Mute- New Jersey Boys

Chapter 3

One month later

3rd person POV

Alex walked through the crowd halls, making her way to her locker when she felt a presence next to her. She looked up and made eye contact with Mattia. Alex swallowed hard and looked down at her feet. To say Alex was afraid of Mattia was an understatement. In the past month, Alex has watched Mattia get in numerous fights each leaving the victim blood and barely breathing.

"What's wrong?" Mattia asked. Alex just shook her head, signalling nothing was wrong. Mattia only sighed that the girl he was starting to really admire was keeping secrets from him.

Finally reaching her locker Alex struggled with the lock. Mattia noticed this and opened it for her. She signed a quick 'thank you' since she taught some of the boy's sign language.

"So you walking home today?" Alex shook her head as she continued to place the books she didn't need into her locker. The tall boy stared down at her trying to read the expression on her face but to no avail.

Mattia didn't know what it was about Alex that made him want to be around her all the time. Maybe it's the fact that she didn't throw herself at him like the other girls in school. Or maybe it was because she hated him. He knew he fucked up with the whole making fun of her thing. But Mattia was not gonna give up on Alex.

"I got to go, Mariano is here." Alex slowly sighed to Mattia. He looked confused since he's only been practicing for a month.

"Who's here?" He asked. Alex was slightly impressed that Mattia got almost her whole sentence, even if it was just a few words.

"M-A-R." Alex sighed the letters slow for Mattia.

"Oh, okay bye." Mattia went in for a hug but Alex moved back. She waved and turned away. 

Getting into the car Alex smiled at Mariano, excepting one back but no. She stared at him confused but brushed it off.

When they got to Mariano's house he walked in and Alex could tell something was wrong. She followed him and pulled him by his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" She signed with a worried look.

"That! That's what's wrong!" Alex was taken aback since Mariano has never raised his voice at her. She raised her eyebrow as if to say 'what do you mean?'

Mariano has gotten really good at reading her facial expressions and her body language.

"I mean you stopped talking to me! And spend less time with me. I was the only person you talked to and now you don't? Why? Did I do something to upset you? Are you having an episode?" Alex clenched her jaw at the question 'are you having an episode?' She hated that term. And she hasn't had an 'episode' in a very long time. So the fact that Mariano is bringing it up really made her mad.

Mariano has these 'moments' where he's mad at everyone and everything. He gets mad at Alex but has never raised his voice with her. It started after the incident and it happens at least once every 2 months. He can't control it but it does get annoying for Alex when her best friend won't talk to her for weeks at a time. Alex could tell Mariano was having a 'moment'.

"Huh? What is it, Alex!?" Mariano yelled after he didn't get a response. Alex shook her head. She knew when Mariano gets mad and has his moments they both have a breakdown.

Alex didn't have an answer for Mariano. She didn't even realize she stopped talking to him. Alex knew if she told him that, it would just make him madder.

Mariano's POV

She just stood in front of me not saying or signing a word. I was getting really annoyed and just wanted answers. Is that too much to ask for? I hate being mad at Alex but I can't help it, it's like my whole body just gets taken over by these horrible thoughts and I can't stop them. I took a deep breath to try and calm myself down.

"Alex," she looked up at me and I could see the tears in her eyes, threatening to spill over. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I knew she hates when I get like this and I don't blame her. Not only do I ignore her but I say some pretty hurtful things to her. I watched as she took a deep breath and blinked her tears away.

"Even if we both break down tonight," she paused and looked down. ".. And you say you hate me and we go to bed angry. I know everything will be alright. I'll be here waiting."

(Ik this is from the song Time by NF but I feel like the lyrics really fit the situation so I added them as dialogue.)

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I could feel myself trying not to just get mad at her again.

"I just need a little time to show you I'm worth it. I know that I can be a difficult person. Making you nervous cause you know I'ma break soon, every time I do, I say something that hurts you."
(Again Time lyrics and there's more coming lmao)

My eyes moved down to her lips as she bit hers. She looked up at me with glossy eyes. I stepped closer to her and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Got a lot of issues, I'm trying to work through them. Going to therapy for you is something that's worth doing. When I know you been there for me through all of my worst moments." I whisper as I placed my forehead on hers.

We stood like that for a while until the sound of her phone made us separate.

Alex's POV

I pulled my phone out of my back pocket at saw Alejandro texted me asking if I wanted to go get food with them. I text back saying yea and to pick me up at Mariano's house.

"Alejandro is coming to pick me up to get food," I said in a whisper. I know Mariano's 'moment' isn't over, he'll probably get mad at me tomorrow for the shoes I'm wearing of some dumb thing like that.

"Okay," He said and we sat down to watch Tv until the boys got here.