Hearing his Heart Beat

▲15△

And when he looks at me I swear I can't breathe - Anonymous
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Shanna's POV
James and I walk to his car as school lets out. Thank the lord it's finally Christmas break. I've been shaken up ever since the party and I just really need to be away from obnoxious, annoying people for a while.

'What are you doing over break?' He mouths

'Sitting at home and eating chocolate by myself' I say back to him with a light laugh.

I'm still getting used to not signing with him so much. My doctor has been encouraging me to read lips more often, now that I'm pretty good at ASL so that I can better communicate with the rest of the world.

'What about your mom?' He asks

"She's going to my Aunt's. I usually go with her, but I'm not ready to face my family and I convinced her that I'd be fine." I reply

'Have you convinced yourself that?' He mouths and I shake my head no

"I'm kinda scared even with the high tech light security system, once I know there's an intruder there's nothing I can do, but hide. I have no way of hearing anything and that's scary." I say now slightly upset

James doesn't reply as we get in his car.

'You are more than welcome to stay at my place for the entire break if you'd like babe. I don't mind being your ears all the time, you know even when the school districts not paying me.' He signs with a small laugh and I think for a moment and then decide to take him up on his offer.

I want to be able to rest on my break, not worry about dying the entire week. Besides spending two weeks with my dork sounds great. James' drives me to my house and comes inside with me to interpret things for my mom. My mom is actually elated that I won't be spending the holiday alone and practically kicked me out of the door the moment I had my stuff packed.

When we get to James' house, he tells me to make myself at home. I notice after a few minutes that it's super small and only had one bedroom.

"Do you live alone?" I ask him as he starts making something in the kitchen and he looks at me like that question stung and nods.

I continue looking at him silently asking for an explanation. I didn't wanna pry, but it was just now hitting me that I'd never met any of his family or been to his house.

'My dad walked out on us when I was two and my mom died last year. She was deaf which is why I know sign language so well. She went for a walk one might and didn't hear a drunk driver come up behind her. Since I have a job and I was so close to eighteen, the court let me live on my own.' He signs

My heart sunk into my stomach. I don't see how he doesn't hate me. Here I am constantly complaining about how horrible my life is and his mom died from a drunk driving hit. I'm just deaf which is a burden that she already had to bear.

"I'm sorry." I say and he shrugs

'She wasn't happy here. She was born deaf. I want her here more than anything, but I know that she's happy with God. She can finally hear in heaven. She probably sits and listens to the Angels sing all day." He mouths with a smile tugging at his lips

"Thank you." I say

"For what?" He signs

"For being the thing that makes me strong ." I sign and he smiles and comes up to me before kissing me on the forehead.