As I walked into my science class after waving what I thought was a goodbye to Jaxon, I quickly wove my way through the classroom's confusing desk patterns, that the teacher liked to change every few weeks. Unlike most of the other classes my science class had large black desks that resembled the ones you'd use to do experiments on. Each desk could sit two people, and luckily for me, Mercy just so happened to be in this class.

I took my seat next to the already present Mercy, and began to get my carefully marked sheets of paper from my binder. A stray piece of hair drifted over my hand, and I felt myself begin to wonder, who did it belong too. In a swift motion, I yanked the hair which earned me a small yelp from Mercy, and the satisfaction of knowing whom it belonged too.

However, this satisfaction came at a price. My mind began to rush over images of the possibilities of what Mercy truly looked like. Was her hair the color of chocolate? Or perhaps the color of the golden sun? Maybe it was dark like the night sky. How about the same cherry color mine was? What about her nose, and eyes? Who was Mercy Rawson? And what in hell's name did she look like?

Swiftly I grabbed her hand, signing into her hand a message that only the two of us could understand. Can I touch your face? I signed.

Why? Mercy signed back, her soft fingers quickly grazing the top of my palm. From the soft touch, and sweet smell of coffee, it was clear she used lotion.

I want to feel, what you look like? I signed, then hesitated a bit, before adding the next part. Why don't you tell me too.

Really? Why Ashley, you've..you've never asked before. I thought maybe you didn't want to know. That you liked not having to know what we looked like. Mercy signed. It seems that you really have changed in these past few weeks.

Yeah, I suppose I have. I replied, then gently moved one of my hands to her face. Her skin was not smooth but not exactly rough either. It, however, was free from the powder or stickiness of makeup.

Well to start my description of myself, I have really big nose. She signed, and my hand immediately moved to her nose, which, was in fact, not as large as she made it out to be. In fact, compared to her slightly chubby cheeks, it seem'd to fit her face perfectly. And I suppose I'm tall, but not as tall as you.

I rolled my sightless eyes at her statement, for I already knew I was tall. My long legs and thin build had been created for running. Although I wasn't as god in my earlier years, as I was now, it had taken time to grown into my tall self. Well slightly taller than all the other girls. Yet somehow Jaxon seemed to be half a head taller than me, which beyond frustrated me.

And what color is your hair? I signed, letting my hand drift to her hair. It was pulled back into a tight ponytail, with wavy tracing down her back. It was long, and slightly knotted, but I would imagine it was hard to manage.

It's blond. The color of the sun. She signed. She then froze for a moment before continuing. My eyes are blue, like the color of the sea after a storm.

And, can I ask you one more, thing I've never thought to ask before? I signed, the question hesitantly into Mercy's palm.

Anything.

Could you use your voice, if you wanted to that is? I signed.

No. She replied, swiftly. Well, technically I could but it is something I promised myself I'd never do. She then froze. A vow of silence.

We continued the rest of class in an icy silence, neither of us daring to speak, after what Mercy had just revealed. So we sat and listened to the teacher drone on about Glycolysis, and how one girl said she didn't need to learn this, afterwards revealing that she planned to be a stripper after high school.

I suppose we all had our dreams. But, whether our dreams were to be strippers or run cross country or maybe even whisper a lullaby to a loved one, a singular last time, all dreams could die. But it was up to us to keep them alive.

* * *

I walked into the 'Meteor Zone' later that day to the soft sound of tears. It didn't take me long after that to figure out they belonged to Mercy. Her breathing shuddered as I could since she was sobbing, she was shaking. I could now picture the blond in my mind, with stunning accuracy it was like I'd seen her before.

What happened? I signed to Eve.

The school board passed a budget change that would allow us to buy Mercy a machine that would be able to talk, for her. Mr Meyers just got it in today. I..I don't know why she's so upset though. Eve signed. That left my mind to think. I knew Mercy had purposely chosen not to speak, but now she was choosing not to speak. What had happened to her that had caused this vow of silence?

Mercy, you can trust us. Please tell us the truth. I signed into her damp hand, which was wet from tears. She yanked her hand from mine, and for some reason I could tell she was shaking her head. I gently took her hand again and tried once more. Please tell us.

F-fine. Mercy signed, her hand shaking violently. Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess and her mother hand father. They loved each other very much and they were all very happy together. Then one day tragedy struck. The princess' beloved father came home, his breath reeking with alcohol, a scent the princess was never to forget.

Mercy froze, choking back more tears, and steadying her hand.

The princess begged her father to calm down, but her cries fell on deaf ears. The mother cried fat tears, that would forever stain the princess' memories. Mercy started again. The father then started to hurt them. It wasn't so bad at first, but over the weeks it got worse and worse. Until one day the mother threatened to go to the authorities and take the princess away from her father.

Mercy's breathing rapidly increased as she continued.

So the father, he grabbed the princess by the neck and made the mother swear never to tell anyone. Mercy signed, hands shaking vigorously. He then looked at the princess with his cold, emotionless eyes, and told her, that if she ever spoke of these past weeks, or even spoke at all, he'd kill her.

That was when Mercy broke down sobbing. No one had to tell us that Mercy was the princess of her story, and no one needed to either. We sat on the floor, the three of us gripping onto one another, hugging each other, as if we were clinging to our lives. And like that we stayed, for a very long time...

AN:

Umm...surprise? I updated early to give you kids something to live for.

This part bes dedicated to GayleGirl19 who might be in my science class. (Lol she loves me)

Anyways I wanted to ask you if you thought this book was cliché in any form or fashion. So lemme go over some of the worst crimes.

1) Main character is female - who hasn't done this?

2) Main guy is a bad boy - *Is slightly proud of her child, Jaxon (who isn't a bad boy)*

3) Main girl is a nerd - lol that's two I've not sinned on

4) Le bitches of the school - well if you don't like them get out... wait that's all of you

5) The girl to guy ratio is 1:8 - lol success once again. There are only like five guys EVER mentioned and two of them are related to Ashley one is her ex and the other is her brother's best friend. Then Jaxon. Then there is like 50 trillion girls.

6) They kiss by chapter 4 (and she hated him chapter 3) - lol if u like meh slow pace, don't worry, I'll continue to torture you for the remainder of the book

7) The teachers are crazy/evil - not really. Mostly just bad...

8) They only have PE and math. That's it. - We had a science class today.

9) The plot is overly dramatic. - oh my cheesecakes it is. But at least they aren't cheating on each other every other Tuesday.

Did I miss any? Oh well I think my book is mostly spared from the cliché madness

(Although I like to post my entire life story in the AN)