Page 25 of Beginning Fate

As we walked in and I scanned the area, Kylie found me from across the room. She lifted her hands into the air and started shaking them back and forth. It was the equivalent of clapping and cheering, or in this case, a sure way to get my attention.

Suddenly, all of her new friends had turned and were waving their hands in the air, too.

I blushed and turned my face right into Denny's broad chest. His hand that had been on my lower back wrapped around me as he held me to him and lifted his free hand in the air to wave back at them.

“Stop it. You're embarrassing me,” I warned.

He immediately stopped.

“Sorry. I don't think they realize they're cheering for us.”

Us?I almost choked as he said the world so casually.

There wasn't an us. There couldn't be because I was headed back to New York in a few days and his place was here and then who knew where, Alaska I supposed.

He must have sensed my discomfort because he loosened his hold on me and led me over to get a plate. Then we separated to get food. He was still busy by the time I loaded mine up, so I left him and went to check on my sister.

“What's going on?” she signed as I was sitting down.

“What do you mean?”

“They say you like Denny. Is that true?”

“Who says?” I signed back, not daring to say it aloud even though I knew the others were watching and waiting like they somehow knew exactly what we were talking about.

“Everyone. You looked cozy when you came in.”

“How would you know that?”

“My eyes work just fine.”

She was being such a smartass, and I was hell-bent on avoiding her accusations.

My defensive posture shifted, and I began to suddenly relax. It took me a second to realize it was because Denny had just sat down next to me.

“How's it going guys? Did anyone actually manage to sleep?” he asked, taking the time to sign his questions so Kylie could easily follow along. I knew it wasn't necessary, but it was a sweet sentiment that I knew she appreciated.

“We want to talk to Professor Jones and see if she'll teach us basic ASL this semester,” Autumn said.

My heart swelled with gratitude for these kids who genuinely wanted to include my baby sister in their lives. I said a quick prayer of thanks that we were lucky enough to find them yesterday and be a part of this group.

Denny

Chapter 7

In my perfect world I'd be alone with Lauren and really get to know her today, but the fact that she wasn't complaining about me hanging around and wasn't pushing me away said a lot. Or at least I hoped I wasn't reading too much into it.

It made me feel good just to sit next to her.

A few minutes later Damon and Karis joined us.

The kids started talking in hushed whispers and I noticed Kylie sign something to Lauren. It didn't take me long to figure out they weren't exactly happy with us cramping their style.

“Please,” Kylie signed to her sister.

I looked around and saw the rest of my D.O.G.s sitting at our usual table.

“Hey, I think we should move over to our usual table. We probably shouldn't be sitting with the freshmen anyway. It'll just cramp our style.”

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