The first bell sounded as everyone settled into their seats, you sat in the front corner of the class, closest to the window, your hair pulled back in it’s routine up do, pressing your hands along the pleats in your khaki skirt, you crossed your legs at the knees and waited for the teacher to begin their lesson.

Uncapping the pen in your hand, you flipped open to a blank lined page in your notebook for the subject. Watching the teacher intently, she bounced her pen on the front of her pulpit, calming the class down she slid one of the panels on the white board over, revealing all of the notes for the class. Taking out your phone, you snapped a picture of the board then returned your eyes to the teacher, her lips to be more specific.

Your hand jotted down careful notes that the teacher spoke as you continued to watch her lips for the rest of the class period. The teacher turned around and swapped panels as you snapped another picture then continued to write for the rest of the class.

The teacher pointed to the assignment on the board as you circled it in your notes then watched as her hands gently clapped signaling you that the class was over. Students stood and bowed to the teachers giving her their thanks as you then settled back into your seat and began to work on the homework between classes.

“Dude that class was sooooo long” Jinwoo whined while he turned around in his chair as he looked at his best friend, Jay Park as he finished jotting down notes. “Dude, when did you start writing notes....”

Jinwoo pulled the notebook from under Jay’s pen as Jay’s eyes snapped up at his friend while Jinwoo’s eyes ran along the lines of text.

“What is this?” Jinwoo questioned seeing as some of it was notes as other writing, in the margins, was just gibberish.

“N-Nothing, just notes” Jay shook his head before letting his eyes rest on your figure for a split second.

“Jay has a crush~” Jinwoo sang as he turned the notebook so his other friend, Jungsoo could see it too

“He totally has a crush” Jungsoo confirmed as their eyes lifted from the notes to see Jay’s chin resting in the palm of his hand while the two friends followed his gaze to you sitting at the front of the room with the usual empty desk beside you.

“I-Is it her?” Jungsoo questioned pointing to the girl as the boys scooted closer together. The blush growing on Jay’s cheeks told all as Jinwoo just smiled and turned his attention to the lucky lady that he was going to help Jay get.

The group of boys watched you for a moment as you turned around and placed your books in your bag as you were going to head to the library for your off period.

“Dude.... is that w-who I think it i-is?” Jinwoo questioned as Jay nodded his head

“______ _____” Jay replied in a soft, kind tone that none of his friends have heard before.

“Yuck, you are getting all mushy on us” Jungsoo slapped Jay’s shoulder lightly as he stood up.

“You know she is deaf right? That means she can’t hear” Jinwoo clarified, “You don’t want a girl like that, it is like having a defect. She can’t even speak too, you want someone like Minji” Jinwoo slung his bag up onto his shoulder as Jungsoo followed Jinwoo’s lead and stood up.

“Dude, aren’t you coming?” Jungsoo questioned as Jinwoo began to head out the door.

“I am in a minute. I’ll catch up with you guys” Jay replied as he gathered his books and slipped them into his backpack letting his eyes watch you a little longer before you slowly walked through the isles that the desks made.

Feeling a pair of eyes on you, you lifted your eyes from the pages of your books as you looked over to see the most popular and not to mention the most handsome boy in your class. The kind of boy that every girl would throw themselves at, the kind of boy that if he blew you a kiss you would swoon, the kind of boy that everyone wanted but no one could have.

Raising your hand, you wiggled your fingers at him for a friendly wave. You watched his pink lips fumble a little before his hand lifted up and waved to you shyly as his lips bid you a hello. Waiting a moment or two for him to ask you anything else, you smiled before bowing your head, you excused yourself and headed out of the room.

Jay stood up and slipped his backpack onto his toned shoulders as he followed you, keeping his distance of course, just to see where you would go. Maneuvering through the hallways, you held your books close to your chest on your way to the library.

Walking through the detectors, you waved to the librarian as she waved back with a smile. Jay followed you around the bookshelves as you arrived at your favorite spot in the whole school.

Placing your backpack down on the floor, you sat on the ground as the floor to ceiling windows showed the beautiful views of the city, in a quiet, quaint corner where no one ever visited, you pulled out your books and began to work on your assignments. Jay watched from above the books between the shelves as you worked diligently on your school work. Spying on you for a few minutes, he turned and walked away hoping that he would get another chance to interact with the most mysterious girl in school.

--

Weeks passed as you passed Jay and he waved to you pretty much everyday, without fail, waving back every time, you couldn’t help but feel a little happy that someone noticed your existence and made an effort to wave at you. 

