My life before the accident plays in front of my eyes like a loop. Every single thing, every single moment flashes before my eyes, just like it had flashed at the time of the accident.

Only that time I didn't want my life to end, but now I wish that somehow my misery comes to end... misery which my life has become.

Exhaling a deep breath, I open my eyes to find Lina standing in front of me.

"You are absolutely right." She glares at me, while, slowly nodding her head.

My eyes slightly widen in shock when she starts talking in sign language while speaking.

"You are a disabled person... but a mentally disabled person." She grits her teeth, her eyes showing her anger.

"You know what? You are not just deaf, you are even blind." She scoffs, then presses her lips in a thin line, "Because there is no other way that you can't see their love for you... that how much you mean to them," She looks at my family, as my eyes also travel to my family especially my mom, who is silently crying as dad has wrapped an arm around her shoulder to support her.

"I have just met them a few days back, even I can see how much you mean to them. How can't you see this?" She frowns and shakes her head at me and throws her hand up in frustration.

"I have met Caleb first time at the beach where he was surfing." She turns to Caleb and gives him a small smile, but he is just standing there staring at the ground. "He was so good, and when I told him this, you know what had he said to me?" Taking a small breath she looks at me, biting her lower lip.

"He said, my brother taught me to surf. I am just good, but you should watch my brother surfing, he is amazing. No one can surf like him. He is the best, a bit of a jerk, but still, the best." She lightly chuckles, but quickly her expression turns serious.

"You." She points her finger at me, "You are the one about whom he was talking about, his brother. He is proud of his brother."

"He even offered to get me a discount if I buy anything from your shop because his brother loves him a lot. And also because I am cute."

A small chuckle leaves my lips, along with a few tears, as I look at the idiot who is my brother.

"He was only right about one thing that I am cute." She laughs, then she looks at me, "Because he was wrong that his brother loves him. Because if you loved him, then you would have never hurt him. Or maybe he was talking about someone else. Someone whom he has lost in that accident."

Her words sting like someone has pierced my heart with a thousand needles.

Nick walks to Caleb and gives his shoulder a comforting squeeze, but Caleb just keeps on staring at the floor. Nick's eyes meet mine, pain and anger swirls in his gaze, then he turns his head away as if he feels disgusted to even look at me.

She keeps on staring in their direction, her lips part and a small sigh leaves her lips.

"For Nick, you are not just his friend, but his brother." She slightly tilts her head and asks, "How can you doubt his friendship, Jason?" She frowns at me and shakes her head.

"Being my self-appointed guide, wherever he took me he had a story to share. A story that started with Jason and even ended on Jason." There is a rueful smile on her face.

"He even scarred me for life by taking me to a shabby bar, where servers wear two-size small clothes because you guys had your first beer there." She rolls her eyes at him while muttering something under her breath.

"There was not a single time during our talk that he hadn't mentioned your name. In every sentence of his, there was Jason. Jason and I did this, Jason and I did that." She swallows looking ahead nothing in particular.

A few moments later her eyes move to me.

"If that's is not true friendship then I don't know what true friendship is?" She shrugs her shoulder.

Looking at Nick, with guilt-filled eyes, I open my mouth to say something, but he just angrily shakes his head at me.

Closing my mouth, I swallow and momentarily look down. The weight of shame and guilt burdening my chest, making me regret each word which I have said to them.

"Leave everyone aside. How can you question their love for you?" She accuses me while motioning towards mom and dad, her eyes have started to water when she looks at mom and dad.

"How?" She mouths the words at me, her eyes becoming red with tears. "How, Jason?"

Even I am asking this question to myself. How can I say all those hate-filled words to them? How can I overlook their love for me?

"Have you seen the way your mother looks at you with so much love?" She bites inside of her cheeks. "How her entire face brightens just by seeing your smile? Even if it is just a small one... just a slight curve of your lips brings so much happiness to her." She stares at mom, her gaze held so many emotions, so many unsaid words.

"Your dad, he doesn't speak much, but nobody can miss the tender expression in his eyes when you both share a look because you agree on something similar. Or the hint of a smile on his face, when you give him a side hug for no reason." Swallowing hard, she looks away on the verge of tears.

"If one day you get your hearing back, but none of them are with you. Then will you be happy?" She blinks rapidly as if trying to dry her tears.

"You don't have any idea how much lucky you are. There are so many people in this world who don't have this." She sniffles then take a ragged breath.

"You can't hear but there are people who want to talk to you. You can't listen to them, but still, this does not stop them from listening to you. Even if you have changed, this does not stop them from sharing their feelings with you because you are family. You are so fortunate Jason, please open your eyes, before it is too late." She hastily wipes her tear with her thumb, which trails down her cheek.

"They love you, because who you are... it does not matter to them that you have lost the ability to hear. So, stop letting this thing define you, be the Jason that they deserve."

"I know you hate me, for God only knows why, and seriously I don't even care." She raises her eyebrows at me while nodding her head. "Because I am so used to this hatred and bitterness, that it doesn't bother me at all." Her lips stretch in a broken smile.

"I am not here to take anyone from you or take your place in their life, if that is what you are worried about." She looks straight into my eyes, "This is your family...your people. I am no one to them... I am just a stranger with whom they are sharing some moments of happiness. Moments which will become memories in just blink of an eye."

Shame and guilt consume me looking at this girl standing in front of me.

"If hating me makes you happy then, by all means, continue hating me." She releases a deep breath as looks upward trying to keep her eyes dry. "But please don't take their love... their care... or them for granted. Because once you lost them then nothing in this world will be worth it."

"I know my presence irritates you, so do not worry and if possible try to be happy because this is the last time I would be talking to you." Giving me a last look she turns her back to me and walks to mom.

She says something to mom and wipes her tears. Then giving her a quick hug, she walks outside the house.

Silently, I look at everyone's faces, hoping that they will say something to me or even hit me. But they punish me with their silence.

Without even looking at me everyone leaves me alone, amid the mess I have created.

Glancing at the empty space where they were standing, my shoulders start to shake in silent sobs, praying that they will forgive me.

A voice rings clearly in my mind, a voice that belongs to Lina. Although my ears couldn't pick up a single word which she has spoken. However, even then her words are clearly echoing in my mind.

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Thank you for reading.