Silent Love

He loved her, but he couldn't be with her. She loved him, but cannot speak the words.

Silent Love

by Omegax45

 

 

 

 

                        The rain is coming down hard upon the large college campus.  Storm drains were clogging up from all the water that was forced down their metallic mouths, leaving large puddles for cars to splash through.  The street lamps gives off light for everyone to see, much more so than the purple clouds that hang above their heads.  Many of the students were either in their dorms or had left for their off-campus housing.  A few remain for after-school clubs or to simply work on their studies.  Not many are very fond of being outside in the rain.  However, one was willing to be in the downpour.

                        Out in the sports field (namely so for it is used by almost all of the sports teams), a young man is doing push-up in the muddy grass.  He wears only a simple black beater and matching sweatpants.  His short black hair is drenched, his bangs dripping with water onto the ground and upon his face.  His hazel eyes remain focus on his task, ignoring the cold rain, the bright lightning, and the booming thunder that echoes off the nearby buildings.  He needs to complete one hundred push-ups before he would allow himself to go back inside.  It is his punishment for the day.

                        Ever since he was small, the young man would always face a punishment for something.  His father was always pushing him to be the best, the best son and the best student.  He would be signed up to different sports clubs in search of the best one for him,  make him take the high-level classes that require students with GPAs of 3.9 or higher.  The young man would strive to be the best, get the best grades, and the first-place trophies.  However, it never seemed enough for his father.  The elderly man would scold him for a mark lower than A+, make him do push-ups if he didn’t get first place, and scorn him if he wanted to do something else, like go to the mall or make friends.  ‘Friends are a waste of time’ he would always say.  The young man wanted to believe it.  So desperately believe it.  However, he felt that painful loneliness that screamed at him to find companionship.  He found someone to fill that hole in his heart.

                        Her name is Krissy.  She is a lovely person, with curly blonde hair and dark brown eyes that reminded him of melted dark chocolate.  His father only tolerated her because he saw her as a possible candidate for his daughter-in-law.  Krissy had such a beautiful voice.  One would say she would’ve made the opera on Broadway.  The young man knew what his father saw in her:  a chance to make high society.  Riding on his children’s coattails.  At times like that, he could understand why his mother left them.

                        Then the incident happened.  Krissy had her voice damaged.  He didn’t know all the details, because he was at home being punished for another poor grade and no one was speaking about it.  The only thing he knew was that the principle had disbanded the chorus program that Krissy was involved in.  The other students were scorning the girls that were part of the choir.  He had later learned from Krissy’s siblings that the girls, jealous of Krissy, had made her drink diluted acid in the science lab where they had held her down in.  The teachers caught them in the act, but not before the acid was forced down the poor young woman’s throat.  She was rushed to the hospital, but the acid tore apart her fragile vocal chords.  She had become mute, unable to speak above a very quiet whisper.  The lead girl responsible had been a rival for Krissy’s spot on the choir, and had been arrested for assault and battery, and later attempted murder in the second degree.  The other girls got off with some jail time in exchange that they confess their participation in court.  Needless to say, no one wanted anything to do with them again.

                        His father wanted him away from Krissy.  ‘Useless damaged goods,’ he called her.  That led to the first fight the young man ever had against his father.  He liked Krissy, liked her more than he was willing to admit.  He was beaten for his outburst and disobedience, then signed up for the college of his father’s choice.  The young man allowed it, since he didn’t have a choice, but then quickly changed colleges once he was considered a legal adult.  His father never spoke to him again.

                        The push-up punishment remains with the young man, though.  He had gotten a B- on his essay test.  Whenever he gained a grade lower than an A, he would do this.  He would do one hundred push-ups before returning to his dorm and continue his studies.  He shouldn’t really care about his grades.  So long as he keeps a C average and a GPA of 2.5, he would be fine.  However, his father’s lessons remain with him.  Getting low grades is wrong.  Punishment is necessary for one to learn not to do it again. 

                        The rain had turned his skin to ice, the large drops feeling like knives being stabbed into the exposed flesh.  His clothes are heavy and clung to his frame.  His sneakers dig into the mud to keep him in place, squelching with each movement he made.  He persists, reaching the ninety mark.  Soon, he would be done and he can go back inside.  He would have a hot shower, then some coffee to warm himself up and keep him awake to study.  He has another exam in a few days and needed all the study time he can get.

