Chapter Four. Pawns in the Game
Chapter Four
Pawns in the Game
I was wrong. My week can, and does, get worse.
When Ginger and I exit the main classroom after teaching Advanced ASL on Monday morning, the first thing I see is Felix. He’s standing in the middle of the lobby, randomly wiggling his fingers in the air as if he’s performing a magic trick.
From where she stands behind the front desk, Jo holds her own against Felix’s fashion statement in her white tube top and pink floral maxi skirt.
He’s wearing a black T-shirt under his beloved plaid trench coat, a crossbody PRADA fanny pack, loose-fitting black pants with a thin GUCCI belt, and black sneakers.
His long platinum hair is in a half-up ponytail; two strands frame his face and hide his chiseled jawline.
Ava’s beside him, and her outfit is also straight from a BURBERRY ad—a white knee-length dress with a Peter Pan collar in that same awful plaid fabric.
I value practicality over being fashion forward, but an unexpected self-consciousness overtakes me, and I smooth the wrinkles out of my gray crop top with bleach stains on the bottom hem.
My eyes flit to the extremely intimidating person with sunglasses and a tough frown standing behind Felix. Ava watches his “signing,” exchanging an amused look with Jo.
“Oh! Hiya, Nat!” he chirps enthusiastically when he notices me.
I stare at him a beat too long, my mouth slightly ajar.
Everything about him clashes with the cramped lobby of my shabby Deaf Center, and I’m suddenly hyperaware of the sagging furniture and the mismatched chairs in the waiting area.
The peeling linoleum floor seems even more noticeable with him here, as if his very presence is highlighting every imperfection.
As my last student leaves, I glance through the glass front door and into the parking lot.
A sleek metallic blue MERCEDES-BENZ sticks out like a sore thumb, practically glowing next to the faded parking stripes.
But even worse, a small crowd is forming—presumably fans who’ve somehow caught wind of where Felix has wandered off to.
My stomach churns with a strange mix of protectiveness and discomfort. This is my space, and it’s run-down, sure, but it’s mine. The idea of gawking strangers peering in, making this place feel even smaller, makes me bristle.
Felix follows my line of sight, and a fleeting frown crosses his features. He motions toward the parking lot, and the Sunglasses Person heads outside, firmly shepherding fans away from the building.
“You OK?” he points to me, then flicks an “O” into a “K.” At least he’s retained that much.
“Yes,” I sign in a rush. “Fine. Great.”
“Wow, his ASL is god-awful,” Jo interrupts with a snort, not even trying to hide her amusement. My focus flickers to Felix, but the confusion on his face tells me he didn’t understand her. “But DAMN is he gorgeous. He’s single, yeah?”
I choke on spit and clear my throat. “Shut up!”
Ava knocks a balled fist in the air, “Yes, he’s single.” She waggles her brows, and Jo laughs.
I very pointedly ignore them. “Why are you guys here?” I ask using SimCom.
Felix stares at my hands while I sign—which is considered rude, but since he’s a beginner, he has more leeway—and his neatly trimmed brows tug downward in intense focus.
Jo props her elbows against the front desk and watches us while mimicking eating popcorn. Felix shifts uncomfortably. “Can we chat?” he asks me.
I nod, waiting for him to continue.
“Er…” He eyes Jo. “I meant privately.”
I interpret for Jo and Ava, which leads Jo to make kissy faces. Ava laughs. Felix’s ears turn bright red. I shoot her an “I’m going to hurt you” look, and she feigns innocence.
I gesture for him and Ava to follow me down the hall of cringey cat posters. At the end, I hold open the door to the future K–5 zone.
I’m about to close the door when Sunglasses slips in. Up close, I see them eyeing me suspiciously.
“What’s up with Sunglasses?” I ask Felix.
He whips around from where he’s browsing the dusty bookshelves. “Ah, she’s my bodyguard,” he says straight-faced, like that’s a totally normal thing for an eighteen-year-old boy to have. God, it must be weird to be rich and famous.
Felix asks Sunglasses to wait outside, and she obliges.
“Um. So. What’d you want to talk about?” I ask using SimCom. “I have a class in twenty minutes, and I need to prep.”
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger.” He holds his hands up in faux defense and gestures toward Ava. “Aves dragged me here to convince you. I am but a mere pawn in her game.”
“Really?” I stare him down, hoping he’ll take ownership for once.
