Red Line

6

Rosealeana couldn't believe she had sat down at his table, waiting for him.
Every second seemed to drag on, her heart was pounding, and she was sure her hands were sweating, but she was too nervous to even check because that would just make her more nervous.

She then saw the boy she had seen for weeks walk by her, the boy named Kalim.

As he passed by, she just automatically reached out and stopped him from walking by grabbing his sleeve.

Her heart was ready to leap from her throat as she was mentally cursing at herself.

After the big shock of finding out he was deaf, and talking a bit, she was really glad she took the initiative and decided to approach him. However, it was his turn to take the initiative after a second of thinking and a soft blush, he showed her his notepad.

"I have to get going, but could i have your number? It would be much more comfortable talking to you that way."

Rosealeana blushed for a second and nodded shyly. She had gone from confident with him to almost melting, on the inside, obviously. He was just so full of personality and she genuinely enjoyed talking with him.

He pulled out his phone, and she typed in her number, while Kalim smiled the whole time.

She could tell as they continued to converse he seemed to lower his guard some, and more of his personality seemed to seep through. However, Rosealeana knew it would be a while before he fully tore down his walls and showed her his true and full personality. But, strangely enough, she didn't mind.

She could wait.

He smiled as she handed his phone back to him, and stood to leave. Rose waved, knowing he had put away his notepad, leaving him to return a small wave before nodding to Nancy, and looking back one more time and softly smiling.

Kalim opened the door, the bells jingling happily, and walked out of the café with what seemed like a bounce in his step.

Rose couldn't stop smiling like an idiot, her insides all knotted up.
She shook the silly thoughts from her head. She just wanted him to open up to her so she could see his personality to the full, nothing more, nothing less. She couldn't help but feel the the blush on her cheeks meant something though.

After a bit of smiling to herself, she remembered her lunch date with Janet. She would have to go grocery shopping or she wouldn't have time until tomorrow.

As she stood, Rose made eye contact with Nancy.

Nancy.

"We need to talk," Rose said.

By the look on Nancy's face she knew what she was most likely going to be getting an ear of, but couldn't help but smirk to herself, knowing Rose was going to be beneficial to Kalim, even if it just meant to make him laugh sometimes.

After explaining why she didn't tell Rose, Nancy looked to find her expression softened.

"What's on your mind sweetheart?" Nancy asked.

She was silent for a moment, then looked into Nancy's eyes "do people really become repulsed by the fact that he's deaf?"

Nancy nodded sadly.

"Sure I was thrown off at first, but he's such an interesting person," Rose said exasperated "how could someone judge based off of that? I mean it's the 21st century!"

Nancy just looked at her with a sad smile "then I think you're the person he needs in his life."

She nodded taking in everything.

"I think I want to be that person," Rose said softly.

All Nancy could do was smile as she watched the girl walk out of the café with her mind clouded with many thoughts.
A worried thought at the back of Nancy's mind hoped that Kalim wouldn't do anything stupid and ruin it, since she knew him all too well.