Deaf Wish

Chapter 33

"Thank you, I really don't like these people, but I guess it's for Claire's sake.", I say as we stalk through the hallways. But before he could answer anything a blonde girl, shorter than the both of us, stood in our way, looking up at us a sly smirk on her face. "Uhm, could you two come with me for a second?", it takes a while for me to recognize her, but that's actually the girl Alex was talking about before, the one that used to stalk me.

My eyes widen, making her feel even more satisfied. She used to enjoy scaring me, following me everywhere, texting me almost every hour. Claire finally got her to stop, of course there was a little force needed but nothing dramatic. At first, I wasn't sure if she'll really stop, but she actually did and felt so good to walk around without being followed.

Nathan looks at me in confusion, before slowly nodding in agreement and starting to follow the girl who was skipping through the hallways. I didn't notice right away that I was walking with him and not still standing there. Many questions were going through my mind, like, why is she back? Claire told her to stay away from me and not even talk to me, so why would she break that rule?

Of course! Claire wasn't with me, that itself was a rare sight anyway, so obviously she would take the advantage. The girl, come to think of it, I don't even know her name, led us outside the school building, stopping close to the entrance where nobody could listen to us. We were alone with her.

"So, Sky. Care for an explanation here?", she glared at me, he brown eyes killing me with their looks. "I-I don't know w-what you mean.", I say, dodging her glare. "Of course you do! I saw you at the party on Saturday. Since when the fuck are you a homo?", she seemed angry, no, furious, like I betrayed her or something. She saw us? When? In that room or while we were dancing? I didn't quite dare to say anything, waiting for her to continue.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Is that your boyfriend?", with a disgusted grimace she pointed at Nathan, who stood there with an emotionless expression. "No, it's not like-", I try to talk us out of it, but got caught off. "Don't give me that crap! I'll tell everyone at this school about it and believe me, they'll crush you!", my chest squeezed down me, making every breath a painful one. I can't believe this is happening right now.

I turn to Nathan, who was looking at the girl like she just explained us how to bake cookies. I was about to freak out, when he suddenly grabbed her by the collar of her shirt pushing her against the wall behind us.

His face...

He looked like the first time we had met. That day at the bus stop. The angry glint in his eyes and the way he sneered his words. Everything reminded me of that Nathan I forgot existed. He lifted her a little up, so she was tiptoeing, shock was written all over her face, next to fear. I couldn't do anything, I was paralyzed, while Nathan threatened the girl, she was nodding multiple times in a row, trying to wiggle out of his tight grip. I didn't want him to be like this, I want him to be like the Nathan I learned to know and grew to like.

He finally let go of her and she immediately ran off, tears running down her face. The black haired boy rubbed his face, his back turned towards me. What should I do? Talk to him? Calm him down? My body was shivering as I stood there, staring intensely at his back, keeping quiet. He squat down, his face buried in his hands.

I couldn't help but lunge forward, sitting down in front of him, taking his hands out of his face and keeping them in mine. I smile at him receiving one back. He did this for me.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't want to scare her that much, but... I feel like I'm only doing you harm. How will you ever be able to trust me if things keep going like this? I don't want you to be afraid of being with me.", his expression was empty, focused on something behind me. I felt bad for him, the way he was looking, his eyes seeming endlessly tired. His appearance has changed since the first time we met, or even as I got to know him better.

I wrap my arms around him, thankful for what he just did. "It's alright.", I helped him back on his feet, smiling at him one last time before we headed back inside. But the thought of that girl didn't leave my mind, the terrified look on her face, that had glared at me only mere seconds before that and the tears that dripped down her cheeks as she ran of without laying eyes on me again. She was even more scared than that one time Claire had to deal with her.

Nathan didn't exactly talk the rest of the day, he seemed off, deep in thoughts and never really present to what was happening around him. We didn't tell Claire about it and I wasn't planning on telling her in the first place. She would get way too emotional about it anyway.

As classes finally ended, Nathan was one of the first to exit the room, but he did leave something behind. A little note with an S on it. I open it, reading the few words that were written on it in a rushed handwriting.

I'll write you later.

That was it, no goodbye, nothing. I look at the door, like I'm expecting him to come back with his usual smile, telling me to come over to his place so we could pet the rats. At least that's what I kinda wished for.

Claire texted Dillon real quick, before we headed outside the school building like everyone else, trying not to loose each other. As we have decided yesterday, we made our way over to Claire's place, catch up on some alone time, as she called it. "I can cook us something, if you want to.", she said, as we entered her air conditioned house, putting our bags and shoes next to the door.

"Sure, I'll help you.", I smile at her, earning a grin back. "So, I didn't want to ask you while Nathan was there, but what exactly happened at the party? A few people were talking about two guys dancing together, at first I didn't care, but I thought of you and him.", even more knew about it? This is bad. Really bad, but what did we expect? Like we wouldn't stand out in between all those couples.

I scratch my head furiously to a point where it actually hurt, as Claire placed a hand on my back giving me a reassuring smile. I can't tell her, I don't even know if I'm allowed to. What if Nathan doesn't want others to know of his sexuality? Her blue eyes sparkle in excitement about what I might say next, but I don't. I have to ask him first, if it's okay for me to talk about it.