“What was that?”
To clarify, I hold up my right hand. There’s a slight blood-rushing, tingling feeling as I move it. I guess it was resting weird while I stared at my laptop screen. Anyway, I sign, “A, B, C.”
“Nice,” she responds, sliding her hand across a flat palm. I recognize this one. She signs something else before repeating, “A, B, C.”
“Yes,” I say, continuing with the next letter, but it’s clear we’ve already hit the first hurdle.
“Actually,Dis like this.” Ellie slides her chair toward me. Leaning forward, she takes hold of my palm, folding down the pinkie and pushing the index upward. My hand shakes a little at her touch, and it’s obvious my fingers are frozen compared to the warmth of hers.
I avoid her eyes as I finish the rest of the letters. Aside from mixing upMandN, I think I do all right.
Ellie deems it satisfactory. “Pretty good,” she says and signs.
“I figured I should get the basics down.” I clench and unfold my fist. “Now I can at least spell out some things to you.”
She smiles. “It’s a start.” Obviously, she’s not going to be blown away by something as elementary as the alphabet. I know there’s still plenty more to learn.
“Yeah.” I sigh and raise my arms up into a stretch. My fingers are still tingling, and there’s no reason for that to be happening. Ugh, I hate how weird my body has been lately.
I’m about to start my chemistry homework, but Ellie is in a talkative mood. “Do you have Sanders for history?” she asks.
I shake my head and say, “But I took a different class of his sophomore year.”
“He’s offering extra credit if we go to a museum.” Ellie holds up the paper. “We need to take a photo of an exhibit and then write a paragraph about it.”
“Yeah, he loves doing things like that.” I squint to read the details without taking the page from her. “Huh, just any museum?”
“It doesn’t specify, but I assume it has to have some relevance to history, though I guess most museums do.” Ellie does a quick Google search. “I’m not sure which to go to. Do you have any favorites?”
“Hmm.” I press my tongue against my teeth as I try to think of something that could impress her. “Oh, I know. What about the Sign Museum?”
“Sign Museum?” she asks, confused. “I don’t know that one.”
“It’s not like ASL,” I say almost apologetically. “It’s a bunch of neon signs from old businesses and stuff. It’s all illuminated, kind of like walking through Times Square. It’s a cool spot.”
“That sounds nice.” Ellie seems convinced.
I’m ready to offer to go with her, but is that too much? I’m not sure where we stand after last weekend. “We could—” I say, then stop, realizing she’s started speaking, too.
“Do you—” Ellie pauses as well.
I twist my pen between my fingers, trying to play it cool.Will she ask me?“It’s an interesting place. I’d go again.”
Ellie understands what I’m trying to say. “Would you want to go with me?”
“Sure, let’s go.” I sit tall in my chair, trying not to wear my excitement on my face. “I think it’s closer to where you live. I can meet you at your house. Don’t worry; I won’t have to say hi to your parents.”
Tapping a thumb to her chest, she seems encouraged by that. “That sounds fine. Just text me.”
“Sweet.” I face my laptop again, and, thinking I’m saying it quietly to myself, add so softly there’s no way she heard me, “It’s a date.”
Yet Ellie slowly leans forward, a smile curling up as she places a hand on my arm. “You know I can read your lips.”
My mouth hangs open, and I’m at a loss for words.Is she going to say anything else or just leave me hanging now?Fortunately and unfortunately, the bell rings at that moment. I point to the ceiling to let her know. Ellie stands to leave but quickly leans beside my ear on her way to whisper, “I can’t wait.”
Chapter Fifteen
Ellie
