Donna asked her, "So, you like Isaac? He's quite the gentleman."
Danielle rolled her eyes and blushed, admitting her feelings.
Their shoes crunched into the snow on their front lawn. The movers had started bringing more furniture in again. Ralph, Donna, and Danielle walked inside. Ralph went to go talk to the movers as Donna led her daughter to her new room. They walked upstairs and down the second floor hall. At the end of it, was Danielle's new bedroom. They went inside and switched on the light. Danielle looked around with a smile upon her face. Then she exclaimed to her mother, not even bothering to use proper sign language, "I love it!!"
Donna beamed. She showed Danielle that her room was in the front of the house, so her windows overlooked the street and Hanson's house. Danielle was pleased to know that. Well, it's a neat little bonus... she thought.
Her room had an odd shape, but that's why Danielle liked it. The ceiling sloped at one point of her room and there was a large closet. She asked Donna what time it was. Her mother said that it was around 7 o'clock. She asked Danielle if she wanted to eat dinner anytime soon. Donna offered, "What about 7:45ish? We can go out to eat and I'll go to a grocery store tomorrow, since we have practically no food. Tonight, I'll ask Diana where the nearest store is...sound like a plan?”
Danielle nodded and grinned. Then she asked her mother, in sign language, "Do you think Ike would like it if I gave him a note? I could write one now."
Mrs. Lemasters raised her eyebrow, but said, "That’s a good idea...I'll let you work on it right now...in the kitchen, maybe."
Most of Danielle's boxes and all of her furniture were already in her room, so she asked her mother if she could write it in her room. She wanted the privacy anyway. Donna shrugged and said, "Sure, you can if you want."
Then she left Danielle's room. Danielle immediately started pawing through her boxes. She found a pen and a pad of paper, shortly. She sat at her desk and started to write:
Dear Ike (plus nosy brothers),
Hi. I know we hardly know each other...but it would be cool if I
could get to know you and your brothers. This is not some letter that
I'm forcing myself to write because I'm starstruck (possibly lovestruck,
though...). Anyway, I know about that. I've read the 'teenybopper'
magazines (by the way, why are they CALLED that?). I know a little
about your music group. Unfortunately, I can't really hear your music,
but judging from the world's reaction, I'll bet it's gotta be something
great. But I think you know more about you than anyone else...I'll
start with me.
I'm from Springfield, Minnesota and we moved here because my
dad got a job transfer. I'm 16 and I'm deaf, obviously. If you believe in
astrology (and I do), I'm a typical Libra. I was born on October 10th,
1981. Well, I should probably wrap up this little note. Maybe it's a
letter? Anyway, ask me anything you want to know...in your note
back to me. That's all I ask for. See ya.
With love, Danielle
Danielle finished the note with a swirl on the last 'e' of her name. Her mother came upstairs and walked into Danielle's room as she folded up the paper. Donna told her that they'd be going out to a Chinese restaurant that Diana had suggested for dinner. Danielle nodded and closed the door to get dressed in more proper clothes.
She arrived downstairs in a long black skirt, a nice red shirt, and a pair of black platforms. Danielle also had on five silver rings: two on her right hand and three on her left, and her silver ankh pendant on a black cord. She'd put red lipstick on and black eye make-up. Her longish, dark brown hair was up in a messy bun. She loved dressing like this. Even if she would only do it on occasion. Her note in hand, she followed her parents to the car. They stopped in front of the Hanson's house for Danielle to lean out the window and put her note in their mailbox. Then they drove on to the restaurant.
Zac started giggling. Ike snatched it back and retorted, "Yeah, I'll bet you've never seen one of these."
Zac scowled and left the room. Isaac folded it up and put it under his pillow. I guess it'll be kinda safe there... Ike thought as he jumped to the floor from his top bunk. Then Taylor entered their room, eating an apple. He said to Isaac, "Hey. Zac says you got a letter from a girl or something."
Isaac blushed a little. He said to Tay, "Yeah...um...well..."
"C'mon, Ike. You can tell me," Taylor said, grinning.
Isaac mumbled, "I just got a note from Danielle..."
"What? I can't hear you."
"It's from Danielle," Ike said loudly.
Giggles erupted from the hall, near their door. It was Jessica and Avery. They'd been listening to the conversation. The girls ran away as they knew Isaac would be after them. Taylor said to Ike, "You're lucky, man. She's really something."
"Thanks..." Isaac replied, "but now EVERYONE's gonna know. Now that those two little devils have found out..."
Tay chuckled and said, glancing at the alarm clock, "Well, you've got about five minutes before THAT happens, so enjoy it."
Isaac rolled his eyes as Taylor left the room. Ike walked over to the dresser and got out a notebook and a pen. Then, he got up in his bunk and started to write his note to Danielle:
Dear Danielle,
Hey. We DON'T know each other very well, but that WOULD be
pretty neat to get to know you. And I know Taylor and Zac would be
ecstatic, too. Yes, we've had many of those 'starstruck' letters;
however, I don't think we've had any 'lovestruck' ones...yes, we're
in a lot of those kinds of magazines, but I don't know why they're
called 'teenybopper' magazines. Well, it's cool that all these people
like our music, but even if they didn't, we'd still be singing.
What does your dad do? Mine works with...oil. Pretty boring.
You're 16? Very cool...I'm 17, born on November 17th, 1980. That
would make me...a Scorpio. That's too bad that you're deaf, but I
guess you've gotten really used to it, huh? I'm sure I'll soon get you to
listen to our music...somehow. What I want to know about you?
Hmm...I have no idea, but let's get together sometime soon. How
about if you come over tomorrow? Anytime is okay. Well, I'll
probably see you here then.
Yours Truly, Clarke Isaac Hanson
Isaac scrawled his signature and put down the pen. He re-read the letter carefully, making sure it sounded okay. Then Ike folded it up and put it in his pocket. He would deliver it soon.
He walked downstairs and found most of his family right there, looking at him. Isaac knew that it was about Danielle by the looks on their faces, so he tried to get away. He was successful. Ike exited through the back door and went around to the street.
Even though it was around noon, the sky wasn't too bright. He crossed the street and walked to Danielle's mailbox. Isaac took the note from his pocket and put it in the mailbox. He glanced up at the second floor window, just in time to see Danielle's smiling face duck down under the window. Ike chuckled and made his way home.