Skinny Boy ✔

Chapter 12: terror on deaf ears

After spending time opening gifts and letting Jamie get the first slice that afternoon, it came time to return to my friends. I was more than grateful that I went back home for a little while, since it gave me an excuse to grab my pills before I walked to Henry's house.

As the bottle rattled in the pocket of my jacket with every big step I took, I became even more grateful. This time, however, I was grateful that her house was within walking distance, and that I didn't have to get a ride from mom and risk her questioning the sound with every sharp turn we drove. Luckily it was still warm enough outside to have it off, and I could wrap it up enough to muffle the sounds when I got there.

The first thing I noticed was that her parent's car was missing. The second thing I noticed was the screeches of teenagers from the backyard. I cracked a smile at the sound and headed for the gate.

"Hey," I said as I walked through to the other side of the fence. "Having fun without me?"

"Just a little," Matt called back. Henry sent a welcoming grin my way.

"We were having fun until you got here," Sandra said. She was busying herself with bringing lumber to the fire pit. She scowled at Garret, who was watching us all leisurely from a lawn chair. "You know, for someone who likes to joke about women belonging in the kitchen, I would expect you to be the guy who chops lumber."

"I will once you go and make me a sandwich," he retorted. His smile was instantly turned upside down when she threw a stick at his face.

"Oops," she said flatly.

My attention was brought away from their banter when the screen door opened. Out came a little troublemaker who somehow saw a cool kid in me. Her name is Addison. She was 11 at the time, but our five year difference didn't seem to get in the way of the major crush Henry claimed she had on me. I was flattered and flustered every time she mentioned it.

While it was heartwarming that a little kid looked up to me like I was cool, I still hadn't the slightest idea how they, or anyone for that matter, could see me in such a way when I felt so small and weak. I saw myself as pretty much the opposite that Henry said she spoke about me as being.

I plastered a smile on my face and tried to focus my mind on all the sign language I remembered. Other than Henry (obviously, considering that's her sister), I think I knew more sign language, and spoke it more fluently, than all my other friends. Maybe that's why she was so fond of me: because in her silent world where there was no noise, a boy whose world was overflowed with it took some time out of his life to try and communicate with her.

She gave me a quick hug and greeted me, her smile only getting brighter when I greeted her back.

"Are your parents not home?" I asked Henry.

She shook her head, humming through a mouth stuffed with a marshmallow. "It's their friend's birthday as well," she explained when she could speak again. "She's turning some special number--35, 40?--one of the ones you can count to in fives. A special milestone, or something, I guess. So they're out at dinner with her and her husband. They should be back soon, though."

I nodded at that, stepping aside to let her explain to her sister what it was we were talking about. "Can I throw my jacket inside?"

She gave a thumbs up as I walked backward to the door. "You can just throw it on the couch or something," she said, as though she were anticipating my next question.

I wonder if someone else asked the same thing.

Every ounce of blood in my body suddenly went cold at a sudden sound. Reacting quickly on my reflexes, I spun around, grabbed the bottle I dropped, and shot my head up to see if anyone was watching. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when I saw that they were all looking away.