Elena woke up the morning after the trip to the amusement park with a strange sense of calm. For the first time in what felt like forever, her heart wasn't weighed down by the familiar tightness of loneliness. The shadows of guilt and anger, which had haunted her for so long, seemed distant now, almost as if they belonged to someone else. Forgiveness is not for the ones who wronged us, but for the soul that carries the weight of the wound.
The memory of her parents' gentle smiles lingered in her mind-their eyes had softened for the first time in years, and though their apologies had been silent, much like her world, they had meant everything.
She stood by her window, staring out into the morning light. The air was crisp and full of life, the chirping of birds distant but serene. Elena had long found her world to be overwhelming, not because of the silence she had lived in all her life, but because of the chaos that existed around her. The chaos of people's expectations, of their judgments, of her own doubts. Today, however, the quiet felt like a friend, not a cage.
As she walked downstairs, the scent of fresh coffee drifted from the kitchen. Her parents were moving about the house, but something was different. Her mother smiled gently at her as she set down her cup, and her father gave her a warm nod. Their gestures were small, but for Elena, they were enormous. She sat with them briefly, signing a few words here and there, and though they still struggled to communicate fully, the effort they put in felt sincere. They didn't have to say it-she knew they were trying. And that was enough for now.
Later that afternoon, Kyle showed up at her doorstep, just as the sun began to sink into the horizon. It had been a few weeks since David's death, and though Kyle had been there for her, Elena had needed time to grieve on her own. She needed to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions inside her heart-David's absence, her parents' sudden warmth, and Kyle's presence in her life.
As soon as she opened the door, Kyle's eyes met hers, full of concern, searching her face as if looking for answers. His hand moved in familiar signs, How are you?
Elena smiled, though faint, and motioned for him to come in. They sat in the living room, the soft light casting long shadows across the walls, making everything feel still, almost frozen in time.
In the quiet between words, hearts can speak louder than any sound ever could. Sitting beside him, Elena realized just how much had changed between them. Once, the sight of Kyle would have filled her with dread. Now, there was something else-a quiet understanding, a shared history that connected them in ways words never could.
"I've been thinking a lot," she signed, pausing between words. She wasn't sure how to put everything she was feeling into gestures, but she needed to try. "About everything."
Kyle watched her, his eyes softening. He always waited patiently now, no longer rushing her, no longer the boy who had tried to crush her spirit. He had changed. They both had.
"I was angry. For so long," she continued, her hands trembling slightly. "At my parents, at the world, at you... and at myself."
Kyle didn't flinch. He didn't need to-he knew all of this already. But hearing her acknowledge it still made something stir within him. She had spent years drowning in silence, only to find it wasn't silence that had held her captive-it was fear of what might be heard in the stillness.
"But I think... I think I can forgive. Not just them, but myself too." She hesitated. "And you."
Kyle blinked, his expression filled with relief and something else-gratitude. He reached out slowly, his hand hovering in the air for a moment, uncertain. Then, he gently placed it on hers, the warmth of his touch sending a jolt through her. You've come so far, he signed, his gaze never leaving hers. I'm proud of you.
Her heart skipped a beat at the words. They were simple, but they carried so much weight. She hadn't realized how badly she needed to hear them, how much she needed to know that someone else saw her journey, that someone else understood.
For a moment, they sat there, the silence between them more profound than any conversation they could have had. The boy who once took pleasure in her pain was now the one offering her comfort. How strange the world could be.
Kyle's fingers tightened slightly around hers, his gaze searching her face, as if asking for permission. Slowly, deliberately, he leaned in. Elena's breath caught in her throat as his presence drew closer, her heart racing with an unfamiliar mix of nerves and anticipation. The warmth of his breath brushed against her skin, and then-so softly she almost didn't feel it-his lips pressed against her forehead.
It was tender, unhurried. Kyle lingered there for a moment, his lips resting gently against her skin as if he was trying to say all the things he couldn't in that one simple act. Elena froze, her mind swirling with the weight of it-the significance of this small, intimate gesture. She had never known his touch could be so gentle, so filled with care.
The kiss wasn't just an expression of affection. It was an apology. A promise. A declaration. It spoke of all the things that had been unsaid between them for so long. As his lips left her skin, the warmth remained, and Elena felt her eyes well up with tears-not of pain, but of release. It was as if, in that single kiss, a piece of the past had been laid to rest. Kyle pulled back, his face inches from hers, watching her carefully, unsure of how she'd react.
"You smell like you're mine." Kyle said.
Elena reached up, her fingers lightly brushing the spot where his lips had been. She met his gaze, her heart pounding. She blushed really hard and her white cheeks turned into fresh red tomatoes. In that moment, she knew-whatever had been between them before was gone. What remained was something new, fragile, but full of potential.
What do you want now? Kyle signed after a long pause, his expression open, vulnerable in a way he had never been before.
Elena took a deep breath, her thoughts finally clearing. She had asked herself that question over and over, but now, for the first time, the answer felt certain. She signed back, her movements slow but confident, "I want to be happy. With you."
Kyle smiled, a genuine, boyish grin that reached his eyes. Relief washed over him, and without hesitation, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. She rested her head against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her ear. For the first time, Elena felt a sense of calm, of peace.
The silence that had once felt like a prison now felt like home. And as the last rays of sunlight bathed the room in a warm glow, Elena knew that whatever lay ahead, she would no longer face it alone.
The past may haunt us, but the future is where hope finds its voice.
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YOU ARE READING
Silence Screams
Teen Fiction| ongoing | |First book of mine| ;) Elena has lived a life of silence-born mute, she has faced countless challenges, from being neglected by her parents to enduring years of bullying at school. Her world is shaped by tragedy and loneliness, but when...
