Cut Off

Chapter 3

"Come in" I say, knowing he can read my lips.

He does and gives me the flowers.

"For your mom" he mouths.

I nod.

We walk into the kitchen. Well, he walks and I'm on my crutches. I give the flowers to mom.

"Mom," I say. "This is Zach. He brought you these flowers."

"Thank you Zach," she says, putting the flowers in a vase.

"He can't hear you," I tell her. "He's deaf."

"Oh, well why don't you take him to your room?" she says. "We'll talk later."

"Okay," I say.

I wave to Zach to follow me. He does.

I have to move slowly to get up the steps, but Zach doesn't seem to mind.

When we get to my room, I try pushing the door open with a crutch, but I'm struggling. Thankfully, Zach sees this and pushes it open. I smile at him and then walk in.

I go sit on my bed, as he examines my room. There isn't much to it. It's mainly white with light blue décor. The only thing remotely interesting is the photos on my dresser, and most of them are from a while ago.

He picks up one of me and Emily and Liam and Josh. He turns it toward me with a questioning look.

I grab a notebook and explain the picture to him.

Prom last year. That's my best friend Emily and her boyfriend Josh, then me and my ex, Liam.

He takes the notebook and reads it. He nods then writes something of his own.

You look happy.

I was.

And beautiful.

Thank you.

I blush slightly at that.

Are you going this year?

Look at me. What do you think? Plus, I won't have a date.

What about him? and he points to Liam in the picture with his arm around me.

We broke up. Almost a year ago. Not long after prom actually.

Sorry.

Don't be. Plus, prom is in 2 weeks. I won't have a leg by then.

So?

So, I can't dance without a leg.

You could still go.

Doubt it.

Whatever. So, why did you want me to come over?

I don't know. I guess I was bored. Plus, I like you. You're entertaining.

Entertaining? How so?

I don't know, you just are.

He laughs at that, and I once again catch myself wishing I could hear it.

I have an idea I write finally.

What's that?

You should teach me sign language. So we don't have to write everything.

Okay, but it might take a while.

I've got time.

He chuckles and then we spend the next hour or so going over the alphabet in sign language. I'm not very good at it, but it's starting to come to me. By the end of the hour, I've learned how to spell my name.