disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING *sobs*
notes: OKAY SO. this was my first story on this account and i really like this idea but when i reread this i was like 'my style has changed so much omw' sooooo now im going through and editing this! to all my original readers, FEAR NOT. im not changing much. basically just going through and changing the tense and how brick and blossom meet (hint hint)
notes2: I AM EXCITED FOR THIS I FORGOT HOW EXCITED I WAS WHEN I FIRST WROTE THIS
playlist: 'Take On The World' by Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter

chapter title: Aren't Fridays Supposed to be Good Days? (a.k.a. My Day Started Out Normal But Then...)

.

.

Face to face with changes, what's it all about

But I know, I can work it out

.

.

x

I wake up to my sister, Bubbles, gently shaking my shoulder.

"Time to get up." She says, smiling softly at me. I nod and slip out of my warm bed. She squeezes my shoulder and leaves the room, probably going to wake my other sister, Buttercup. I venture into my bathroom, and quickly take a shower and get dressed. I wear simple clothing, a pair of jeans and a pink long-sleeved shirt. Pink flats go on my feet and a silver necklace with a rose charm goes around my neck. The necklace was a gift from my late mother, and my namesake. My sisters and I each have one, mine being a rose, Bubbles' being a bubble, and Buttercup's a buttercup. They are very special to us, and we never take them off.

My name is Blossom Utonium. I am seventeen years old, and one of three triplets. I have two sisters, Bubbles and Buttercup. I am 5'7" with peach-toned skin, and a curvy figure. My nose is small, and my lips are full, my teeth white. My eyes are a coral pink, framed by long lashes, and my eyebrows are thin. My hair is auburn, and goes down to the small of my back. My sisters look much the same, although Bubbles' eyes are sky blue, and her hair is blonde and curly, going down to her elbows. Buttercup has lime green eyes and jet black hair that reaches her shoulders, stick straight and layered in a bob.

My sisters and I live with our father, Professor Utonium, a talented scientist. Our mother, Maria, died three years ago, in a car accident. I was in the car with her, but I survived. However, my skull had taken some major trauma, and I lost my hearing completely. Some days, I get splitting headaches because of the damage that my skull took.

I remember the day it happened so clearly.

x

It was a Thursday, around five o'clock. I had just finished a piano lesson, and was driving home with my mother. We were talking about my latest composition, and how well I was doing with it. We had stopped at a red light, and were waiting for it to change. My mother had been laughing at some witty remark I had made, and the light turned. We sped up into the intersection, and I glanced out the window opposite mine: my mother's side. A dark blue car had been swerving through the lanes down that side road, and they didn't stop at the crosswalk. The car spun on its wheels and the rear end hurtled towards us. I screamed, my eyes wide. Mom had thrown her foot down on the gas pedal, but we were too late.

The car hit us. And everything went black.

The next thing I knew, I woke up in a hospital room, surrounded by machines and wires and flashing lights. My sisters had been bent over my legs, weeping. My father was seated in a chair, his face in his hands. I slowly sat up, already knowing that my mother was gone. It was a miracle I survived, and she was the one that had taken the direct impact. There was no possibility that she could've made it. I had opened my mouth to say something. I said 'Bubbles, Buttercup, Dad.'

But nothing came out. I could feel my mouth moving, see the relief on my family's faces, but…I couldn't hear myself. I tried again. By this time, the doctor and two nurses had walked in, their faces sad. My family was around me, embracing me, kissing me, their tears wetting my face and hospital gown. I could see their mouths moving, but I couldn't hear them.

And then it hit me.

I had lost my hearing. And my mother.

x

The next few months had been hard. I had to cope with the fact that my mother was gone, and so was my hearing. No more would I hear the birds chirping in the morning, or the sound of my father whistling while he worked in his lab. I wouldn't hear the wind in the trees or the sea crashing against the sand. I wouldn't hear Bubbles' sweet, light voice, so full of life, or Buttercup's laugh, loud and warm, and full of happiness. I wouldn't be able to hear music, or singing, or even the simple cling, cling of the wind chimes on our front porch.

I withdrew into myself, not talking, barely eating, and just staying shut in my room.

