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HE saw the hesitance in my step, the wary way I looked at him. He looked down, biting his bottom lip, and when he looked again, head half raised, his eyes looked so earnest I was knocked off my feet.
"Please. I won't take too much of your time. I promise."
I bit my lip, twisting the keys of my dorm in my palm. Then I sighed, because really, really what was I supposed to do? I made sure the floor was clear before I turned to the door and he moved away from it.
"Curse you Claudia Heinz," I muttered under my breath, twisting the key in.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." I pushed the door and opened it wide. He raised an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes, impatient and crabby all too quickly. "I don't want the others seeing you and me together. This might complicate things since I should already be leaning away from you. I did the thing and that should've been the end of it. I—"
I walked in myself, glad the room was decent, kicking my hamper of dirty clothes underneath the bed for good measures. "Just get in."
Thank God I had a single dorm all to myself. I'm already saving up for an apartment by myself this year so I won't have to worry about other students and their constant whispering. But for now, my dorm room will do. "The others are most likely still outside- they don't like staying in with the weekend approaching and I don't want witnesses."
I spun to him, wide eyes as he slowly walked in, taking everything in with a polite expression. "I-I didn't mean like, I'm going to kill you or something. It's just... better to less complicate this. Whatever is that you want my help for." I frowned. "I mean. What would you need my help for?"
As far as I was aware, our lines were deftly cut. We didn't mean anything to each other anymore than what was already given.
I sat down on the side of my bed while he hesitantly sat on my desk chair. While he composed himself, I marveled at him because I didn't know what else to do, and also because really, he looked good. Apart from the confused contort in his features and the bags under his eyes that told he didn't sleep much- even the red rim in his eyes that I ignored out of respect - he still looked good.
Though his fashion sense could use a little help... I wasn't going to judge someone who just got dumped the day before. Still. He could at least work on the big, lumpy hoodie that made him look as if he was slowly getting eaten by it, and all the wrinkles.
Don't get me started on the shorts.
By my own murmurings, I didn't notice he drew in a deep breath.
"I've always gotten dump," he said, his start like a pronouncement. "I've never been good with... relationships. Of any kind. Dating or friends. When I was growing up, I had to see doctors because I didn't talk. I was almost four years old when they finally saw some progress. They first thought I might be mute so I learned to communicate with ASL. My parents and my older sister learned that even though I could speak, I relied on ASL to convey my thoughts and feelings because I was more comfortable in it. Talking was... still hard for me.
