Silence Beyond Words

Her Name

"So, we're doing this?" Alex questions with a slight smirk and nothing but eager eyes.

Norma simply raises her shoulders in response, not having it in her to speak and break her protection shield into a million pieces.

The classroom looked so different just now. Mrs. Blackwell had them rearrange their stations to purposely block your partner's view of their white canvas, but just enough to captive their demeanor in order to complete the assignment.

Norma was glad that she could use her station to hide her red cheeks and shaky hands from Alex's view. Her face felt hot and her hands awfully clammy, which she hated more than anything. It always exposes her deepest fears. She hates that she can't control how to simply not look awkward or insecure in front of others. It was almost as if she had a sign glued to her forehead that read: 'I'm scared of human contact, so what?'

But despite all the negativity, she insisted to pile up on her plate, she couldn't ignore that she had the infamous Alex Romero as her partner and that she'd had to repeat this scenario all week long.

"No peeking!" Mrs. Blackwell chants from the other side of the room.

"I'll rip your head off if you so much glance at your partner's piece. And I mean that."

Norma giggled a little, enduring the sarcasm of the notorious, crazy art teacher that everyone loves so much. If only. She'd take getting decapitated over spending an entire week with Alex. That feeling in the pit of her stomach is still there and Norma knows that it is there to stay. She's still trying to figure something out because storming off is not an option; although it never was.

Why would he, though? Why her? She's been doing great on her own, she never had to worry about anyone forcing their way in. She resents him in a way, for now, anyway. He's such an intruder and she doesn't know if she likes that or not.

What a joke. The hottest guy in school willingly chooses you as his partner and here you are wishing that he never spoke to you to begin with. But then, at the same time, she wouldn't change it for the world, and this is why she's so insecure.

"She's not kidding," Alex states, that same brilliant smile planted on his face. Is that broad, perfect smile really necessary?

But Norma grants him a half-smile, one that wasn't really there but enough to convince him that his statement had that sweet effect on her.

"I'm not taking that chance," he adds. "You might rip my head off, too."

And there it is. That same smile that brightens his face delightfully. His features are sharp but with a light touch of sheer subtlety. His eyes darker than the night, carrying that same mystery as a hidden and prohibited forest.

"What's your name?" he finally asks. The need of wanting to put a name to that frail, peculiar but gorgeous face was eating him alive.

Norma breaks eye contact, clasping her hands together and furrowing her eyebrows in discomfort. Alex must have sensed her apprehension and was quick to react. He fished for something inside his black and ordinary book bag, taking out a red spiral notebook. Norma bites her lip nervously, watching with bravery his every move. His muscular forearm flexes as he reaches for a colored pencil situated on his station.

"Here," he whispers, and Norma takes a sudden and quick breath. He wants her to write down her name. Norma can hardly breathe.

She squeezes her hands one last time and timidly reaches for the notebook and pencil. Their eyes connect for a slight second and Norma fights the urge to smile and merely takes it without any preamble.

Norma opens the notebook, searching for a blank page. She can't seem to ignore how neatly and perfect his handwriting is and wonders why every boy on planet earth thinks it's necessary to write in all caps.

As she flips through the pages her nose detects a specific scent, one that's all him. It's the same smell from a while ago when he stood in front of her. She notices how he only uses one specific pen. Blue ink and fine point. She almost smiled because she could tell when the pen ran out of ink and she could only picture him stubbornly forcing the last ounce of ink into the thin paper.

Norma bites her lip one last time when she finds the blank sheet of paper she was looking for, not daring to look up and find him staring back at her with pity or perhaps discomfort.

She peacefully scribbles her name, licking her lips and keeping her bottom one caught between her teeth. Her breath shakes as she hands the notebook over to him. Norma can only focus on his extended hand, not wanting to look at his face just yet.

But she's drawn to him like a force of nature and her eyes are eager to bore into his as if it's something natural and so common for her to do so. She watches nervously as he turns the notebook around and smiles the second he reads her name.

"Norma," he says smiling, his eyes still focused on the paper with her name on it.

Norma stops breathing and she no longer knows if the heart inside her rib cage is still beating. Her name's never had such a sweet tone to it – what a treat.

"I like it," he looks at her. "It suits you."

'It suits me?' Norma thinks. 'I hate it. I'm named after an old, grumpy lady. Do I look that old? Jesus.'

"Nice to meet you, Norma," Alex exalts with quite decency, his tone eccentric and trustworthy.

The need to speak was consuming her entire being. She could hear clocks ticking backwards everywhere, her hands felt clammy once more and she could feel her pupils dilating as the clocks inside her head continued to tick tremendously as if striving to drive her insane.

A flicker of grief washed over her, and she felt an awful need to cry and let out her most inner frustrations for a change. But she had to nip it in the bud and keep her mouth shut. She's come a long way to disintegrate in front of a teenage boy whose intentions are not even clear or genuine for all she knows.

"TAYLOR!" Mrs. Blackwell screamed at the top of her lungs. "THAT CANVAS IS NOT YOURS!"

Although Norma was glad for the minor interruption, at the same time she admired the way Alex was looking at her just now. There was something about this boy that intrigued her immensely. But what is it? What?

But Alex is just as captivated by this strange, new girl as she is with him. She's so different from what he's used to. It may sound cruel to refer to her as something he's used to, but it's nothing but the truth. Norma is normal. Not extravagant and what everyone calls 'extra' nowadays.

She's a regular student, wearing regular clothes, and he loves how delicate she looks. Someone so gorgeous and frail, needing nothing but to be treated with care. He wanted to get to know this girl. This girl that refuses to speak to him. The girl with the eyes as blue as the deep blue sea.

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A/N: It's been forever... I know. This is too short... I know that too. But it needed to be short... Don't hate me :) I love every single one of you. You rock for freaking (imagine I'm saying the other F- word!) sticking with me even though I go MIA for months at a time. Life is crazy. Real crazy. But so are you guys for believing in me. Seriously. I love you.