you’d think she was on fire from the inside out. “Um…”
“It’s okay. I’ll try not to, if it bothers you.”
She looks at me dumbfounded. “Really? You don’t think I’m a major loser for that stuff buggin’ me?”
Loser? Hell—heck—she had standards. There’s nothing loserish about that.
“Not at all.”
The shock disappears from her face and she half smiles. Her big ol’ eyes glisten like I’ve just made her day.
My stomach twists.
“Well, I guess that answers your question,” she says.
“What question?”
“That right there is what’s so cool about you.”
I raise an eyebrow. My brain must be running on slow motion today.
She giggles and pushes my leg—voluntarily touching me.
Stomach twists again.
“You accept people for who they are.” She smiles wide again. “Quynn will not know what hit her.”
Reason 6: You give the best hugs
I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous and confident all at once. Hayley and I spent the entire afternoon going over the ‘simple’ things I could do to help Quynn see me as something other than her adopted brother.
I’m skeptical. Okay, that’s an understatement. There is no way this stuff is going to change anythin’, though it makes sense. It’s just not enough. Don’t girls like big elaborate stuff?
When I asked Hayley, she shook her head like I was askin’ if Santa existed. “Small and simple things are the most effective. Trust me.”
Trust her. She seems to know what she’s doing, but still. I want to bolt out the ASL classroom when Quynn walks in.
“All right.” Ms. Stevens says from her desk. “No talking today, strictly signing. Turn to your partners, and go at it.”
A few kids stifle their laughter, dirty minds at work. I roll my eyes and they land on Hayley, who’s also stifling giggles. Great, now my face is red.
So, what should we talk about today? I sign, trying not to picture me and her ‘going at it’.
I don’t care. You pick.
I glance at Quynn who slides into her chair with a loud huff and slams her book on the desk.
Yikes. Hayley signs as she follows my gaze. She looks pretty pissed.
I nod, and force myself to look at Hayley and what she’s signing.
I know this is going to sound awful, but this is a good opportunity for you today.
What do you mean?
She smiles and waves me in close. That wave of mint chocolate soaks my nostrils, and I slurp back my drool.
You can…
The rest is way too fast for me to catch. I smile and stop her hands with mine, and mouth, “Slow, please!”
She gives me a ‘yikes! I’m sorry’ look, then goes much slower with her signs, keeping her fingers close to mine.
You can talk to her after class. See if she’ll open up to you.
What am I supposed to say? I’ve never been good with comforting people. Better at making ‘em laugh instead.
I don’t know…
Come on, Brody. You’ll be fine. You talk to her all the time. And trust me, girls who are that mad, just want to tell someone to get it off their chest.
I look at Quynn again. She’s tryin’ to sign to her partner, but it looks like she’s holding back tears. I hate seeing her like that. All I want to do is hold her.
Yeah, I guess you’re right.
“Uh, Quynn?” Using the name. We’re alone in the classroom again, everyone boltin’ home.
“Hmm?” She doesn’t look up from her book, her eyes watery and a little red.
“A-are you okay?” Dude, I’m so bad at this. Already my palms sweat rivers.
A puff of air escapes her mouth, blowing her bangs away from her face. “No. Not really.”
What do I say now? I glance at the door. Hayley peeks through the window, sticks two fingers toward her eyes then out at Quynn. Clearly a ‘Focus, Brody!’ motion.
My eyes flash back to Quynn. She’s got her hand over her face, and she’s doing some kind of meditative breathing.
“Can I… Do you mind if I ask what happened?”
She drops her hand, finally lookin’ me in the eyes. Her mouth opens and closes a couple times. I wait. Not goin’ to push her if she doesn’t want to be pushed.
“Did… did you know G-Gabe is living with… with Nicole?” A fresh wave of tears and hurt rise in her eyes.
Shit.
“Oh dude, I’m sorry.” How can I make this okay? I’m not supposed to talk about douchebag brother. “But yeah, I found out the other day. I should’ve told you.”
“No.” She shakes her head, a tear finally making its way down her cheek. “It’s not your fault