With another class over, you gathered up your books as you pulled your backpack over your shoulders and headed through the maze of desks. Jay sat at his desk as you slowed your pace waiting for the daily wave that came from him. Inching closer to his desk, he lifted his head and waved at you brightly, waving back with a smile on your face. Just when you were going to go ahead on go to your spot in the library, he stuck his hand out in front of you to stop you.

Turning to look back at him, you watched his pink tongue glide over his lips, his fingers played with each other as you could obviously tell that he was nervous just from the way he was shifting in his seat. His brown eyes eventually lifted up to yours as his lips shook a little trying to find the right words.

“I like your outfit today” His lips moved as you smiled and looked down at the tips of your shoes, knowing it was the same uniform you wear everyday just made his comment more charming.

Pulling out a pad of paper from one of your side pockets, you flipped through the pages before you found the response you were looking for.

“Thank you” It read as you showed it to him. A nod of his head, you watched as a faint smile curled the edges of his lips. Flipping through a few of your responses, you found the one you were looking for.

“Do you need anything else?” You showed him, your eyes gentle and sincere as he shook his head from side to side. Bowing to him, you went along your way to the library.

A little while later, too deep in homework to pull out now, you looked from one book to the other before a figure came into your peripheral view. Lifting your eyes, unwillingly, from your books, you noticed Jay standing there, his fingers dipped into his pockets as he waved to you. Waving back, you sat up a little as you pulled out a blank piece of paper.

“Can I help you?” You wrote on the top of the page before you turned it around and showed it to him.

“It looks like you are busy... but I wanted to ask you a few questions if I could” You read his lips before his fist covered his mouth to cough. Nodding your head, you sat up and patted the spot next to you.

Folding your binder cover over, you placed the paper on the front so you could converse with him.

“What questions did you want to ask me?” You wrote as you offered him the pen while looking up at his handsome side profile once he sat next to you.

“I am sure you have heard this, but can you hear me?” He wrote on the paper under your words as he pushed it over so you can see.

“I can only hear loud things... I can’t hear people talking. Sometimes I can hear firetrucks or ambulances” You replied

“You can’t hear the teacher at all?” He wrote back

“No, I can read lips though” You answered as his eyes looked into yours.

“Isn’t that hard?” He wrote back as you smiled and shook your head.

“It isn’t that bad, it helps if people talk slower, so you can read their mouth movements better” You explained as he nodded his head.

“Do you get teased a lot for being deaf?” His next question hit you hard as you thought for a moment or two before you wrote your answer.

“I don’t really hear their teasing, so it can be easy for me to ignore lol” You replied with a sad smile.

“If I hear them teasing about you, can I stand up for you?” His words were written with care as you read them slowly. Blinking your eyes, you lifted your head and nodded gently.

The bell rang as you watched his head snap up, he pointed up to the bell as you nodded knowing what he meant. Gathering your books, you stood to your feet and bowed to him with a smile as the two of you bid each other farewell before you both split ways for your next class.

Over the next few weeks, the two of you chatted in your favorite place in the school, learning more about you and him the two of you became close friends as he told you about the funny things he heard and showed you the color filled music videos that were hip. Exchanging news in the hearing world then teaching him about your world, the two of you talked everyday.

The next day in class, he tapped the empty desk next to you that no one had ever dared to fill. Waving his hand to get your attention, he looked into your eyes and pulled out the chair silently asking for permission to sit next to you. Nodding your head with a smile curling on your lips, you watched as he hung his backpack on the back of his chair. Pulling out his books, he laid them out on his table as his friends started to whisper behind his back.

Listening to the students gossip behind his back, he pulled out a paper and wrote on it before sliding it over to your desk. “Good thing you are deaf, you don’t have to hear the teasing that students shell out”

Reading his words, you looked at his eyes then to the students around, pointing fingers and giggling behind their hands. Turning around, you dug around in your backpack for a moment or two before you pulled out your headphones that you just used for decoration. Placing them over his ears, you smiled at him before you wrote back.

“Now you are, just don’t listen. Listening is a choice for you” You wrote back before the teacher entered and began her class. Over the next few classes, Jay continued to sit next to you even as the rumors started to fly, placing the earphones over his head, he was deaf for a class period just like you.

Slowly he began to understand why you did certain things, why you act like you do and learned a new perspective on life and how to look at things. Learning from his new best friend, you two grew closer and closer to one another.

Jay tapped your shoulder after classes finished for the week, a three day weekend awaiting you once the bell rang. Turning your head your eyes met his as his fingers pointed outside.