In the fourth month after my mother's death, my family had had enough. They forced me into proper clothes, gave me a good breakfast, and sat me down on the bench of our glossy white grand piano in the sunroom. Bubbles and Buttercup sat down next to me, on both sides, and my father stood behind us, his hands on my shoulders. He squeezed them, and I breathed in deeply. I could smell his cologne, and aftershave. I could smell Bubbles' perfume and hair products, and Buttercup's deodorant and soap. This was my family. They would never abandon me. They would always, always be with me.

I exhaled, and pressed down on the keys.

Vibrations ran along my arms, my back, my whole body. My eyes had widened, and my mouth had dropped open. I could feel the notes. I could feel what I was playing. Suddenly, all my pent-up emotions, all the grief and sadness and guilt and pain had flowed out of me, through my fingertips, and into the ivory keys. My fingers danced along the piano, my eyes sliding shut. Only later would I discover that Bubbles had recorded the entire thing. When I was done, and my eyes reopened, I was amazed. I could still play music; I didn't have to give up one of the things I loved the most. I could still play. My father kissed the top of my head, and brought us all in for a hug. Bubbles had tears running down her face, and Buttercup's eyes were watery. They engulfed me, supporting me, showing me that they accepted me and would help me through whenever I needed them to.

Now, here I am, going to school, getting an education, my family right beside me. But, my life is a little different.

I am terrified of cars. It's a phobia I cannot shake, even though I have tried practically everything. I walk to school with my sisters every day, and sometimes we ride our bicycles, but I have never been in a car since the accident. I refuse. My family understands. Bubbles and Buttercup are now almost always with me, even though that is not my doing. They decided that themselves. Either they are both with me, or one of them is while the other is doing something else. In the times when we have separate classes or they are both needed for something at the same time, we have a few close friends who stay with me. I am grateful for their loyalty, as I would be lost without them. In return, I help them as much as I can, with homework, or advice, or just in general. Bubbles is a ballerina, and I play for her. She will only dance to my music, no one else's. I help Buttercup with her sports training, timing her and giving her good routines to keep in shape. We have almost identical schedules, and they write down everything the teacher says so I can still pass my classes. The only people who know about me being deaf are my family, the school staff, and a few close friends. They have all agreed to keep it secret, as I do not want to be called out or sent to a school for deaf children. I am happy to say that I am passing all my classes with flying colors, and not one person has figured out my biggest secret. I like it that way.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, shaking me from my thoughts. My phone is on permanent vibrate, as I can't hear the ringtones. I scan the text.

From: BC
To: Me

Breakfast is ready.

I smile and grab my bag, slipping it over my shoulder and placing my phone in my pocket as I make my way downstairs. I smile a greeting to my family as I enter the kitchen, sitting down and starting to eat. I look at my sisters. Buttercup is wearing her typical outfit of a graphic tee and ripped skinny jeans, her favorite pair of converse on her feet. Bubbles is dressed a little girlier, in her usual skirt, blouse, and sandals, her hair in its usual pigtails.

My father asks Bubbles a question. She responds and we eat in contentment. On occasion, I will speak, but only around my family members. I can't bring myself to speak around anyone else, even my close friends. I have become terribly insecure about my voice. However, I have learned to lip read and have mastered sign language, as has my family, who learned to sign alongside myself.

When breakfast is finished, my sisters and I place our dishes in the dishwasher and kiss our father goodbye. He walks us to the front door and opens it for us. We walk out the door and down the drive, waving to our father. He goes back in and we start the short walk to school. Buttercup is on my left, closest to the road, and Bubbles is on my right. I have stopped trembling whenever a car whooshes past, but sometimes I flinch reflexively if any dark blue cars come into view.

On the way to school, my sisters and I talk, although I talk with my hands. They respond in kind, with both hands and mouths, and our conversation is light, playful. We arrive at the front gate to our school, Townsville High, and walk up to the front doors, meeting up with our group of close friends in front of them.

There's Mitch Michelson, a seventeen year old boy with dark brown hair and matching eyes. He is tall and fairly built, and a brother figure to my sisters and I. He is on the soccer team, along with Buttercup, and also plays football and basketball. He gives us each a hug hello, doing a special handshake with Buttercup afterwards.

Next is Robin Snyder, a very kind girl with clear blue eyes and chestnut brown hair. She's as tall as we are, and has a slim figure. She is very friendly and nice, much like Bubbles, but she's quieter and more soft-spoken. She pulls us into a hug, and starts talking to Bubbles about something.

