I remember feeling like Ginny's sleepover would never come,
but it finally did.
Going to a party, it's gonna be great
We're gonna eat cake
And yummy chocolate ice cream too
Spending the night Gonna be all right
With lots of fun stuff to do
Have fun, and get Ginny's mom to call me if you need anything.
Geez whiz, Mom. I'll be fine.
I pinned so many hopes on that sleepover.
Was Ginny going to be my new best friend?
Cece! You made it!
Happy birthday, Ginny!
Hey, make a wish.
Oh, yeah. Make a wish.
Yeah. That was so funny. You'll have to come next time.
Now that we live here, I can.
Yeah. I'm so glad you moved here, Ginny.
Me too. Great cake.
What's wrong, Missy?
My cat…
Your cat likes pie? That's hilarious.
I said, "My cat might die."
I'm so sorry, Missy.
Well, that's okay.
Wait a minute.
Those things in your ears. Are you deaf?
Missy, you didn't know that?
Cece is my deaf friend.
Does she know sign language? Because I know sign language.
I can teach you some right now.
This is A.
And here's B.
And this is C.
As in, Cece, you are special.
Let's do a makeover on Cece!
Cece, with good hair and makeup,
- you could be so much cuter. - Oh, yeah.
- Yes. - So much cuter.
I don't want to.
You have to do it.
Pucker up.
Wait. Can people who wear hearing aids also wear makeup? Wait. Can people who wear hearing aids also wear makeup?
No, we can't. Doctor's orders.
Messes up the hearing aids and stuff.
I thought so.
Darn. We could have made her look like a movie star.
Let's listen to my brother's comedy records.
- Yes. - Okay.
Sure.
This was bad. Really bad.
Without any lips to read, comedy records were impossible to understand.
Don't worry, Cece.
I'll explain it to you.
He said …
"I thought it was a cold, but it's snot." "I thought it was a cold, but it's snot."
Get it?
Yeah, that's funny.
"Gee, Doctor, that's my knee you're talking to."
- Get it? - Yeah.
"A duck eating chicken nuggets."
Get it?
Ginny, I get it. I get it.
Well, sorry. I was just trying to help.
Let's just get in our sleeping bags and go to bed.
Thankfully, after all that awfulness,
the party started to get fun again.
You know that boy who smells like celery from Ms. Huffman's class? You know that boy who smells like celery from Ms. Huffman's class?
Mary tried to kiss him.
On the lips?
I would never do that.
Me neither.
Well, he is kinda cute.
No way.
Mary says he doesn't just smell like celery, he tastes like celery too.
Oh, no.
Lip-reading in the dark?
It was, and is, pretty much impossible.
Were they talking about me?
Were they laughing at me?
And did Ginny turn off the lights on purpose?
Mrs. Wakeley, will you call my mom?
I don't feel so good.
It was horrible, Mama.
Even before Ginny turned off the lights, this girl Missy was like,
"Hi, Cece."
She was probably just excited to meet someone like you.
You know, it wouldn't be such a bad idea to give sign language a try.
- No. - Oh, come on.
There's a class in the evenings at your school.
We could do it together.
No. I don't want to.
Just think about it, okay? It might be useful to you.
Hi, Dad.
Can I watch too?
Sure, honey. I bet Mightybolt is on.
Look out. Here I come.
I've got you now.
It's time to power up.
Oh, no. Not the despicable Pajama Bunch.
Prepare for a monstrous makeover, my little deaf friend.
I may not know sign language, but I do know how to say stop!
This gives me such pleasure.
You look so beautiful.
I look hideous.
Yikes. Let's get out of here. Yikes. Let's get out of here.
I don't understand.
Did you turn those lights off on purpose?
I-- I don't know.
Well, read my lips.
Don't ever call me your deaf friend again.
In fact, don't even call me your friend again.
I'm sorry, El Deafo.
I really am.
No, you're not.
I tried and tried to get out of it.
But Mom insisted that we take a sign language class together.
