Page 53 of A Good Book

After we reached my floor, my dad unlocked my room with the key Jason dropped off at the hospital, along with clothes a few days earlier.

There was a tap on my shoulder. I turned and smiled at Gabby. She handed me a piece of lined paper.

I have class. I’ll be back as soon as it’s over. Your parents said they’d wait to leave. XO

XO. I liked XO.

She turned to head back toward the door, and I grabbed her arm to bring her back so I could hug her again. Was I weak? Hell yeah. I was dying to sit down. But I only had a little time left with my best friend.

After a second of hesitation, she wrapped her arms around my torso and rested her cheek on my chest. It wasn’t how things were supposed to go. I kissed her in the stairwell, and she kissed me back.

Not a practice kiss. A real kiss.

I thought she’d take some time to see that the man who loved her the most had been right in front of her all along. But I no longer felt like that person or a man at all. I felt like a boy going home with his parents, no hearing, no future, and no best friend.

Matt would step in and sweep her off her feet.

Gabby released me, but I didn’t want to let her go. Her hands slid up to my scruffy face, and she framed it, giving me her beautiful smile. Then she lifted onto her toes and kissed my cheek, letting her lips linger for more than a second. I grabbed her wrists to keep her there just a little longer. Then I let her go.

That was our painful destiny. Me letting her go.

* * *

After my parentsloaded my stuff, I told them I was waiting for not only Gabby but Jason, too. I didn’t want to leave without thanking him for being there for me. So while I sat on the empty mattress staring at the door, my parents walked around the campus to take in the fall foliage. October in Michigan was a sight to see.

Way over two hours after Gabby headed to class, the door opened and I perked up only to deflate with disappointment when Jason dropped his bag onto the floor. But then Gabby walked in behind him.

I stood and smiled while handing Jason the note I wrote him. “I wasn’t sure I’d get to see you before leaving, so I wrote you a note.”

He nodded and read it.

Hi. I guess I’m deaf for now, so as you know I’m going back to Missouri. Thanks for being an awesome roommate and not letting me die.

Jason grinned. He turned the paper over and wrote a note back to me.

Thanks for not dying. That would have looked bad on a job resume. I hope you get your hearing back and return next semester.

I nodded.

He patted me on the shoulder and said something to Gabby. She grinned and said something back. I hated not being able to make out actual words or read their lips. After stuffing a few books into his backpack, he slung it over one shoulder and gave me a hug before leaving.

Gabby grabbed my notebook and sat down on the mattress. I sat next to her as she wrote:

I was waiting outside of your room for 45 minutes after knocking until my knuckles bruised. I guess you forgot you can’t hear and your door was locked.

Shit.

I cringed. “Sorry. I heard something, but I thought it was the guys next door playing loud music.”

Gabby’s nose wrinkled before she nodded and scribbled on the paper.

Where’s my note?

“You don’t get one. Am I talking too loud or too soft?”

She shook her head.

“Will you do me a favor?”

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