Silent Heartbeats 3: Zipples
By Maureen
Authors note: "Spoken words", /Written words/, *Signed words*
Jamie left the hospital accompanied only by Alex, although he had promised that after a couple errands they'd run by the school to see everyone. Their first stop was, of course, the bookstore where Jamie was able to coax several books on sign language as well as Clockwork Orange* out of Alex.
It was odd, Jamie mused, now that they technically weren't boss/juvenile delinquent how well they seemed to tolerate each other. It was by no means a comfortable relationship, but it was bearable.
*Thanks* Jamie signed as Alex paid for the books.
Alex decided to stop at the nearby McDonald's before they headed on to Kingsport High School.
*So, now what?* Jamie asked as they munched on their big Macs. Alex had taken the liberty to order for the both of them, 2 Big Macs without cheese and a large Dr. Pepper.
*Now what? I don't understand?* Alex signed back. He had learned the basics of sign language years ago when he became the Captain of the EMTs but had never had a chance to practice it until now. Thankfully, he had not forgotten most of it.
"My life. I mean I'm deaf, Alex! I can't go to Kingsport anymore, I'm no longer an EMT; I can't play the guitar anymore,what else is there? What now?"
/They all meant a lot to you, didn't they? Even though you tried to pretend that nothing mattered./
"Yeah. School! I mean, I was a bleacher junkie. I can do better, but why bother? Scholastics weren't exactly emphasized at home. Nothing was. We're bums and nogoodniks." Jamie smiled as he said the last word a twit that worked at the local mall had called him that once. He laughed at the time, but now, it seemed oddly appropriate. "The station was the one place I could go and be me and it not matter. I could study without being bothered or could hang out without having to prove myself. I was the gofer and I knew where I stood. I was accepted."
/Jamie, you are accepted/, Alex wrote,
/Catie hasn't been visiting every day for no reason. Neither has Val, Tyler or Hank. Or me. Who else has come to see you? That Keith guy you hang with? Brianne?/
"You mean Kenny. No. No one else has come to see me."
/Because we care about you. We're your friends. And we aren't going to let you go, understand? Okay, you've changed. So what? Change is life and life is change. You adapt. We're all adapting and we still accept you./
"If you say so," Jamie replied doubtfully. He secretly hoped it was true, but life had taught him otherwise. Your friends were the people that weren't currently stabbing you in the back. Your enemies were the friends that had succeeded in backstabbing you. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't help but feel that Alex was lying to him.
Unlike everyone else Jamie was from the proverbial 'wrong side of the tracks'. Life had been harsh from a young age. He could barely remember his mother. He knew that she was a fourth Japanese and her name was Mariko Yashida before she had married Pete Waite Sr. They had met while he was an ensign stationed at the Yokosuka naval base in Japan. Her family was in debt to the Yokuza and she had run away with Peter Waite to avoid having to be married to the Yokuza masters son.
As romantic as the story began it quickly took a downward spiral. It soon became apparent to Pete that she was not the ideal wife that he imagined her to be. As he had beaten his son, he had beaten his wife as well, until she left after he had beaten her so badly she miscarried. Jamie had only been three at the time.
Peter, Jamie's older brother, was six and had told him the few stories he could remember, but for both it was mostly haze. They did not even have any photos of her as their father had destroyed all the pictures after it had become apparent that she was not coming back.
Jamie had inherited her hair and the slight, unassuming bone structure of the Japanese, while retaining a more caucasion cast to his skin and his fathers height. Peter more resembled their father and Pete Sr. had always hated how Jamie had resembled his exwife.
Now here he was, thirteen years later willingly leaving the same life she had. Both strangers in strange lands, her a country not her own and him a silent land, nearly impenetrable by the average person. Snorting as he gathered up his rubbish and depositing it in the bin.
***
They arrived at school just as 5th period was beginning. 5th period was also the lunch period so Jamie headed first towards the football bleachers to see most of his friends. When he got there everyone except Catie stared at him as if he had grown a second head, and an ugly one to boot. Catie ran towards him giving him a huge hug and practically dragged him under the bleachers with everyone.
Despite being released from the hospital he still had some cuts and bruises that had not fully healed yet and he still had the stitches in his face. "Hey," Jamie said, running his hand through his hair nervously, hoping he sounded normal. Not being able to hear himself had made him become self-conscious about speaking since he could not modulate his voice.
"Hey James," Kenny replied. "Thought you were deaf or something, that you weren't coming back here."
Guessing what Kenny had said, Jamie replied angrily, "That's why you shouldn't think Kenny!" Not wanting to continue speaking with him, or any of the other bleacher junkies except Catie, he continued, "I just came to say 'hi'. So hi."