Nodding your head, you agreed to go outside with him, the two of you walked through the hallways together, enjoying the freedom once the bell sounded and the students rushed around. Jay all of a sudden felt nervous out of his mind, holding the door open for you, you nodded your head as the two of you began to walk around the campus.

A little grove of trees seemed like the perfect spot for Jay’s plan to go into play. Grabbing your arm lightly, he pointed to the bench as you nodded and the two of you sat down next to each other. Fishing in his pockets after a minute or two, he unfolded it and handed it over to you.

Looking it over quickly, you noticed it was a page full of questions he was hoping you would answer. Smiling at him, you leaned over your legs as you tried to write your responses to each one. Most of the questions were simple, easy to answer but got a little tougher as you made your way down the list. Arriving at the last questions, you stopped and read it twice even three times before you looked up at him 

Would you teach me how to speak Sign Language to you?

Writing a simple “yes” under it, you smiled and nodded your head before you went on to the next question.

Would you like to go out and see the stars sometime? We could do something else if you aren’t feeling the whole star watching thing...

“Stars sound wonderful” You replied as blushed filled your cheeks. Turning the paper for him to read your replies, he smiled brightly as he came down to the last two.

“How do I sign my name?” His lips asked as you smiled and held up your hand then lifted his so he could mirror you.

Making the letters to his name, you showed him how to spell his name. An idea came into mind, jotting down your idea on paper, you pushed it over towards him.

“There is an easier way to say your name, it is called a sign name. It is where your name is linked to a personal sign where everyone calls and remembers you by, would you like me to give you one?” You push the paper towards him as he nodded excitedly.

“Only if you show me yours” Jay wrote back with a smile, Nodding your head, you thought for a moment before you found the perfect sign for him. Using the “J” hand shape you drew a heart in the air. He followed you as he nodded his head liking it a lot.

Pointing to yourself, you showed him your name sign as he followed you and learned it without a problem.

“Can I pick you up, right here at eight tomorrow?” His big brown eyes looked at you as you nodded with blush tinting your cheeks.

--

The bench next to you was empty as you played with the sleeves of your hoodie, nerves filled your body as your feet bounced against the sidewalk waiting for Jay to arrive. As time ticked on, you knew there would be a chance that he would stand you up, but as you stood up and checked your phone seeing that he is a half an hour late, you stuffed your phone back into your pocket as you stood up from the bench and began to walk back to your home.

A few strides into walking home, a figure came bounding towards you under the streetlights that were flickering on. Something was in his hands as you paused just to see who it was. The figure ran all the way to you as he jogged a few more steps towards you as you saw that it was Jay.

Waving to him, he waved back and ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to try and make it look good again. Approaching you, he held out a bouquet of red roses as he smiled as a note sat in the flowers saying “For You”

Smiling and pressing your nose into the flowers, gently, you smelled the sweet scent of the flowers as you took it from his hands with care. Batting your eyes and smiling as a thank you, he nodded as he offered one of his arms for you to take. Smiling even brighter than before, you looped your arm with his as he lead the way to the large hill behind on the campus, giving both of you the perfect view of the stars on this clear night.

Laying down a blanket for the two of you, he took the flowers from you and leaned it up against a young tree before he helped you lay down on the blanket. Sitting next to you, he eased himself down on the blanket as he peered up at the glittering stars with you.

The moon hung proudly in the sky, all bright and full while the army of starts glittered in it’s presence. Checking on him once and a while, you watched his chest rise and fall as you noticed he was dressed in a very nice sweater along with jeans. Matching your jeans, you smiled as a breeze came and blew causing you to shiver a little, curling against his side a little, he smiled and slowly wrapped his arm around your shoulders as you nodded that it was okay. 

Laying there with him for a while, just enjoying the peaceful night, he looked down at your head resting on his shoulder, his free hand slipped out from under his head as he took one of your hands slowly and held it up so the two of you were looking at the palm of your hand. Using his finger as a pen, he gently wrote on your hand.

“I love you” Once his finger was done writing, he turned his head to watch your reaction, your eyes were wide as you were a little in shock, turning his hand over, you wrote the same three words.

Moving his fingers into the “I Love You” sign you smiled and puts your hand in the same sign as you blushed and looked up into his eyes.

“Thank you for everything”  You moved your lips as he watched you with fascination.

Wrapping his hand around yours, he brought them down on his chest as he carefully spread your hand out over his chest so you could feel his heart beating out of his chest, wanting to show you what an impact you have on people, especially him.

“No, thank you”