Rum and Coke

Growling in frustration, Ellie sat down in the lumpy booth of a Ma and Pa café with the rest of the guys. Stereotypical Youth had just gotten through a radio interview. It killed Ellie that she had to speak through Ryan (who was the only band member that could understand ASL), and, even then, she was signing too fast sometimes for him to understand.

“Are you seriously signing that, Ellie?” Ryan walked over to our table with a big grin on his face.

Ellie looked down at her hands to see that she was signing the 90s pop song that was currently stuck in her head. She shrugged her shoulders as she stopped signing and looked up at Ryan. Well? she signed.

He grinned cheesily as he sat across from her.

Don’t make me have to find a new drummer, she threatened.

He giggled- yes, he really does giggle- and shook his head. “Nope. This is too much fun.” He said with a shit-eating grin.

Ellie narrowed her eyes at him and made a motion with her hands of what, exactly, she was going to do with him if he didn’t tell her what was going on.

“One Song-
Glory-” Ellie wrenched her phone out of her pocket and opened the text message. “I know Ryan’s being an ass, but Idina gave you the go to start talking. Call me when you’re coherent. Love ya, Angel- Daddy”

Ellie glared at Ryan and opened her mouth but no sound came out.

“Is something wrong, Ellie?” Jimmy asked from further down the table.

Ellie ignored the older drummer’s comment as she continued to glare at Ryan, who was currently two seconds away from rolling on the floor in laughter. She managed to emit a deep growl before she pounced on her almost-brother and began hitting him. She managed to get out a few fragments of words as she wailed on him. Almost robotically, Mark picked Ellie up and brought her to the other end of the table before placing her promptly in his lap.

“No more fighting,” Mark stated bluntly, taking her phone out of her pocket to see what was going on. All the while, he kept his right arm firmly wrapped around her waist.

Ellie looked around, the fight having left her, for something to do. She bit the inside of her cheek before stealing Zacky’s beer and taking a swig of it.

“Hey! That’s mine! Get your own!” the rhythm guitarist whined from her left.

Ellie would have replied with a smart-ass comment if she could make more than a few garbled sounds…and the fact that, at that exact moment, Mark poked her hard in her side, causing her to squeal.

“So, let me guess-”

“She’s allowed to talk, however, she can’t form a coherent sentence!” Ryan yelled from the other end of the table, effectively cutting off Brian.

Growling, Ellie lounged for him as everyone else erupted in laughter, but Mark caught me right as I was getting air born. Huffing in resentment, I shot my best friend a bird (which he pocketed) and sat back down in Mark’s lap.

“Damn, that sucks,” Jimmy voiced from in front of Johnny.

Ellie shrugged her shoulders and stole another sip out of Zacky’s beer.

“Will you-”

“What can I get for you to eat, dearies?” a middle aged woman asked, cutting Zacky off.

Everyone placed their order and Ellie glared at the menu, pissed off with her current predicament.

Mark nudged her. “We’re waiting on you, hon.”

She gave him an are-you-fucking-kidding-me look before finally pointing at the menu.

“Hey, that’s not my problem,” he replied to Ellie before looking back at the waitress. “Oh, she’ll just have a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of tomato soup,” he said, handing her Ellie’s menu.

“Ok, I’ll be back in a little while.” The waitress smiled back.

“So, I’m thinking you should at least try to speak, given that I’m definitely not singing again tonight,” Bailey smiled, taking a sip of her water.

But you were so good! Ellie signed.

“Use your voice, Ellie,” Brian chastised, a smirk on his face.

Ellie stuck out her tongue and tried, signing as she spoke. “Y-ah wr- gut!” Hey, I got German…that’s good, I guess, the thought.

Bailey laughed. “Well, at least we know you can still speak a foreign language! Mind speaking English?”

Ellie glared at her and took a sip of Mark’s drink, spitting it out once she figured out that it was Pepsi. she looked back at his smiling face. ass hole, she signed.

Mark shrugged and took a large gulp of the disgusting soda, smirking the entire time. Ellie flipped him off andasked gestured for them to pass down her drink.

Their orders came a few minutes later and Ellie had yet to move from her spot on Mark’s lap. Ellie was three-quarters of the way through her lunch when Brian roll-tapped his fingers against the table. Anyone else would take it as a sign of boredom or contentment, Ellie, however, often caught herself doing the same thing when she discreetly wanted the attention of someone without anyone knowing. Subtly, Ellie looked up at him and caught his gaze. Everyone else was too engrossed in their own conversations to notice us.

I love you, he signed.

Ellie wasn’t that shocked that he knew the signs because it’s a pretty popular phrase to know.

Ellie rolled her eyes and returned to finishing her meal.

He roll-tapped his fingers again against the wood, causing Ellie to, once again, look up. You’re beautiful.

What do you want? she asked, slightly impressed. When she had left them to their own devices, they were horrible and putting signs together.

To tell you the truth.

Ellie raised my eyebrow at him. And?

I was lost until you came. You’re an angel. Heaven sent.

“S-scuse me,” Ellie stammered out before she quickly excused herself and headed towards the bathrooms.

“Ellie, wait.” Brian called, quickly catching up to her. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Ellie bit her lip and looked away from him before nodding her head. I understand.

“Will you talk to me…vocally, I mean? That’s really the extent of my signing ability.” He stammered out nervously.

Ellie nodded, “s-sorry.”

He smiled down at her and tucked a stubborn strand of her hair behind her ear. “God, you look so much like her.”

“Y-y-you’re lying. I l-look l-like you.”

He shook his head. “To other people you do. But, to me, you look almost exactly like her.” He said with a smile. “I meant what I said. I love you. I really do. I feel like I’ve finally found my purpose in life, and it’s all because of you. You’re an angel sent to save me from myself.”

Ellie was at a loss for words. “I-I’m sorry I can’t say anything in return, but-” I love you, too, she paused, unsure if she should add her last sign, …dad.

His smile grew, showing his teeth and reaching his eyes, before he quickly swept her up in his arms and hugged the life out of her. Ellie couldn’t remember the last time she had ever been in this kind of hug.

Maybe, just maybe, I’ll be alright with trusting him completely, she thought to herself.