Hello and welcome to our first sign language class.
Is anyone here deaf or hard of hearing?
That's you, Cece. Raise your hand. That's you, Cece. Raise your hand.
Mom!
Wonderful.
Okay, let's talk about American Sign Language.
Sign language is an important means of communication
for many deaf people and their friends and families.
Sign language is as rich and complex as spoken English.
Maybe even more so.
Can anyone guess what this means?
Cece?
Yes, Ginny?
"Thank you"?
Very good, Ginny.
You're welcome.
Little Miss Perfect.
- Hello. - Thanks.
Cece, we'd love for you to participate more.
Maybe next week's class?
Okay, everyone, thanks for coming.
Practice your signs.
Next week is feelings and emotions. Next week is feelings and emotions.
- Thank you. - Next week?
- Another class? - Bye!
- See you later. - Mom.
How dare you, Spidermom?
I command you to release me from your web of humiliation right now.
You look anxious, dear.
Do you need to tinkle?
Spidermom, no.
I'll try my power of persuasion instead.
Sweet, kind Spidermom,
can you not see that I have the power to talk to you without using my hands?
Nothing? Really?
It was a very good try, El Deafo.
You get an A for effort.
Perhaps my vicious feedback squeal will hypnotize you into submission. Perhaps my vicious feedback squeal will hypnotize you into submission.
What a delightful sound.
Looks like you could use a hug.
I can't take it anymore.
Cece! Just what do you think you're doing?
I hate this class. I want to go.
Okay. Let's go, honey.
It felt like everyone was signing at me just because I'm deaf.
No one was signing at you, Cece.
Look, sign language is something that could help you. Look, sign language is something that could help you.
No way. It'll help people stare at me and say,
"Look at that little deaf girl. Isn't she special?"
- Well, you are special. - Mom!
Just like every kid is special.
Come on, Mom.
Special doesn't mean great or cool.
It means, "You're not like me, you're weird."
I hate that word.
Okay, okay. We won't go anymore.
Just don't be so hard on the people who try to help you.
Someday you might actually want their help.
Cece! You're staring.
That's amazing. How'd they do that?
You could do that too.
No way, Mom. Everybody will stare at me. No way, Mom. Everybody will stare at me.
Like I'm staring at them.
Why do I even care what other people think?
Ginny's on the phone. She wants to get together with you.
Tell her I'm busy.
You haven't seen her in ages. Did you two have a fight?
I don't want to talk about it.
Well, I'm sorry about that, but I don't appreciate lying to your friend.
So, I suggest you hurry up and get busy.
Dirt soup, dirt soup Yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, there. Come on over and play.
Go on. Off you go.
Gee, does your mom really have to watch you cross the street?
You're in fourth grade, right?
I'm in third, and my mom doesn't do that.
That's just my mom for you.
Well, anyway. I'm making dirt soup. Wanna help?
Sure.
We've gotta add just the right amount of water.
Yeah. Too much and it gets all wackadoodle.
Yeah, all wackadoodle.
Hey, what are those things?
Those prickly things with the nuts inside. You know?
You mean buckeyes?
Yeah! Buckeyes. Yeah! Buckeyes.
Let's get some of those for our soup.
Dirt soup, dirt soup Yeah, yeah, yeah
As far as I could tell,
Martha didn't know a single thing about my hearing aids.
And I wanted to keep it that way.
I just wanted her to like me for me.
Hey, I got a great idea. Wanna spend the night tonight?
Yes!
Wanna split one?
Yeah, thanks.
We're gonna get takeout and eat in front of the TV.
A TV supper? Really?
What do you wanna get?
Do you want a…
I'll have what you're having.
Okay. Two fish sandwiches coming right up. Okay. Two fish sandwiches coming right up.
Fish?
Yuck. I hated fish.
Yum.
But it was worth it.
I had to make sure Martha didn't think there was anything different about me.
Yum.
How about tomorrow we walk downtown and get drinks and candy bars and stuff?