Mike Believe is next; he has light brown hair and blue eyes, and he's always smiling. He is a little shorter than Mitch, but plays basketball as well. He is very funny and a bit outgoing, but not as daring as Mitch or Buttercup. He waves hello and signs a greeting to me. I smile and sign one back.

Last but not least is Princess Morebucks. She used to be snobby and selfish when we were younger, but as she got older she realized how mean she was and how treating others like dirt got her nowhere in life. So, she stopped. It took a while, but she's a changed person now. She can be a bit of a diva sometimes, but her intentions are good and her heart is in the right place. She has red hair that's always in big, corkscrew curls, and green eyes (a few shades darker than Buttercup's). She has freckles on her cheeks, and a very curvy figure, which she loves showing off. She is a real fashionista, and one of my very best friends (surprising since she treated my sisters and I terribly, but again, she's changed). She hugs me hello, waving to Bubbles and Buttercup after she pulls away. They smile back at her.

After hellos and hugs have been exchanged, the bell rings. Bubbles tells me by signing to me, and I nod. Our little group shares first, fourth, and seventh period, so we usually walk together. We walk into the class, Analysis of Functions, and take our seats. Buttercup sits on the far end of the classroom near a window, and I sit next to her. Bubbles sits in front of me, Princess on my left, and the rest of our friends are seated around the room.

Buttercup reaches over and taps my hand, signaling that the teacher has started to talk. I sit quietly at my desk, hands folded in my lap, as the lesson goes on. I watch the class around me carefully; I can see my friends and sisters taking notes and then hands go up. I guess the teacher, Mrs. Miller, asked a question. I see Robin's hand go down, and her mouth opens to answer. Whatever the question was, she answers it correctly, as she beams when she's done. Mrs. Miller nods and writes down the problem on the board. I copy the things on the board, doodling on a blank sheet of paper in the back of my notebook as I wait for more notes on the board to copy.

Suddenly, the classroom door swings open, and a student walks in.

Actually, three students. They are all boys, looking to be our age, seventeen or eighteen maybe, and are clearly brothers. The first one, who presumably explains their tardiness to the teacher, has blonde hair and dark blue eyes. He is built (although leaner than his brothers), and has a friendly, smiling face. The next boy is evidently the strongest of the three, as he has more noticeable muscle than the other two. His hair is charcoal black, and spiky. His eyes are a dark green, and have a mischievous glint in them. He smirks at the class, and the girls (save for my sisters and friends) all swoon. The last boy to enter catches my attention. He isn't as built as his black-haired brother, but he has more muscle than the lean blonde. He has fiery red hair tied back in a small spiky ponytail, a red baseball cap turned backwards on his head. His eyes are interesting: a vivid crimson red, the color of blood. They are cold and calculating, taking in the surroundings with no emotion whatsoever.

This boy intrigues me, for some odd reason. He and the other two boys walk to three empty seats at the back of the class. They sit down, next to the Plutonium girls: Berserk, Brute, and Brat. They're sisters, but are harsh and cruel to others. They think we are "beneath them", and they rule the school because they're rich.

I quickly scrawl 'Who are they?' on a spare sheet of paper. I discreetly slip it to Princess. I see her eyes scan the paper, glance up at the teacher, and write something back. She hands the paper back to me, her eyes not leaving the front of the room. I open the paper in my lap and read what she responded.

Those are the Jojo brothers.
Red – Brick / Green – Butch / Blue – Boomer
Rumor has it they're already taken by the Plutoniums. Gag.

I silently giggle at her commentary. I sign a thank you under the desk, and she smiles back. We go back to the lesson, but I find that I'm still curious about Brick.

x

After Analysis is over, Robin, Buttercup, Mitch and I go to AP Government as Princess, Bubbles, and Mike go to Economics.

As we enter the classroom, we see we're almost late and hurry to sit down. There's a substitute teacher today. He ignores us rushing past and begins the lesson.

Halfway through the class, he looks at me and says something, too fast for me to lip read. He gestures to the large world map behind him, presumably for me to go identify something. But what?

I glance at Buttercup, panic setting in. She mouths his request to me: 'Russia's capital'.

I nod slowly and get out of my seat, internally freaking out.

