Title: Mina, This Means I Love You
Rating: G
By: moondreams16
Notes: Enjoy and thanks everyone for e-mailing me.

        Mina smiled happily as she took a bite of ice cream. She couldn't
remember ever being happier on a date.
 "You're a good listener, I mean every other guy I've been with...what?"
asked Mina as Robin started laughing softly.
"Mina, I am deaf remember?" he asked with a laugh. "oh yeah, I forgot for a
minute," she said and blushed a bit.
"My friends use to say that all the time except they always remembered
before pulling off a prank with me as the victim," said Robin with a smile
and took a bite of his chocolate sundae.
"That doesn't sound very nice," said Mina as she wrinkled up her nose a bit
at the thought.
"It was funny a lot of times. You see I was mainstreamed, or put in a normal
school with regular kids, so most of my friends were hearing. One day about
a year ago all the students were sitting in the auditorium listening to a
principal go on and on about how good the school year had been and what
things would could do to improve. You know real boring stuff. Then the
teachers were calling out names for awards like best student, best
attendance, ect. I was partly asleep and my friends told me my name had just
been called. Of course, it hadn't and I went all the way up on stage and I
was really embarrassed when the teacher told me my name hadn't been called.
I just about killed my friends. Now that I think back on it, I think it was
very funny," concluded Robin. Mina laughed softly and continued to eat.
"Can I ask you something?" asked Mina. Robin smiled and replied,
"Sure I am all ears." Mina couldn't help but smile.
"Is it... I mean...Oh gosh how can I put this?" said Mina partly to herself
turning red with each passing second.  "Please don't think me rude, but
what's it like being deaf?" asked Mina. Robin smiled another one of his
heart stopping smiles.
"It's totally fantastic," said Robin enjoying the shocked look on Mina's
face. "It gives me access to another culture and language," he continued.
"Culture?" asked Mina.
 "Yeah, the Deaf are a culture. Deafness is not a handicap its just a way of
life. I am not saying every things perfect all the time. It has its ups and
downs," said Robin.
"At the airport, you were talking in sign language as well as English
weren't' you?" asked Mina. "Yeah, its called ASL or American Sign Language.
I am afraid my Japanese Sign Language is pretty rough," explained Robin.
"Can you show me some?" asked Mina with curiosity. "I'll do better then that
I'll teach you," said Robin.
"Look this is A," he explained as he made a fist with his thumb resting on
the side of his pointer. So began Robin's teaching. Mina copied him a bit
clumsily. They went over the whole alphabet.
"Don't tell me you spell every thing out!" said Mina in amazement just
thinking of all the time that it would take to hold a conversation. "Oh we
don't though. Each word has a sign. Here I'll show you," he said. He put his
open hand to his chest then brought it down and with his two hands made an x
with his 2 pointer and index fingers. Then he put his right hand into the
'd' position and put it to his mouth and then spelled out r-o-b-i-n slowly.
"What did you say?" asked Mina. "I said my name is Robin," (in case anyone
is wondering all of these signs are real. I should know since I am learning
ASL)
        "That is so cool. Show me more," said Mina in fascination at Robin's
graceful hand movements.

        Mina rested her head on Robin's shoulder and sighed happily. They
both watched a beautiful sun sink below the horizon but not before streaking
the clouds with purple and pink.
"I wish I could stay like this forever," said Mina. "Yeah me too but I am
afraid your parents would kill me," said Robin with a laugh.
"Nah, only my mom. My dad's in England," said Mina.
"Are your parents divorced?" asked Robin.
"No Dad just has a job over there and I don't get to see him much. Where are
your parents?" asked Mina.
"Back in Georgia. My mom hates traveling and didn't want me to come here but
my dad talked her into it. So I came here as a foreign exchange student. I
miss them a lot but it gives me a chance to know my relatives here a bit
better," said Robin with a grin.
"I better start heading home," said Mina quietly.
 "Then I'll walk with you," said Robin and they both grinned and started
walking.

"This was an awesome afternoon or evening or whatever you want to call it!"
exclaimed Mina happily. "I couldn't agree more!" said Robin. There was
silence for a minute. Then Robin bent down and kissed Mina softly on lips.
 "Are you always this bold on a first date?" asked Mina a bit mischievously.
"No, but I think I can make an exception," laughed Robin. This time it was
Mina who threw her arms around Robin and kissed him.
 "Mina!?" came a baffled voice with a slight English accent. Mina broke lose
and the pair turned around to see a man standing at a doorway.
"Ah.... hi Daddy, I didn't know you would... be back," said Mina in shock.
Then she saw Julie's face peeking out of the window. Julie caught Mina's
glance, smiled and mouthed the word, 'busted'.  Mina wished she could wipe
that smirk off Julie's face. "So how was your trip?"
To be continued....

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