                        A sudden flash of lightning near him startles him and his hands slip, sending him into the muddy ground below.  The thunder seems to mock him as it rings in his ears, and he curls up slightly as his body made its pain known.  He needs to start over again.  He can’t go back until he did a hundred consecutive push-ups.  However, his body did not want to.  It tells him simply that it is done for the night.  Fighting against it, he manages to get it to turn so he was lying on his stomach, arms propped.  He takes deep breaths to ease the burning ache in his lungs, then he looks up to quite a surprise.

                        It is Krissy, holding an umbrella in one hand, a blanket wrapped around her body that was clad in nothing but pajamas and rain boots.  The lightning flashes around them, but neither take notice.  She offers a hand to him, ever so silent.  Without realizing or understanding, he takes it.

 

* * * *

 

                        The Student Hall is a large building that students went to for meals, movies, and the different offices for all of their needs.  It was also where the offices for different clubs are located as well.  The building usually closes at midnight, when everyone went home, but a few of the clubs were having their marathons that would be running all weekend long, so the security guards would be changing posts every several hours and keeping the building unlocked.  One of the clubs was renting out the large study hall on the second floor for a sleepover/movie party.  The students within had ignored the two wet students passing by in favor of the horror movie that was playing.

                        Krissy leads the young man into the far hallway and into the women’s restroom.  It was rarely used and has a small shower stall that was an extra addition in the blueprints of the building’s construction.  The young man removes his shoes as the young woman turns the knobs for the shower, holding the hose to test the water. Once it is warm enough, she ushers the young man to sit in the small tub.

                        The young man sits in the tub, knees propped, and lets Krissy rinse him.  The warm water felt nice against his skin, taking away the numbness slowly and easing his aching muscles.  She remains behind him, easing the showerhead slowly down his shoulders and back.  The mud and cold rain water washes away into the tub, making patterns in the drain that the young man watches with slight interest.  He gently takes the hose from her when she reaches his waist and offers her a soft smile.

                        “Thank you,” he said, “I’ll take it from here.”

                        Krissy steps away and the young man works on getting his sweat pants clean.  She begins unbuttoning her pajama top and the young man almost asks what she was doing when he sees that she has a night shirt on underneath.  She places the pajama top onto a nearby railing and slips off her pajama pants, revealing a pair of night shorts underneath.  His eyes also spot a pair of rolled-up sleeping bags with pillows tied to them.  The young man finally understood:  she had been watching him, worried that he would become sick.  Instead of going back into the rain to get back to his dorm, he would sneak into her club meeting and be able to get some sleep.  Then, he would return in the morning.  He had no classes tomorrow, so he can spend the day studying. 

                        Krissy walks up to a sink that has no mirror in front of it and begins brushing her teeth.  The young man finishes cleaning himself to the best of his abilities and turns off the water, pulling his black beater off his body.  Dropping it in the tub, he reaches for his sweatpants, but hesitates and looks at Krissy with a blush.  The young woman wasn’t paying attention, and he quickly slips his sweat pants and boxers off, reaching for the blanket to cover himself.  He wrings his boxers of water and walks up to the dryers, turning one on.  He tries to dry his boxers as best as he could, pressing the button once the dryer shuts off.  He turns the nozzle head of the nearby dryer towards his body and turns that one on, running a hand through his hair to dry it faster.  Krissy begins brushing her hair as the young man removes the blanket to slip his slightly damp boxers back on.  He reaches for the spare pajamas and pulls on the pants.

                        Krissy hears all that was happening behind her, but did not dare to sneak a peek.  She is already sporting a blush from the fact that the one she had feelings for is behind her, changing and putting on her night clothes.  Everyone told her to leave him be, considering that he is a loner at the campus.  But she couldn’t.  She was the only one he confined to about his father’s abuse.  She knew that his attitude wasn’t his fault.  They would’ve been high-school sweethearts had it not been for the elder telling his son to avoid her after the…she didn’t want to think about that time.

                        She puts her toiletries away when she feels something soft fall upon her shoulders, strong hands keeping it in place.  She turns her head to see the young man smiling softly at her, her pajama top surrouding her.

                        “I’m sorry about the blanket,” he tells her, “I’ll wash it for you later.  Thank you for all your help.  I don’t know how to repay you.”

                        Krissy smiles, placing a hand upon his cheek and a soft whisper passes her lips.  The young man’s eyes widen when he understood the words, tears stinging as he pulls her into a hug.