Oh no, what if I get it wrong and he asks me something else? I try to calm myself as I make my way to the front to the world map. Though it's only a few feet, it feels like death march. Everyone's eyes are on me. What if they say something? Is it obvious? Do I look like I'm deaf?

The teacher moves out of the way, waiting for me to complete his request. I examine the map, and quickly point to Russia's capital city. The sub nods and gestures me back to my seat, mouth moving to continue the lesson. Avoiding the eyes of the students, I walk back and sit down, clenching my shaking hands together in my lap and biting my lip. Out of the corner of my eye I see Robin look at me questioningly and Buttercup frown.

I can still feel stares burning into my back, and I have to fight the urge to shrink in my seat. My friends and family know I hate being the center of attention, because it brings questions, and when people question me, they eventually find out about my lost hearing, and pity me.

I don't need anyone's pity or sympathy. I tell myself, taking a deep breath and steeling my nerves again. Just ignore it. Don't pay any attention to them.

For the rest of the class I sit silently in my seat, staring straight ahead and trying to forget the feeling of my classmates watching my every move.

x

When lunch comes around, I'm fidgety from the amount of attention I'm getting. I've never gone up in front of the class or answered any questions in class, because the teachers – knowing my situation – don't pick me. But having to go up for the substitute meant people noticed me for the first time. It's almost as bad as being the new student.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, startling me from my thoughts. I glance in my locker mirror and slide my phone from my pocket, reading the text. It's from Mitch.

From: Mitch
To: Me

Hey, gonna go get pizza 4 lunch. U game?

I smile and quickly reply.

From: Me
To: Mitch

Definitely. Meet u in the front in 5.

I send the text and put away my textbooks, slinging my bag over my shoulder again. Our little group did this often, going off campus for lunch since the school lunches would most likely give us food poisoning.

Well, that wasn't the only reason. I don't like eating in the cafeteria because all the chaos makes my head hurt, so we usually go outside in the courtyard, or into town to eat. The others don't mind though, they always say that the school lunches are horrible and all the noise inside bothers them too.

I shut my locker door, click the lock shut, and turn to leave. As I do, I come face-to-face with Bubbles and Buttercup. I jerk back, surprised, an expression of fear on my face. Buttercup grins sheepishly and Bubbles pulls me into a hug.

"Sorry." Buttercup says (at school, we try to sign as little as possible, so as not to draw attention). "We didn't mean to scare you." I let myself relax and Bubbles lets go. I wave off her apology, and Bubbles loops her arm through mine and we start walking, Buttercup falling into step on the opposite side of me. They chat and laugh, me simply enjoying their presence.

As soon as we get to the front doors, we see Mike, Robin, Mitch, and Princess, and hurry over to them. They smile and greet us and we all leave campus, heading into Townsville.

x

The gang agreed to meet up in front of a small little pizza shop on the outskirts of Townsville, near the suburbs where we lived. We had discovered the tiny restaurant a year ago, and it's become a tradition to spend Friday lunches there. The owners are an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Little, and are extremely sweet. They insist on us calling them by their first names, Doug and Cecelia, and act just like grandparents. We all adore them. In our opinion, they make the best pizza in all of Townsville.

Princess and I are walking (it isn't that far from school) while the others are driving. It took some convincing, but I managed to get Buttercup and Bubbles to go with Robin in her car, and Mike and Mitch went in Mike's truck. Princess doesn't mind walking with me, and she easily agreed, assuring Bubbles and Buttercup she'd take good care of me. She told them she had to talk to me privately anyway.

"So," She says, turning her head so I can read her lips. "What's with the new obsession with the Jojo brothers?" She asks, expression sly. I scrunch my eyebrows.

What obsession? I sign. She giggles. Although my other friends knew only basic signs, Princess is actually quite adept at ASL, and her extensive knowledge is one of the reasons we are so close.

"Don't give me that! I saw the way you were eyeing Brick!" A faint blush appears on my cheeks, and my best friend squeals.

"Oh my God, you do like him! I knew it!" She claps her hands in excitement. "Finally, I get to play matchmaker for you! You haven't liked anyone in ages!" I shrug, a small smile on my face.

Not true. Did you forget about Dexter? I point out. She rolls her eyes.

