The way of your movements( Fruk)

13

I had learned a bit more about Ivan and Alfred before we met at the Pub. They had met through a program, and he had been Alfred's sign teacher. I was getting some interesting vibes between Yao and Ivan, and I felt that Ivan might have a crush. Then again, I am no expert on love, so I could be wrong about people giving signs.

Alfred was young, and it happened so suddenly to him. He managed to keep a great attitude, but I was sure suddenly losing hearing must have been hard for him. He was young, so I imagined people threw their pity at him a lot.

I was glad Francis did not do that to me. He hasn't asked anything yet, and I think now I wouldn't mind telling him. He had been so respectful, and it made me feel good. He made jokes about my deafness, and it was actually refreshing to have someone else joke about it. Everyone is so serious sometimes.

Once we all arrived at the pub, we sat at this table. I sat between Alfred and Francis, and In front of us were Yao and Ivan. We had gotten a few drinks and were mostly chatting.

Francis had his notepad out and offered to play tic-tac-toe with me. He and I were playing with each other, and he kept falling for the same trick. "You are too good," he signed. I rolled my eyes at him as he began to draw another chart for us to play on. "You want to lose again?" I signed. I saw him laugh and shake his head. "You will," he signed back.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw that Alfred wanted to ask me something. "Come with me to get drinks?" He signed. I lifted a brow, and he looked like he was begging. It was odd that he wanted me to go with him instead of someone else. If someone were to talk to us, we would be screwed. "Are you sure?" I asked and signed. He nodded at me, and I looked to Yao, who didn't seem bothered by it.

"I will be back," I spoke and signed to Francis. He nodded at me, and I stood up with Alfred to get drinks. "What were you going to get?" I signed. "Only a soda pop; I can buy you a drink if you want?" He asked and signed. "Maybe," I signed. Again, why did he want me to some? Maybe he wanted to talk to me alone, without anyone seeing what we were talking about.

We both took a seat at the bar area, and he began to wave someone down. "What do you want?" He signed. Honestly, I could go for a soda right now too. "I'll get a cola," I answered.

He began to tell the person, signing, and the person looked like he got the hint that we were deaf. "Let's face the bar, so they don't eavesdrop," Alfred signed, laughing. I nodded at him in response, and we adjusted ourselves. Within a minute, the bartender brought us our drinks.

"Why ask me to come with?" I signed. He smiled at me and came closer. "I wanted to ask about Francis. Does he like you? He kept staring at you as he does," he signed, smirking at me. My eyes widened, and I turned to look back at where everyone was sitting. Francis turned to me, smiling, and I looked away quickly. I laughed, looked at Alfred, and nodded. "We are friends, so I hope so," I laughed again.

Alfred smiled at me and shook his head. "Romantically," he signed. My eyes widened at what he asked. Romantically? I never thought of his attention like that. "No, I doubt it," I signed. He continued to smile and shrugged. "You never know. Do you like him?" he signed. I rolled my eyes at this kid, who was so nosy.

I thought for a moment; I didn't think too much about that.

"I don't think so," I signed. He laughed at me and gave me a look. As if saying I was full of shit.

"What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?" I asked, signing. He laughed nervously and shook his head. "I did, but she broke up with me," he signed.

"Why?" I asked.

He looked a bit sad and shrugged. "She thought me being deaf was too much for her, so she broke up with me; it sucks," he signed. He looked sad now and placed a hand on his cheek. I grew awkward at this confession. He was just a kid and had to deal with much of the stress of losing his hearing suddenly. "As if ME being deaf was too much for HER," he emphasized. This kid...looked angry.

I felt terrible; I had no way to encourage him because here I was...with no relationship.

"I thought it would work out for me because I saw that you and Francis might have been together, and I was excited that maybe I met the wrong person, but I'm scared that finding the "right" person won't ever happen," he signed.

"Well, I choose to be alone, that's all," I laughed and signed nervously. However, he made me think I was only telling myself that. "You are young; you will find someone to connect with eventually," I signed. I smiled at him, and he shrugged.

"Well, I do like someone," he signed back. I smiled at him and gave him a thumbs-up. "You should go for it," I signed. He looked like he breathed out and shook his head. "I can't," he signed. I looked at him, confused, but he still kept a smile. "I am too young...he only sees me as a kid, and I think he likes someone," he signed.

He?

"How old?" I signed. He laughed nervously and shrugged again. "Around your age, thirty-five, I think," he signed. Wow! That's a vast age difference; I'm sure he was barely eighteen.

"I'm worried that I will be alone forever...I want to be normal again," he signed. I looked at him sadly as he slowly dropped his hands. I placed my hand on his softly and shook my head. "This may sound corny, but you are normal, even if you don't seem to think you are," I signed. He laughed and nodded. "That was c-o-r-n-y," he signed.

We both looked back to where everyone was sitting and watched them. "I wish I could hear," he signed. I nodded at him in agreement as he looked sad. He wanted to get advice, so he asked to be alone.

Suddenly, from some sheer coincidence, I saw Michelle walk into the pub. She immediately saw Francis and went up to him. "Do you know her?" Alfred signed. I didn't respond.

Francis smiled at her and began to talk to her again. They were good friends, as usual. I breathed out, and something inside me began to ache as I stared at them.

They would make a great couple.

"Yes," I finally responded. Alfred lifted a brow at me, nodding, and looked at Ivan and Yao, who started their conversation. "Sometimes it can be hard liking someone who doesn't like you back; we are more at a disadvantage," he signed. My eyes widened, and I felt sad.

He...

He had a crush on Ivan...

But Ivan looked invested with Yao already.

I looked back at Francis, and I felt sad again.

How do I feel toward him? Despite thinking of his constant idiocy. He... made me feel good, but that was it. I shouldn't want more.

So, why did staring at him and Michelle make me feel like I did?

They looked like they could be the perfect couple...and I?

Well...I was Francis' disabled friend, who he kept around.

"Maybe a little," I signed back.