Yelling Through
Words Are Powerful
Oliver's Point of View
"So this is your celebration?" I asked, sitting down with my ice cream cone in my hand.
"Are you really going to argue against ice cream?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
"Nope, just curious."
"Not the best, but it's still good."
"Then where's the best?"
"Pennsylvania."
I cocked my head to the side questioningly.
"Home sweet home."
"Really? Pennsylvania? Why'd you move to LA?"
"Temporary. Once all of this movie stuff is done, I'm going home. How long are you in LA for?"
"A few weeks. Then we're going on tour. You don't seem too excited about the film."
She wrote quickly, her cursive filling the board. "Yes and no. I want this to get big. I want to see my characters everywhere, but at the same time, I want to keep it to myself. I felt this way when I got published, so it's nothing new, but this is so much more stressful. The publishers were much more understanding than these Hollywood bastards. Then there's the pressers, the filming, making sure they don't fuck anything up. My few cameos. Plus getting anyone to pay attention is like talking to a fucking brick wall."
She shoved a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"Don't you have like a manager or something?"
I saw her mouth the words "fucking cunt," before taking the board.
"I saw that."
She smirked, mouthing a "whoops."
I chuckled. I paused for a moment. She was obviously able of forming the words with her mouth even if she could speak them. It got me thinking. "Can I ask you something?"
She made a motion with her hand.
"Shoot?"
She nodded.
"You sign?" I asked, changing the subject. I didn't want to upset her.
"Yes, but I don't normally meet to many people who understand it, and I don't like forcing my friends to translate or even learn it, when I can just write everything down."
"What are some of your favorites?"
"Anything vulgar.
"Alright. I'm gonna list them you sign them."
"Challenge accepted."
"Fuck.
"Ass.
"Bitch.
"Whore.
"Cunt.
"Cock."
Before I could list any more she ran threw a bunch leaving me lost. "What the fuck was that last one? A fucking unicorn?"
"Dumb fuck."
"I'm using that one on the lads."
"Now that you think you distracted me, what did you wanna ask?"
"Dammit," I swore.
"I'm gonna guess it's about my being a mute or else you wouldn't feel so awkward about it."
"Well... Yeah. I don't want to upset you."
"There are a lot of thing that upset me, your curiosity isn't one of them."
She motioned for me to start.
"Why exactly are you mute? Like is it by choice or medical?"
She started writing staring intently at the board as her hand ran across it. She looked it over, and went to erase it, but I stopped her, pulling it over for me to read.
"Both. My vocal chords are all types of fucked up and I sound like a blender full of gravel. When I was little I used to get picked on a lot, so I quit talking. Didn't do shit. I got picked on for not talking, but now I have this greater appreciation for what is said. I write everything down. I have more time to think about what I'm trying to convey to get it out right. And I've thought about it, but I really can't bring myself to speak. Maybe one day, but for now I'm happy to hide behind this board."
She was embarrassed. She had her head in her hands and was refusing to look at me.
"No need to be embarrassed, love. You are honest."
"And somehow despite what I was saying I manage to put my foot in my mouth like I said I wouldn't. I sound like a little bitch."
"I think you very smart. Words are powerful."
She seemed awkward after that.
"Now, how about we go meet the lads at the pub?" I offered.
"Sure, but I don't drink."
"You, don't have to," I assured her.
"So this is your celebration?" I asked, sitting down with my ice cream cone in my hand.
"Are you really going to argue against ice cream?" she asked, eyebrows raised.
"Nope, just curious."
"Not the best, but it's still good."
"Then where's the best?"
"Pennsylvania."
I cocked my head to the side questioningly.
"Home sweet home."
"Really? Pennsylvania? Why'd you move to LA?"
"Temporary. Once all of this movie stuff is done, I'm going home. How long are you in LA for?"
"A few weeks. Then we're going on tour. You don't seem too excited about the film."
She wrote quickly, her cursive filling the board. "Yes and no. I want this to get big. I want to see my characters everywhere, but at the same time, I want to keep it to myself. I felt this way when I got published, so it's nothing new, but this is so much more stressful. The publishers were much more understanding than these Hollywood bastards. Then there's the pressers, the filming, making sure they don't fuck anything up. My few cameos. Plus getting anyone to pay attention is like talking to a fucking brick wall."
She shoved a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"Don't you have like a manager or something?"
I saw her mouth the words "fucking cunt," before taking the board.
"I saw that."
She smirked, mouthing a "whoops."
I chuckled. I paused for a moment. She was obviously able of forming the words with her mouth even if she could speak them. It got me thinking. "Can I ask you something?"
She made a motion with her hand.
"Shoot?"
She nodded.
"You sign?" I asked, changing the subject. I didn't want to upset her.
"Yes, but I don't normally meet to many people who understand it, and I don't like forcing my friends to translate or even learn it, when I can just write everything down."
"What are some of your favorites?"
"Anything vulgar.
"Alright. I'm gonna list them you sign them."
"Challenge accepted."
"Fuck.
"Ass.
"Bitch.
"Whore.
"Cunt.
"Cock."
Before I could list any more she ran threw a bunch leaving me lost. "What the fuck was that last one? A fucking unicorn?"
"Dumb fuck."
"I'm using that one on the lads."
"Now that you think you distracted me, what did you wanna ask?"
"Dammit," I swore.
"I'm gonna guess it's about my being a mute or else you wouldn't feel so awkward about it."
"Well... Yeah. I don't want to upset you."
"There are a lot of thing that upset me, your curiosity isn't one of them."
She motioned for me to start.
"Why exactly are you mute? Like is it by choice or medical?"
She started writing staring intently at the board as her hand ran across it. She looked it over, and went to erase it, but I stopped her, pulling it over for me to read.
"Both. My vocal chords are all types of fucked up and I sound like a blender full of gravel. When I was little I used to get picked on a lot, so I quit talking. Didn't do shit. I got picked on for not talking, but now I have this greater appreciation for what is said. I write everything down. I have more time to think about what I'm trying to convey to get it out right. And I've thought about it, but I really can't bring myself to speak. Maybe one day, but for now I'm happy to hide behind this board."
She was embarrassed. She had her head in her hands and was refusing to look at me.
"No need to be embarrassed, love. You are honest."
"And somehow despite what I was saying I manage to put my foot in my mouth like I said I wouldn't. I sound like a little bitch."
"I think you very smart. Words are powerful."
She seemed awkward after that.
"Now, how about we go meet the lads at the pub?" I offered.
"Sure, but I don't drink."
"You, don't have to," I assured her.