Silenced voice

My friend

"You should be careful sitting there, you might fall." I was so startled that I almost fell off because of him, but I quickly move backwards so it's harder for me to fall.

"Hey are you ok?" My throat had still hurt so I tried sign language, though of course he wouldn't know it either.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You don't look fine." For a second I was stunned and turned my head to look at him.

"You understand sign language?"

"Yeah, my aunt is deaf so I learned it young so I can talk to her." My eyes lit up a bit, no one else in this town knew sign language, but I finally found someone that can. 

"You can clearly hear me so you can't really be deaf, are you mute then?"

"Not exactly, I have a weak throat. I irritated it not too long ago so even my usual low volume is hard to talk in."

"Oh." After a bit he sat next to me on the edge of the bridge. I went back to staring down at the water, thinking if I should do it after he is gone.

"My name is Hyuk." I continued to use sign language.

"Yo-si."

"That school near-by, do you go there?"

"Yes."

"Sweet, so I'll at least have one friend when I go there tomorrow."

"Are you transferring?"

"Yeah, my dad made us move because of his job." It took me a sec and then I realized what he said.

"Did you call me your friend?"

"Yeah, why do you not think we are at least like first tier friends?"

"... I don't have many friends."

"Oh, well now you got me."

"... Yeah." For the first time in a while, I smiled a bit. I also decided to use my voice and look at him again.

"I have you as a friend."

"Wow, your throat is weak. But you have a nice voice when you can hear it."

"Thank you." We stayed like this for a bit, just talking. I had completely forgotten about jumping off the bridge. I was so happy to have an actual friend for once in my life. It was so nice hanging out with him that I lost track of time.

"I'm sorry, but I should head home right now. My mom is probably worried."

"Alright then, see you tomorrow then So-yi."

"yeah, see you." We both got off the edge and went our own ways home. It was almost time for dinner by the time I got home. And my mother seemed like she was waiting for me.

"Welcome home sweetheart, you took longer than usual to come home." She had a kind tone and a nice looking expression but I got a bit scared. Whenever she seems even a bit questioning, sad, or angry, it always puts me on edge.

"I'm sorry mom, I made a friend today on the way home and then we started talking and we lost track of time." 

"Oh that's nice. And you also sound more quiet than usual."

"O-oh, I just drank something that was a bit too hot and it hurt my throat a bit." Though I hate being bullied, I would never tell my mother about them. If I did then that means I would have been the cause of their death, and I can't live with that.

"Alright, have some ice or tea then to soothe it a bit." I go to just eat some ice to cool down my throat.

"So, what is your new friend like."

"He is very nice, his name is Hyuk and he just moved here. He is even going to my school so I can see him everyday there."

"Oh so it's a boy, well it's nice to see you happy getting a new friend. Now go on and eat."

"Ok." I then had dinner with my mother. Usually I am a bit uneasy when I spend so much time with her, but because of Hyuk, I am having a nice day. I even forgot about that nightmare I had during class. It was nice to finally have a real friend.