Anna Et Romy

Mia gripped my wrist beside me like a bracelet. I waved to the guys who all stood up. Romy looked at me from under his hair, he was obviously happy, just not sure of what to do now, like me. Earl rushed to a minifridge in a corner near some amps.

"Care for a drinkie?" He asked breaking the silence. Though for Romy this is what it must always sound like.

"Coke!" Mia said letting go of my arm. The drummers eyes locked on hers. Romy had his eye on me, but quickly looked away. The guys started to pack their things making sure we had drinks.

"How do you think we did?" Earl asked zipping up a bag. A little bead of sweat rolled off his lip.

"It was brilliant." Mia commented leaning against the wall like a true seductress. Earl looked to me.

"Silence mean it sucked?" He asked, a glimmer of joking in his eye. I rolled the Coke can in my hands.

"Opposite. Your concerts have always been spectacular. The way you guys click together is like a Leggo house. It's unique."

"And here we are coming up with 'Sliced Oranges'." the lead guitarist said. We all laughed, except Romy.

"Well a really cool drink came out of it." I joked coming out of my shell a bit. They all laughed. I looked over to Mia, seeing they she disappeared and left me for the drummer. She was now patting his muscle and giggling. Romy came over to me, his bass packed away. He set it down so he could sign to me.

"Eat?" He asked. I bit my lip and nodded.

"I'd love to."
* * *
After I told Mia I was taking off, I followed Romy out. He had to sign a few autographs and hug a few fans, but otherwise, he was all mine for now. We settled for a small diner near my place that had the best burgers this side of New York.

We chose the corner booth by a long bay window and watched as rain started to pelt against the pane. Saying nothing, we looked over the menu.

"Rainy season." Romy signed. I nodded as he pointed to a cheeseburger topped with bacon under a probably steroid induced bun.

"You want that?" I asked him. He nodded vigorously. Not feeling the need to restrain myself around him, I chose a double cheeseburger and Cajun fries.

"Who writes your songs?" I asked him handing a waitress our menus. She eyed Romy as if she wanted to eat him up. Calm down Malibu, you've got plenty of burgers in the back. I thought grudgingly as she started to walk away.

'You mean why names very weird?' He signed grinning. I nodded shyly. How could they come up with names like 'Prostitute Pennies' or 'Mack Daddy Drool' without laughing?

'E-A-R-L and I write them together. The names are inside jokes we have." Romy signed rapidly focusing on me. It was then that I noticed his lips moving as he signed. I wanted to hear his voice so badly, but was too nervous to ask. I was really grateful hat he was attempting to dumb down his sign for me.

"I think they're hilarious. You guys have the most original sound." Romy scratched the back of his neck and shrugged bashfully.

'Would not know, would I?" He joked. I almost choked on the water I was sipping. He was funny. In a dark way, I liked it.

'Where glasses?' Romy asked running a hand through his hair after. I blushed, finally he was noticing that I looked better without them.

"They were ugly so I left them with Mia." I mentally kicked myself, how was I supposed to get around to school tomorrow without them...? Crap. Romy smiled softly, playing with a fork.

'thought they were cute.' I held onto my camera to steady my mentally. Oh. My. Claude. Did he think I was cute or that my glasses were cute? Relax, I chided myself. Our burgers were brought out and we immediately started to eat. Usually, I wouldve been too embarrassed to eat in front of a guy as hot as Romy, but I was HUNGRY. When i finally came up for air, Romy was wiping his mouth.

'Mom never lets me eat things like this, Lux has to sneak them to me.' He signed smiling. I laughed.

"Yeah, your mom...she's...funny." I said trying to hide my discontent. I didn't want to say anything rude and make him hate me...again. Romy's face darkened as he laid his napkin down on the table. His burger was completely gone, he left behind a few soggy french fries.

'She...doesn't understand.' He signed with a furrowed brow. I leaned foreword. I wanted to know what he felt. It was like learning a secret. I wanted to know everything. But could I understand?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

'She thinks that music is the only thing that makes me happy. I want her to leave me alone.' It was then that I got the picture. She was worried about him.

"What about Lux?" I asked, our hands grazing eachothers as I put my napkin on the table. He smiled a bit.

'Being twins means that she gets to suffer too.' My stomach gurgled.

"But you're an adult!" I said a little loudly, although he couldn't hear me. My face flushed at how passionate I was getting about his situation.

'I'm deaf. She feels like it's her fault. She can't let go. That's it." And suddenly, the wall came up between us. Like a huge invisible reminder. He let me in, but unintentionally kicked me out. I was too careful not to push the situation. But I wanted to know more. The waitress came by and took out empty plates. Seeing that Romy wasn't the least bit interested in her, she ceased with the flirting and simply dropped the bill on the table.

After he had insisted on paying, we left the diner, the chilly air clinging to our eyelashes like tears. Standing outside, I was waiting for a goodbye and for him to leave me for his perfect life. But he merely stood there, staring at me.

