Skater Boy

It wasn't the first time she saw him sitting on his skateboard, his dark hoodie pulled over his head, observing the crowd. But to her, there was something different today. She didn't quite know what it was, but something compelled her toward him.

She sat down in the grass next to him. "Hey," She said. No response from the boy next to her. "Hey," She repeated a little bit louder. She didn't even get a twitch of the eye. She sighed, giving up, and reached into her backpack, pulling out her worn notebook.

The world became her muse. She watched as mothers interacted with their sons, lovers discreetly stared at one another, the occasional tourist stopping to feed a bird or look at a tree. She wrote down her thoughts, telling small stories in every line. She only looked up to gain new materials, quickly looking back down to sketch her thoughts.

She felt eyes on her and looked up to meet them. A pair of pale blue eyes met her green ones, sudden alarm spreading through them. Her normal flight instinct was gone, replaced by a curiosity she'd never experienced before. She glanced down at the pages in front of her, quickly scanning the writing before snapping the pad shut.

She shifted to look at him. "You're staring." He looked away for a second, the panic ebbing away from his eyes. His tanned hand came up to sweep his dark curly hair away from his eyes.

"Not much for talking, are you?" She looked around trying to find another person who could help her find the identity of this mystery she felt so drawn to. She felt a light touch on the hand resting on her knee. Inhaling deeply, she turned to look at the figure next to her. The emotions contained in those sky blue eyes caught her by surprise.

Feeling the need to calm him down, she said, "It's okay. I'm not the biggest fan of talking either," She turned to watch as a group of children entered the park. Silence blanketed the pair. She fiddled with the grass beneath her palms.

"Hey, can you at least say something, so I at least know I'm not talking to a robot?" She said while inspecting a flower she picked from the earth. When she got no response, she turned sharply to face him.

"Excuse me? You could at least acknowledge me!" With a huff, she picked herself up off the ground and slung her backpack over her shoulder, not waiting for a reaction.

She had almost gotten to the exit of the park when a hand grabbed her wrist. She pulled her arm from person's grip, turning around. She looked up into the eyes of the stranger with the skateboard. "What do you want? Come to apologize?" She didn't completely understand why her voice carried so much menace.

The boy shook his head. She looked down at his hands, which he was rapidly moving as if they were explaining something. "What are you doing with your hands?" He made an exasperated look. He glanced down at the notebook still in her hands and gestured to it. She frowned but handed the object to him. He wrote something down in the pages and handed the notebook back to her.

She glanced at him and then back down at the writing. In messy handwriting was written I'm sorry. I can't hear you. I'm deaf. Sudden realization dawned on her. Thinking back, she wondered how she didn't connect the pieces. She looked back at him. He was watching a child talk to a homeless man with a small smile on his face. She watched his face as he signed something she couldn't read. He turned back to her.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I thought you were ignoring me. Do you know what I'm saying?" He smiled and nodded, reaching for the notebook again.

I can lip read, I just can't speak. And it's okay. I didn't try to tell you. It's both our faults

"But I should have known."

But you didn't. It's okay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that day she was laying on her hotel bed, drawing, when she got a text. Groaning as she rolled over, she grabbed her phone. On the screen was a text from a number she recognized from the boy she met in the park. She smiled and unlocked her phone.

Meet me where we met at 7 tomorrow?

Of course

See you there

She bit her lip to keep herself from smiling too much. After turning off her phone, she sat in silence for a few moments before reaching a solution. She walked to her suitcase and pulled out her laptop. Sitting down, she pulled up a website on American Sign Language.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six months later they sat together at his house, him strumming his ukulele. She knew he didn't hear what he was playing, but to her and everyone else that could, it sounded amazing.

"I can't believe that it was just six months ago that we first met. It feels like I've known you forever," She says, reaching over to sweep his hair out of his eyes. He stopped playing to smile at her slightly and signed something.

Acting indifferent, she said, "Babe, I know I've been making great progress in my classes with you, but I don't know what you're saying." He bit his lip before pulling out the notebook he always carries now.

I said "Do you want to go out today?"

"Depends. Where are we going?" He paused to think before writing on the paper.

It's a surprise

"Tell me." He shook his head, a twinkle evident in his eyes. "Please." He smirked at her. She huffed and crossed her arms. "Fine. I guess I'll go out with you." She got up, flicking his head as she walked to the door.

"Oh, by the way," She stopped and turned around. She put her pinky up, and then made an 'L' with her thumb and index finger, before putting her thumb and pinky up together. "Right back at you, nerd." She smiled sweetly at him before walking out the door.

I love you

He shook his head gently before getting up to go after his girlfriend.