I stand to the side, watching my friends dance with guys that I don't know. I look away, their dancing becomes too awkward to watch, so I turn back to the the water jug. My school doesn't have a punch bowl like you see in the movies; only an old Gatorade water jug that they use for the sports teams. The water isn't even good...

It's prom night, but I'm not enjoying myself and I'm definitely going to keep this as a bad memory. I didn't even want to come in the first place, my original plan was to stay at home and study for finals...

My newly found friends dragged me here. We became friends by chance, really. I helped out a girl once when she was in a bind, then she just started to talk to me a lot and introduced me to all her friends. They always talk excitedly and always seem interested in me, but to be honest their interest seems fake to me, although I don't know if it's actually fake or real. I indulge them and answer their questions, in case it is the latter.

They all decided to drag me along when another of their friends decided not to go to prom, so they had an extra ticket. I told them I didn't have a dress or makeup, so they decided to loan me those things. They seemed too determined to stop; they were set on dragging me to prom.

But now I'm here and they're all off dancing in very close proximities to people, something I do not want to do. Maybe since they're distracted I can sneak out! I almost say aloud. I get excited and turn around quickly, wanting to get out before they notice.

But I bump into something... no, someone. I hear water splash and I feel a sudden chill down my stomach. Our water spilled...

"Oh my! I'm so sorry!" I hear the person say, it's a boy, and he looks shy and scared right now.

"It's alright," I say, wanting him to stop freaking out.

"Really?" He asks, the look of a lost puppy on his face.

"Yep."

"But... can I make it up to you?"

"How?"

"I can dance with you..."

I look to the crowd of sweaty dancing teenagers, "no thanks, I'll pass"

"Hmm... then come with me!" He says, pulling me out the door and to the fairy light lit patio. He takes out his phone and with a few clicks a slower song begins to play. "Well, come on," he holds out his hand to me, his gaze fixed on my eyes.

"Fine," I say reluctantly, since he seems like another determined person...

After he pulls me close, it clicks in my mind of who he is, "Wait... aren't you that football player...?"

"Yeah, I'm the quarterback!" He says cheerily as he swings us around.

"Hm... that sounds cool," I answer to keep the small talk up.

"It really isn't... I love the sport but my teammates are so full of themselves that it makes me sick... even the girl I go out with became that way..."

"Hm... that sounds difficult..." I say, not knowing how else to answer.

He twirls me, his hand gentle on mine as he spins me. "More of disappointing I guess... it's hard to spend time with people you can't stand..."

"Is it? I don't really spend much time with anybody, so I wouldn't really know..." I shiver, making me let go of his warm hand, the ghost of his hand still there seconds after.

"Oh! I'm sorry! You must be cold because of the water!" He takes off his jacket and drapes it around me, smiling.

"Tom! Tooom!" I hear a girl yell from inside. "Tom! Who's that?" She says as she spots us. The guy... or Tom... doesn't turn around though, he keeps staring in my eyes.

I nod my head toward the girl and he finally turns, but by then the girl is already storming off. "Why did you ignore her?" I ask, initially feeling bad for the girl who must be his date.

"I didn't try too..."

"But you didn't turn, even when she was yelling at you..."

"Well... to be honest, that's because I'm going deaf... I recently got some ear disease that is slowly taking my hearing..."

I pause, not knowing what to say or do, I just stare up to him.

"Sorry for making the conversation so sad!" He laughs, rubbing the back of his head.

"No... it's ok, I'm just surprised that someone so young is going deaf..." I tell him, wanting him to not feel responsible.

"Yeah... it's just that there's a disease in our family... and I seem to have got it right when they expected, according to the doctors..."

"Are you scared?" I ask, immediately regretting it, thinking that the question might be too loaded.

"Yes... very... it's just the thought that I won't be able to hear myself breathe, or hear my heart beat, or hear my own voice again scares me. I mean, I won't even hear my myself scream no matter how loud I get... and I can't hear the voices of the people I love... I can't listen to music or watch movies like before... I..." He pauses, a surprised look being painted on his face. "Oh! I don't mean to burden you with all of this! You can forget it if you want!"

"But... how can I forget that...?" I ask, tears beginning to roll down my face. I don't like to cry, it hurts my eyes afterwords so I avoid it, but I can't stop myself right now...

I hug him and hold him tight, not wanting to let go and wanting to lift all that burden.

Why am I doing this? He's a complete stranger!

Maybe...
maybe because I'm afraid of being deaf too...