The Silence Between Us

Moving halfway across the country to Colorado right before senior year isnt Mayas idea of a good time. Leaving behind Pratt School for the Deaf where shes been a student for years only to attend a hearing school is even worse. Maya has dreams of breaking into the medical field and is determined to get the grades and a college degree to match, and shes never considered being Deaf a disability. But her teachers and classmates at Engelmann High dont seem to share her optimism. And then theres Beau Watson, Engelmanns student body president and overachiever. Maya suspects Beaus got a hidden agenda when he starts learning ASL to converse with her, but she also cant deny its nice to sign with someone amongst all the lip reading she has to do with her hearing teachers and classmates. Maya has always been told that Deaf/hearing relationships never work, and yet she cant help but be drawn to Beau as they spend more and more time together. But as much Maya and Beau genuinely start to feel for one another, there are unmistakable differences in their worlds. When Maya passes up a chance to receive a cochlear implant, Beau doesnt understand why Maya wouldnt want to hear again. Maya is hurt Beau would want her to be anything but who she is--shes always been proud to be Deaf, something Beau wont ever be able to understand. Maya has to figure out whether bridging that gap between the Deaf and hearing worlds will be worth it, or if staying true to herself matters more.