Excerpt: Trivial Maggie

Maggie stared dully at the computer screen. Her fingers tapped lightly on the keys, flitting quietly on all the letters of the alphabet in succession. Her eyes darted above the top of her computer, making sure the teacher wasn’t looking for anybody messing around with the computers. The people in front of Maggie were working duly at their documents in Photoshop, as everyone was supposed to be doing.
Refresh. Maggie waited impatiently while the blue circle swirled with the loading signal. Her eyes wandered again, and she found that her teacher was walking down the tables and peering at the student’s screens. She quickly minimized her screen and clicked on the toolbar for her Photoshop document. It was taking too long to come up. Maggie exhaled and willed the teacher to slow down.
Finally, the document popped up. Her minimized toolbar began blinking impatiently. Mrs. Slack passed by and glanced at Maggie’s screen, passing without a blink. Maggie clicked on the blinking toolbar and swiftly read Ceder’s response:
I dunno, girl. I’m kind of busy this weekend. When else?
Maggie inwardly growled, almost feeling the vibration in her throat. There would be no other time once the school year entered full swing.
Never mind, C. Catch you at lunch.
She exited out of the window and got back to work adjusting the filters and layers on her document.

Ceder nudged Maggie. She was standing quietly in the lunch line, two dollar bills clutched tightly in her hand as if she were afraid somebody was going to steal it from her. She had her eyes fixed on the menu above, but it didn’t look as if she were really reading it.
“Hey girl. Are you mad?”
No. ASL, please.
Sure. What’s the deal? Ceder signed.
What should I get for lunch? Maggie signed, somehow keeping the bills in between her fingers.
That chili looks good.
What are you, a caveman? A rare smile broke over Maggie’s face, and she opened her mouth as if she were laughing. I think I’ll go with the taco.
Okay. I’ll go find us a seat. Ceder nodded and smiled and turned to find an empty table amidst the sea of teenagers. He dropped his back pack in the middle of one of the tables, left, and came back with two chairs. He sat and unpacked his lunch of Pb and j, a juice, a cookie his aunt had ‘lovingly’ made him, and a small bag of chips. He began eating once Maggie sat down with her tray.
“Are you sure there’s not anything wrong?” Ceder asked.
Maggie waved her hand for him to keep it down. Nothing.
Okay, Ceder signed vaguely. He wasn’t sure why she preferred for him to sign today; since they had met a week ago, she had been fine with him talking and her responding with her hands. Maybe she was just having one of those days that girls always talked about.
It wasn’t like she had many friends anyways. Nobody liked to talk to somebody who wouldn’t talk back, and Maggie couldn’t talk back. And most of the time, people didn’t even realize that. Maybe she was jealous of Ceder’s voice, or just feeling unsure of herself. Ceder could let her have what she wanted for now; besides, he didn’t mind signing himself. He could always use some more practice.
Why can’t you come over? Maggie suddenly asked. Ceder saw that she hadn’t touched her food yet. Her pale grey green eyes were hidden by her caramel colored bangs.
I’ve got things going on right now. I’m sorry.
Why? She asked crossly.
M, another time. Ceder made sure she knew that he wouldn’t be signing for a while, at least until he finished his lunch. As long as there was food in his hands, the conversation was over. Maggie scowled and started to pick at the lettuce in her taco.
Lunch ended with silence. Maggie went out quietly, and Ceder exited by blending in with a bunch of other kids going off to class. Once they were out in the courtyard, he darted across the way and into the parking lot. He ran behind the cars, keeping an eye out for security guards. It was crucial that he didn’t get busted. Leaping into the thicket by the road, Ceder ran off campus and down the street, back pack bumping against his back and tugging at his shoulders. He stuck to the sideways, trying to go unnoticed. The blaring music from skipping high schooler’s cars shook in his his chest.