"Jeez, you've been making googly eyes at her since she walked into the bar. Just go talk to her, slinthead." Thomas nudged him in the rib. It was a Friday night out with friends for Newt. With finals finally over and with a lot of spare time on their hands, he and the boys decided to have a drink or two at the nearby pub. "Was not." Newt scoffed, shoving Thomas' shoulder lightly as he took another swing of his beer. True enough, he was ogling a certain brunette on a table across theirs. She was a pretty little thing. Short hair, small nose, quite skinny from what he could gather with her clavicle more defined than most but hey, who was he to judge; and was that and eyebrow piercing? 'Cute.' Newt thought, not helping a small smile dancing on his lips.
A low whistle from one of the guys brought his sights back on their table. "Thomas' right, Newt. You're one love-struck puppy." Minho teased this time, his eyes squinting slightly as they usually do when he's up to something. "Don't even think about it, Minho." Newt threatened, raising a brow at him to tell him he was serious. "Lighten up, shank." Alby chuckled, ruffling his hair, "Look, she's getting her friends some drinks alone, why don't you help her out."
"Ha. Very funny, Alby." Newt rolled his eyes. "No, I'm serious. Get up there and talk to her. God knows when was the last time you fancied a girl enough to eyeball her for an hour." Chuckles and cheers echoed around the table after Alby's comment. "I wasn't eyeballing her." Newt mumbled in defense.
"Undressing her with your eyes, you were." Clint grinned.
Newt groaned. "Just talk to her!" Everyone in their table cheered, attracting way too much attention Newt thinks with dismay as he downed what was left of his beer and got up. "Alright alright, don't get your panties in a knot, I'll go and bloody talk to her."
"Good that." Thomas grinned, playfully slapping his bum as he passed him. "Name and number, shank. Name and number!"
Newt shook his head at what klunks his friends could be. Then again, they've all know each other for three years tops. They weren't perfect but they were the best he's ever had for the longest time.
He breathed as he leaned on the bartender's counter only a stool or two away from where the girl waited for her order. Gosh his heart was beating fast. Newt exhaled loudly through his nose as he stole glances at her through the corner of his eye. "Psst!" Newt turned his head only to see that the guys in their table had their heads turned towards him. All of whom with stupid grins on their shuck faces. "Name and number!" Thomas mouthed at him with Alby, Minho and everybody else nodding and grinning along with him.
Newt rolled his eyes at them again, loosening his tense muscles as he made up his mind and walked over to the girl. "H-Hi." his voice hitched. 'Shuck it, Newt. Wonderful start.'
The girl turned towards him, her bright blue eyes stunning him for a moment before her small smile and wave blew him away. "Uhh... I..." Newt coughed, willing away the nerves. 'Gosh she's pretty.', he thought as he unconsciously returned both the smile and the wave. "I...um... I was watching you from our table across from yours and... uh"
'Bloody brilliant, Newt. Way to come off as the stalker type.' he thought, mentally hitting himself in the head, swearing he could hear the snickers coming from their table.
He saw her eyes crinkle in soft laughter, her smile calming him enough to face her again with a bit more confidence. "Sorry. Let me start over. I'm Newt. It's nice to meet you." He held out his hand for her, which she took as he sighed in relief. His stomach dropped though when she took her hand back and suddenly started making strange hand signs in front of her face.
"I'm sorry... what?" Newt's brows crossed in confusion, thinking he had missed something she had said while making the strange hand gestures. He heard her sigh as she smiled at him sadly, confusing him even more. "Sorry, I...um... Did I do something wrong?" She shook her head as she took her cellphone out of her coat pocket, quickly typing something on it and showing it to him.
"It's nice to meet you, Newt." The text on her phone said. "I'm Marie and I'm a mute." Newt's eyes widened as he sat back after he finished reading the text. "I...um...hi." He smiled a bit at her, the whole situation baffling him. A mute. She was a mute. Newt honestly didn't know what to say. How was he supposed to ask her out now?
She held her phone out to him again. "Sorry if I startled you.", it read. "N-no! Not at all!" Newt immediately replied, hoping he didn't offend her in any way. "I was just, surprised is all." He managed to chuckle at how silly he sounded. "I mean, a guy has to have a game plan when he wants to ask someone out, doesn't he?"
Newt noticed the crinkle around her eyes again as she smiled back at him. "It's nice to meet you, Marie." He said finally. "It's nice to meet you too, Newt." She typed back.
"Okay Marie, here's your order. Want me to bring it over to your tab-oh." Nick, the bartender, paused, noticing the pair conversing with each other. "Nick. Hey." Newt greeted the lad. They had a few classes together over the years. He was a good kid. "Hey Newt, it's been a while." Nick greeted back, noticing Marie's questioning look.
"I see you've met my sister." Nick smiled. "Your sister?" Newt repeated. Wow, tonight is just getting better and better, he thought. Marie made a few hand signs at her brother as Nick grinned and nodded at her. 'What was she saying?' Newt wondered. "Alright, alright, I'll have to say you're right on that one, sis. He's a good guy." Nick winked at him, making Newt even more confused than he already was. "I've still got a few orders to take care of but I trust you'll help my sister out with hers?"
"Sure. Yeah. 'Course." Newt blinked, the whole situation getting more and more peculiar to him as he found himself walking with Marie back to her table with their orders in hand.
Her friends gave him their thanks after he handed them their drinks. Marie gave him a small wave as she returned his smile while sitting back down with her friends, a rush of giggles then following after.
Newt, dazed as he was, walked back to his own table where he was swarmed by both the boys and their questions. Not saying a word, he took a beer and downed half of it in one go. "Sheesh. That bad, huh?" Minho tsked, patting him on the back. "Maybe next time, shank."
Newt sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat back down and slouched, stuffing his hands down his coat pocket. 'Odd.' He thought as he felt a crumpled receipt at the bottom of the pocket. He took it out and examined it. It was Marie's order. Newt couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Well that was awkward.", the note on the back read. "Want to start over at lunch tomorrow? Drinks are on me." It ended with a quick scribble of numbers at the bottom. 'Marie, huh.' Newt smiled, eyes wandering to a pair of blue ones a few tables over. She smiled as she gave him a small wave. He replied with a wave and a smile of his own.