Catie stood up from where she was sitting next to Brianne and signed *I'm going to go see Val. Want to come?*
*Sure.* "Bye guys!"
As they trudged back to the cafeteria, Jamie was debating if he was surprised at Kenny's reaction or not. He was the de facto leader of everyone and it was fairly obvious that whatever friendship they had two weeks ago was now null and void. This unfortunately extended to everybody under his command except for Catie who was his rival for leader. She was charismatic and usually sensible, although willing to stand up for anything she felt was necessary. Always willing to fight the good fight.
"It's weird," Jamie said, "I know the cafeteria is roaring with noise, but I can't hear anything. It's so disconcerting."
Catie only nodded in response as they weaved though people and tables to where the super squad usually sat. When Val saw them she immediately jumped up, giving Jamie a huge hug.
*How are you!* she asked, signing quickly. In sign language they had discovered that there were degrees of excitement like with spoken words. The faster a person signed showed their proficiency as well as their excitement and the larger a person made the signs the more they were exaggerating or excited.
*I'm fine. It's weird to be back* before anyone could reply or pull a piece of paper out Tyler and Hank came out of the hot lunch line complaining about the 'mystery meat'.
"The only mystery here is how this got classified as meat!" Hank proclaimed, setting his tray on the table.
"Nah," Tyler denied, "the mystery is why we haven't had a call because the meat got someone sick!" all three EMTs were on duty and in their uniforms, despite it being school. 24-hour shifts meant 24-hour shifts.
Val cleared her throat and motioned quickly with her head towards Jamie. *Hey Jamie* Hank signed, noticing him. *How's it going?*
"Hey Hank, Tyler. You two married yet?" Jamie asked, am evil glint in his eye.
"Not quite yet," Tyler said, grabbing a hold of Jamie's arm and propelling him towards the doors to the football field.
Hank followed, calling behind him "Guy stuff be right back!"
***
Out in the middle of the field where no one could possibly overhear them, they sat down. "Okay guys, what gives?" Jamie asked.
/Don't talk./ Hank wrote, /we have something to tell you, Val already knows. We just told her yesterday./
*Knows what?* Jamie signed.
/Tyler and I are going out./
*What?* Jamie signed, confused. They were going out? /Like boyfriend-boyfriend going out?/ He wrote on the notepad Tyler had produced from his pocket.
*Yes* Tyler signed back.
*Weird* /but you two act like you're married, so I guess it was something to be expected. What about Val?/ Jamie asked, concerned. It was well known that Val had a huge crush on Tyler.
/I've already told Val and she's upset but alright. We weren't going out. We're still friends and everything and I'm not totally giving up on girls. I'm bi./ Tyler wrote.
*Weird. But cool.*
/You're not weirded out by this? /
/Nah, you're not the first people I've known to walk down the middle of Gay Street. Whatever tickles your pickle./ After Jamie wrote the last sentence the trio began to laugh and headed back inside. Jamie wouldn't tell, and as long as Val wasn't upset he had no problem with it.
***
After Jamie had come back in from outside he had quickly sought Catie out amongst the crowd. They decided to sit on the floor by the gym. It was a little used hallway during lunch that was close enough for them not to get into trouble for leaving the lunchroom while still maintaining some semblance of privacy. *How're you doing?*
*I'm fine, Jamie* Catie signed back. Each person created their own personal sign to represent their name and Jamie had chosen to make the J sign over his chest which, was a slight modification of the word 'life'. Catie had chosen to make the C sign at her forehead and to thrust it down to her open palm. *Why?*
*Well, everything is so different now. You keep asking how I am, but I never ask how you're doing.*
*I'm fine, worried, but not as much. I was scared you were going to die.*
*Yeah, I've been kinda scared too.*
The bell ending lunch rang only seconds after and she only had time to give him a quick peck on the cheek and waving goodbye before leaving for class. Jamie reached up and touched his cheek, a slight smile gracing his features.
***
Jamie made his way back towards the school parking lot where Alex was waiting. He practically ran up and hugged the older man when he got to the car. "Catie likes me! She likes me!" He yelled, or hoped he yelled. Jamie danced around in little circles as only one that is so used to rejection and is so elated can do.
*Congratulations* Alex signed. He briefly closed his eyes and wondered what he was getting into. A hormonal teenage boy with a girl, family problems and who was deaf was going to be living with him. This was going to be interesting providing they both lived through it.
*a/n Clockwork Orange is an awesome book and is a great movie by Stanley Kubrick, however; neither are for the faint at heart, people unable to handle VERY mature topics or who have strict parents. I like it. Also (if you're still reading this) I'm obsessed with Japan and the culture and had just emerged from being emersed in everything Japan for an entire day when I wrote this so-yeah, that explains Jamie. Besides, it COULD happen!
