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His fingers trembled a little, but he grabbed the handle and pushed. The student behind the counter looked up at him with a smile, and he subconsciously reached up to adjust his hearing aids since he couldn’t hear anything before remembering he still didn’t have them. He was damn-sure his grandparents had either left town, or at the very least stopped stalking his dorm by now, but he hadn’t been brave enough to go back to his room yet.
He'd have to eventually. He would need clothes, and his weighted blanket, and in all honesty, he couldn’t keep staying with Caleb…could he?
Yes, he was happy—even on afternoons he wasn’t in the best mood thanks to watching Caleb flirt with a ridiculously good looking man who would have absolutely been a better fit for him. But as much as he wanted to be near Caleb every second of every day, he didn’t want to ruin things with how needy he was. Not to mention Caleb hadn’t exactly said he changed his mind about not being ready for a relationship.
Bodhi blinked out of his thoughts when he realized the woman behind the desk was speaking to him, and he quickly held up a finger before pulling out his phone and firing up his notepad and typing as quickly as he could.
‘I’m deaf. Do you know ASL?’
She read it and shook her head. “Sorry.”
He shrugged and typed out, ‘I need to make an appointment to talk to someone about getting an interpreter.’
Those words felt like the biggest step he’d ever taken as he turned the screen for her to read. She bit her lip, then grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled on it.
‘What days are you free next week?’
He started to tap out Monday, but then he remembered he had plans with Caleb and everyone else at BrewBiz. Probably. Assuming he wouldn’t lose the courage to go. ‘Tuesday, I have a break between classes from 1-3, last class ends at 515.’ He had work, but he was pretty sure the guys would let it slide for this.
‘I can schedule you in for Tuesday at 1:15.’
He smiled. “Thanks,” he said aloud. “Do you need anything else?”
She laughed and wrote, ‘Name. Number. Student ID.’
With a flush at having forgotten all the important bits, he quickly wrote everything down, and she gave him an appointment card, which he tucked into the front pocket of his backpack. He felt a little pulsing need for happy stims as he left the office, and he let his fingers dance as subtly as he could while he made his way down the stairs and to the street.
He had one more meeting at his ASL professor’s office to explain why he’d been absent and beg for a little leniency on the quiz and the conversation presentation he’d missed. Dr. Peters—Seth, as he preferred to be called—had been stern but kind over email and said he’d be willing to hear Bodhi out so long as he had a good reason.
He wasn’t sure how honest he wanted to be with his professor, but he was pretty sure there was some middle ground between dumping out all his childhood trauma and giving enough information so Seth would understand this wasn’t him screwing around with his education.
He began the familiar path to the languages staff offices, his stomach popping and fizzing between feeling accomplished and impending doom because he still had to deal with Caleb after this. He wasn’t going to be able to get away with hand-waving this time.
He’d seen Caleb with the stranger at the café. He’d watched the guy make Caleb laugh and smile in ways Bodhi had never been able to do. He saw how easily they conversed—how fast and natural Caleb signed with him like he didn’t have to dumb himself down, and well…
Why wouldn’t Caleb want something like that? Once all the chaos of his break-up finally passed, there was every chance in the world he’d realize that Bodhi was just too much goddamn work.
Taking a deep breath, Bodhi forced himself to relax as he made his way into the lobby and took the elevator to the third floor. Seth’s office was in a cluster with a handful of other teachers, and Bodhi tried not to change his mind and leave when he saw more than one student sitting in the waiting chairs.
He squared his shoulders and walked over, taking a seat just as one of them got up. His leg wanted to bounce so he let it, the motion soothing some of his panic while he pulled out his phone and sent the professor a text to let him know he was there.
Seth: I’ve got one student ahead of you, but this will be quick.
Bodhi just sent him a quick ‘Okay,’ then put his phone away. He had a message from Caleb that was still unread, and he’d get to it later. Caleb was supposed to be on campus at four to pick him up, and Bodhi knew he’d be able to handle the conversation so long as he had time to prepare himself for it.
A moment later, he saw motion out of his periphery, and he turned his head, his heart leaping into his throat when he realized it was the attractive guy from the café. Caleb’s new future husband, if fate wanted to be cruel.
His cheeks burned hotly, and he bit his lip, trying not to catch the stranger’s eye.
He failed, of course, because that was his luck. A hand waved in his line of sight, and he forced himself to turn. He wasn’t sure if he managed a smile or a grimace, but whatever it was, the guy didn’t react badly. He just grinned and began to sign at a speed Bodhi couldn’t hope to keep up with.
He caughtBEFORE, SEE-YOU, and the rest was just a mess.
“Can you repeat that slower?” Bodhi’s fingers trembled and he realized he was rocking, forcing himself to stop. “I’m not that fast.”
The guy’s expression went immediately apologetic. “I’m so sorry. You’re Deaf, right? You work at BrewBiz?” His signs were much easier to understand now, and Bodhi felt bitterness rise in his chest.
Was the guy judging him for his ASL skills? But he forced himself to let that thought go because it was obvious from the guy’s face that wasn’t what he was thinking.
