Page 40 of Mara
Sign language was like our secret language.
Trapp certainly didn’t know, and Jinx was just as stupid, though he always watched the movements of our fingers as we spoke.
You are bitching at me for kissing a nice guy when you’re giving your boyfriend a handjob under the table.
Gianna stiffened at my words, her arm ceasing movement and slowly pulling away.
Jinx chuckled and picked up her hand, kissing each finger and letting his tongue slide over the digits.
I hate you, I thought, hoping he could feel my hatred.
Trapp was as out of place as I was, but to his merit, he tried to carry on with some small talk, mostly asking me ridiculous questions that were monotonous even to answer, but I humored him.
“So, like, what made you deaf? When did you learn how to talk?”
“I was born deaf. I got cochlear implants before I learned how to speak, so it didn’t affect my ability to communicate normally. My tone is maybe slightly different than hearing people, but I am able to decipher fairly easily what someone is saying as long as I have all the pieces of the puzzle.”
He frowned. “Pieces?”
“Mara uses a variety of different things to be able to hear. She reads lips, listens to the tones in her cochlears, and she takes the environment into account.” Gianna said, smirking at me.
Gianna speaking for me pissed me off, especially for something like my own disability.
“Do you get money for being deaf?”
I tried to compose my expressions, but that caught me off guard.
“Why don’t you tell her about your apprenticeship, Trapp?”
Jinx spoke over me, giving me an escape from the boring talk I had endured so many times in my life. I had to admit I was grateful.
“Oh. Yeah. I am doing about fifty little projects a day atJinx’s Inks. It’s going well. Maybe I can de-virginize you one day.”
I coughed on my water, not sure if I read his lips correctly.
Jinx burst out laughing so hard he was about to fall off his chair.
Gianna was as confused as I was. We probably looked stupid just staring at the two men.
Trapp blushed beet red and cleared his throat. “Oh, I meant tattoos. Like you have virgin skin. I wasn’t saying you’re a virgin. I know you’re probably not…”
Jinx laughed harder, and I glared at him. He was an awful boss and a bad friend.
“I mean. I don’t know if you’re a virgin. Virgins are cool…not in a creepy way. I mean I…I…”
I smiled sympathetically, not really knowing how to respond besides forcing a laugh.
A waitress finally came over to our table, saving Trapp from more stupid words coming out of his mouth.
“What can I get you, hun?” the flirty bimbo asked Jinx, just as trapped in his eyes as I was.
Gianna spoke over Jinx, cutting off his order. “Maybe get some baby carrots, broccolini, and some spaghetti with preg?—”
Jinx stuck his finger to her lips. “Uh, no, babe. Ew. I will have a good ol’ fashioned burger and fries, please. Does this rich ass place make that?”
The waitress giggled and scribbled something on her pad. “Sorta, yeah. It is a steak burger, but I am sure we can work something out for you.”
Gianna cleared her throat and ordered her own meal, clearly pissed off that Jinx denied her weird dinner choices. Trapp ordered the most basic of all things, and I settled for a salad.
