Unspoken Words

chapter 4|jesse

"I'M ALIVE!" A voice sounds over the schoolyard and Cheeto jumps off the table to run up to the source and hug it. After a very long embrace, they both come over and Cheeto gestures towards me.

"Lewis, that's Jesse, the new one. She is so sweet, you're going to love her. Also, she's mute, so I might have to translate some stuff. Jesse, this is Lewis, the indestructible."

I have no idea what I expected when I heard the name Lewis, but it was not long, chocolate brown hair in a high ponytail, eye make-up and a light pink cropped hoodie. But that was probably just my brain having thoughts in stereotypes.

"Hey, Jesse." He says and smiles. His voice is gentle, yet full of confidence. I smile back.

"See?" Cheeto asks. "She's adorable as fuck." I raise my eyebrows questioningly and point at myself, as if to say: Are you talking about me? "Yes, you, Jesse. You're cute." Cheeto ruffles my hair with a grin.

Lewis laughs. "Ze's not entirely wrong."

I raise an eyebrow at him and shake my head in a disappointed way.

"What?" He asks.

I grab my notebook and pen to write How could you betray me within the first two minutes of first meeting me?

"I'm sorry, but... Cheeto said it. And Cheeto is always right."

I grin, then write Are you better than yesterday?

He reads it and nods. "Definitely. Migraine's a bitch, but it usually goes away after a day, so..."

"Except that one time you were gone for an entire week." Cheeto chimes in and Lewis breathes in sharply.

"Don't remind me, please. Just... shut up. No."

"Aww, okay." Cheeto grins. "Oh, by the way, Tyler approached us yesterday saying dumb shit - the usual, you know it - so I reminded him of that one time you... Ya know." It points at Lewis's black converse.

He looks irritated for a second, but then: "Oh! When I smacked him with my shoe because he called me the f-slur?"

"Yep."

"Oh, jeez. Okay, Jesse, quick explanation: I'm straight - technically straight-ace - but everyone just diagnoses me with homosexual because..." He gestures at himself. "And every straight person who uses the f-slur gets a shoe smack from me because of its terrible history and because they're homophobic. Well, actually I just used my shoe because I had it in my hand in that moment, but you know."

I can't stop grinning. He actually did that? I open my notebook again. That sounds awesome. I write, and then add: By the way, what's ace? Sorry, I only know the card thing and I doubt that that's a sexual orientation.

He takes the book to read my scribbled sentences and smiles. "Thanks! And ace is short for asexual, which basically means I don't really feel sexual attraction. I can still have romantic feelings towards girls which makes me straight, but still asexual if you know what I mean." I nod and he adds: "If there are any other questions, just ask, okay?"

There are no other questions, so I shake my head and make a quick movement with my hand.

"She thanked you, if you didn't understand that." Cheeto says before sitting next to me again. "Again, he is heteroromantic, so you still have a chance." It adds directed towards me with a wink. I raise an eyebrow. What? Cheeto laughs. "Sorry! But I do kind of ship it. A little. No pressure though, it's not serious and let me know if you find that... I dunno, cringey or disrespectful." It adds quickly. I can't help but grin, then I look at Lewis. He's shaking his head with a slight smile.

"Jeez, Cheeto. We're not getting out of this, are we?"

"Nope. Unless it makes you genuinely uncomfortable. Tell me if it does, like I said."

"I don't really care. You, Jesse?"

I shrug. I really could care less, to be honest. He is pretty, I guess, and has a nice personality, though I don't really see us together in that sense. As long as you don't ship me with Donald Trump, I don't mind. I sign and Cheeto stares at me with its jaw on the ground.

"What makes you think I would be so cruel!?"

"What?" Lewis chimes in. "Sorry, I couldn't understand a word."

"She..." Cheeto dramatically puts its hand on its heart. "She thinks I'd ship her with the orange headed fuck with the tiny hands!"

"You WHAT!?"

And that's how it goes on for the rest of the break. We laugh a lot together, and I really feel like I'm finally with people who see me for me, for my personality. People who don't just think I'm that burden they have to take care of because the teachers told them to.

~

After school ends and we all meet at the school entrance to say goodbye, something rather unexpected happens. Lewis turns towards me after he lets go of Cheeto. "Is it okay if I hug you?" He asks like it's the most natural thing in the world.

Are you sure he's not just kidding? The voice in the back of my head warns me. Be careful. But he doesn't seem like the kind of person to do that. I nod before I can make a different decision and he steps closer before wrapping his arms around me. I hesitantly return the gesture. Lewis' embrace is warm, and feels genuine. Not so tight that it feels like he's going to break my bones, tight enough to be more than just a polite gesture. His hoodie is incredibly soft, by the way. And his hair smells like peach. It's over way too fast, but Cheeto immediately replaces him.

"Hope that a hug from me is okay as well." It says as it... is already embracing me. I chuckle and hug it back.

A few of the things I found out today: The little stubble of Cheeto's hair is very, very soft and satisfying. Cheeto and Lewis love long hugs. And so do I.

a/n: whaaaat wholesomeness chapter??? yea lemme know if you liked it lol