Chapter 5
I Can't Wait
When I saw your face tonight
In your eyes I can see the light
And it's been so long I know
But I can still hear the song that was playing on the radio
Pull up a chair, take a seat when you're ready to ride
Fill up your arms hold my hand put your head on my side
It's been a long time coming and I'm glad to spend time with you
So when this world ends we might as well enjoy the view
I'm processing Leah's words as we walk a few paces behind Seth and Paul.
He asked her to teach him sign language? A few days ago?
Maybe it's a coincidence. Maybe he does need the credits.
But the timing is too perfect. And learning from Leah wouldn't actually give him school credits.
I'm contemplating this as we walk through the cafeteria doors. I can see quite a few people look at me and Leah, some even stop walking.
I sigh. I hate small towns.
"Have they never seen girls before, do you think?" I sign to Leah.
She snorts, but then goes back to glaring at the room at large.
Paul and Seth immediately get in line for food, and we follow, getting our food quickly.
When we sit down, I stare at the large piles of food on their plates blankly. Jesus. How can they eat that much? Is it this town? No, I decide, as I look around at the cafeteria and see normal portions on people's plates. Must just be this little group.
I think I gasp out loud when Seth starts inhaling his, Paul and Leah immediately following after him.
Paul notices my reaction and smiles at me, but I notice he starts eating a bit slower and have to bite back my own smile.
A few minutes pass, me eating my sandwich at a normal, human pace, and them eating their food at more of a vacuum type of pace.
Paul pauses, and wipes his hands on a napkin as he finishes chewing his monstrous bite of pizza.
He looks nervous as he brings his hands up, but he starts signing naturally. "How's your first day going?"
I try not to look surprised, but I don't think I'm successful. He's gotten a lot better since the last time I saw him. He's really quite a fast learner. I beam at him, feeling proud of him for some reason.
"It's been okay." I make sure to sign slowly, so as not to go too fast that he can't keep up.
Studying my hands, he seems to understand what I said, and he smiles widely. I see Leah looking at us from the corner of my eye, but Seth is talking her ear off about something with his mouth full.
"That's good. Has everyone been nice to you?" He looks oddly concerned about my answer.
I shrug, looking down. "Haven't really talked to anyone yet," I sign, somewhat sarcastically.
Paul doesn't really know how to respond, but he still comes up with something that comforts me. "Just give it a day, and I'm sure people will start coming up to you."
I can't help but snort. "Nobody ever comes up to me," I give him a dry look. "For some reason being deaf makes people think I'm blind and stupid, too."
I think I sign too fast since I tend to do that when I'm upset, so I repeat what I said at a slower pace when I see his confused look.
When he comprehends what I said, he looks up at me sharply. "That's not true," he signs, his expression adamant. He looks desperate for me to believe this.
I just shrug again, and pick up my sandwich so I don't have to talk.
"I think people are just intimidated by you," he continues. Leah and Seth are still inhaling the mountains of food on their trays, but Paul isn't. He's just... talking to me.
I raise my eyebrows again, swallowing my bite of food and putting my sandwich down. "Oh, yeah? And what's so intimidating about me? I must be too loud, huh?" I joke.
He grins, leaning back a little in his seat. "You're just too pretty for your own good."
I wait a second for him to laugh, or say he's joking and recant his statement. When he doesn't, I let out my own bark of laughter, covering my mouth with my hand.
He folds his arms across his chest, his smile lazy. "What? It's true," He mouths the words.
I shake my head at him. "You're one to talk. You're pretty intimidating yourself. You know steroids are bad for you, right?"
His face is happy, happier than I've ever seen it. Surprising since I just accused him of using drugs. "I think I've heard that somewhere before. I'll take it into consideration, though."
I see out of the corner of my eye Leah making a gagging motion. She rolls her eyes when I shove her lightly in the shoulder.
Across from me, Paul stares at her with a look of frustration before looking at me, then down at his tray a little embarrassed.
Hmm. Did Leah's teasing get to him?
Seth finishes his food, leans back in his chair and pats his stomach dramatically. "That was so good."
I struggle to read his lips through his smile, but then I look at him like he's crazy. Which he is.
"It's cafeteria food," I sign, Leah translating for me.
He shrugs. "Food is food."
Food is not food. Cafeteria food is also not food.
I shake my head at him, but polish off my PB & J.
He reaches into his backpack and pulls out a pack of mentos that are half-eaten.
He pops a few in his mouth, then looks at his bottle of coke and pauses, his eyes lighting up.
"Have you ever wondered what would happen if you ate a mentos and drank a coke... at the same time?" Seth suddenly asks. The gleam in his eyes is concerning, and I watch in horror as he finishes chewing the mentos, reaching for the bottle of coke on the table.
I see multiple hands try to reach out and grab it, but they're no match for Seth's speed... or the lengths he will go to to satisfy his curiosity.
I see the others gesturing wildly, they're mouths open, appearing to be shouting at him, but they're too late.
Seth takes a few long gulps, then pops another mentos to chase it down.
When I see his adam's apple bob for the last time, there's a heavy, pregnant pause. I feel as if we're all on the edge of our seats, waiting for his stomach to explode or something.
I let out a gasp when Seth's face suddenly twists, like he tasted a lime.
We all wait with bated breath as he opens his mouth and...
Burps.
Right in Paul's face.
There's a moment where it looks like Paul is trying to decide if that really just happened or not.
Then his face becomes murderous as he determines that yes. Yes, it did just happen.
"You're dead!" I read his lips just as he pounces at Seth.
Seth is quick, scrambling out of his seat and running towards the cafeteria's exit at the same time the bell rings.
"Idiot," Leah signs, slumping back in her seat like she just ran a marathon.
"I wasn't wrong earlier."
She looks at me in confusion.
"He's not sane."
A/N: Another short chapter, but at least there's more Paul and Kota interaction!
Let me know what you guys think!
-M