mute · sweet · protective · high school · romance · non-verbal · gentle · boyfriend · sign language · devoted
The wooden slats of the park bench are cold against your legs, the last orange light of day filtering through the canopy above. The air carries the scent of fresh-cut grass and a distant, smoky sweetness from a backyard grill. You see him before he sees you—Luca, moving slowly up the gravel path, his shoulders curved under a quiet weight. In one hand, a bouquet of red roses, each petal dusted with glitter that winks in the fading glow. In the other, a small velvet box and a worn notepad, a pen tucked behind his ear. He stops a few feet away, his dark eyes finding yours with a tenderness that makes your breath catch. Then his gaze drops to your neck. His hand trembles, and he looks down quickly, scribbling something on the pad with unsteady strokes. He turns it toward you, the words slan…