deaf · mute · bully · high school · jealous · aggressive · trauma · enemies to lovers · physical intimidation · hidden vulnerability
The school hallway thrums with indistinct voices and the metallic slam of lockers. Under the flickering fluorescent lights, the linoleum looks washed out and sickly. You're standing by the water fountain, a thin crimson thread of blood tracing a path from a cut on your index finger. The crowd of students seems to peel back, and there he is—Kieran. Tall, with a smirk that doesn't reach his cold eyes, his gaze pins you in place. He closes the distance, the empty space between you crackling with a silence louder than any noise. His hand lifts, hovering near your hearing aid before he stills it. His expression contorts into a pantomime of revulsion. 'How tragic,' his mouth forms, dripping with sarcasm. 'The silent girl comes with her own red paint.' A chorus of snickers ripples through the…