Without a Sound
Disclaimer: I disclaim.
I only had four reviews last time... I was really sad! Please review! I need them, they're like food! I need them to survive!
Chapter 13
It was now fourth period.
And for some reason, people were staring at me.
I gave them a questioning look until finally Dr. Sephiroth spoke. 'Did you not consume food during your designated lunch time two hours ago?' his mouth articulated.
That's right… I was so upset (still am) that I forgot to eat lunch… I wasn't really feeling hungry then…
But I am now… my stomach was probably growling in the middle of class…
I looked at Dr. Sephiroth sheepishly, but flinched when a granola bar came flying at my head.
'Don't interrupt my class with that stomach of yours.' He said and I opened the granola bar to eat.
I nodded my thanks and tried to eat quietly.
Needless to say, that was very hard to do when you can't hear.
For some reason, I felt like Dr. Sephiroth was going easy on me, usually the people who interrupt the class get a detention, not a granola bar.
I guess it's because I can't really control my stomach, and I can't hear the growls anyway.
After the granola bar was finished I watched the lesson very attentively. It was a good distraction from the issues going on with Leon and I.
Leon…
My watch vibrated, signaling the end of the day.
I sighed and got up. Though I was saddened by my situation, I couldn't help but have an excited feeling about going to practice.
I walked out of the room and took my duffel bad from my locker. After that was done I walked over to the gym.
As I pushed on the gym doors to open them, a person caught my eye.
He was talking to me, but I missed what he said.
I don't know. I mouthed and signed at the same time.
The guy frowned. 'You should pay attention to what I say, retard. There's no way I'm letting you join the starter team so you can give up.'
I scowled at the guy. That's not for you to decide. I mouthed and signed again.
'Get away from me you useless piece of shit…' he said and pushed me aside as he entered the gym.
I growled inwardly. It was always like this now… first anger.
Then pain… I shook my head and tried to ignore the hurt I felt at his words.
I walked into the gym and started to make my way to the locker room.
I noticed Roxas in the corner of my eye.
'Hey, could I borrow those notes now? You're my last hope for helping me understand this stuff…' Roxas signed.
I gave him a small smile and handed him my notes. 'Leon can help you if you have questions… he's a great teacher…' I signed.
Leon really was a fabulous teacher… I smiled faintly at the thought.
'You really like him… don't you?' Roxas signed.
I nodded and moved to the locker room. Once I got inside, I walked over to the stalls.
There was a hand on my shoulder. I turned.
'Why are you going to the stalls? We've all go the same junk, why don't you change with us?' I saw him say.
I fidgeted a little and pulled out a notebook. I wrote:
I don't like when people stare…
'Why would we stare at you? C'mon!' Zell's lips formed and he took me towards the other teammates.
'You got shy boy to come out and change with the real men I see." Seifer said and took off his shirt.
Zell and the others started changing so I began as well. I took off my shirt and turned to get my gym clothes from my duffel bag.
When I turned back around, the others were all yelling. I couldn't make out what any of them were saying. Seifer pointed at me. The others were nodding at what he was saying.
I quickly put on my clothes and ran from the lockers. I don't know what the hell they were talking about but I didn't want to know anyway.
They were probably laughing at my frail, battered-looking body… I ran to the ball bin and took a basketball out.
A hand grabbed my shoulder and whipped me around.
'Hey what was that? You just ran off!' Zell asked.
'Everyone was yelling and pointing at me… I didn't want to be around that.' I signed.
'Well, we weren't making fun of you or anything. It was really shocking to see you like that. I mean we always knew you were getting you butt kicked, but we never thought it was that bad. Some of those scars looked like fatal wounds and from the way they look, they weren't attended to by doctors… we were all just surprised and a little miffed…' his lips formed.
'Miffed? Why?' I signed.
'Well, it was cruel enough for us to turn a blind eye when you got hurt and tease you behind your back… but it just makes us heartless, the fact that we didn't care, even though you could have died. We're not that mean, or at least we try not to be. So we were all a little disappointed and annoyed with ourselves for being complete assholes to you…' I watched him say.
'It's okay, I was a different person before the incident… I didn't really like myself then either.' I signed.
'Just know that we don't hate on our teammates, as a starter team it's our job to set a good example for the second and third strings. Even though some of us don't talk much and Siefer's got an attitude, we're kind of a family… and Yuffie's the big mama!' Zell laughed.
I smiled. 'Thanks.' I signed.
'No prob!' Zell smiled.
W-wait a second!
'You can understand sign language?' I signed frantically.