"Blossom, that was in seventh grade. And you totally lost interest after he asked that one girl out – what was her name?" Princess says.

Olga. I supply, spelling out the name letter by letter. She snaps her fingers.

"Yeah, her! And besides, Brick is so much better for you! He's smarter, he's taller, he's an athlete, and he's hot!" She squeals again. I smack her lightly on the arm. She smiles at me, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Oh, I can't wait to get you two together!" Before she can say anymore, I hold up my hand and point. She turns her head and sees the pizza parlor a little way down the street. Taking my arm, she practically drags me inside.

"Hey! We're here!" Princess calls as we enter, the small bell swinging back and forth above the door. Cecelia appears in front of us and smiles brightly.

"Hello dears! It's so good to see you!" She hugs us both, smelling like flour and chocolate. She wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"And how are you doing, sweetie?" She asks. Doug and Cecelia are the only other people who know about my hearing loss. When they found out, they were extremely supportive, and still are. They are literally like my grandparents, since ours died a few years ago. My sisters feel the same way, and see them as family.

I'm doing fine. I sign, smiling at her. Princess translates for me and Cecelia beams at me, leading Princess and me over to our group's usual circular corner booth by a window. The others are already sitting down with their drinks.

"What would you like to drink? Your usuals?" Cecelia asks. Princess and I nod and slide into the end of the booth. Mitch and Buttercup are arguing, although there are grins on both of their faces. Bubbles and Robin are discussing something – I catch the words 'art class' and 'paintings' – with Mike throwing in comments and opinions every once in a while.

Cecelia comes back with our drinks after a couple of minutes, pink lemonade for me and a Sprite for my best friend. We thank her and she goes back into the kitchen to continue cooking with Doug. Right now we are the only ones in the pizza shop, as it isn't very busy. On Fridays everyone who doesn't eat in the cafeteria goes to eat at the fast food restaurants downtown. It's always crowded and the waits are long, so of course we don't go.

Again, I hate the noise, and places like that are way overpriced anyways. After a little bit of joking around and chatting, Doug comes out with our pizza. It's an extra-large half and half kind, one half being plain cheese and the other half loaded with toppings. Doug ruffles Buttercup's hair and winks at us.

"Cece's in back making some new dessert. Ya'll are gonna be her guinea pigs today." Bubbles 'aww's at Doug's use of his wife's nickname, and Mitch and Mike cheer at the prospect of trying a new confection. Cecelia makes the best desserts, no matter what kind they are. Buttercup and Robin high five each other and Princess giggles. I smile at Doug and he sets our pizza down in the middle of the round table.

"Enjoy!" He says, and waves as he disappears into the kitchen again. All of us make a grab for a slice of pizza. We laugh and start to eat. After a few seconds of no one talking, Princess puts down her cheese slice. She gives me a pointed look and my face pales slightly.

"I have an announcement to make." She says, grinning deviously. Everyone looks up at her curiously, and I frantically shake my head no, but she continues.

"Blossy here has a crush." I put my burning face in my hands and watch my friends' different reactions. Mitch drops his pizza and Mike chokes on his drink, while Robin claps her hands enthusiastically and Bubbles squeals. Buttercup gives me a bewildered look.

"What?" Buttercup, Mitch, and Mike say at the same time. Princess busts out laughing and I narrow my eyes at her in a threatening, yet playful way.

"You heard me. Blossom, has a crush." Princess repeats. I shove her shoulder and stare at the table, taking a bite out of my pizza. Bubbles and Robin lean forward.

"Who is it?" Robin asks, her facial expression excited. Bubbles nods. I sigh deeply and sign.

It's not a crush. I was just curious about the new transfers in Analysis. Bubbles excitedly translates.

"Oh, you mean the Jojo brothers?" Robin asks. I nod in confirmation. Bubbles squeals again.

"They are so cute! Especially Boomer…" She trails off, a dreamy look in her eyes. Princess and Robin giggle and the boys roll their eyes, grinning. Buttercup gives me a look and shakes her head, making me giggle. Mike speaks up.

"I think it's awesome you like someone, Blossy. But if he hurts you in any way I'm going to kill him." He says. Mitch nods, crossing his arms.

"Ditto," He says.

"You got that right." Buttercup pitches in. My cheeks redden in embarrassment and I glare at them. They snicker, but raise their hands in the universal sign of surrender.

