to the side. The music teacher was in front and used power points to show what he was going to teach them. It is very important to show children at an early age that just because they couldn't hear, that didn't mean they couldn't like the same things as people who could hear. Once the students had their attention where it was needed, I went back to my room. This was my planning time and so I used it to get the packets into the right bags for the kids to get home. The teacher, Mr. Miller, brought my students back into the room and we had snack before their parents came to get them.
And first chapter! Hope you like it and make sure to let me know at the bottom! :)B
