We walked in silence back into the house where Rose and Nick were still watching T.V.
"Do you kids want some cocoa?" She offered turning around to face us. I gave her a wave and a head shake saying, "No thank you, I'm gonna head to bed pretty quickly." Thanking Rose, she asked Jasper if he wanted any. He looked at me and back at her, saying something I didn't catch.
Apparently he also said no to cocoa because when I started up the stairs he followed. Reaching for my current bedroom door knob, I froze when I processed everything. Turning around, Jasper was standing there looking down at his feet. He lifted his head and a sheepish smile spread across his face. It soon faded when he saw I didn't return it.
"Did we make a mistake?" His eyes were shiny again. Shaking my head, I bit my bottom lip. "No. I don't think we did." I said, pulling at a lock of my hair like I sometimes do when I'm nervous. He ran a hand through his hair, making blush want to heat up my face. "Okay." Was all he said before I opened my door.
Before I could walk in his gentle grasp came around my wrist. Turning around Jasper's eyes locked into mine. He stood there looking at me for what seemed like an eternity until he finally laid a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Goodnight," By the way his breath ran over my face he was whispering it. Stepping forward I wrapped my arms around him in a hug.
He must've been taken back by the suddenness of it but his arms soon came around me. His warm embrace was soothing. We pulled away and both felt a bit awkward, staring away from each other for a bit. Jasper put his hand under my chin and turned it towards me. "I'll see you tomorrow." His eyes were still shiny but I think for a different reason.
"Tomorrow," I confirmed and closed my door behind me. Leaning against the close door, I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes. Everything seemed different. For good or worse I'm not sure but something was different. The way we looked at each other now. It wasn't just the fantasy, it was magic along with the fantasy. Like a long lost fable from long ago revived in us today.
Making my way to the bed I got in the cozy covers and pulled out my phone. My screen saver needed an update, right now it was a picture of me and Marco when we were kids. Sure I love that picture but I've used it since I had this phone, maybe a new one is in order?
Memories rushed back to me about that day. We were at the water park, probably only like nine years old or something. Marco was in his swim trunks and me in my first bikini. I remember being so happy that my mom let me wear a bikini, those were the days were I got excited over a piece of candy. Marco in the picture was smiling his one missing tooth in the front smile, while I already my my grown up front teeth. In the picture we were hugging. So cute, back then.
There was another kid in the picture originally, but I ended up cropping her out of it for my screen saver. I know that's terrible but we have the real photo back at home, and to be honest I haven't seen that girl in years. We had a bit of a falling out and I guess it just never mended. And besides, me and Marco was enough in that screen saver. Life was so simple as a little kid, I feel so old when I say that.
But it was. It really, really was. Scrolling through a few photos starting from the oldest to the newest, I found one I really didn't remember. Say what? It was of Marco, and a girl. But I wasn't the girl. Most of my pictures that had him in it were of us but this one wasn't.
The girl had blonde hair cut in a bob cut, with crystal blue eyes. They were looking at each other. And Marco was looking at her so... Differently. And they looked happy in that picture, more happy that I've seen him in a long time. I swear I know her, or knew her.
Candice! That's her name. Oh my gosh how could I forget her? She was Marco's old girlfriend about two years ago. She was so sweet and kind, like candy to everybody. I don't know why I still have this picture, Marco would probably freak out. Candice turned out to dump him after a few months of them dating. They never kissed, hardly hugged, but it seemed like Marco really liked her.
They were only fifteen then, so I get how it wouldn't last. But they way she did it was stupid. Holding down the picture with my thumb I moved it into the trash bin on my phone. I kept scrolling until I got to about a month ago in pictures. The selfies from that night out with Jasper warmed me up in the cozy blankets. Good memories.
Did we feel that way then, too? The way we told each other we felt when we looked at the stars. It feel strange yet completely right. I've never believed in love at first sight or anything like that, but it really felt like some sort of fantasy. A real one though.
I want to just have a normal conversation about it with him, but how? Is there even a way to bring that sort of thing up? Probably not. Maybe Jasper wants to talk about it too? No he probably wouldn't. That was the first time he was open to me though. Or was he? It also kinda seemed like he wasn't giving me the whole story. But Jasper would tell me if it concerned me.