'I guess the cat's out of the bag…' Zell sighed. 'I can sign it too. My sister's boyfriend is deaf, she learned so that she could be closer to him… I was forced to learn with her. Who knew it would come in handy one day?' Zell signed.
'Why didn't you tell anyone?' I asked.
'It never really came up…' he explained. 'Let's start practice, shall we?'
I nodded and Yuffie made us run twenty laps around the court, dribbling.
When that was finished I was completely out of breath.
'You managed to keep up with the regulars. That's pretty impressive.' Coach Yuffie said slowly. After the second day of practice I had asked her to speak slowly for my sake.
I nodded my thanks.
'Freshman! You are going to the weight room! Third strings, jump ropes! Second strings, half court mini-game! Regulars, you know the drill!' Yuffie yelled.
I watched as some of the regulars groaned.
'Seifer and Zell, you come with me. Sora you too.' I watched Coach Yuffie say.
I got up and we moved to the unoccupied half of the court.
'Sora, as amazing as it is for you to shoot the ball into the goal like you do, it won't work in real game circumstances. So I decided to have two of my regulars help you out. By the time we finish, you'll be just as good as you are… with a new technique.'
I nodded.
'I want you to try to shoot.' Coach Yuffie's lips formed.
I nodded and moved to slam the ball down, only to have it snatched and Zell run up to the goal and do a layup.
'Try again.' She said.
I received the ball and slammed it down, only to have Seifer snatch it on it's way up.
'Now I want you to try and stop Seifer from shooting.' Yuffie said slowly.
I stood in front of Seifer and waited to block any movement.
He jerked to the left and I tried to take the ball. Seifer faked right and shot the ball.
Swish…
I nodded in understanding. The way I shoot the ball is impractical.
I watched Zell take the ball and walk over to me. 'So give me your hand.'
I handed it over. Zell raised it up and placed my arm and the ball in the proper position. He put my other hand on the other side of the ball.
'Most of the work is going to be done by the bottom hand. Your left hand is just guiding the path of the throw.' He explained.
I nodded.
'Now push the ball up and follow through.' Seifer demonstrated.
I looked at the goal in front of me. Now that I couldn't rely on the floor to absorb some of the force applied to the ball. I needed to focus on the energy needed to get the ball on the backboard square and into the goal.
Also the projection path is a little trickier because I have to take my height and the heights of my opponents into account.
But this would be something I would need to figure out later. Right now, I should follow instruction.
I pushed the ball up and out, making sure to follow through with my entire arm.
I watched as the ball bounced against the backboard, only to skim over the rim and away from the goal.
'Nice try man… you'll get it sooner or later. Keep trying. Right now we have to get back to practice.' Zell said and they left.
I thought about my last shot. Assuming that the path was correct, I would say that I used about 80% of possible force.
This was too much force…
I got the ball and ran back to the three-point line and got into position. I concentrated on the feeling of force on the ball… 78% this time.
It skimmed the rim again.
Was it still too much force? No… the force was fine… it was the path…
It wasn't high enough. Because of this, the ball couldn't drop deep enough.
There was something missing in my stance… what wasn't I doing?
I pictured Seifer's demonstration again. He was doing something I wasn't…
He was bending his knees.
Bent knees added the proper upward leverage in the follow through.
How deep do I need to bend them?
From my previous attempts, I would guess about a 160-degree angle between my calf and thigh.
I concentrated deeply on the tightening of my leg muscles, forming the correct angle.
I concentrated on the feeling of force on the ball.
I followed though…
Swish… I smiled.
I concentrated on the feelings again, committing them to memory… telling myself:
When I stand here, my body should feel this way before I shoot.
I picked up the ball. Using the same form I shot the ball.
Swish…
Again… swish…
A hand grabbed my shoulder.
'We can hit the showers now…' Seifer's mouth articulated.
Did it really take all of practice to figure that out? I looked at my watch. It was 6:30.
It really did…
I walked back to the lockers and changed my clothes. This time, no one paid attention to my body.
It was after I walked out of the gym that I remembered…
Now was the time that I needed to 'talk' to Leon. I needed to be aggressive, just as Cloud said.
I walked up the stairs to Leon's classroom. When I got inside, he was still working with a student so I sat at a desk.
It was about fifteen minutes later that the student left to go home.
I watched as Leon yawned and stretched a little. He looked tired.
I decided I needed to talk to him regardless of his fatigue.
I pulled out my notebook. I wrote:
I need to tell you something. I need you to listen.
He read the paper. 'Sora, I'm really tired. Can this wait?'
I shook my head.
'Sora, let's go.' I watched him say.
I needed him to listen to me.
I slammed the notebook down on the desk and gave him an angry look.
This can't wait. Listen to me.
