BK 5 - Chapter 21 - Silence
**Twenty-One Years Later**
**Santa Cruz, California**
Emma sat on the bench reading a book during her break between classes. She was in her last year of school and was preparing for her finals before winter break. She wanted to be a nurse like her great-grandma Cat. Although, she wasn't sure what type of nursing she wanted to get into yet.
Emma didn't want to go to school close to home but also didn't want to be too far away, so she went to UC Santa Cruz. Her twin brother Roger opted to stay close to the family and went to Sacramento State. He was studying to be a psychologist. It's not surprising with the family they grew up in that everyone wants to do something to help others.
Neither Emma nor Roger have found their mates yet. They were anxious to find them but also knew they would meet them when the time was right. Emma was preparing to go home for the holidays and her great-grandma Valerie's one-hundredth birthday party.
She and Roger knew about the power that Atzi gave them when she died, but they still didn't understand what it meant. They both had been given the gift of magic, but rarely used it other than to practice. Atzi's spell book was locked in a hidden safe at their parent's house, where only a few people knew of its existence.
Emma looked at her watch and saw it was almost time for her next class. She gathered her things and walked along the path to the math building. She loved the campus at UC Santa Cruz. There were redwoods everywhere, and the smell of the sea wasn't far away. It was beautiful and peaceful.
She looked around as she walked. Emma spent a lot of time alone. She had a few friends but preferred peace and quiet and being alone with her own thoughts and imagination rather than being around others. Her grandma Melanie said she took after her dad even though she looked like her mom with long red hair and a pale complexion.
When she got to her class, she sat in the third row like she always did. Her friend Jenny ran in just as the professor was about to begin. She was always running late, and Emma didn't want to hurt her feelings, but she thought she spent too much time partying and not enough time studying. Jenny had to take summer classes to make up for classes she'd missed to make sure she'd graduate on time.
"I don't know why they don't give us more time to get to class. Don't they realize college is about being social?" Jenny asked as she waved at someone behind Emma while playing with her long dyed blonde hair.
Emma didn't reply, but she knew Jenny wasn't expecting her to anyway. They were roommates when they first started college. They would probably have never been friends if they hadn't shared the same dorm room. Emma was quiet and gentle, whereas Jenny was loud. After class, Jenny stopped Emma before she could leave.
"Are you going to the party tonight?" She asked her.
"You know parties aren't my thing. I have to get ready to go home anyway, and I need to study for finals." Emma said as she tried to walk out of the room. Jenny grabbed her arm.
"Come on, you never have any fun. Come to the party. I'm sure there will be a guy there that even you will like." Jenny begged her.
"No thanks. I need to go to the library." Emma said as they walked outside. The truth was she was waiting for her mate and didn't want to give any man the idea she was interested when she wasn't.
*"That's right. You keep those legs closed and your lips to yourself."* Emma's bear Ziba mindlinked her. Emma tried to hide her laugh. Her bear was more like a momma bear to her than a friend.
"Fine, suit yourself," Jenny said before running off. Emma went to her dorm room and switched out her books. She was in a single room now rather than a shared room. She grabbed everything she needed and headed toward the library. It was one of her favorite places to be because of the quiet.
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Asher walked around the campus in awe. He had just transferred from UCLA because UC Santa Cruz was more low-key and had a better program for deaf students. He was twenty-two and getting ready for his last year of school. He was glad to finally be where he felt he could make a home for himself.
He was born deaf. His birth parents didn't want to deal with a disabled child, so they put him up for adoption. No one ever adopted Asher, so he went from one foster home to another. None of the families he lived with ever took the initiative to learn sign language or figure out a way to communicate with him. Instead, they hit him or threw something at him to get his attention.
As soon as he turned eighteen, he moved from Virginia to California. He worked for the first year until he could get into school. He was used to being alone and different from everyone, so he didn't think twice when one of his professors told him there was an opening at UC Santa Cruz for his final year. He had no friends or anyone at UCLA that he was close to.
He finished all his work at UCLA so he could come up early and find a place to stay. He didn't want to be in the dorms; he would rather live off campus.
Asher ran his hand through his black wavy hair as he watched the students rushing around him. He would love to hear what they were saying as they passed him. Asher had never had a girlfriend. Usually, as soon as women realized he was deaf, they pretended they had something else to do or showed him pity, so he stopped trying to talk to any of them.
As he walked around campus, he saw a young woman come out of one of the buildings. For some reason, he felt drawn to her. She had beautiful long red hair, and the way her jeans and T-shirt hugged her petite body made his mouth dry. Asher started following her without realizing it until he saw her entering the library. He waited a few seconds and then went in as well. He convinced himself he wasn't stalking her. He just wanted to check out the library.
At first, he didn't see her anywhere, and then he spotted her sitting at a small table in the corner. She was looking at her phone and then sat it down, opening a book. Asher couldn't move as he watched her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She smiled when she looked up, and her green eyes met his blue ones. He didn't know what to do. If she found out he was deaf, she'd probably laugh or leave like most people do.
"Would you like to sit down?" Emma asked the man who was staring at her. She had thought he would say something to her when she noticed him standing there, but he didn't. He still didn't say anything as he looked down at the floor.
Asher read the woman's lips and knew she had asked him to sit down, but he was scared to let her know he couldn't hear her. He started to turn and walk away but stopped when she smiled.
"You can sit with me if you'd like." He read her lips. Asher decided to sit down and see what happened. Some deaf people could speak a little, but Asher couldn't. After he sat down, he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote on it, handing it to Emma.
*I'm deaf.* Emma read the paper and looked at Asher. She put the paper down and smiled.
"Well, that just means I don't have to worry about you making a bunch of noise while I'm studying. I like it here because it's so quiet." Emma spoke softly while she signed with her hands. She had learned sign language when they had a human child who was deaf at one of the group homes.
Asher looked at her in disbelief. Not only did she not send him away, but she made a joke and was signing to him. He relaxed instantly and signed back.
"I'm Asher. I'll begin taking classes here next semester." He signed. Emma turned so they were facing each other and could communicate more easily. When Ziba mindlinked her, she froze.
*"You need to touch him. I think he's our mate."* Emma looked at Asher in disbelief. Was it true?
"I'm Emma. It's nice to meet you." She signed and then held her hand out to him.
When their hands touched, Asher's eyes widened. Why did he feel sparks running through his body? He looked at Emma and was sure he didn't read her lips correctly.
"Mate."
