[25] This Is The Day

NOAH

Stop looking so nervous! Via told me with a smirk as we waited by the gates of the theme park. She seemed back to her usual self, which made the guilt that I harboured for hanging out with Harrison a little easier to bear. I knew it would never go away though. The constipated face is coming back with a vengeance!

Shut up! It's my right to be nervous – I am meeting your best friend after all! I was signing to get in the flow, even though I knew that Elliot would undoubtedly still think I was shit at it.

You're making him sound like he's going to murder you!

Who knows? He might – I've never met him before!" She laughed easily So he's bringing his girlfriend too? I hadn't known what to think when Via suggested we double date, but I guessed that I needed to meet the mysterious Elliot sometime or other so why not do it at the same time?

Boyfriend, she corrected me. Well, that's new.

Ok then I replied nodding my head Ugh I'm still so nervous!

Stop! He's going to be here any minute and you'll see that you've just been worrying over absolutely nothing! She smiled at me knowingly and our fingers intertwined like they were meant to be. I still couldn't believe she actually liked me back after everything that happened.

XXX

It wasn't long before the two guys turned up and I could immediately tell which one Elliot was due to the massive grin he had on his face as soon as he spotted Via. He was about the same height as me, but lankier, with messy black hair and warm eyes.

Hey guys! He signed enthusiastically, smiling smugly at Via.

Should I introduce myself now or...? I didn't know what to do or what to say in front of him because I desperately didn't want to embarrass myself. It was bad enough that I couldn't sign as well as them.

Via suddenly signed something quickly and they ended up having a full-on conversation at the speed of light. I hadn't realised how annoying it must be for Via to have to slow her signing down so much for me to understand.

My confusion must have shown on my face.

Oh Sorry Noah, Via signed apologetically we tend to sign fast... I didn't realise...

Yes Via! You should be nice to your boyfriend! Elliot suddenly interrupted and I couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm

Shut up you! She signed back playfully Anyway, Elliot, this is my boyfriend Noah.

Hi! I signed awkwardly, not sure of what to do with myself. I felt like I'd entered a different world that Via knew how to navigate, and I didn't. Maybe this was how she felt at school. Sorry, my signing's really bad

Don't worry about it! He flicked his hand and it immediately put me off edge Anyway this is Alex, He points to the guy next to him with warm coffee coloured hair and gentle eyes of the same colour. He smiled shyly and I decided they made a cute couple, even if I had only met both of them five seconds ago.

HI! Alex signed awkwardly and Via laughed for some reason

Ok shall we go into the park then?

XXX

So how long have you And Via known each other? I asked Elliot later. We'd gone on a few rides but we all knew that wasn't the main reason we met up.

Oh since we were ten he smiled nostalgically. I could see why Via takes about him a lot if they'd been friends that long we went to the same school from then but she moved last year.

Oh house or... I was once again realising how little I really did know about Via. It was frustrating but at the same time I knew that pushing her to tell me everything would make things worse

Oh no just school - I think her mum wanted her to go to a mainstream one for her GCSEs.

He didn't say it but I understood what was inferred - she didn't want to go to our school at all. I could easily see why and all the guilt that came from my actions last year came flooding back to me. But I guess it worked out in the end when she found you!

Yeah I nodded my head with a tight chest and tried to push all of my feelings away with no luck.

What's going on? He suddenly turned to properly face me You look upset?

Its... Telling Elliot any of this would undoubtedly be the worst idea in the history of ideas. I mean, it's essentially telling Via's best friend that I was really nasty to her for a whole year – that was never going to end well.

Come on – spit it out! He prompted me and I looked back at Via signing politely to Alex behind us. I couldn't do this but Elliot needed an answer. And now.

It just... it's complicated I admitted Last year I didn't know who Via was and, I don't know, I feel really bad about the fact that I didn't even attempt to talk to her

Ugh I'm always telling her to be more open! Elliot rolled his eyes and it made me feel worse

No it's really not her fault; I tried to explain nobody in the whole school attempted to understand her at all and they well... they weren't exactly nice to her.

Elliot stared at me for a moment and I could see it in his eyes that he knew what I was implying. I told you this wouldn't end well. Oh shit he hated me now didn't he? He'd sussed it all out and now Via's best friend hated her boyfriend. I knew which one she'd choose – I knew which one I'd choose – and it wasn't me. I couldn't be angry – I deserved it after all – but it still hurt.

Elliot! Via suddenly came into the middle of us, breaking his gaze but I knew this wasn't over. That there was a possibility that this would never be over until we broke up and it made my heart ache.

XXX

I didn't know you had a brother I told Via as we walked out. It was getting late and I think Elliot needed to get home because of some coursework he needed to finish. I couldn't help thinking that perhaps that was all a lie but I kept it to myself.

Yep - he's in year six and is honestly the most annoying person you could ever meet! She rolled her eyes and I laughed. We'd got onto the conversation because Alex had been describing his twin brother in great detail and she'd mentioned it after that. I realised that the only way to get to know Via any more is to try and absorb as much as she let slip as possible.

I bet he's not that bad! She made a face as soon as my hands had gone over the signs and it made me smile further.

You don't understand – he's the most impossible person to get on with and all he's concerned about is teasing me about my height and his Xbox!

You're not that short! It was true that she was undeniably under average height but she wasn't a dwarf as such. It made her even cuter if you ask me.

Yeah but he's a giant for his age! Like he's going to overtake me any minute now and it's honestly so scary! She signed enthusiastically.

Don't worry – I'll always be taller than him I guess I told her, and she burst out laughing What?

I think you're the first person that's volunteered to bully my brother for me she explained in between laughter and I couldn't help but join in. She was so cute it was unbelievable. Do you have any siblings?

Me? I took a deep breath and she wiped the tears from her eyes

Well no I'm asking the sun! Of course, you!

Ok ok! I put my hands up playfully I only have an older brother who's... not around anymore.

She looked at me seriously. He... left as soon as he could. I didn't know how to describe my living situation to her – I hadn't even told my best friends – but something about how she didn't trust me made me want to trust her more. My dad is not exactly the understanding type and to him, Jackson was always a disappointment because he was never the best. He never blamed me but the fact that I was always athletic made everything worse and now we don't really speak.

I'm sorry She signed looking in my eyes and it hurt me that I knew this could all be over because of what I did last year when I didn't understand who Via was and never tried. I wanted nothing more than to completely scrap the last year just to go back and erase everything I'd done. So that we could have been friends and the whole year of Via being lonely wouldn't have existed. That must have been hard.

She interlaced her fingers in between mine and they stayed there for a long time. I didn't want to tell her what I'd immediately thought after her words: my pain was nothing compared to hers. She didn't want my pity and I didn't give it to her.

XXX

Honestly they are so cute! Via commented as we watched Alex and Elliot say goodbye to each other in front of the orange sunset. We'd settled down on the grass verge next to the bus stop and they were walking to other ones.

Goodbye Elliot Miller. Alex signed to Elliot and ruffled his hair.

Goodbye Alex Taylor, He replied.

Are we not a cuter couple? I asked her and she laughed.

No – you're too ugly for that! She teased and I made a face before smiling back I'm joking! I think it's me that lets the side down if I'm honest.

No I think you've got it all wrong I shook my head You're the one that counteracts my secret nerd status to make us overall ok!

She burst out laughing I heard it was the world chess championships – I was extremely disappointed to find that you didn't win!

I know – I only came second – VERY disappointing. We both laughed again and then suddenly everything melted away. We weren't in a lonely bus shelter anymore, we weren't anywhere. It was just her and me and I felt her familiar lips touch mine.