Hello. I know that you probably all hate me, it's been over a year, and I'm so sorry. I really don't have an excuse, I just couldn't figure out what to say, but I promise you this – I will stay with you this time. I just hope that you can forgive me. This chapter takes place about a week after chapter two.

Disclaimer: I do not own Waterloo Road or any related characters, only the plot of this story is mine.

Chapter Three:

Vaughan was shouting. Leo knew that much. The angry look emblazoned on his face and the way he kept raising his arms gave it away. What he was saying, however, was still a mystery.

Every so often Leo caught a word or two, 'Justin' was one, and 'mum' and 'sorry' occurred a few times, but other than that he had no clue where the conversation was going. Even after fifteen years of lip reading, it was almost impossible for him to work out most of what people were saying.

Then Justin was shouting too. He threw a book at the wall, 'An Inspector Calls' noted Leo.

He looked around to see what everyone else was doing. Floyd was laughing, maybe because Justin was in trouble? And Allie was trying to mark some work. He didn't know where Tiffany was.

Leo pushed his hand into his pockets, feeling around for his hearing aids. They were still there. He guessed that his dad thought they worked or something, that they could work miracles. They didn't. They didn't do anything.

Sometimes he wondered whether his dad really understood his condition at all, yeah he learnt sign language, but he learnt French too, it didn't necessarily mean that Leo meant anything to him.

Justin pulled on his arm, literally dragging him out of his thoughts.

Leo could now see his dad blocking the door, his face angry. 'Leo' he signed sternly, and Leo sadly took note on how his dad still signed his name as L-E-O, 'tell him...'

Leo didn't get to see the rest, because Justin was already pushing him past his dad, and Leo could feel his hands clawing into his back. Justin was angry.

….

'He doesn't care about me or you Leo.' Justin signed as he and Leo sat on a bench in front of the sea.

Although they'd only been here a week, Justin knew that Leo liked it here. He liked the feel of the sea air on his face and the fresh salty air, but most of all, he knew that Leo liked being somewhere where he knew that he wasn't missing out on anything, where nobody would be talking and keeping him out of the loop.

'What?' Leo replied, his eyebrows raised to signal a question.

Justin sighed 'He wishes is was just him, Allie and her kids.' He signed 'not us'.

'How do you know that?' Asked Leo.

'It's obvious.' Was all Justin said before he stood up 'he doesn't even know your name.' Justin signed. Then he walked away.

Leo supposed that Justin was right – their dad had been much happier before they'd arrived, but he was their dad, of course he loved them!

Then there was his name. Well signing name. It wasn't like it'd changed, it was still as it always had been 'Lion'. At first it was just because he was called Leo, but these days Justin tends to pin it to him being brave. Leo likes that reason more.

His dad should know it, Leo knew that, but maybe he'd just forgotten? Leo knew it was rubbish though, it was exactly the same as forgetting that he was called Leo or that Justin was called Justin, it would never happen.

But Justin hated Allie, all of this could be his way of turning Leo against her, he wanted to be back with their mum. Leo knew that Justin would never admit it, but he was scared here, scared because he didn't know anyone, scared that people would judge him.

….

'L-E-O?' Tiffany signed later. Her signs were slow and muddled, even though it's only been three letters, but Leo was flattered, it showed she cared 'dinner?'

Leo guessed that the last part (and probably his name) weren't supposed to be questions, and that Tiffany was still confused with the new language, but he got the picture.

Leo smiled.

Everyone was quiet at dinner. Not that he'd notice if they were loud, but quiet as in no one even looked at each other. Except Allie and Vaughan.

They looked as if they were trying to coax everyone into starting a conversation, but they had no luck, Leo didn't have to be able to hear to know that Floyd and Justin hated each other.

But the food was nice. It was Spaghetti Bolognese, which was one of Leo's favourites.

He could see that Justin wasn't eating his and Leo knew that it was because he hated the tomato flavour, he always had, but there was no doubt that Vaughan would take it as an act of Justin's hate vendetta against Allie.

Tiffany looked at him as he stared at Justin. Leo liked her – she was nice, but he didn't like how she treated him as if he was made of glass.

Then again, at least she tried. Floyd had barely even come near him in the week that he had been staying at the Westbrook house, it was almost as if he was scared that straying to close would make him catch something off Leo.

And Allie. She tried to be nice, Leo knew that, but Justin hated her and that meant that Leo couldn't get to close to her either.

One thing that needed to happen for this family to work was communication. And not just talking, Leo hoped that they knew that.

Ok, so I decided to make Leo's signing name 'Lion'. I know it isn't very creative, but I honestly couldn't think of anything.

I hope that you liked it, especially after I made you wait so long (honestly I am REALLY sorry about that) but please rate and review, I will be really grateful! And thank you for sticking with this story, because I know that I wouldn't have. :/

Thanks xoxo