Listen With Your Eyes - Fray Chapter 1

Ray walked down the crowded high school halls, tired as you could possibly think. A football player, whose name Ray didn't bother to remember, walked in the opposite direction of him and slammed his tall body into the lockers as he went by. Ray's head hit one locker particularly hard and he felt light-headed. He sighed, rubbing the side of his head. He usually didn't get beat up very much. Maybe the guy was having a bad day and decided Ray was the perfect target this morning to let out his anger.

Ray didn't see the appeal.

Then again, once Ray started to think about it, maybe Ray's face bothered the kid. He could understand that part. He started to walk down the halls again to his first period class. History.

Ray had probably the most unique features in the school. He was tall, muscular in all the right places, but not overly done. He had large lips, a wide nose, and the thing that, apparently, set off people into throwing him against lockers, was his hair. It was large and curly, almost in an afro-type style. He was Puerto Rican and those kinds of features didn't always come with that package.

He stepped into his history class and noticed there was a new student, sitting right next to his seat in the back. He was cute, Ray'd have to admit that.

Oh yeah, Ray was pretty bisexual.

He liked guys more, though. The new kid was quiet and didn't exactly look like he talked much. Ray fidgeted standing at the entrance of the room awkwardly. He went and sat down by the new kid, in his seat. Ray sighed as he sat and took off his backpack, setting it down on the floor in front of him. "Hey..." he mumbled to the kid, tired.

The kid didn't move or attempt to say anything, and kept reading his book. Which looked like Harry Potter. Ray blinked a couple times and took out his History notebook, ready to take notes. As kids started to show up, the teacher finally woke up and popped in a DVD. Guess I won't be taking any notes today, then. Ray thought, closing his notebook. He yawned loudly which caused the new kid next to him to snap his head up and look at Ray, confused.

It was the first eye-contact they'd made, and Ray's heart was already going to burst. This kid had the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen. Ray blinked, wide-eyed, not sure why to say. "S-Sorry..." was all that came out. He must've startled the kid or something.

The kid sniffled and turned back to his book.

"You don't talk much do you?" Ray asked.

The kid put down his book and looked at the teacher, waiting for class to start. The bell rang and he flinched. Ray made a face of confusion.

Their teacher, Mr. Brown, stood up and said, "As you can see, we'll be watching a film today. No notes on this one." he was extremely bored and went to sit at his desk. He fell back asleep.

The movie played and Ray took out a piece of paper. He wrote down "Why do you keep ignoring me? Did I do something to piss you off?" and slid it over to the kid. The kid read it and frowned. He started writing back.

"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry ): I didn't hear you..."

Ray looked confused and wrote back. "Oh... I never spoke very quietly or anything."

"Oh, well, it's nothing personal at all. I'm deaf."

That last part struck Ray hard. He felt like a true ass now. He was getting angry at a deaf person because of the simple fact that he couldn't hear him. Ray gulped.

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea... ):"

"It's not your fault! (: You didn't know."

Ray blushed a little. This kid is so nice... He smiled. "Thanks (: So what's your name? I'm Ray."

<u<"Frank. But I prefer Frankie. Not that it makes much difference lol (: I like spelling out 'Frankie' more on my fingers because it's cuter."</u>

"Oh, so you do Sign Language? I've heard of some deaf people refusing to do Sign Language. I don't see the problem with it :'P"

"Yeah, I do. And yeah, I know. It weirds me out. That's our language. Just like English is for you. Can you imagine not speaking that? ):"

That really got Ray thinking. He had a lot of questions. And his heart kept pounding harder every time Frank passed the piece of paper back over to him.

"That sounds awful, Frankie. But I have some questions. You won't be offended will you? I'm just curious, I don't wanna seem like a jackass :/"

Frank did this really soft and quiet, girlish giggle after he read what Ray wrote. Ray blushed, thinking it was probably the most adorable thing he'd ever heard. Frank wrote back.

"It's perfectly okay to be curious, Ray (: Ask me anything."

Ray blushed and smiled. "Okay, first; how are you able to understand everything I say, well, write, so perfectly? Don't deaf people speak, sign, and read in broken English?"

Frank smiled. "Good question, RayRay (: My only answer for that is probably because I read so much and I wasn't born deaf."

Ray blushed softly at the nickname Frank gave him. "How did you become deaf then?"

Frank sighed, as if it were a touchy subject. "My father was drunk and got into a really bad car accident. I was six. My father died the night after in the hospital and the accident caused me to lose my hearing. I can still hear some things, but if I spoke, it'd be really muffled and I'd still sound like any other deaf person, at least I think so lol (:"

Ray almost cried, reading Frank's story. "I'm so sorry, Frankie ):"

"Oh, don't worry about it (: I like you, Ray. You're really nice and sweet :3"

Ray blushed. "Hey, do you think you could teach me Sign Language? I'd love to learn (: Plus, I need to know another language other than Spanish lol"

Frank beamed. "Of course! I'd love to teach you :'D!"

After that, they exchanged phone numbers. Ray looked at Frank funny when he wrote it down, trying not to be rude and laugh. Frank rolled his eyes and wrote, "No! For texting, silly! (:"

Later that night, Ray was texting Frank on his bed, ever since he got home. Ray smiled.

Ray: I wanna thank you again for saying you'll teach me ASL (:

Frank: Oh, it's no problem (; Aww, man. I have to go, RayRay. My mother is getting angry :/ Good night, Ray <3

Ray's heartbeat quickened a little at the heart. He knew it was stupid to get worked up over a text message, but really, Ray's never been in a relationship yet. So any form of flirting or flattery towards him, sets him off into a blushing, sputtering idiot. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Stop being a pussy, Ray. He told himself.

Ray: Goodnight Frankie (:

Ray laid back on his bed, his hands laying peacefully on his stomach. He smiled, happy and content. Ray couldn't wait until history class tomorrow.