I know he would. Clicking a picture of flowers I saw when I went out that night with Jasper, I cropped it so settle in on one that had dew drops on it. Crystal clear. About to toss my phone to the side I felt it vibrate.
Oh my gosh! My ASL teacher? It's been so long!
Hi Abira, how are you? It's been so long since we last spoke. I've had so many students and jobs translating things have been quite busy. I even have a student who I think you'd like, her name is Lucinda. Text me when you can!
--Elizabeth M.--
Hey Elizabeth! I'm good, TBH a little confused but good. Lucinda huh? What's she like? When I get back in town I'd love to meet her. Whenever Elizabeth gets a fairly new student, she likes me to meet them and see if we click or not. To try and get them to makes friends who are deaf too. It can be kind of hard to meet other deaf people sometimes.
Oh thank you for agreeing! Lucinda's 21 I think and went deaf in one ear due to a car accident. She doesn't absolutely need to learn ASL but she said it would be useful for her because she's afraid she's going deaf in the other ear. She's got short black hair, I think they call it a pixie cut. She has a sister but her name escapes me. Super nice but shy girl at first. I told her about you (I hope you don't mind) and she said she'd like to meet you. Are you on vacation?
Kind of! I'm with one of my friends in California, his name is Jasper. So far it's been... fun and interesting. Knowing Elizabeth she would probably push me to tell her about Jasper. She's probably 30 or so now, but still such a fun lady and loves gossip to be honest. Bet you twenty dollars she asks some crazy question about this vacation.
Jasper, hmm? Is he your boyfriend? OOOOO tell me Abira! Boyfriend???????
Pay up! What did I tell you? That's Elizabeth.
No defiantly not! But can you FaceTime? I could really use somebody to sign to.
Of course Abira! I'm ready, call when you are.
Whenever I didn't have somebody around when I first went deaf, there was always Elizabeth. She was deaf too but born with it, but she could help me put the world into place when it felt wrong. Whenever I needed her.
Her face came up on the screen and her warm smile greeted me. Elizabeth is part asian and part african american, so she has beautiful flawless cocoa skin and pretty eyes. I remember when I first met her I asked her if she was royalty. Hey, I was six.
"Hi! So what do you want to talk about?" Her hands always had this gentle flow when she signed. Not too fast, not too slow. Always perfectly on beat and time, even when she got upset. That hardly ever happened, she was always good tempered.
"So Jasper and I are friends, we met probably about three weeks or a month ago.He invited me to California and I agreed, had my parents 'okay' and went." I signed, looking down at my own hands. They weren't as flowey as hers.
"Okay, anything wrong with that?" She asked and popped some strange vegan food into her mouth. She's been vegan since I met her and there's nothing wrong with that but I've never been brave enough to try it. "No! It's what's not wrong," Her eyes widened and she leaned in close to the camera, watching me intently.
I ended up telling her in sign everything that happened, and she listened closely. By the time I was done telling her every little detail, probably fifteen minutes passed. I told her all my feelings and opinions, what I thought about everything.
"That's defiantly something," She began and kept munching on her snack. "Well here's what I think, I think it's sweet that you found somebody you might like. But don't go into something if you don't know the person, Jasper, inside and out. You have good judgement, I know that. If you really think that he could be good for you I can't stop you from doing what you please. But here's my advice; I can't tell you what to do. But neither can he, alright? Just because he may be cute, and say things that make you all warm and fuzzy inside does NOT mean he's 'the one'."
I stopped to think for a minute on that. I never said he was the one. But to be honest I guess I did feel that way a little bit. "I know, thank you. I won't do anything stupid and enter something unless I know. I'm gonna head to bed, thank you for being there for me. About Lucinda, I'll be back Sunday afternoon. How about Monday after school?"
"Sure! I can drive her over if you liked, and you can have your friends there if you want. Marco, right? She could meet him too maybe you all could strike something up. Okay Abira, goodnight!"
We both hung up and I tossed my phone to the side, covering myself up in the covers, my eyes flickering shut.