You Understand Me?

From the Beginning

--/Riley POV/--
As I walked into my history class after parting ways with James, I hoped he didn't see me face-plant into the door.
Maybe he's right. I don't pay attention to my surroundings.
I rubbed my nose from slight pain and took my seat near the door. Alec was already  there waiting for me.
The teacher came in right after me. She announced that this week's assignment is to search the origins of sign language and for us to try and fill in some blank spots in the history. Half the class sighed loud while the other was half asleep by the time her speech started.
Alec and I would be partnered up, but they were assigned alphabetically. Unfortunately, my last name is as usual in the last place. In this particular class, it has an odd number of student which leaves me to research alone. So fun, ugh!
After the long lecture for the requirements of the project, the bell rang and everyone flooded to the halls for the last class right before lunch.
Next is study hall in the library so might as well get the project finished now. On the bright side, both James and Alec are also in this class which means they get to meet.
I headed towards the gym to meet James so he won't get lost. When I round the corner, I see him on the floor with a bloody nose, and Alec scaring off Josh.
"Um, guys. What happened?!" I went over to look at James' nose to stop the bleeding.
"Oh nothing. Just some idiot trying to mess with the new guy. Have you met him yet? He's pretty cool but not much of a signer," Alec said as he look to me then James and gave us both a goofy smile.
"Yeah, we've met. I saw him the first time he was covered in blood." I said this and remembered the bandaid incident.
"Um. Riles, why is your face suddenly red? Do you have a fever?" Alec said like the oblivious person he is and looks so concerned.
"I'm fine, I promise. Now let's just get to class if James is feeling up to it," I looked at him as he nodded his head. " Great, so I have to go do some research alone since someone ditched me," I fake glared at Alec.
"That hurts, Riley. That truly does," he says while patting his fist over his heart and a hurt expression on his face like the drama queen he is.
We help James up and all three walk to the library with me in the middle. I felt like I was going to be squished by these two. When we made it the the door, they both looked at each other and smiled- not good.
They suddenly grabbed hold of both of my arms and attempted all three of us to squeeze through the doorframe. This of course resulted in us falling to the floor and laughing like crazy making  the librarian 'shush' so loud that is should be considered a yell.
We all got up while still silently giggling to each other, and they sat down while I looked around to gather the needed materials for my assignment.
I searched through and found the supposed roots of sign language but already knew most of it. I kept looking and found the myths and folk tales section. It must have been years since these books saw movement because each book had its own thick layer of dust.
Picking one and sitting on the floor to lean on the shelf, I opened to read the stories known from the past.

A long time ago, once there lived this boy that loved the sea and spent most of his time by the shore. He was warned to never step foot into the water, or the waves would lure him in with songs of adventure, jewels, and great power. Knowing this, he made sure not to touch the water but simply listen to its peaceful waves. Then one day, he fell asleep on the sand. The tide rose to spread over him making a beautiful melody play in his ears. He awoke and followed the sound. The deeper he stepped in the water, the closer the voice appeared leaving the boy entranced by the music and taken by the waves' song.
Many months later, he returned with a story to tell, making sure everyone heard of what he had experienced. According to him after the water completely encased his body, mermaid like creatures appeared in front of him while still singing their hypnotic song. Then the beautiful melody that matched their equally beautiful appearances both vanished and turned ravenous trying to drown him in the depths of the sea. By hiding in the seaweed and finding an underwater cave, he escaped his unfortunate fate and was only able to come back to shore just then after all that time.
After this story was known to all, these once loved mermaids became know as sirens that lure people to their untimely deaths. This enraged them, and the ruler over the sirens cursed all of mankind to never speak ill of them and their beautiful songs. The curse stated that if the gift of voice is misused to speak down upon them then no one shall speak to one another.

I was so into reading the story that I didn't even notice James come and sit next to me.
"Hi there," he whispered into my ear.
I was so shocked that I spun my head to hit his leaving a bump on both of us.
"Don't do that! I didn't even see you sit down!"
As I was trying to calm my racing heartbeat after a huge scare and a  new bump to the head, I rested my head on my knees.
"Oh come on. I swear I didn't mean to scare you that much. Will you forgive me, please?" he said fully knowing I would forgive him after an act of his sad puppy dog eyes. He must have know that his eyes had that kind of power.
We got up and went to meet back to Alec at the original table we had sat.
"Ok so Riley and I have to go talk to the teacher. Maybe we can work out for her to be partners with me or join my group instead. Let's meet up at lunch, deal?"

--/James POV/--
Riley's reaction when I scared her was so cute that it made me want to scare her again- probably shouldn't want to but oh well. Fun is fun.
"Deal?" Alec said, but I didn't hear any of what he just said.
"Uh-right. Yeah, deal," I said feeling lightheaded again and started to walk the other direction as they headed opposite of me.
I went to the gym since I wanted to clear my head, and I heard it was empty right now.
I walked in and saw Josh and his friends messing around and them noticing my arrival.
"Well, look guys. The talker is back. Maybe he'll try to actually speak this time," Josh signed as the rest laughed and started to huddle around me.
"Not now," I tried to sign but not very well and then i was forced over in the pain that just ran through by bones.
"Awww. Does your tummy hurt? Do you need a hug?" he signed and opened his arms then shoved me to the ground. The others started to kick me while I curled into a ball to try and protect myself a little.
"You know you wanted to talk! You'll never sign like the rest of us! Just shut your mouth and don't talk at all or else we'll make it so can't even if you tried!" They signed but said in their own voices while still kicking but somehow I was able to hear them yelling these things that are true at me for who knows how long.
Then the yelling and kicking suddenly stopped and I heard Riley in the distance.
"What are you doing to him?! Get off!" She yelled while running towards me with Alec starting to beat some of them off. A few teachers followed them and Josh and his friends ran.
I felt my head be lifted into her lap and a hand brush my blood-soaked, matted hair from my face.
"James, can you hear me? Keep your eyes open," she said gently rubbing my face while my vision started to blur.
"Stay with me, James," she touched her head to my forehead with her voice cracking slightly,"Please be ok."
After hearing that last voice, everything faded away.