By Maureen
Authors note: "Spoken words", /Written words/, *Signed words*
Jamie left the hospital accompanied only by Alex, although he had promised that after a couple errands they'd run by the school to see everyone. Their first stop was, of course, the bookstore where Jamie was able to coax several books on sign language as well as Clockwork Orange* out of Alex.
It was odd, Jamie mused, now that they technically weren't boss/juvenile delinquent how well they seemed to tolerate each other. It was by no means a comfortable relationship, but it was bearable.
*Thanks* Jamie signed as Alex paid for the books.
Alex decided to stop at the nearby McDonald's before they headed on to Kingsport High School.
*So, now what?* Jamie asked as they munched on their big Macs. Alex had taken the liberty to order for the both of them, 2 Big Macs without cheese and a large Dr. Pepper.
*Now what? I don't understand?* Alex signed back. He had learned the basics of sign language years ago when he became the Captain of the EMTs but had never had a chance to practice it until now. Thankfully, he had not forgotten most of it.
"My life. I mean I'm deaf, Alex! I can't go to Kingsport anymore, I'm no longer an EMT; I can't play the guitar anymore,what else is there? What now?"
/They all meant a lot to you, didn't they? Even though you tried to pretend that nothing mattered./
"Yeah. School! I mean, I was a bleacher junkie. I can do better, but why bother? Scholastics weren't exactly emphasized at home. Nothing was. We're bums and nogoodniks." Jamie smiled as he said the last word a twit that worked at the local mall had called him that once. He laughed at the time, but now, it seemed oddly appropriate. "The station was the one place I could go and be me and it not matter. I could study without being bothered or could hang out without having to prove myself. I was the gofer and I knew where I stood. I was accepted."
/Jamie, you are accepted/, Alex wrote,
/Catie hasn't been visiting every day for no reason. Neither has Val, Tyler or Hank. Or me. Who else has come to see you? That Keith guy you hang with? Brianne?/
"You mean Kenny. No. No one else has come to see me."
/Because we care about you. We're your friends. And we aren't going to let you go, understand? Okay, you've changed. So what? Change is life and life is change. You adapt. We're all adapting and we still accept you./
"If you say so," Jamie replied doubtfully. He secretly hoped it was true, but life had taught him otherwise. Your friends were the people that weren't currently stabbing you in the back. Your enemies were the friends that had succeeded in backstabbing you. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't help but feel that Alex was lying to him.
Unlike everyone else Jamie was from the proverbial 'wrong side of the tracks'. Life had been harsh from a young age. He could barely remember his mother. He knew that she was a fourth Japanese and her name was Mariko Yashida before she had married Pete Waite Sr. They had met while he was an ensign stationed at the Yokosuka naval base in Japan. Her family was in debt to the Yokuza and she had run away with Peter Waite to avoid having to be married to the Yokuza masters son.
As romantic as the story began it quickly took a downward spiral. It soon became apparent to Pete that she was not the ideal wife that he imagined her to be. As he had beaten his son, he had beaten his wife as well, until she left after he had beaten her so badly she miscarried. Jamie had only been three at the time.
Peter, Jamie's older brother, was six and had told him the few stories he could remember, but for both it was mostly haze. They did not even have any photos of her as their father had destroyed all the pictures after it had become apparent that she was not coming back.
Jamie had inherited her hair and the slight, unassuming bone structure of the Japanese, while retaining a more caucasion cast to his skin and his fathers height. Peter more resembled their father and Pete Sr. had always hated how Jamie had resembled his exwife.
Now here he was, thirteen years later willingly leaving the same life she had. Both strangers in strange lands, her a country not her own and him a silent land, nearly impenetrable by the average person. Snorting as he gathered up his rubbish and depositing it in the bin.
***
They arrived at school just as 5th period was beginning. 5th period was also the lunch period so Jamie headed first towards the football bleachers to see most of his friends. When he got there everyone except Catie stared at him as if he had grown a second head, and an ugly one to boot. Catie ran towards him giving him a huge hug and practically dragged him under the bleachers with everyone.
Despite being released from the hospital he still had some cuts and bruises that had not fully healed yet and he still had the stitches in his face. "Hey," Jamie said, running his hand through his hair nervously, hoping he sounded normal. Not being able to hear himself had made him become self-conscious about speaking since he could not modulate his voice.
"Hey James," Kenny replied. "Thought you were deaf or something, that you weren't coming back here."
Guessing what Kenny had said, Jamie replied angrily, "That's why you shouldn't think Kenny!" Not wanting to continue speaking with him, or any of the other bleacher junkies except Catie, he continued, "I just came to say 'hi'. So hi."
