The Silent One

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He had expected a lot of things, but this was marked in the how-the-hell-do-you-expect-me-to-expect-this-damn-plot-twist-in-my-life-like-woah. The class had fallen silent with a few words, and then the instructor had cleared his throat slightly. "I don't know how it was at your old school, Mr. Khan, but here, we don't make threats."

Aaron Joseph remembers that moment like it was yesterday. He also remembers the response that captivated his breath.

"Oh it's not a threat sir, it's a fact."

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Aaron Joseph was struggling with staying awake in class again. On and on, the history lecture went, talking about dead men that no one gave a second thought to. If Aaron was allowed to voice his negative opinion, history was pointless. Why the hell would you need to know the exact day America was founded and who the founding fathers were and who wrote the Constitution etc. etc. etc.? Nevertheless, he was held to his seat again, a vacant expression holding his face captive.

It was only when a teen walked in that Aaron snapped from his day dreams and placed his attention on this new force. He had seen this boy around school before, known to not utter a peep. He had no friends, nor did he want any. He made no effort to try to speak to anyone, or communicate in any way. His name? William Khan.

The instructor stopped his lecture to watch William march to the front of the classroom, his hands shoved deep within the pockets of his jeans. He stared blankly for a moment and then opened his mouth, uttering the first words Aaron had ever heard the boy speak.

"You all have one day to live."

The room was enveloped in a heavy silence and all eyes were on William, eyes wide. William though, appeared perfectly calm as if he had just stated the weather. 

William put a hand to his throat snd rubbed it slightly, swallowing heavily

The instructor cleared his throat slightly. "I don't know how it was at your old school, Mr. Khan, but here, we don't make threats."

His words were logical enough. William had apparently been a very bright student and very talkative a long while ago, but since four years ago when he moved here, he hadn't spoken. The reasoning behind it all was a boy by the name of Nathaniel Whitter. 

There are movies out there having a pair of best friends and one day they get separated and both sink into depression. After a couple of months,  give or take a few, and everything's alright again. The friends have found better people to sit amongst and their best friend was forgetten. Not William.

William never forgot Nathaniel. Every page of his journal was filled with stories and drawings of the pair. They were inseperable.

The split in their relationship occurred when William's father had been deployed overseas. William had moved to Britain and settled down in London. William had been devastated.

Hr had become a selective mute and remained that, well, until today.

The instructors were always gentle with him and caring, treating him different from others so he would possibly move on from the hurt.

William of course didn't and instead held to his pain, obsessing over hos grief. It would be his demise.

The instructors never punished William, and any peculiar behavior he expressed, they blamed it on his old school, like now.

'Oh you're only acting like that because of you're old school; it left emotional scars.' William got away with a lot of things that way.

"Oh, it's not a threat, sir." William responded to the instructor, his blue eyes dull. "It's a fact."

He didn't speak anymore, nor wait for a response from the instructor. He left the room.

Aaron stood suddenly as he heard a collision of something heavy hitting the tile of the hallways. He tailed the instructor as he ran to the hallway to see William on the ground, his muscles convulsing as his eyes rolled back in his head. 

"Someone go get the nurse!"

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William groaned softly when he woke, his throat parched and his head spinning.

There was no one there. He was in a room he had become quite acquantied with, and one he had come to associate with the emotion of passionate hatred.

"Mr. Khan... Fabulous that you're awake now, how are you feeling?" Came the sullen question, lacking all emotion as a nurse moved onto the room. William raised his hand and signed a quick 'good'  in response. He felt so sick.

He pinched the bridge of his nose when he felt a headache coming on ad absent mindedly used his spare hand to lazily sign responses to the nurses questions, sometimes switching to using finger spelling when he couldnt sign a word with just one hand.

One question caught his attention. "Would you say this episode was due to your relationship with Nathaniel Whitter?"

No.

Dont mention him.

Please.

William took in a deep breath, looking away.

"/No./"

The door opened and closed.

The nurse didnt ask anymore questions.

A/N: Okay, so this was an introductory chapter so it's really confusing. Let me explain something.

Chapter summary: Aaron Joseph is recalling a memory that happened a few days ago. A selective mute walks into class, speaks for the first time announcing everyone will die tomorrow, and then leaves again. He seizes and is sent to the hospital ward of the school. He is asked a few questions and then is left alone.

This is my first thing. Please be gentle.

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