Signing Love (#Wattys 2018)

Chapter 18

Sami POV

We were walking home together, Cole and I. With each and every step we took together was like a memory. Almost every small thing that has happened between both of us has been a memory. The time he almost kissed me when I went to Ariana's house to make her feel better, and every time we met up after school to teach him sign language.

My heartbeat sounded like a drumroll; it was that fast. Every time he gave me a compliment, it felt like my face was on fire. My cheeks were hurting with the constant smiling. Damn, he really knows how to make a girl feel happy, and really flattered.

I could feel his soft hand brushing against mine as we walked home. I didn't want this to end, but sadly, it has to. We both have to part ways, sadly.

"Thank you." Cole started. I looked at him with a slightly confused face.

"Why?" I asked him. It's not that I didn't want a thank you, but everyone wants to know why you got one, right? He chuckled at my flustered face.

"Well, I have a lot of things to say thank you for."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Thank you for teaching me sign language, and I appreciate it so much. I don't know how to say thank more than this."

"No problem. You really didn't have to show your gratitude just for this."

"There's more. You are one of the only people in the world who actually look at me as if I'm not too different, and like I'm someone else. When you're with me, you act pretty casual. All the guys on the Soccer team are my friends, just because I'm the team captain. And sluts... sluts are sluts wherever you go in the world. And that means a lot to me. You know, looking at me as if I am not the coolest person on the planet."

That small speech made me feel like I was the coolest person on the planet. He called me something that someone people would be honored to get called; a friend. And that too, by the hottest guy in the school. That was okay and all, but what bothered me was that I was friend-zoned. He just looked at me as a friend. Nothing more. After more than a month of constantly meeting each other, he still looks at me as a friend; nothing more, nothing less.

"Thank you... that was one of the nicest things that I have ever gotten from someone this whole month. And that really made my day." I told him. He deserves to know that.

"Anything for you, Gumdrop." Hy heart fluttered as he called me by the cute nickname that he gave me.

Could you be with me for me?

I was just so into him, and I didn't think that I was going to get anywhere if he didn't like me back as much as I like him.

I realized that both of us were just standing in the same place, looking at nothing but each other. I was just looking at him, and his beautiful eyes. Just that is enough to make me happy, and for me to relax.

"Well, I think that this is where we part ways. Don't you think?" He asked me, bringing me out of my thoughts of him. I mentally shook my head, coming back to the real world, and I nodded my head, agreeing to his statement.

Right as I was about to turn around to walk home, I heard a loud, husky male voice shout at our direction.

"Get him!" The voice shouted. I turned around, to only get grabbed by Cole, being pulled to his back.

I peeked from behind him, to see that there was a small group of people, who were ready to beat up Cole, considering that their hands were full with either a metal baseball bat, or a gun. Their eyes were filled with fire and rage, and a hint of satisfaction as well.