mute · sign language · british · new kid · insecure · kind · sarcastic · gay · overprotective parents · fresh start
The fluorescent lights of the American classroom hum a low, electric buzz, a stark contrast to the damp grey of the English airport he left behind. Dust motes dance in the late-morning sunbeams cutting through the blinds. Harry slips into the back corner, his lean frame folding into the chair, the scent of old paper and floor wax filling his lungs. His blonde-white hair falls forward as he pulls out a notepad, the smooth pages blank. He feels the weight of stares—familiar, heavy, like a second skin. His parents' words still echo: 'You need us.' He sets down a pen, the click loud in the silence. He looks up, catches your eye, and offers a small, tired shrug. Then, he writes a single line on the paper and slides it just close enough for you to see: 'First day. Already a show.' He waits, w…