Being Differrent by Renee Pollet (pdf to ebook reader txt) 📖

*things in here are Hazel's thoughts*
!Hazel!
      Hiya! My name is Hazel Fonst. I'm fourteen years old and about to become a freshman in high school. Because of my dad's job, I'm moving to Los Angeles, California from Arabi, Louisiana, with my mom, dad, and older brother. That's about it, oh yeah! I'm deaf.
       Right now I'm in the car with my family on our way to California. I see my father pulling up in a gas station, and his lips are moving fast, so he's probably not talking to me. Then I feel Hale, my older brother, tap my arm. I turn to him and smile, he smiles back and signs 'Do you want anything?' I shake my head no. Dad filled up the car and we leave again.
          We stop at a hotel to stay for the night; I meet my family in the lobby after I woke up in the backseat. They were getting our rooms, a single for mom and dad, and a double for me and Hale. I feel eyes staring at me, so I turn to see two young men, 24 or 25 staring at my hearing aids. To be honest, I don't need these hearing aids, they don't even work. I only have them so people know I'm deaf, and can't hear them. I smile at them and they just look away. *It's always gonna be like this, isn't it*
        After being on the road again, we stopped at a big, two-story house. It looked pretty old, but still livable. Me and Hale jumped out the car at the chance to stretch our legs. My dad signed 'Welcome to our new house kids' I smiled at him, and ran up to the house. The door was open so I walked in and went upstairs. I chose a big bedroom with a small bathroom. Its walls were a sky blue and mint green; it had a big bed with no bedspread. The room had a walk in closet and mirror attached to the wall. I looked out the window and saw trees, trees, and more trees. *Nature sure is beautiful*My parents and older brother got everything inside, and we adjusted into our new lives.
       It has now been a week since I moved to California, and I'm always spending my extra time in the woods by a small river. I like to take my sketch pad up there and draw all the different sceneries. Right now, I'm sitting in my special spot and feel movement on the ground. I turn and see a dog walking to me, a boy slowly following behind him. His lips are moving but too fast, I can't understand him. His expression turns to anger and he throws his arms in the air. I pull my fiery red hair back, so he could see my hearing aids. He noticed them and came up to me, now he was talking at a readable speed.
       "What are you doing here? The woods aren't a place for a girl, and especially not a deaf one!" He said with an angry expression. I started signing, then realized that he doesn't know sign language. I spoke to him with a somewhat annoyed look on my face. "I was just drawing, I like to draw places like these." He stared at me at me in awe.
                                                                       !Carter!
      What's up? My name is Carter Kackston, just a normal 15 year-old sophomore with a bad attitude. I live with my dad and bro. Since my mom died, it's just been my dad, my brother, and me.
      I'm walking in the woods with my dog, Baggy. I found him after school and just took him in. Anyway, we were walking in the woods when Baggy caught a scent. I followed him to a small river, where a girl sat on the ground. She had a sketch pad in hand and was drawing at a rapid speed. I tried calling out her, but she didn't react. Baggy took two steps toward the girl, and she turned her head as if she was surprised. I tried talking to her, but she didn't say anything. I got annoyed and threw my hands up exasperated.
      She then pulled back her beautifully straight fiery red hair, to reveal some manila colored hearing aids. I blew a fuse just thinking, *What the hell is an effing deaf girl in the woods for?* "What are you doing here? The woods aren't a safe place for a girl, and especially not a deaf one!" She looked at me slightly annoyed then spoke.
      "I was just drawing. I like to draw places like these." She looked at me with her hazel eyes. Her voice was melody to my ears; I could listen to it all day. "What's your name?" I asked her slowly. She replied still looking somewhat annoyed, "Hazel." She said in a low voice, then smiled at me. I was mesmerized by the beauty. She got up, waved bye, and walked off. I went home, her smile invading my mind.
     "Welcome home son!" My dad, Carl, said in a loud, excited voice. "Were you doing good today? How was school last Friday?" My older brother, Carson, was on the couch watching TV not paying attention to me. Then his voice penetrated the silence I created, "Welcome back, Dude." I nodded at him and went to my room and lay down. I stared at the ceiling, until my eyes drifted into sleep.
