The Mute And The Reader [#YourStoryIndia][#Wattys2015]

Seven

My level of excitement has no limits when I see him walking into the class. Fortunately, Asha ma'am couldn't arrange the lecture today also. He's late as usual and has the usual, confident expression on his face. Professor Shah is glaring at him as he walks with ease and sits beside me. I give him a friendly smile.

-She's in a good mood today.

I immediately recount the last time we met in this classroom and it surely wasn't the best first impression. I suppress a giggle.

"So how are you today?" I whisper.

He gives me a thumbs up.

-Never been better!

I take a deep breath, preparing myself.

"So...I'm sorry for yesterday. Was a little inconsiderate." I say.

He looks at me with a smile and blinks his eyes in acceptance.

-That's okay. I wasn't much of a sport too.

Ten minutes into the lecture and I'm wondering why is professor Shah so boring. What is it that makes him so torturously unbearable? His characteristic nasal voice, or his weird accent, his stature, or maybe the way he pronounces the word 'pen' as 'pan'. I'm doing everything possible other than listening to him. I'm also greatly surprised to find that Aryan is actually concentrating on the lecture and it's a real pain to listen to all that knowledge twice - once from the professor and another time by listening to Aryan's thoughts.

"You were pretty engrossed in the lecture." I tell him after the lecture is over. We are sitting in the canteen.

He looks at me and nods. Then after a few seconds he takes out a notepad and a pen from his bag. I can guess what he's up to. He scrawls something on the first page and I already know what it is.

-Where do you live?

He hands me the notepad. I take it from him and pretend to read the exact same words.

"Churchgate." I say.

He slightly nods.

-She's really pretty. So out of my league.

I try to stay indifferent to his thoughts but it's hard as hell. He bends over and writes something else below his previous message.

-You don't have friends here?

I pretend to read it again.

"Why do you think so?" I ask.

He writes again.

-Nothing. Just never saw you with people.

There's an edge of empathy in the voice that I can hear in my head. I realise why is that. Even he doesn't hang out with people.

The whole me-pretending-to-read-his-message procedure is repeated and I think that it will probably have to be done for every conversation I have with him.

"I...don't really like being near people." I say cautiously.

He writes one word this time.

-Ditto.

I smile back.

"By the way, nice move!" I suddenly say.

There's a question mark on his face.

"You've got guts for messing with Karan!" I say appreciatively.

He laughs without a sound. I can only hear the soft sound of air exiting his mouth.

"But tell me one thing," I ask with mock interest, "Does he really have a small penis?"

This time he laughs with more vigour but there's absolutely no voice coming from his mouth. To be honest, it's super weird to see him laugh. He bends over his notepad again and scrawls again.

-Well, judging from his low self-esteem, I really doubt if his penis is of a normal size!

This time I throw my head back and laugh. I think he's really funny. After a few seconds of laughing I look back at him to see him staring at me in confusion. I'm not able to understand anything until I look at his notepad. He's in the middle of writing his message and that's evident because he has only written the first five words - Well judging from his low-

I look back at him with a nervous expression. I just hope that he doesn't catch me. I smile faintly. He is looking at me questioningly, expecting an explanation.

"Thought of a joke!" I say, trying to make it sound genuine.

We both know I am not genuine. He's looking at me suspiciously. And what he thinks next scares the shit out of me.

-Something'sup with her. And I swear I'll find it out.