Leon gave me a scowl. 'This better be important. I'm exhausted Sora.'
I wrote:
Why didn't you answer my questions?
'Sora, this is ridiculous. We need to get going.' He started to make his way out of the room.
I ran to the doorway and blocked the door. I wrote:
LISTEN TO ME! WHY WON'T YOU ANSWER MY QUESTIONS?
I shoved the notebook at him. He turned away and moved back to his desk and sat. 'You're acting like such a child right now Sora. I want to leave.'
I was so frustrated… he wouldn't listen to me. Why was he acting this way? I pulled at my hair a little before covering my face.
My chest was heaving. I was angry and tired of Leon's behavior.
'Sora, you must be tired too. Let's get you home.' I watched him say and he put a hand on my back directing me to a door.
I whipped around and pushed him hard. He fell back against his desk.
He looked very angry. 'SORA!' I saw him yell.
I wrote frantically:
DO YOU HATE ME! YOU NEVER TALK TO ME. YOU NEVER SMILE AT ME. YOU NEVER LAUGH WITH ME. YOU NEVER HUG ME. YOU NEVER KISS ME. YOU NEVER TAKE MY HAND. YOU DON'T EVEN PAT MY HEAD ANYMORE! WHY? YOU SAID YOU WOULDN'T LEAVE ME, BUT WHAT'S THE POINT IF YOU TREAT ME LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! HOW COME YOU CAN SMILE AND LAUGH WITH CLOUD AND NOT ME? IS IT BECAUSE HE CAN HEAR! CAN SPEAK! IF I COULD DO THAT, WOULD YOU TREAT ME LIKE I WAS IMPORTANT TO YOU? I REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOU! BUT YOU DON'T ACKNOWLEDGE ME! DID YOU NOTICE THAT MY SKIN IS TANNER? DID YOU NOTICE THAT THE BAGS UNDER MY EYES ARE GONE? I EVEN HAVE SOME MUSCLE NOW! MUSCLE! I MIGHT EVEN HAVE FRIENDS… I do it not only for me and my family, I do it for you too! I'm getting stronger for you. You said that you would like it better if I toughened up! I'm trying very hard, but you don't tell me anything… are you proud of me? I feel like you're pushing me away…
I thrust the book at him, my eyes welling from anger and hurt.
I swiped at my eyes and waited for him to reply.
'Sora… I told you from the beginning that I would be a terrible partner for you. I haven't dated since high school… and even then I dated girls who didn't care that I was a dick to them… I-I don't hate you Sora, I like you. And I don't care about the fact that you can't speak or hear… in fact I like it, because you're quiet and I hate noise…. Shit… that sounded really bad, I didn't mean that. I just… wouldn't you just be bored if I just talked to you all the time? I mean it's not like you could really talk back to me… Shit, that sounded insensitive too…. Fuck!' Leon cussed.
My shoulders shook with laughter. Leon was trying to be considerate of my feelings and failing miserably at it…
'And now you're laughing at me… forget it…'
I shook my head… Please, go on.
'If there was one thing I know I'm doing right… it's noticing your progress… Sora, I may not have confronted you about it, but whenever I talk about my classes with Cloud and the other teachers… you always come up, always. Everyone is proud of you… but I-I'm the most proud. I remember the day your face filled in and your skin looked healthier. I remember the day you stopped dragging your heels when you walk… I… I'm really honored that would better yourself for my sake… and I'm sorry that I'm terrible at this… god… I sound so sappy… please can I stop?'
I sighed and nodded. I held up a finger. One question.
He rolled his eyes but nodded.
I wrote:
Are we boyfriends?
He read the paper and looked at me. He seemed to gumble a bit before nodding.
I smiled and pounced on him, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.
He awkwardly returned the hug.
I pulled away from him, puckered my lips and fluttered my lashes. Kiss me?
Leon flicked my nose.
I huffed and rubbed at it.
He pulled my hand away from my nose and grabbed my chin before connecting his lips to mine.
If I could squeal in happiness… I would…
One of Leon's hands grabbed my waist and pulled me closer.
I wrapped my arms around his neck.
Leon bit my bottom lip and I gasped.
With that Leon's tongue entered my mouth. I decided I would be bold and entwine my tongue with his.
I felt Leon grunt and hold me tighter.
After a couple more seconds, we pulled away for air.
'Satisfied?' he asked.
I shook my head. Nope.
He mussed my hair before grabbing his bag. 'Can I take you home now?' I watched him say.
I nodded and grabbed his hand. Let's go.
Leon grumbled some more and I made a noiseless giggle.
I should be aggressive more often… I thought to myself on the way out the building.