The Silence

Chapter Seventeen

A/N: Sleepy 😴

Saint:

"Saint, your father wants to know if you...Oh!" Evelyn's mouth was open when I looked up at her and I gripped Julian's arms to keep him from pulling back too far. She blinked slowly and then she surprised me by smiling.

"He wanted to know if you'd like to book a table for next week at the Trattoria's, but...I'm guessing that's a no?" She chuckled awkwardly and took a small step back. God, my father... Was he still hoping I'd suddenly change my mind and start dating the Madison's daughter?

"Yeah." I replied. "No dinner." She nodded quickly.

"I'll let him know. Hello again, Julian." She waved her fingers at him and closed the door behind her softly.

"Oh my God." He hissed and dropped his head into his hands.

"You OK?" I asked and tugged at his hands. His cheeks were beautifully pink when he looked up at me.

"Hmm?"

"You OK?" I asked again.

"I'm fine." He smiled at me shyly.

"Yeah?"

"Mmhmm" He hummed.

"I'll be over here." I told Julian who was lying back on one of the bean bag couches in the library that they kept for kids. He waved at me distractedly and I went over to browse for my own books.

The ASL book had been really helpful, but in the end it had been easier to just download an app and learn that way. There were still a lot of interesting books for me too look through. I grabbed one on hearing aids and headed back over to Julian.

I sat down on the bean bag next to his and he looked up at me over the pages of his book. His eyes were bright in the sunlight shining through the window and I could see the little bits of blonde that sparkled in his hair. God, he was too adorable sometimes. He gasped softly when I lifted his legs and laid them back down over my lap.

"Saint." He whispered, looking around subtly.

"What?" I blinked at him and he stared at me for a long minute before he let it go and went back to reading.

I was halfway through reading how technology for hearing aids had improved recently when I heard whispering from the table closest to us. When it progressed to high pitched giggling, I glanced over and frowned. At the table were a couple of girls from school that I recognized and they were staring at Julian and I behind their own books.

"Saint?" He asked me softly when my hand tightened on his thigh. I clenched my jaw and signed 'Nothing.' to him, then went back to reading

By the time lunch came around on Monday, it was obvious that the good old fashioned high school gossip mill had been up and running all weekend. No one would dare say anything out loud to me, or even Julian, who was never far from me, but it was clear they were all curious.

"Saint, honestly." He muttered as I lit another cigarette. He took it from me and held it in his fingers. "Lunch time is for food. Eat. Can you stop smoking for 2 seconds?" He tsked and handed me a sandwich.

"Why? You worried about me?" I smirked and he rolled his eyes.

"Eat." He nodded at the sandwich and I took a big bite.

"Happy?" I asked with my mouth full and he punched my arm hard. "Ouch."

"Oh my God." Zac groaned as he dropped down next to us by the fountain. "I'm dying."

"Hangover?" Julian asked and Zac groaned again.

"Serves him right." I said and kicked his leg. He gave me the finger as his arm covered his eyes.

"Shut up." He mumbled.

"Hey. Don't fall asleep here." I warned him and he moved his arm so he could glare at me properly. I took my cigarette from Julian who handed it back reluctantly. It had mostly burned down anyway so I stubbed it out on the stone.

"Why? You two love birds want to be alone?" He grinned when I kicked him again. "What? Aren't you guys like a thing now? Everyone keeps asking me and I have no idea." I wasn't particularly bothered about Zac finding out I was gay, but I sat back to let Julian answer him. He also hadn't seemed bothered much before, but I could be wrong. I'd never even asked him...

"I ...guess?" Julian looked over at me with wide eyes and I wanted to kiss him so badly.

"You guess?" I asked him and he chuckled as he shrugged.

"I don't know." He answered and I clicked my tongue as I tapped my finger against the cool stone of the fountain.

"How many more times do I need to kiss you for you to know?" I asked and he let out a sharp laugh.

"That's cool, dudes" Zac said as he stood up. "More boobs for me." He said and Julian snorted. Zac rubbed his eyes and peered across the grass at the cafeteria. "I need some food. I'll see you guys later." He said and shuffled off.

I was still staring at Julian after Zac had left and he blinked at me, looking up from his homework in his lap.

"What?" He asked with a smile and I couldn't hold myself back any more. His lips were warm when I kissed him gently. Julian gripped my arm tightly when my hand slid into his hair and played with his curls.

"Do you need to go to the sick bay?" I asked and he frowned.

"What?" I brushed the thumb of my other hand along his bottom lip.

"You have a headache." I said and his mouth fell open just a little. I had been noticing his little winces throughout class and they'd been getting worse in the last half hour. Now that I knew what to look for, it was easy to see when one of his migraines was starting.

"I do." He said quietly.

"Go. Rest. I'll come get you when school let's out. OK?"

"OK." He let me kiss him one more time before he stood up and we walked over to the sick bay together.

I ignored the stares on the way back to class and sank into my seat with a sigh. What was everyone so curious about anyway?

I was seriously considering just ditching class and joining Julian for a nap in the sick room when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Alison's name flashed on the screen and I hit ignore. Why did she even keep calling me?

"Mr Carter?" My teacher called from the front of the room and I put my phone down. It had barely been on the table 2 seconds before it buzzed again. Really?

"Sorry." I muttered and flipped it over to hit ignore, but I paused when I saw a different name.

"Mr Carter..." My teacher sighed but I stood up and grabbed my bag.

"I need to go." I showed him my phone and he pursed his lips but let me go.

I didn't really want to go see my dad, but if it got me out of class for a bit...