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

Nine

-You look sick today. VERY sick.

As I pretend to read Aryan's message, I notice that the word 'very' is capitalized, bold and underlined. All that practice for two days hasn't helped and I'm down with a really, really bad headache. I groan.

"Yeah, don't treat me like a sick person." I say.

He smiles and blinks.

-Haha. No I won't. You just look less beautiful today. But your eyes still look amazing.

I'm blushing like an idiot. I knew that the second line wasn't meant to be said or heard. He scrawls something.

-I have an extra ticket for Iron Man 3. You'll come?

I glance at the paper.

"Yeah sure..." I reply with a smile.

He's writing something else.

-Okay cool. The show starts two hours from now. We'll have to bunk the last two lectures.

"No problem. The lectures are a pain anyway." I say as I roll my eyes.

He's looking at me with immense doubt. I'm starting to get nervous.

-There's something up with her.

He begins to write something.

-You know, you're a pretty fast reader.

I raise a brow in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

He writes again.

-I mean you read real quick. Not humanly possible.

I gulp.

"Th...thanks." I say with sarcasm.

He looks offended.

-She thinks I'm a fool!?

He writes. I can feel the table shaking. He's angry.

-You think I'm a fool?!

I press my lips together as I read his message, this time trying to be as slow as possible.

"Wh...what do you mean?" I say, pretending to be confused.

He snatches the notepad from me and starts scrawling something. This time it's a big paragraph.

-You read my messages too fast. It's not possible. I've noticed that your eyes never move while reading. It's like you're pretending. That day without seeing me nod you knew that I wanted you to turn right. You just get me more than others. It's like...like you understand the emotion behind what I want to convey. How? And you better not lie!

It takes him about a minute to write all of it. But I already know what it is. He passes me the note pad. I take it from him with a nervous expression. I read his message properly this time.

Suddenly I hear him bang the table loudly with his hands. I'm startled.

-You don't have to pretend now! Just tell me the truth!

He's sounding furious. Very furious. I try subsiding his voice in my head but it's impossible with the headache. I give up.

"Okay." I suddenly say, "Just calm down. Please."

He's calming down. I take a deep breath, preparing myself. He's looking at me with curiosity.

-What is it that she's hiding?

"I...I...can read minds." I say, trying to be casual but it's hard as hell.

I don't know what I encounter first. His loud and surprised thought or his loud and surprised expression.