Antioch- The Deaf 2
Posted by Audrey Decastro on Thursday, April 14, 2011
Under: Cute short stories
THE STORY:
At first, Antioch is more interesting than anything else. He knows sign language and teaches some to you. It often amazes you how well he can understand what you're saying just by looking at your mouth (to which he always responds, ''When you have no other option and a lifetime to do it, you learn to read lips pretty well.'') You think it's pretty cool how you can go somewhere with a ton of noise, where normally you'd have to yell to hear anyone, and you can speak in a whisper and Antioch will understand you - however, as you can't read lips, you give him a thumbs up if you need him to speak louder. After some time, though, his true personality rather than his deafness fascinates you. He always seems optimistic about life, taking whatever comes at him and turning it to something good. You can always come to him whenever you're feeling upset, because somehow, even though he can't hear your words, he can feel them, like they go straight through his skin and into his heart. After several months with him, you're so in love with him you can barely stand it. Whenever you hug, you tell him over his shoulder ''I love you,'' knowing full well he can't hear you, but being too afraid to really let him know. One day, you and Antioch are sitting on your front porch, just enjoying your time together in silence. There is a question you've always wanted to ask him, but didn't know if it would be hurtful or not. You know how understanding he is, so you decide to ask him tonight. ''Hey, Anti--'' you start to say, then realize he's not looking at you and you tap him on the shoulder. He looks at your lips. ''Antioch, I've always wanted to ask you something...it's kind of...I don't know...'' you stammer, wondering if you should say it after all. ''Yes?'' Antioch asks. ''Well...do you ever wish you could...you know...do you ever wonder what everything really sounds like?'' you ask. ''Do you ever wonder what birds sound like, or what music sounds like, or...or what I sound like?'' You know personally that you can't live without music - and Antioch has gone his whole life without experiencing it. Antioch looks into your eyes, pauses, then sighs, ''I wonder about that a lot, actually. A lot of people talk about how life without music is life without air, and if that's the case, I haven't even breathed yet. People try to describe how different instruments sound to me, but it doesn't make sense. They tell me, 'oh, this makes a whining sound' but I don't know what whining sounds like. I don't know what anything sounds like. I wish I could hear what people really sound like. What you really sound like. Actually, most of all, I'd kind of like to know what I sound like.'' You feel absolutely terrible and wish so badly that somehow, even if just for a moment, you could let him hear what the world sounds like. Then he looks at you and smiles. ''But it's not so bad,'' he says. ''I can see things, like how beautiful you are.'' You're startled, then you giggle. He watches your reaction closely. ''I can smell things, like your strawberry hair spray,'' he continues. ''I can feel things, like how warm it is when we hug and everything. And I can taste things, like--...oh, well, never mind on that one.'' He looks away, blushing. Almost laughing, you tap him on the shoulder. He doesn't respond. You smirk and tap him harder. He slightly cocks his head in your direction. Now you gently grab his jaw and turn his face towards you. ''Well, you're already doing without one sense, let's not go without another,'' you say. He stares at your lips long after you get done talking. Slowly you two lean forward until your lips meet in a feathery kiss. When you pull away, Antioch grins. ''You know, just about every sense is needed in a kiss except hearing,'' he says. ''Including smelling?'' you ask. ''I smell mint on your breath,'' he smiles. You lean forward and kiss again, and again, and again. After your short passionate session, you look him square in the eyes and tell him, ''Antioch, I love you.'' ''I love you too,'' he replies, ''And have for a while now.'' ''I have too...actually I've been saying I love you over your shoulder and behind your back for a while,'' you admit. Antioch stares at you, then says, ''That's not very nice. Don't take advantage of the deaf guy.'' You laugh and kiss him again, and that's when you know that someday - you don't know when, but someday - you will marry this young man.
At first, Antioch is more interesting than anything else. He knows sign language and teaches some to you. It often amazes you how well he can understand what you're saying just by looking at your mouth (to which he always responds, ''When you have no other option and a lifetime to do it, you learn to read lips pretty well.'') You think it's pretty cool how you can go somewhere with a ton of noise, where normally you'd have to yell to hear anyone, and you can speak in a whisper and Antioch will understand you - however, as you can't read lips, you give him a thumbs up if you need him to speak louder. After some time, though, his true personality rather than his deafness fascinates you. He always seems optimistic about life, taking whatever comes at him and turning it to something good. You can always come to him whenever you're feeling upset, because somehow, even though he can't hear your words, he can feel them, like they go straight through his skin and into his heart. After several months with him, you're so in love with him you can barely stand it. Whenever you hug, you tell him over his shoulder ''I love you,'' knowing full well he can't hear you, but being too afraid to really let him know. One day, you and Antioch are sitting on your front porch, just enjoying your time together in silence. There is a question you've always wanted to ask him, but didn't know if it would be hurtful or not. You know how understanding he is, so you decide to ask him tonight. ''Hey, Anti--'' you start to say, then realize he's not looking at you and you tap him on the shoulder. He looks at your lips. ''Antioch, I've always wanted to ask you something...it's kind of...I don't know...'' you stammer, wondering if you should say it after all. ''Yes?'' Antioch asks. ''Well...do you ever wish you could...you know...do you ever wonder what everything really sounds like?'' you ask. ''Do you ever wonder what birds sound like, or what music sounds like, or...or what I sound like?'' You know personally that you can't live without music - and Antioch has gone his whole life without experiencing it. Antioch looks into your eyes, pauses, then sighs, ''I wonder about that a lot, actually. A lot of people talk about how life without music is life without air, and if that's the case, I haven't even breathed yet. People try to describe how different instruments sound to me, but it doesn't make sense. They tell me, 'oh, this makes a whining sound' but I don't know what whining sounds like. I don't know what anything sounds like. I wish I could hear what people really sound like. What you really sound like. Actually, most of all, I'd kind of like to know what I sound like.'' You feel absolutely terrible and wish so badly that somehow, even if just for a moment, you could let him hear what the world sounds like. Then he looks at you and smiles. ''But it's not so bad,'' he says. ''I can see things, like how beautiful you are.'' You're startled, then you giggle. He watches your reaction closely. ''I can smell things, like your strawberry hair spray,'' he continues. ''I can feel things, like how warm it is when we hug and everything. And I can taste things, like--...oh, well, never mind on that one.'' He looks away, blushing. Almost laughing, you tap him on the shoulder. He doesn't respond. You smirk and tap him harder. He slightly cocks his head in your direction. Now you gently grab his jaw and turn his face towards you. ''Well, you're already doing without one sense, let's not go without another,'' you say. He stares at your lips long after you get done talking. Slowly you two lean forward until your lips meet in a feathery kiss. When you pull away, Antioch grins. ''You know, just about every sense is needed in a kiss except hearing,'' he says. ''Including smelling?'' you ask. ''I smell mint on your breath,'' he smiles. You lean forward and kiss again, and again, and again. After your short passionate session, you look him square in the eyes and tell him, ''Antioch, I love you.'' ''I love you too,'' he replies, ''And have for a while now.'' ''I have too...actually I've been saying I love you over your shoulder and behind your back for a while,'' you admit. Antioch stares at you, then says, ''That's not very nice. Don't take advantage of the deaf guy.'' You laugh and kiss him again, and that's when you know that someday - you don't know when, but someday - you will marry this young man.
In : Cute short stories