"Okay, before Blossom here rips you guys to pieces," I turn my glare on Robin as they start laughing harder. "Let's change the subject!" Bubbles nods.

"Yeah, how are your fashion designs for class coming, Princess?" Princess launches into a lengthy explanation about her newest ideas, and I go back to eating my slice of pizza, Princess' excited rambling too much for me to keep up with.

Sounds cool. I sign to her. She smiles.

"Hey Bubbles, how're you doing with your latest performance?" Mitch asks suddenly, looking toward my blonde sister. Bubbles giggles.

"Great! Blossom and I just have to go over things a few more times to smooth everything out, but by then we'll have it memorized!" He chuckles and Mike grins at me.

"Hey, you do know that the Jojos are dating the Plutoniums, right?" Robin blurts out. Buttercup gags at the mention of their name, and Princess frowns. Mitch pulls a disgusted face, which makes Mike laugh. Everyone turns to me, waiting for my reaction.

Yeah, I know. I sign. This time Princess relays my message. And it makes me sick too.

I send Buttercup a look, and she smiles sheepishly. I smile and take a bite out of my pizza, not meeting my sisters' eyes. No one talks for another minute or so, just focusing on finishing our food. Just then, Cecelia bursts out from the kitchen, making us jump in surprise. She whisks over to us, a tray in her hands. She's beaming, and her silver hair was yanked back in a loose bun. A streak of white, probably flour, is across her cheek, and chocolate is splattered on her apron. She sets the tray down on our table, and a delicious smell wafts by our noses.

"What is that?" Buttercup says, eyeing the tray hungrily. Mike nods in agreement, and Mitch is practically drooling. Cecelia chuckles.

"It's a new recipe for brownies. I want you guys to try it out, see if it's any good." Princess rolls her eyes playfully and takes a sip of her drink.

"Cecelia, you know if it's anything you made, it's bound to be absolutely delicious." Cecelia's eyes sparkle from the praise, and I smile at her. She sets the tray down in front of us, picking up the now-empty pizza dish.

"Enjoy!" She calls, waving as she goes back behind the swinging doors. Before the guys or Buttercup can devour the entire dish, Robin cuts the brownies with a knife and hands us each one. We all share a look, and then bite into the treats at the same time. My eyes shut and I smile happily. The brownies are amazing, and by everyone else's looks, they think the same. In a flash, Mitch, Mike, and Buttercup finish their brownies. Bubbles and Robin take small bites out of theirs, eating daintily and going back to their previous conversation. Princess and I laugh and eat our brownies quickly. What can I say; I have a major sweet tooth.

About ten minutes later, we are all sitting in a comfortable silence, stomachs full. Doug and Cecelia walk out, and laugh at us.

"So, what did you think?" Cecelia asks.

"Fifteen out of ten." Mike says. Mitch shakes his head.

"Twenty out of ten." Mike fake-glares at him and the two begin to argue good-naturedly. Buttercup laughs.

"The meal was awesome, you guys." She reassures the elderly couple. Bubbles smiles widely.

"As always." She adds. Robin nods her head, as do Princess and I.

Thank you. I sign. Princess translates, since Doug and Cecelia don't completely understand sign language. Cecelia hugs me gleefully, and Doug chuckles. Robin looks at her phone.

"C'mon guys, lunch will be over soon. We'd better get going." Mitch and Mike stop their argument and we slide out of our booth, hugging the chefs goodbye.

"See you later!" Princess says as we walk out of the door. My sisters and Robin climb into her white car and drive off, Mitch and Mike following shortly after. Princess and I talk about random topics on the way back to school. The others are waiting in the school parking lot for us. As we get just inside the school entrance, the bell rings signaling the end of lunch. Mike, Mitch, and Buttercup high-five each other.

"Just made it!" Buttercup says proudly. Robin laughs.

"See you guys in study hall!" She says, waving as she makes her way down the hallway. Mitch salutes us and follows her. Mike and Buttercup head to gym, while Princess, Bubbles and I go to AP Chemistry.

Let's get to class. I sign, looking around to make sure no one's watching. Bubbles nods and loops her arm through mine. Princess giggles and walks on my other side. We make it to class before everyone else, so we choose our seats in the back of the class. Mrs. Stein smiles at us.