Catie stood up from where she was sitting next to Brianne and signed *I'm going to go see Val. Want to come?*
*Sure.* "Bye guys!"
As they trudged back to the cafeteria, Jamie was debating if he was surprised at Kenny's reaction or not. He was the de facto leader of everyone and it was fairly obvious that whatever friendship they had two weeks ago was now null and void. This unfortunately extended to everybody under his command except for Catie who was his rival for leader. She was charismatic and usually sensible, although willing to stand up for anything she felt was necessary. Always willing to fight the good fight.
"It's weird," Jamie said, "I know the cafeteria is roaring with noise, but I can't hear anything. It's so disconcerting."
Catie only nodded in response as they weaved though people and tables to where the super squad usually sat. When Val saw them she immediately jumped up, giving Jamie a huge hug.
*How are you!* she asked, signing quickly. In sign language they had discovered that there were degrees of excitement like with spoken words. The faster a person signed showed their proficiency as well as their excitement and the larger a person made the signs the more they were exaggerating or excited.
*I'm fine. It's weird to be back* before anyone could reply or pull a piece of paper out Tyler and Hank came out of the hot lunch line complaining about the 'mystery meat'.
"The only mystery here is how this got classified as meat!" Hank proclaimed, setting his tray on the table.
"Nah," Tyler denied, "the mystery is why we haven't had a call because the meat got someone sick!" all three EMTs were on duty and in their uniforms, despite it being school. 24-hour shifts meant 24-hour shifts.
Val cleared her throat and motioned quickly with her head towards Jamie. *Hey Jamie* Hank signed, noticing him. *How's it going?*
"Hey Hank, Tyler. You two married yet?" Jamie asked, am evil glint in his eye.
"Not quite yet," Tyler said, grabbing a hold of Jamie's arm and propelling him towards the doors to the football field.
Hank followed, calling behind him "Guy stuff be right back!"
***
Out in the middle of the field where no one could possibly overhear them, they sat down. "Okay guys, what gives?" Jamie asked.
/Don't talk./ Hank wrote, /we have something to tell you, Val already knows. We just told her yesterday./
*Knows what?* Jamie signed.
/Tyler and I are going out./
*What?* Jamie signed, confused. They were going out? /Like boyfriend-boyfriend going out?/ He wrote on the notepad Tyler had produced from his pocket.
*Yes* Tyler signed back.
*Weird* /but you two act like you're married, so I guess it was something to be expected. What about Val?/ Jamie asked, concerned. It was well known that Val had a huge crush on Tyler.
/I've already told Val and she's upset but alright. We weren't going out. We're still friends and everything and I'm not totally giving up on girls. I'm bi./ Tyler wrote.
*Weird. But cool.*
/You're not weirded out by this? /
/Nah, you're not the first people I've known to walk down the middle of Gay Street. Whatever tickles your pickle./ After Jamie wrote the last sentence the trio began to laugh and headed back inside. Jamie wouldn't tell, and as long as Val wasn't upset he had no problem with it.
***
After Jamie had come back in from outside he had quickly sought Catie out amongst the crowd. They decided to sit on the floor by the gym. It was a little used hallway during lunch that was close enough for them not to get into trouble for leaving the lunchroom while still maintaining some semblance of privacy. *How're you doing?*
*I'm fine, Jamie* Catie signed back. Each person created their own personal sign to represent their name and Jamie had chosen to make the J sign over his chest which, was a slight modification of the word 'life'. Catie had chosen to make the C sign at her forehead and to thrust it down to her open palm. *Why?*
*Well, everything is so different now. You keep asking how I am, but I never ask how you're doing.*
*I'm fine, worried, but not as much. I was scared you were going to die.*
*Yeah, I've been kinda scared too.*
The bell ending lunch rang only seconds after and she only had time to give him a quick peck on the cheek and waving goodbye before leaving for class. Jamie reached up and touched his cheek, a slight smile gracing his features.
***
Jamie made his way back towards the school parking lot where Alex was waiting. He practically ran up and hugged the older man when he got to the car. "Catie likes me! She likes me!" He yelled, or hoped he yelled. Jamie danced around in little circles as only one that is so used to rejection and is so elated can do.
*Congratulations* Alex signed. He briefly closed his eyes and wondered what he was getting into. A hormonal teenage boy with a girl, family problems and who was deaf was going to be living with him. This was going to be interesting providing they both lived through it.
*a/n Clockwork Orange is an awesome book and is a great movie by Stanley Kubrick, however; neither are for the faint at heart, people unable to handle VERY mature topics or who have strict parents. I like it. Also (if you're still reading this) I'm obsessed with Japan and the culture and had just emerged from being emersed in everything Japan for an entire day when I wrote this so-yeah, that explains Jamie. Besides, it COULD happen!