deaf | halsanie

one

"hey, dollface, can i take your order?"

ashley furrowed her thick brown eyebrows in confusion when the girl with the split-dyed hair she was waiting on didn't so much as turn around.

"excuse me, miss?" ashley smacked her gum impatiently, trying to stay polite but giving up when the girl continued to ignore her.

"listen, babe, i haven't got all-"

ashley flinched slightly as the girl's head snapped in her direction quicker than she'd been expecting, revealing a pair of wide doe eyes. she was precious, ashley thought nonsensically. and with her soft rosy cheeks and quivering red lips, the poor thing looked near terrified.

feeling bad for snapping at such a delicate creature, ashley immediately softened her voice and began to apologize. but it didn't matter.

the girl couldn't hear her.

ashley realized she was deaf almost straight away, as both her parents and one of her younger brothers were too. all the signs were there; like how she'd been so focused and undisturbed when ashley was trying to get her attention, and the way she proceeded to desperately yet gracefully move her hands around in an attempt to explain something.

ashley smiled warmly and set her notepad and pencil down on the table, freeing her hands.

"it's okay, i know sign language." she signed.

the girl let out a small sigh of relief. "that is music to my ears." she signed back, then laughed silently at her own little joke.

"classic deaf joke." ashley grinned.

"that's my ice breaker." the girl's lips curled into a smile.

"really?"

"no. you were actually the first person i've ever used it on." the girl giggled softly.

"well it worked." ashley signed, before picking her notepad up again, scribbling something down, and placing it in front of the girl.

my name's ashley frangipane. it said. what's yours?

the girl blushed and ashley bit her lip, watching as she picked up the pen and slid it elegantly across the page. she shyly handed it back.

melanie martinez, but you can call me mel.

ashley looked up. "your name is very pretty. i like it."

"thank you. i like yours too." mel's cheeks turned another shade darker.

"did you come here alone?" ashley didn't want to say it, but she wasn't sure coming to a bayside diner by herself was the smartest thing this girl could've done.

mel shook her head. "my mom just went to the bathroom. i was hoping she would get back before someone came to take our order."

"i can take your order now if you want." ashley offered.

"okay," mel opened the menu and placed a purple fingernail over something. ashley leaned over her shoulder to see what she was pointing to, her soft breath tickling mel's neck.

ashley backed away. "good choice. the fries here are the best around."

mel smirked. "is that true?"

the corners of ashley's mouth curled upwards. was this girl flirting? "it sure is. i steal handfuls from the deep fryer all the time."

mel laughed. it was a melodious sound, especially for someone who couldn't even hear themselves. ashley had the opportunity to control how her own laugh sounded and yet hers resembled that of a dying seal.

ashley realized she hadn't even made an attempt to put mel's order in. she'd just been standing there admiring her and her laugh that made ashley's insides melt.

ashley shook herself out of her daze. "sorry, coming right up." she signed quickly, shooting one last smile over her shoulder and hurrying towards the kitchen. as she flung open the swinging doors she nearly took out a balancing a red-haired boy carrying a full platter of food in each hand.

"jesus, ash!" josh shouted, swerving out of the way. "what's got your panties in a  twist?"

ashley signed the words "fuck off" at him without even thinking.

"what was that?" josh asked, making her realize she wasn't still talking to a deaf person. josh clearly didn't speak sign language, he was barely fluent in english.

ashley ran a hand through her hair and plopped into a chair. "i just met this girl-"

"oooh!" josh set both platters down with a loud clang and sat down across from her.  "details, por favor."

"fine," ashley sighed. "but drop the spanish, i've spoken enough languages today."

josh furrowed his eyebrows. "what are you talking about?"

ashley told him about the entire incident with the split-dyed brown-eyed girl named mel.

"and she was deaf and cute and i think she might've been flirting with me."

josh squealed, causing ashley to roll her eyes and shush him. "wait, is that what you were doing after you tried to commit homicide with the kitchen door? sign language?"

ashley laughed. "yeah."

"oh." said josh. "what did it mean?"

ashley coughed awkwardly. "uh-"

suddenly, a bell went off signaling that mel's order was ready. saved by the bell, ashley thought.

"whoops, that's my cue!" and with that she hopped off her chair and scooped up the plate of fries. "bye, joshua!"

"bye, ashley! have fun on your date!"

ashley shot him a scowl through the kitchen window.

her heart was pounding in her throat as she made her way to the table where mel had been sitting, but when she got there it fell all the way to her knees. mel was gone. in her place, held there by a bobby pin, was a piece of notepaper blowing in the wind.

my mom made us leave. don't worry, it had nothing to do with you or your service. anyways, here's my number. call me! xx

jk you should probably text me instead. that was another deaf joke. i mean, you can call if you want but odds are it probably won't be a very good conversation.

anyways, i plan to come back to the diner sometime later this week. so maybe i'll see you soon!

when ashley finished reading the note she was grinning like an idiot. she folded the note and slipped it in her pocket. she then collapsed into mel's vacant seat and popped one of what were supposed to be mel's fries in her mouth.

god, she thought. what is this girl doing to me?