Josh laid in his bed, hair wet, and heartbroken.
He had to go back to school tomorrow.
Of course, his mom got the exciting phone call that her son is a raging psychopath who lashes out on the innocent, and of course, his mom didn't find it "cool" in anyway.
"Joshua William Dun! You promised me this year would be different! What the hell were you thinking?!" The disappointment in her eyes burnt Josh down to the core, but he knew that he did it for all the right reasons. Just then Josh's father perked up out of his lazy boy,
"You fought someone?" The surprise and intrigue in his father's voice was almost taunting.
Josh looked down at his feet and then into his mother's angry eyes. "Yes, I did, Dad." His voice mellowed into a calm almost whisper. Josh had never been ashamed in his whole life until now. His life so far had been full of adventure and no regret, but after seeing his mother's eyes that hollowed out and sad made Josh almost regret standing up for the girl.
"Wow! Tell me about it! Did he cry?" Josh's father's voice jumped with excitement. Josh's mother turned to his father and scolded him on "responsibility" and making "good first impressions," but still his father was silently interested.
The conversation ended with the classic "go to your room" and the other classic "fine!"
So here we are, it's 8:30 PM. Josh had taken the coldest shower in the history of ever and now lie down with his freezing hair and heart. Suddenly, he felt a small vibration from his phone. It was a Myspace notification.
He checked his tiny Blackberry. New Message!
Josh's heart beat quickly as he accepted to see the message.
I hope it's Matthew. Please. Please! Be Matthew!
Hoping that the message was from his best friend in Indiana, Matthew, did him no good because it was the complete opposite.
thatdeafkid: hey.
Josh stared at the message.
What kind of name is thatdeafkid?
As disappointed as he was to hear that the message was not from Matthew he found mystery in this one text.
He texted back quickly.
iduncare: hello
thatdeafkid: how r u?
iduncare: ive been btter. how r u?
thatdeafkid: ive been better 2
iduncare: do i no u or something?
thatdeafkid: i would say so
iduncare: what does that mean?
thatdeafkid: it means u do but u don't know me
iduncare: look, i don't want to play games. today hasn't been so good and im tired.
thatdeafkid: why?
iduncare: why don't i want to play games?
thatdeafkid: no why has you day been bad?
iduncare: why should i tell u idk you
thatdeafkid: but u do
iduncare: and i don't?
thatdeafkid: exactly
iduncare: seriously i just want to know who u r
thatdeafkid: but u already know
iduncare: look. u obviously just like to screw with people. im going to bed now. Goodnight.
thatdeafkid: no! Wait
iduncare: what?
thatdeafkid: you nearly died today because of me and i nearly died to day if it weren't for u
Josh sat up in bed, thinking over everything about this girl that he has collected so far.
She's a weird girl with a weird username with a weird way of letting people know who she is.
thatdeafkid: r u still there? Hello?
iduncare: im here
thatdeafkid: ok good bc i just wanted to tell you thanks
thatdeafkid: i don't know what i would have done if u weren't there
thatdeafkid: hello?
iduncare: hi
thatdeafkid: did u see what i wrote?
iduncare: yeah
thatdeafkid: so..?
iduncare: it was no big deal really… i mean i only have 3 weeks of grounding, two detentions, and an "i almost kid a kid" stuck to my forehead for probably the next 4 years. It was nothing.
thatdeafkid: i hope ur kidding
thatdeafkid: that wasn't supposed 2 happen, u no
iduncare: i no
thatdeafkid: im sorry
iduncare: are you okay?
thatdeafkid: shouldn't i b asking u that?
iduncare: i'm ok
thatdeafkid: me too
2:48 A.M
iduncare: i cant believe i never asked but what is ur name?
thatdeafkid?: kc. but you can call me ruby
iduncare: why ruby?
thatdeafkid: you will have to earn that answer
iduncare: well can you atleast explain why your username is thatdeafkid?
thatdeafkid: bc i like deaf people
iduncare: thats fine but its alittle weird for a username dont u think?
thatdeafkid: considering the fact that i am deaf...no
iduncare: haha ok
thatdeafkid: why are u laughing?...
iduncare: ur joking right?
thatdeafkid: why would i joke about that
iduncare: oh. I'm so sorry. I feel so bad. I thought you were joking.
thatdeafkid: im not
iduncare: so you do like ASL?
thatdeafkid: yeah pretty much
iduncare: but today in the lunchroom you said something to that guy. The one who hit you.
thatdeafkid: josh, we can talk we just can't hear.
iduncare: right but he said something to u. he wasn't signing but you understood him…
thatdeafkid: i read lips sometimes. most hearing people don't know ASL so i read their lips and speak to them like...well like a normal person.
iduncare: ur just as normal as them just in a different way.
thatdeafkid: well that made sense
iduncare: whatever. Im tired.
iduncare: today on the bus, why were u listening to music if you can't hear it?
thatdeafkid: i can feel the vibrations in my ears and that's just as good.
iduncare: is that why you were smiling so big?
thatdeafkid: that happens every time