"You're going to work in groups of three today." She starts. "I'm choosing the groups, but since you are some of my best students, I think I can make an exception." She winks at us. "Would you like to be in a group together?" Bubbles squeals and Princess nods.

"Yes please!" My blonde-haired sister says. Mrs. Stein laughs and nods her head, writing something down on the roll sheet.

"Okay then. You girls don't have to move, just stay in your seats. I'll give you the assignment along with the rest of the class." We nod and talk quietly as the rest of our classmates enter the room. The late bell rings after a couple minutes, and Mrs. Stein walks up to the front of the classroom.

"Alright, class, listen up. Today, you're assignment requires you to be in groups of three." The class perks up instantly and starts to talk. Mrs. Stein holds up her hand, waiting for silence. When the class finally quiets down, she speaks again. "Unfortunately, I have already chosen your groups." The class groans and Mrs. Stein smiles wryly. She begins to call out names and hand out worksheets, and people get up and move around the room.

"Mrs. Stein, what about them?" A blonde named Stacy asks, pointing to us in the back. Mrs. Stein looks at us over the top of her glasses, and winks again. She does it so quickly that I almost don't see it. She turns to Stacy calmly.

"Those three are in their own group. They don't need to move." She explains. Berserk gets to her feet, glaring.

"Why are they always together?! They do every single assignment together! That's favoritism!" She accuses, jabbing a red pointy fingernail in our direction. To be honest, no one is surprised at her outburst. The Plutonium sisters are known to cause scenes, because they love attention. Mrs. Stein looks at Berserk steadily.

"Miss Plutonium, please take your seat and complete the worksheet." She says, her face showing no emotion. Berserk's blush-stained cheeks turn even redder and she clamps her mouth shut, folding her arms and sitting back down with a huff. Bubbles nudges me under the table. I look at her, and she crosses her eyes and sticks out her tongue. I hold a hand over my mouth, stifling a laugh. Princess' smile widens and her eyes shine with mirth. Her face now back to normal, my sister picks up the worksheet and examines it.

"Okay, so the result of a chemical equation with boron and hydrochloride would be…" As the class continues, Princess, Bubbles, and I finish the worksheet and pass notes. Berserk keeps glaring at me, presumably because I'm the smartest in the class. I tell this to Princess and Bubbles (via notebook paper), who both say to just ignore her. I comply, and she proceeds to shoot daggers at me with her hot pink irises. Inwardly, I groan. I had just made an enemy. Great.

x

"Finally!" Buttercup says, stretching her arms above her head. "Last period!" Mike grins.

"Study hall!" He says excitedly, pumping his fist in the air. Robin and Mitch laugh, and Buttercup chuckles. Bubbles giggles and Princess snorts, rolling her eyes playfully. I smile.

'Almost time to go home', I mouth. Buttercup nods in agreement.

"Thank God for that. I'm done with school." She sighs dramatically. Bubbles' lips twist into a smile.

"But you have to come back on Monday." She points out. Buttercup scowls at her, making us all laugh.

"Shush woman, don't ruin the moment." My black-haired sister says, flapping a hand in Bubbles' face. The blonde swats her hand away and goes to stand next to Mitch. He rests an arm around her shoulders, and then pulls Buttercup next to him with his other arm. She cries out in protest.

"Mitch! Let me go, jerk!" She laughs, struggling to get away. He grips her tighter and brings his face down to my sisters' eye level. He hugs them tightly, squishing their faces together. Mike and Robin are laughing hysterically, as am I, albeit I laughed silently. Princess isn't laughing as hard as us, so she whips out her IPhone and snaps a picture. I peek over her shoulder at the picture. Mitch's cheeks are smushed against Bubbles' and Buttercup's. He's grinning cheekily. Bubbles is laughing, her eyes screwed shut. Buttercup's eyebrows are scrunched together and her face was comical: a mix between a laugh and a grimace, her eyes practically crossed. I start laughing harder at the sight.

"My two darling sisters!" Mitch coos, finally releasing the two from his death grip. He claps his hands theatrically. Mike smiles deviously at me.

"Oh, but you can't forget Blossom!" He says, gesturing to me. My pink eyes widen and I shake my head, waving my hands in front of my body. Mitch laughs evilly.

