Speechless (GRETHAN)

Chapter 2: Him

A/N: Not a very large note but a big thank you to all those who read the first chapter because I received 35 reads in just 48 hours of its publication. May not seem like a lot but every reader, every vote matters to me and I'm just happy. Please continue supporting me! Now onward with chapter 2!

Ethan Dolan

A day after school began, I was already getting busy. After being yelled at by mom and dad for not helping around in setting up and decorating our new house, I decided it was time I was signing up for sports or clubs that'd demand my time and attention. I basically needed some extracurricular stuff to get my mind off our recent move.

Since I had no friends and no romantic companion, I believed in solitude. School today was also just a bore with classes followed by classes. The day went by in a jiffy and I was making my way to the last class of the day. As I passed by the silent west-end corridor, I heard a loud 'bang' of metal against metal and voices that sounded similar to a heated argument. Is there another fight ongoing? Now, it wasn't any of my concern to intervene but when the sound of a body hitting the ground was audible, I felt it was time to investigate.

I discreetly poked my head around the corner and the sight in front of me made my nerves tingle with anger. They were the same guys I encountered the previous day, stereotypically jocks. My classmate, the boy that had me captivated was on the floor, crouched like a fish whose life was in danger while three others towered around him, like birds in a feeding frenzy.

"Let him go!",I yelled, coming away from the corner and standing in front of the hallway.

"Oh! You're back! Look who it is!",exclaimed one of the douchebags who I presumed was their leader. His other two companions smirked and cackled evilly. His chest heaved up and down in anger. The little boy on the ground was frightened out of his wits. "I'm guessing you're new here so leave us alone before we have a serious problem."

"You have a problem with him? You got a problem with me.",I yelled back, advancing closer to the men. "Go ahead and test me douchebag and I'd be fucking honoured to put you in your damn place." He maintained eye contact with me as if his stare would weigh me down. He incoherently muttered something to his goons and then backed off.

"Congratulations newbie, you just got on my crap list. Watch out kid.",he scowled and the goons ran in the opposite direction. The victim sat innocently on the ground as I approached him.

"Hey, you okay?",I spoke gently as I crouched beside him. He had watched the entire interaction with his goons and he seemed terrorised by fear but managed a quick nod. His eyes were wide and filled with worry. His shaky hand rose to his nose to clean the stain of blood that rolled out. "Come here, let me help you.",I said and stuck out my hand.

He stared at my extended arm as if my benevolent action was incomprehensible but soon enough, he took my hand and I tried my best to control a smirk at how soft, fragile, and small his baby-like hand felt in mine. I helped him off the ground and I muttered softly,"Let me get you cleaned up but I don't know the way to the bathroom cause I am indeed new here."

His response to my amateur statement was a nod and holding and tugging my hand, he led me to the bathrooms. Walking beside him, I wondered why he hadn't spoken to me yet but I took it to be his fear. Maybe he was still scared of those jocks? Maybe he was afraid of me? Shy? That's a possibility, right? I snapped out of my thoughts once we made it to the bathroom.

"Hop up on the counter, yeah?",I suggested. "I'll get some paper towels." He did as instructed and I watched him as he seated himself on the counter, beside the sinks, his skinny legs, well-clad by his jeans as he swung them back and forth.

I mentally cooed at his behaviour and I return to treat his injuries. "Look up a little...yeah, that's good." I dampened the towel in my hand and slowly dabbed the semi-dried blood while having a light grip on his cheek. While cleaning him up, I tried my best to ignore the fact that his face was only inches away—I could feel his warm, minty breath on me. Not able to look away from his face, I observed his light freckles and his hazel eyes and brown hair. A short, silver ear piercing, something similar to an angel's wing hung from his left ear and it glistened in the bathroom's bright lighting. He was a boy but he was undoubtedly the prettiest boy I had ever seen. Simply put, everything about him was stunning.

"There you go! All done!",I spoke cheerfully and stepped back. I bit my lip as he smiled at me. Continuing to smile, the boy pulled out his mini iPhone and instantly began to type away in the Notes app. When he was done, he turned the screen my way so I could read it.

'Thank you for helping me. No one has ever stood up for me and that was very brave of you. My name is Grayson.'

I looked at him, confused but instantly spoke up,"It's nice to meet you Grayson, I'm Ethan. Please don't thank me for I did nothing. Nobody deserves to be treated the way those assholes were treating you. By the way, I really like your name."

Grayson blushed at my words, precisely at the compliment and he began to type again. Once done, he turned the phone to me.

'In case you're wondering, I'm not deaf. I'm not reading your lips either. I just can't speak and so I type or use sign language with those who can communicate.' That's what his message said. I nodded in response, throwing away the bloody paper towels in the trash. I got beside him and quickly rinsed my hands.

"Um...unfortunately, I don't know sign language." How I wish I did! I felt so bad I was not able to communicate in his language without putting him through much stress. Sure enough, there are a lot of people who are mute or suffer from other illnesses as we come across them in life and we do feel sympathetic for them but it passes gradually. However this time, I genuinely felt bad for Grayson because as much as I wanted to help him further, there was nothing I could do.

'That's alright.' was his typed message. 'I'm really grateful for what you did.' I smiled innocently and scratched my scruff. 'Can I see your schedule?'

"Oh yeah sure!" I quickly pulled my bag open and ruffled through books, pulling out the crumpled sheet of paper. "I'm sorry it's out of shape." Grayson smiled as he slowly took the sheet from my hand. He placed it on this thin legs and ran his hands over the creased paper; attempting to straighten it a bit, then he brought it up to his face. He spent moments reading it, analysing it and finally he began to type again.

'We're in the same grade and we share quite a bunch of classes. Come with me, we have chemistry now.' he informed. He pointed to the watch on my hand and I understood he meant to say class would begin in sometime. Grayson hopped off the counter and we left the bathroom together. As we were walking to our last class of the day which we shared, I spoke again.

"Grayson, do you want to head out to lunch after class?",I daringly suggested with an evident and nervous blush forming across my face. He stopped in his steps and he thought pensively. My fingers played with themselves timorously while I anxiously awaited his response.

'It's a date!' was his response.