Just One Mistake

One - Deaf

"And I love the way you hurt me. It's irresistible."

Chapter One - Deaf

"Before we start, I'd just like to thank one person in particular." I couldn't help but smile at the giant crowd in front of me, "Patrick Stump, if it weren't for you, Supernova wouldn't even exist. We were actually discovered because we played a few of your songs."

"So, to anyone listening that doesn't know who Patrick Stump is, go look him up! Now, this song is for you, Pat!" The smile on my face almost hurt, but the large crowd in front of me made the slight pain in my cheeks fade away.

-=+=-

There was a loud, constant ringing in my ears, and it almost made me want to scream. My head hurt, my chest was on fire, and my leg hurt too badly to be explained. When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw my whole family all seated around me. My brother was the first one to notice my eyes were open. He smiled and said something, but all I heard was the loud ringing. I smiled slightly, but it quickly faded when the ringing grew in volume. Then, my smile was replaced with a pained expression.

My brother looked confused for a moment, saying something I couldn't hear. I tapped my ear twice, saying, "I can't hear anything." I knew I wouldn't hear what I said, and that I was probably yelling, but I had to let him know.

When he opened his mouth and began talking again, I shrugged and tapped my ear twice again.

-=+=-

I sat wordlessly at the empty lunch table, fidgeting with my crutches. "How could you be such an idiot?" I think to myself, replaying the events of that night for the millionth time. I never should have let him drive. I knew he'd had a few drinks, but I still let him drive. I was about to mentally tell myself that I caused everything for the millionth time, when I could almost feel eyes staring at me.

Coming out of my mindless state, I looked up, seeing a brown-haired man on the other side of the table looking at me. I raised my eyebrows, a (hopefully) silent groan escaping my lips as his mouth began to move, forming words I would never understand. I sat there for a moment, staring intently at his lips, focusing greatly on trying to understand what words they were forming, but with no luck. His brow furrowed in confusion when I said nothing to him, meaning he'd probably asked a question.

After an awkward moment of us staring at each other, I sighed and decided I would have to try and tell him. I took in a deep breath and tried my best not to yell as I said, "I can't hear you." Judging by his flinch and the weird looks I got from everyone, though, I'd most likely yelled it. Doing the usual thing I did to anyone who tried to engage in conversation, I tapped my ear twice, signed the word "Deaf," and shrugged.

A wave of pity flooded his features when he finally realized I hadn't, no, couldn't, hear what he'd said. He gave me a silent nod and just walked away, not that I really cared.