                                                                             *Hazel*
       After my encounter with the boy in woods, I went home just like any other day. I was greeted with the smell of chocolate chip cookies. "I'm home!" I say loudly. My dad comes into view. 'How are you sweetie?' he signs. 'Fine' I signed back. I went upstairs to my room to get on my computer. I went to a site so me and my friends could talk to each other.
     My friend Lanie Vakes, Jesse Noltmon, and Jace Harris, were all signed on. I decided to have a chat with them:
Hayfon signed on.
Hayfon: Hey Every1!
Lavie: Hey Chika!
Jessen: What's up shortie!
Jaceh: Sup' Hay!
Jessen: Is everything going good?
Lavie: Meet any cute guys yet?
Jaceh: Did u start skool yet?
Hayfon: Ok. Yes. No ;)
Lavie: Oooh! Wats his h and e?
Jessen: Wats h and e?
Lavie & Hayfon: Girl Talk! >:(
Hayfon: Brown and Brown!
Lavie: Ooooh! Sweet!
       I saw something flash in the corner of my eyes, and turn around. It's my doorbell. It's designed to flash to get my attention when someone presses the button outside my door. I open my door, and see Hale with a bright smile on his face. 'Dinner's ready' he signs. I nod and shut my door.
Hayfon: GTG! TTYL
Lavie: Bye Chika!
Jessen: L8R Shorty!
Jaceh: Sionara!
Hayfon signed off.
     I shut down my computer, and went downstairs. Mom was grabbing the vegetables, Dad was getting plates, and Hale was setting the table's silverware. I sat down at my seat after they were done and began eating. Dad started signing, 'School starts on Tomorrow. Are you excited?' I shake my head and he laughs.
When dinner was over, I took a shower and settled down in my room. I pulled out a book and got engrossed in it. When I finished the book, I looked at my clock, it read 11:00. It was late so I decided to go to sleep. I turned off the light and drifted into unconciousness.
       I awoke to my phone alarm vibrating on my bed. I turned it off and went to go take shower. After I was out, I got dressed and brushed my teeth. I looked in the mirror; my fiery red hair fell smoothly around my face. I applied a very thin layer of make-up. A light brown eye shadow, eyeliner, and no blush. I walked downstairs and got some breakfast and left with Hale to school. We arrived in the school parking lot; I got out and went to the office to get my schedule.
     The desk lady was talking but I couldn't understand her. She then looked at Hale; he answered her questions while signing to me. Realization crossed her face when she realized that I was deaf. She looked at me as if I was some injured animal on the side of the road. *kinda annoying*
      The principal walked in and handed me a note saying he was going to send me texts when the bell was supposed to ring and when he needed to see me. I nodded at him, the note also said to show my teachers this so I wouldn't get my phone taken away. He walked off and I got a text a minute later. (Go to your 1st period of the day). I giggled and left to find room 106.
      I was walking down the hallway alone and then bumped into someone. "Sorry!" I immediately said. Then I looked up and saw the guy from the forest. "Hazel" I saw my name fit his lips. *Those luscious looking lips* I thought to myself. He touched my arm and I felt electricity buzz through me though it brought me back to Earth. He was smiling, no smirking, at me. It was an annoying look, so I scowled at him in response. His body moved in a motion that I recognized as laughter. He had friends behind him laughing as well.
      I glared at the whole group of them when a tall man came up behind them. I smiled, and the guys looked somewhat distraught. The man tapped a finger on one of the boys' shoulder, and he turned immediately. His grinning face was gone in a second; I couldn't even hide my smile. The man turned to me and began talking.
      "Hello there. You must be Miss Fonst, our new student?" He greeted and asked. I nodded and felt a vibration of my phone. I took my phone out and was looking at the message when the man yanked my phone out of my hand. "You will not use your phone in school! And especially not in front of a teacher." He said in what I was presuming to be an authorative tone. I pulled the note the principal gave me out of my pocket and handed it to him. He read it and had a look of guilt on his face. "I am so sorry, I didn't know of your circumstances." The boys looked at me warily. I shrugged and walked looked to my phone again.
     (Try to get to class quickly Ms. Fonst.) The principal sent me. I smiled as I thought that the principal reminded me of my Uncle Jacob. I walked off and arrived at my class.
      "Everyone, this is our new student, Hazel Fonst." Mr. Grubbs said loudly to the class. He walked me over to my desk and I got through my first three periods. The lunch bell rang (Or so my text said) and a girl, Carrie Stonet, walked up to