Friday, May 29, 2009

Turn a Deaf Ear to

The campus vibrated with so much noise that I felt myself being trembled by it. It was distorting my concentration so I mouthed the words.
"Chapter Ten: Stardust.
It has occasionally been remarked upon that it is as easy to overlook something large and obvious as it is to overlook something small and niggling, and that the large things one overlooks can often cause problems." I continued to whisper to myself the rest of the text. When I finished, I flipped the page. I shifted my hands so that one hand could hold open the book on my lap. I raised the other hand a distance away from my face. Something hard hit my palm and I glanced at the floor to see a small rock.
"Please stop bothering me," I said, looking up at the group of boys making irritated faces at me.
"You’re so weird.
Always sitting there and reading. Don’t you have any friends, you geek?" Brandon remarked.
"Of course, he doesn’t.
He only talks to himself most of the time. Who’d want to hang out with a freak like him?" said Patrick.
The pack started laughing hysterically at nothing and walked off.
I went back to reading.
I was disrupted again soon by a girl.
I noticed her approaching me from behind, so I turned around. She looked surprised for a moment and then she began to be flustered. Finally, she made distinct hand signals that I recognized because my parents made me study it. The girl said, "Can you help me? I’m trying to find Room 312, but I can’t seem to find it."
I smiled and said, "Sure." I quickly placed my bookmark, closed the book, and tucked it into my backpack. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and then said, "Follow me."
We walked down the hallway when the girl's hand started to move again.
"My name is Ashley."
"Nice to meet you," I said politely, "My name is Cecilio."
. . . . . .
"You know, I haven't told anyone, rather, my parents forbid me to," I confided, "To say that I'm actually deaf."
Ashley made a shocked face, but quickly made sloppy hand signals that said sorry repeatedly.
"It's okay," I said with a sad smile, "You of all people can't tell, since you can't even speak. But even the boys who make fun of me. They all don't notice a thing."
. . . . . .
I felt a slight quaking from a distance away and it grew stronger and stronger. I turned back around to watch Ashley's back as she crossed the street. My eyes dashed towards the side to see a car, its speed did not slow for a turn, but rather, sped up since the traffic light turned yellow.
"Ashley!" I yelled.
As I tried to run to her, I saw Ashley turn her head back towards me, but then a car promptly stopped, way too far out on the painted crosswalk and in my way. I jumped back, startled that I didn't even notice it coming. I stumbled over my own feet and fell against the wall behind me. I watched over the car top dumbly as the world seemed to go in slow motion and the car approached Ashley who's mouth opened in horror.
For a moment, I thought I heard the screeching of tires and Ashley's shriek.
I soon needed the wall for support for my legs gave way and I sank to the floor.
What.
What was this devouring feeling? This emotion that stole the air from my scream and robbed me of my strength. It tied my throat and blurred my vision. What was this feeling? This feeling of. Of. Of. Loneliness?

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