And then we can make candy soup.
That sounds cool.
Have you ever noticed that weird smell near the school?
It's like old bologna and sweaty feet.
You take one whiff and it's P.U. city.
You should've heard my mom the other day.
She said, "What's that awful, stinking smell?"
I said, "Did you just turn your hearing aids off on me?"
Hearing aids?
Yeah. It's hilarious how you just turned me off like that.
I wish I could do that with her.
Wait. What?
How did you know that I can't hear very good?
The other kids told me.
So, you've known all along?
Sure.
Yeah. Were you worried about that?
I'm gonna be your friend, no matter what. Let's pinkie swear it.
Yeah.
Night night, Cece.
Night, Martha.
Hi. I'm Marvygirl. Hi. I'm Marvygirl.
Yes? May I help you?
I'm here about the ad, "Sidekick wanted."
Oh, yes. I see. What are your qualifications, Marvygirl?
Well, I have total recall of most everything on TV.
I'm loyal, brave and true.
And I can make you laugh until you pee your pants.
Well, that does it. You're hired.
Awesome!
This universe is brighter with you in it, Marvygirl.
Together, we're unstoppable.
By the power of the pinkie,
do you swear to fight against boredom and loneliness
and to never swerve from the path of true friendship? and to never swerve from the path of true friendship?
I swear it.
We should get limeades.
Yeah, and some candy bars. And gum.
And we can hide it all under our pillows until everyone's asleep.
Check out my sweet moves.
Whoo-hoo, Martha!
Two, three, four, five, six.
Oh, rats! Your turn.
Look.
Let's check it out.
Yeah.
There's just a few more, Dad.
Hey, there, girl next door
My feelings are bigger than a dinosaur
Hi, I'm Mike.
This is Cece. She lives two doors up.
I'm Martha. And that's my house over there.
I'm in third grade. Cece's in fourth.
What grade are you in? Who's your teacher?
Fourth. I got Mrs. Sinklemann.
Me too!
I mean… me too.
Cool. Hey, do you guys like trampolines? My dad set ours up already.
Girl, you're such a dream
Will you jump on my trampoline?
Come jump with me
Wow! Can we jump on it right now?
Can we jump?
Sure. It's in the backyard. Sure. It's in the backyard.
In the backyard? Wow.
Thanks.
Yeah, thank you.
Cece and Mike sitting in a tree
K-I-S-S…
Hey, El Deafo, where ya going?
I must follow my heart.
There he is. My super crush.
Perhaps the all-powerful rosette
will lure my super crush into my ever-loving arms.
Hello, El Deafo. How are you--
So beautiful.
Snagged on the thorn of the all-powerful rosette.
Come closer, Mike Miller.
Yes, my lady.
Hey!
Wake up, silly. We're burning daylight.
Wanna play tag? Bet you can't catch me. Wanna play tag? Bet you can't catch me.
I'm gonna get you.
Oh, no. Are you okay?
I think it's okay.
Am I bleeding?
Yeah, you are.
You better go home and show your mom.
I can't believe I did that.
Cece, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to.
Martha, wait. It was an accident.
I'm okay.
It was an accident. And I was okay.
I just had to convince Martha.
Martha's gonna love my new eye patch.
Ahoy there, matey. Shiver my timbers.
Oh, no. Your eye.
Cece, I'm so sorry. I-- I gotta go. Cece, I'm so sorry. I-- I gotta go.
Martha? Martha, I'm fine.
Everything is okay. Honest.
Was this really the end?
I couldn't imagine my life without Martha.
I had to get her back.
I think I'm better off Than I was yesterday
When you came and swooped in
Pulling me the other way
If we stick together
We might be well on our way To something great
A good idea that's taking shape
I don't wanna fall behind
Yeah, I am not afraid When you're nearby
I think together we could Fly up in the sky
I don't wanna fall behind
Yeah, I am not afraid When you're nearby
I think together we could Fly up in the sky