No, not right now, please.I should’ve gone to the student council office instead, despite it being full of sophomores on their free period. I gesture to my head as I swallow a bite of food. “Thought I might be getting a bit of a migraine, but it seems to be clearing up.”
Although, now that I mention it, I do have a headache. Water might help, so I take a quick swig from my bottle.
“I see.” She nods toward the new banner hanging in the front lobby. “I should congratulate you for bringing home the conference championship last year.”
“Right, well, thanks.” Since it was the state victory we really wanted, the display only reminds me of my failure.
“It’s always an accomplishment to make it that far.” She nods slowly, double-checking a list of names on her clipboard. “You have study hall next period, right?”
“Yes, I do.”
Presumably, that aligns with what’s on her paper. “Wonderful. While I have you here, there’s something I could use your help with. Do you mind if I borrow you for a few minutes?”
“Sure.” I stand, tucking my unopened bag of kettle chips back into my lunch box.
I’ve always been involved in school, but somehow I’ve become the go-to guy for the administration. I’m seemingly always the first they ask to volunteer during parents’ night, or to tutor underclassmen, or to show visiting alumni around. My parents think this will bolster my college applications so I can get in somewhere like Duke, Notre Dame, or their alma mater, the University of Dayton. And, of course, that does contribute to my reasons for doing these things, but I’m not sure they understand that I actuallylikehelping people. Well, that, and I sort of like being anywhere but home, where my parents try to involve me in all their things. On the other hand, always volunteering means I’ve built up this reputation where I feel like I can’t say no; otherwise I look like a jerk. So I take another sip of water and make myself available.
“What would you like me to do?” I ask. Being busy with something will at least ensure that I’m not still sitting here when the soccer guys exit the cafeteria.
“Walk with me.” I follow Ms. Lily down the hallway as she explains, “We have a new disabled student who could use some help navigating the school. It would be great if you could show them the ropes and how best to settle in.” With a sympathetic look, she says, “Mostly they could benefit from a friendly face. Even without any extra hurdles, transferring to a new school senior year is difficult.”
“Right, of course.”
I don’t fully understand what Ms. Lily is asking of me, but it can’t be that difficult. I’m not sure what to expect of the student. My mind flashes to various disabilities I’ve seen on TV. Maybe some dude in a wheelchair who I can help push around and play accessible basketball with.
But as the guidance counselor turns the corner, waiting for us at a locker ahead is not who I was expecting.
Standing next to a stout middle-aged woman is the girl from lunch who Darius was telling me about. She’s wearing a light gray dress and worn boots, as well as an attitude that screams she’d rather be anywhere else. Once closer, I notice a brown attachment on the side of her head that blends into her short red hair. And there’s something in her left ear as well.
Her dark brown eyes narrow skeptically as Ms. Lily and I approach. Like she’s sizing me up, already judging me, and for some reason, I’m desperate to prove wrong whatever she’s thinking.
“Nice to see you again.” Ms. Lily speaks, and the woman begins to interpret her words into sign language. “I thought it might be nice for you to have someone to show you around so you feel more at home here at Amber. This is Jackson Messina.” Ms. Lily gestures toward the girl. “And Jackson, please help me welcome Ellie Egan. As well as her interpreter Kim.”
“Hi,” I say, gesturing hello because it feels like I’m supposed to do something with my hands. Pointing to myself, I say to Kim, “You can tell her I’m Jackson.”
Ellie reaches out and waves a hand in front of my face, redirecting my attention to her eyes. What’s this about? Maybe she is a little…something. I try to keep my expression neutral. She completes a stringof signs that the interpreter voices as “She’s not the one you’re trying to talk to. I am.”
“The ASL interpreter will facilitate the conversation,” Ms. Lily says. “But you can talk to Ellie as you would any other student.”
The obvious difference being I don’t have to have an adult relay my words when I talk to any other student.I shrink, feeling much less confident about this whole thing. Another type of disability might have been easier to work with, since there wouldn’t be a communication situation. That’s probably not great to be thinking.
I just say, “Right, yes. Thank you.”
Ellie gives me a look that shoots daggers and pierces my very being.
The bell rings, and the interpreter alerts Ellie to the sound.
“You both have study hall this period, so maybe you can sit down somewhere and get better acquainted. Feel free to drop by my office anytime,” Ms. Lily says before walking away.
“Um.” I awkwardly hold up my lunch box. “I need to put this away in my locker, but that’s on our way.”
Ellie and Kim trail silently behind me, and I try to think of more to say but come up short. Whatever. They know I’m not showing them around yet. Finally, we get to the empty classroom on the second floor.
Sitting next to the new girl and her air of intrigue, as well as a middle-aged woman, brings a lot of eyes onto me as others trickle into study hall. I’m uncomfortable with the looks we get from our classmates, but Ellie seems indifferent, holding her head high, just like I saw her at lunch. She must be used to all this. I’m both impressed and sorry for her.
“Yeah, welcome to Amber High,” I say, tapping my hands restlessly on the desk. “I can give you a tour of the school soon and help withany questions you have, or even with tutoring. Since I’m one of the student tutors here, we can always set up time for that, too.”
There’s a brief delay as my words are interpreted. I watch Ellie’s face carefully as it contorts into a mischievous smirk. I give a nervous grin, a little terrified but unable to resist matching her smile.