"But of course! There's still little Blossy to hug!" He swoops toward me and lifts me off the ground in a bear hug. My face holds a terrified yet amused expression as he spins me around. Princess snaps more pictures and the others keep laughing. After a minute, he sets me down, and I stumble slightly, my head spinning. Robin steadies me.

"Blossom!" She says. "Are you okay?" I nod, smiling. She lets go of my arm and we continue to walk to our last class of the day.

"Mitch!" Robin reprimands. "You could've hurt her!" She wraps her arms around my shoulders and pouts. Mitch laughs and pats my head.

"Oh c'mon, Robbie, Blossom's fine. Look at her!" He points at my face. I'm trying to keep from smiling, but I can't help it. Bubbles and Buttercup laugh and Princess swats Mitch's head. Mitch scowls at her and Mike laughs at him. I go up to Mitch and hug his waist apologetically. His scowl disappears and he hugs me, draping his arm over my shoulders as we walk. We continue to laugh and chat until we arrive in class. In this class there are assigned seats because the teacher, Mr. Harris, is very strict. Mitch, Mike, and Buttercup head to the front of the class because they're 'troublemakers'. Robin and Princess are on the left side of the class, and Bubbles and I are in the middle. Bubbles slips into the desk next to mine and reaches for my hand. She taps it twice, and I focus on the front of the room. Mr. Harris is scolding a boy in the front for being late. He then launches into a lecture – probably about good behavior and such. This is the norm for study hall. We never do anything, just listen (except for me, ha) to Mr. Harris drone on about teenagers and their lazy habits. I begin to doodle as he rants, and my blank sheet of paper transforms into a rough picture of my sisters and I, in the park when we were seven. I suck at drawing, but I remember that day well. It was when I still had my hearing. I close my eyes and try to remember what everything sounded like, the birds and the wind whistling through the trees and rustling the flowers. I try to remember what it sounded like to be normal. Because no matter how hard I try, I will never be normal again.

x

Bubbles must have seen the now sad look on my face, because she stealthily leans across the aisle and taps my shoulder. I open my eyes and look at her. She mouths 'Are you okay?' and I nod, dropping my gaze to my desk. She hesitantly moves back into her chair, but every so often I feel her looking at me. I keep my eyes trained on my paper, pretending to draw another circle. But I can't focus.

Sometimes I get like this: sad or melancholy, reminiscing about my lost abilities or Mom. I'm never sad for long, though, as my sisters and friends make sure to cheer me up. They know I struggle with my handicap at times, and they support me so I don't get depressed again. And I will be forever grateful for it. But, occasionally it's too much to handle, and I lose myself to memories…

Stop it. I tell myself sternly, mentally shaking my head. Study hall is no place to cry.

I shove those thoughts to the back of my mind and take out my homework, using the time to complete all the worksheets and assignments. This takes most of the class period, so when the bell rang I'm one of the last ones out, still packing up as everyone else runs out the door. Mitch, Mike, and Buttercup are among those people, practically dragging Robin and Bubbles. Mike tries to grab Princess, but she stomps on his foot with her heels and he lets go, retreating out the door with the others. She turns around and walks to my side. I stand, slipping my bag over my shoulder.

"Are you going to put on your headphones?" She questions. I nod, yanking out my phone and plugging in my pink headphones. I stick the ear buds in my ears and pocket my phone. I do this every day after school so no one tries to speak to me. I can lip read well, but my voice is out of use and I can't be completely sure on how I sound anymore. The easier solution is to just act like I'm listening to music, and it works. No one ever tries to talk to me. But then again, no one used to ever pay any attention to me, either, and that changed today. I can only hope I'm forgotten by the time Monday rolls around.

.

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oh blossy, if only you knew }:D

SEE I EDITED IT. i like it this way better. writing in present tense is easier for me now.

just for clarification: blossom can lip read and speak sign language. her sisters and princess are the only ones who can hold an actual conversation in sign language with her.

ALSO, sign language doesn't have elaborate sentences like 'it makes me sick too'. the actual signs would most likely read something like: 'me sick too' but you have to fill in the blanks lol

REVIEW AND TELL ME IF THIS SEEMS REALISTIC TO YOU BC I WANT TO MAKE THIS AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE THX BABES ~

peace out girl scouts,

two red converse