Free Whisper by Chrissie Keighery Page A

the second seems a bit like ‘racism’, so I’m guessing that it’s something to do with discrimination against deaf people.
    She’s wearing a low-slung studded belt, and her black jeans are frayed and ripped, exposing tartan tights underneath.Her boots are tartan too, laces undone. When she turns around, I can see that she has a large camera strung over her shoulder.
    Her brown eyes land on me, but they don’t seem to register anything. For a second, I wonder if I’m actually here.
    Helena drums her boots again. Her writing on the whiteboard is next to the info about the careers expo.But the style is very different. The lettering is huge and red, like a celebration.
    WELCOME BACK STELLA!!!
    Stella looks at the writing. She smiles at Helena and claps her hands together as she walks to the front of the room.
    â€˜Why no school uniform?’ Helena signs. The rest of us are the audience.
    â€˜I’m jet-lagged,’ Stella signs back, her hand flying across her front like a plane. She doesn’t voice as she signs. ‘I just came in to get books so I can do my homework.’
    â€˜Weren’t you … take books with you? Weren’t you … to be studying while you were away?’ Helena quizzes. I figure out the missing bit means something like ‘supposed to’ or ‘going to’. I’m getting faster at this.
    â€˜I was studying,’ Stella signs, head tilted. ‘I was right in the middle of the school of life.’ The word ‘middle’ is emphasised, Stella’s right hand chopping heavily down on her left.
    The performance is mesmerising. I glance around the room and see that the others are also staring with what looks like awe. Luke has his chin in his hands as he looks at Stella. I wonder whether she has been the cause of one of his past heartbreaks. Keisha’s eyes move between Luke and Stella, and I wish Luke would see Keisha properly, would notice how she looks at him. Everything could be so easy and un-heartbreaking.
    The three kids in front of me lean forward, enjoying uninterrupted views of the Stella show.
    Helena rolls her eyes exaggeratedly. She bites down on her smile and hands a form to Stella. ‘We have an excursion to the careers expo Wednesday week,’ she signs to Stella.‘I think you will be interested. So I hope we will have the pleasure of your company.’
    Stella shrugs, like the expo is no biggie. I have a feeling she already knows where her future lies.
    Helena shoos us out of the classroom the way she always does when it’s time to move to the next class. I’ve grown used to it. I actually kind of like the way she does it. It’s clear and predictable and familiar. Like she knows us all well enough to ‘shoo’.
    I stay seated for a minute as everyone leaves. I feel new all over again. As in, awkwardly new. It’s weird, because before Stella arrived this morning, I’d been thinking how nice it was to have started feeling settled in.
    I’m right near the door as usual, so everyone has to pass me. When Stella passes, I can’t help checking to see whether she has hearing aids or a cochlear. It’s become a habit when I’m around deaf people, searching for an indication of whether someone can hear anything at all.
    It’s not like I’m staring. More like I’m sneaking a look.I am leaning against my hand, and only my eyes travel.
    But it seems that she’s caught me anyway. Her eyes make a quick assessment. She blinks, and it feels like she has taken a mental snapshot of me to study later. But that’s ridiculous.It’s probably just me being paranoid.
    As I stand up I see Keisha, Erica, Luke, Cameron and Stella all gathered just outside the door. Their signing is fast and furious and I only catch words here and there. They obviously have a lot to catch up on.
    Erica beckons for me to join them. I point to my homework. We have English next. I