'Ready to walk home?' He asked grinning. My heart leaped as I did the happy dance in my head. He wants to walkmehoooome! Heeewwwwaaaanntstowaaalkmeeeeehooooome!! I simply nodded, trying not to show how excited I was. We drifted through the still wide awake streets, stars hidden behind masses of clouds. We didn't have to say anything. Swinging around curbs and coasting through red lights and green lights, we barely touched the ground with destination driven feet. I couldn't help but take pictures of everything. Romy smiling, Romy at the crosswalk, Romy pointing, Romy walking and Romy just being Romy. My camera digested his every movement with fascinated clicks and winds.

We finally reached my place. Looking up to my apartment, I saw that my sister's light was off. I mentally patted myself on the back for making it home with one hour to spare before she got there. Romy looked up with me. Mist fell like snow. i shivered hugging myself.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay walking home? I just feel bad for making you bring me all this way." Romy waved a hand.

'If I had car, I would drive you.' He signed. Then I wondered it deaf people could drive and tucked that question away in my memory so I could look it up on google when I got upstairs. 'I want to have you for dinner.' He continued. My eyes widened.

"What?" I asked backing away. Maybe I understood him wrong...He grinned.

'At my house. Bring you for dinner with my family.' He corrected. I laughed a big honking laugh and was glad that he couldn't hear me, I have an awkward laugh when I actually do.

"Oh yeah, of course. When?"

'Maybe tomorrow night? You can bring your sister.' I completely forgot that I told him about my sister. I didn't want to stray too far into my family situation when we talked about her, so I changed the subject. I nodded turning on my heel to my building.

"Well, thank you. For...everything." I said looking up at him. He nodded bundling deeper into his coat. Opening my mouth to say what I really wanted to say, I closed it, realizing that I might sound stupid. I jerked a hand up awkwardly as a goodbye and held my camera tight to my chest as I stumbled blindly to the entrance. I heard those familiar footsteps behind me and stopped walking. The cold bit at my eyes and made them tear. He put a hand on my shoulder. Turning around to face him, I smiled, my lips no doubt blue by now.

"Forget something?" I joked. He shrugged.

'Not sure how this works.' He signed hesitantly. I was confused.

"How what works?" I asked. He put a hand on my face, it was warm as sunshine as he stroked a thumb down my cheek. Lowering his face to mine, I realized something.

"You want to kiss me." I whispered as our lips met. They closed together like that leggo house I was talking about. I couldn't even close my eyes I was so nervous and excited. I wrapped my arms around his neck like girls would do in movies and I just hugged him.

Kissing, I soon found out, is a beautiful thing. And you don't have to hear to do it.
* * *
I floated upstairs to the loft, my lips throbbing.

Wow. Was all I thought. I couldn't help but giggle as I fumbled with the key in the door. I dropped it twice before finally grasping it and pushing the door open. A blast of heat blew me in the face.

Home. Was what I thought now as I dropped my coat to the floor and slipped out of my shoes. The large clock over the art deco mantlepiece read 2:30. My sister usually comes back around 3, good. I thought sneakily. Creeping to my room, I heard a sound from inside. I froze, a cold sweat forming from behind my skin.

Was there someone in my house. I swallowed, thinking fast. What do I do? I thought pinning myself closer to the wall and inching to my door. Wrapping my hand around the doorknob, I found that someone was also pulling at the door. I let go and they let go, the door swung open and I screamed. The girl screamed too as I pushed her to the ground.

"Anna stop! Stop it's me!" She hollered. Julie? What was Julie doing here? I flipped the light switch, seeing my sister dressed In normal clothes with a coat on.

"What are you doing home? Why are you in my room?" I asked helping her to her feet. She narrowed her eyes, putting a finger in the huge gaping hole she had in her fishnets now.

"Why weren't YOU home? Whatever happened to your study date?" She asked accusingly. I fumbled for an answer.

"We...wanted to get coffee." I said defensively.

"At two in the morning?" She hollered pushing past me. I followed, hot on her heels.

"I can go where I want! I'm almost an adult!" I fought.

"When I go into your room and find you gone, that is NOT an adult thing to do on your part. You LIED to me Anna. I should be asking the questions here." She said going into her room and flinging blonde hair extensions to the floor like pieces of her. I turned the lamp on by her bed.

"Well I'M sorry for growing up. I'M sorry that I'm your only true companion left in this world." I said throwing a plush orange pillow off her bed. Juliet shook her head in disbelief as she stood in front of her bathroom mirror and wiped off her makeup.

"Do you think I enjoy being a stripper?" She asked quietly. Suddenly, I felt as if I were deaf, everything was silent now. "I never went to college. I never followed through any of the plans I had made for myself. I never had parents to push me to do better. And I have to take care of you."

I was silent as she peeled off her fishnets and flung them at her hamper. It was then that I realized I wasn't the only person in the world with issues. I should've seen that a while ago when I had that confrontation with Romy, it it was now that it really made sense. Juliet sniffed tying her hair up into a bun. I went over to her putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Not only do I have to take care of you. I have to worry about you. I have to pay for your photography and everything else you need. It's hard Anna." She sobbed. I had never seen my sister cry before and it was odd now. Little crystalline pinpricks falling from her eyes and I didn't know what to do. "I just don't want to be alone." She wailed covering her face with her hands.

"I'm sorry. I won't lie to you again." I said hugging her and putting the kiss on my list of things to think about for later.