                        “I’m so sorry,” he blurts out, unable to keep his emotions inside any longer, “I should’ve been there to protect you!  You lost your voice, your precious voice, because of me!  You were there all alone, and I should’ve been there!  If I only had been stronger… If I only had fought back…”

                        The young woman looks hurt at his confession.  She didn’t know what brought such emotions out of the young man that was her best friend.  Then realization hit her.  Her cheeks became bright red and she turns in his arms, staring into his confused, tear-stained eyes.  Words were lost to both of them, and they slowly inch towards each other, closing their eyes as their lips touch in the barest of kisses. 

                        The kiss lasts a minute, it lasts a lifetime.  When they part, a wisp of breath pass their lips.  The young man tucks Krissy’s head under his chin, the young woman nuzzling his chest.  They can hear the soft sounds from the movie playing outside, and the club members laughing or talking.  However, the only sounds that matters to them are the soft breath each utter.  Nothing else matters.

                        The sudden sound of footsteps frees them of the spell that had left them immobile.  Frightened of being caught, Krissy pushes the young man into the nearest stall and closes the door.  His mind finally catching on, he locks the door and sits on the toilet with his feet up.  A minute later, just as the young woman finishes hiding his wet clothes, the door bangs open.

                        “Are you done Krissy,” a tall woman with brown hair and matching eyes nearly yells, walking into the bathroom, “You’re missing a good movie!”

                        The young man hears nothing for a moment, looking through the cracks to see Krissy using sign language.  He had taken courses, so he knew what she was ‘saying’.

                        ‘I’m almost done.  Are you that worried, Wendy?’

                        “We both know that not everyone on campus understands sign language.  Now, if you’re done, let’s get back-huh?  Why do you have two sleeping bags?”

                        Krissy fumbles for an answer, her hesitation making Wendy suspicious. 

                        “Are you hiding a boy here?  Damnit, Krissy!  I thought you knew better!  What happens if he’s like Steve?  Took me forever to get the cops to arrest his sorry a*s.”

                        That comment made the young man’s blood boil.  Someone had hurt Krissy?  If he finds this Steve, he will make certain that he didn’t go near the campus ever again.

                        “You gotta be careful around here,” Wendy stated, looking around, “You never know what kind of perverts are lurking around here.

                        “See,” she picks up the young man’s wet clothes from where Krissy had hidden them, “He’s probably in here jacking off to the very thought of us going to the bathroom.  Sick pervert.”

                        ‘He’s not a pervert,’ Krissy signs so fast, her fingers snap.  Realizing what she did, she hides her hands in fright.

                        “I knew it,” Wendy yells, banging her hand on a stall door to make it open, “And from the way you are signing, you know this guy, right?”

                        ‘Well…’

                        “Leave Krissy alone,” both women turn to see the stall door open and the young man walking out, “She’s been my childhood friend for years, and was simply helping me out of the rain.  That is all.”

                        “What the hell,” Wendy’s eyes went wide, mentally commenting on her friend having good tastes, “Why are you wearing her night clothes?”

                        Krissy stood by the young man and points to the wet clothing in her friend’s hand.  Blushing in embarrassment, she drops them onto the floor.

                        “If you hurt her,” Wendy begins, her eyes shining with anger and promises of humiliation and intense pain, “Whatever your name is-“

                        “My name is Yuuji,” the young man informs, “and I will die first before hurting her.”

                        “I’ll hold you to it,” the brown-haired woman states and heads to the door, “I’ll keep the others busy, but only for ten minutes.  You better be back by then.”

                        With that, Wendy leaves the bathroom, the door hitting the frame loudly.  The two young adults look to each other, then grab their belongings and follow her to the slumber party.  No one questions them, and they were able to find a free space to set up their sleeping bags and lie down. 

                        As the movie progresses, none took notice of the newfound couple cuddling together.  Maybe Yuuji can miss studying for one day.  After all, he has found something much more important to pay attention to.

 

The End?

 

Author's Note

I think I might do a sequel to this. I have an idea in mind, but it hasn't gone far yet. Suggestions?

Reviews

[No_One_Special]

This was a very sweet short story- I love your use of imagery and the pacing was pretty good. You can also sense the romantic tension he feels towards her, but I think the part where he "snaps" and hugs her might have worked better if his thoughts before snapping were a little more dramatic. Also, it wasn't too much of a problem, but keep an eye out not to use present tense verbs in a past tense story. I also noticed that the protagonist has a Japanese name, and it made me wonder if another reason his father opposed their relationship is because they are (apparently) different nationalities? But in the end I thought you did a very good job and the story held my attention, so nice work :)