What your heart can hear

After my fight with Tom I didn't think i would ever see my mostly deaf friend Luke or his jock brother Zach, but they both showed me that friends are always there even when they live with the problem.

 "I wish you would just make sure you are taken care of before you go flying!" I yelled at Tom. "You starve because you spend all your money to go flying. You don't have a savings account because of stupid flying!"

"I have money. I currently have over one thousand dollars in my account for flying." he replied in an angry icy voice that chilled my bones.

I knew Zach and Luke were home, and I thanked my lucky stars that Luke was mostly deaf.I couldn't stop myself from yelling and cry, "Tom please, listen to-"

"NO LACY YOU LISTEN TO ME! YOU ARE JUST SOME W***E WHO WANTS MY MONEY! WELL GUESS WHAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT!" His shout thundered through his room and I knew that Zach heard that and maybe the floor room above us too. 

With tears streaming silently down my face i watched his sit in his window and looking lovingly towards the sky. I silently took off the promise ring he gave me months ago and began to pack my few possessions into my bag. I opened his door quietly while I was still crying and looked at him one last time before I closed his chapter of my life.  

I guess the fight was louder than i thought because even Luke's face was a mask of shock. I gave a shy half smile to Zach and Luke as tears silently streamed down my face. Zach slowly came over to me and placed a big tanned hand on my tiny shoulder and quietly asked, "Are you ok Lucy?" 

All I could manage was a small broken shake of my head, "I'm going home." I said in a quiet sob. Zach gave me a hug as I heard Luke's bedroom door close. I let one more tear roll down my face before I took in a deep breath and wiped my swollen face dry and walked out of their apartment slowly. 

When I was out in the hall by myself I leaned against the wall and quietly cried some more. I let the tears snake down my slim face from my crystal blue eyes and fall to the shaggy carpet. I slowly began to walk down the hall when i heard the apartment door open behind me and heavy foot steps approach me. I looked up from my curtain of sandy brown hair to see Luke standing behind me in his blue t-shirt and black basked ball shorts. Concern was melted into his warm brown eyes as he wrapped me into a tight warm hug. I sighed heavily taking in his clean light sent. "Where are you going?" he asked in a deep innocent voice. 

I stepped out of the hug and looked at both sides of his head and saw that he didn't have his hearing aids in and was surprised by the amount of volume control he had with that question. I put my bags down and looked into his eyes and realized he also didn't have his contacts in either. I smiled and used sign language to say, "I am going home." He looked shocked that i knew sign language and smiled asking, "Are you parked far from here?" I just shrugged because I didn't want him to know that my car was actually parked at a Walmart five miles outside of Denver. "Can I drive you to your car?" I looked away from his warm brown eyes and straight to the ground. I jumped when he touched my hand. "Please." He whispered so quietly I almost didn't hear him. I closed my crystal blue eyes and nodded. Luke quickly let go of my hand and told me he would be back soon. I slowly walked down the hallway and went to stand by the window and looked at city life. I heard a door open and close down the hall and a minute later someone pressed the button to the elevator. I looked behind me and tears instantly sprang to my eyes. Behind me stood a tall angry boy with red-brown hair and angry green eyes. Tom hurried into the elevator when it arrived and almost punched the button to the elevator. As the door closed he muttered "B***h." loud enough for me to hear.

A minute later Luke came around the corner and stopped when he saw the tears and my mouth open. He came over and wrapped me in a tight protective hug as i rambled about what Tom just said to me. Luke guided me back to the apartment which was now deserted. I sat on the stool at the breakfast bar and cried into Luke's shirt until my eyes were red and dry. "Do you want to go lay down with me and talk about stuff?" I nodded and followed him to his room. He turned on a lamp on his desk and took his shoes off. I smiled at the goofy way he fought with his left shoe because he refused to bend over and untie the laces that were too tight. He looked up and I realized that he changed cloths, put in his contacts, and put on his hearing aids. He smiled at me as he finally got his left shoes off. He crossed the small room and hugged me. 

"Luke?"

"Hm?"

"Do you have a girl friend back home?"

"No..." he said with a pause.

"Why not?"

"Girls didn't want someone who was broken like me. They didn't want to learn sing language so I didn't always have  to wear my hearing aids."

I looked at him shocked."What why?!?" I couldn't figure out what was wrong with the girls in his home town.

"They always wanted Zach. He was always the good looking one and the social one so they naturally wanted him... Not the broken kid who needed help all the time." " 

He laughed at the look on my face. "That is terrible I'm sorry, I wish I could help!"

"You already are, Lacy." he said quietly into my hair. 

"How?" I looked at him confused.

"You're here. You signed to me when you knew i couldn't hear you. You are hugging me and letting me help you. You are letting me feel useful."

"Luke..."

"Lacy.. I have something I want to tell you. I just don't know how to tell you right now."

"Well you don't have to right now if you don't want to."

"But I do and that's the problem. I've wanted to tell you think for the last couple of months. Zach and I have lived here for four months now and since that first day. Since I saw you sitting on the couch-" Right then we heard the door bang and then open and more banging around in the living room. I heard a girl giggle and Tom's low voice growl something to the girl. My mouth went dry and my knees went weak. Luke caught me right before I hit the floor. I felt as though I couldn't get enough air as Luke gently sat me on the floor and wrapped me in another protective hug and put his hands over my ears and rocked me back and forth as I cried listening to Tom having loud sex with a new girl. Zach got home and yelled at Tom for having sex where people ate while Luke and I were still home. Tom laughed and yelled at Zach. I heard a plate fall to the ground and shatter. Luke and I shot up and went out the girl was jumping around trying to get her cloths on while Zach had Tom pinned against the wall. Luke and I ran to Zach and pulled him off of Tom. Zach pushed us away without looking at us. I fumbled back and stepped on the broken plate and cried out in pain. The cry seemed to snap Zach out of his anger and he dropped Tom like a rag doll. Tom gagged and coughed as the girl I didn't know ran to him. He growled something to her and they left. I cried as I pulled pieces of glass out of my foot. Zach picked me up like a baby and carried me to his and Luke's bathroom counter and set me down gently and asked Luke to get the trash can, peroxide, tweezers, gauze pads, and medical tape.  He worked on getting all the glass out of my foot as Luke cleaned the kitchen with bleach. After we were done I gave Zach a big hug and thanked him and Luke for everything. 

"I will stop bothering you guys. I know you're tired. You should go to bed." 

"Lacy, I still would like to talk to you. Please." Luke said softly after Zach said his good night to me. Before leaving I saw him give Luke a nod and a smile. 

"What's up Luke?" I asked suddenly shy.

"Can we go to my room so we can sit down?" I nodded and he picked me up after noticing my limp. "Lacy, I was telling you that although I've lived here for four months, I've talked to Zach about this. Any way, Since I saw you on the couch with Tom that first day..." He paused. "Well.. I don't know I guess, as cliched as it sounds, I thought you were the most beautiful girl in the world. I still do. And if you ever need anything I will always be here for you. Lacy i just wanted to tell you that you are perfect no matter what anyone ever says. Especially Tom."