Silence engulfs the room. Ava’s eyes flicker between us, assessing the tense atmosphere, before she rushes toward me and takes one of my hands, signing with her other.
“If I’m fully deaf in six months, I can’t hear him and we can’t talk!
He needs to learn ASL. You’re our only hope!
Please?” She gives me those damned puppy dog eyes again, and she looks especially cute today with her hair in two French braids decorated by blue butterfly clips that match her hearing aids.
Felix might have been right (and this is the only time I’ll ever admit that): We’re simply pawns in Ava’s game. The kid knows how to play the system.
“We’ll be touring until August, then— —taking a break,” Felix chimes in. “I’m gonna— —and then— —Aves— —so, whaddya say? Will you come?”
“You could set a world record for fastest talker.” I sigh, massaging my temples. “Slow down. It’s hard to understand you.”
“Sorry,” he signs. “After the tour, I’m staying in Seattle for a while before I have to go back to LA to record our second album. I wanna be conversant in ASL before then since Aves probably won’t have much hearing left.”
“Pfft!” He’s making this seem so casual! Like he’s not asking me to clear my schedule for the whole summer. “And why exactly does it have to be me? Surely you have the resources to hire someone else.”
“I did. But he had a family emergency four days ago, and nobody else is available on such short notice. I’m desperate,” he explains.
“It was my idea to ask you. You’re the best!” Ava smiles.
I exhale sharply. “How about remote lessons? That way you can learn ASL, and I can stay in Seattle,” I suggest.
Felix bites his lip and shakes his head; loose pieces of hair fall in his eyes. “I need you with me. Basically 24/7.”
“Whoa, buddy. Laying it on a bit thick.”
This earns a small chuckle. “Yeah, nah, I just mean my schedule is gonna be hectic. Interviews, meet and greets, filming a music video, sound checks. It’ll be different every day. I’ll need to squeeze in ASL whenever we have a spare moment.”
“Look, even if I could go,” I emphasize, using SimCom, “there’s way too many logistics to sort out on such short notice.”
“Ask him your questions!” Ava encourages. “You’ll feel better if you have more information!” Before I can reiterate that me going isn’t even a possibility, she pulls out her phone and plops onto the floor, leaving us to have our Q I’ll keep you company.”
“Wow! This deal keeps getting better!”
“Obviously, I’d pay you,” he changes the subject, ignoring my snarky comment. “D’you reckon $12,000 is reasonable?” he asks, head tilted to one side like Ginger when she’s puzzled.
My eyes bug out. Oh my god, this is officially the most ridiculous thing he’s ever done. The BURBERRY trench coat is a little outlandish, but this is a whole new level.
The sticker shock worms its way deep inside my brain. Twelve grand—even taking the loss of my planned summer side hustles into account—could put a nice dent in our bills and leave at least a couple of grand for Project Revamp …
No! Nooope. I can’t let myself be sucked into Felix’s fairy-tale celebrity bubble or allow his diabolically symmetrical, GQ magazine–worthy face and monetary offer tempt me. I have responsibilities! In what world would I be able to drop everything and accompany Felix on tou—
“$17,000?” he offers.
Okay, well. Maybe in a world where I’d be getting paid $17,000.
“Look, Nat,” he continues, “I admit I’ve been a bit of a dickhead by not keeping up with my ASL and thinking I could pick it back up later, but there isn’t a later anymore. I need to learn now. But if you won’t do it for me—”
“I wouldn’t,” I mumble.
“—then do it for Aves. Please?”
I take a deep breath and pet Ginger’s head. Running my palm across her soft, golden fur grounds me.
“Take time to think about it,” he says. “But, y’know, not too much time. We have to fly to LA on the thirteenth.”
“Wha—isn’t that Thursday?”
“Yup.”
“Like, in three days, Thursday?!”
“Yup.”
I bark another disbelieving laugh, but I don’t get a chance to reply before Ava pops up, tucks her phone into her pocket, and turns up her hearing aid volume. “Did you say yes?!”
“I need to think about it,” I reply.
Wait—why did I tell her that? I’m not going. It’s a firm no. Very firm! Like, a slab of stone firm.
Ava wraps me in a hug. Over the top of her head, I watch Felix. Joy is evident on his face, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Ava skips into the hall after thanking me profusely for considering the offer, but Felix stops in the doorway. “See ya later, Nat.” He winks.
As he disappears into the hallway, I glare at the empty doorway as if I can still burn a hole through his smug little wink.