Page 4 of The Love Duet
Chapter 2
Royce~
The race to third period was all my fault.I’d gotten caught up talking to a couple of teammates, excited for tonight, and I’d completely ignored the first warning bell to class.So, now I was damn near running for my life, praying that a late slip wouldn’t get me benched for tonight.
Flying around the corner of the science building, I ran smack dab into another body, a flurry of green and blue crashing to the ground.Since I was six-foot-two, plus two-hundred and fifteen pounds of pure muscle, I had managed to stay on my feet, my victim not so much.
“Oh, shit,” I rushed out, and I immediately looked down to reach out to help them when a halo of dark curls fucked me up.
Roxanne.
I dropped my book bag on the ground, then quickly reached down to help the girl stand.My heart was racing, and I was beyond thankful that she was letting me help her up.This was also not how I’d wanted us to meet.
“I’m so sorry,” I rambled, my hands violating her person as I checked for injuries, blood, or I don’t know what.“I’m so sorry.I’m so fucking sorry.”Placing my hands on her shoulders, I turned her around like a lunatic, then proceeded to inspect her some more.“Christ, I’m sorry.”
When I was done, I stepped back to give her room to turn back around, and when her hazel gaze met my green one, it was like being hit with an angel’s chorus, perfect, harmonious, and beautiful.Roxanne Rafferty was fucking stunning, really.I’d always thought so, but finally seeing her this close up, she was positively breathtaking.
Her eyes kind of wandered, and when she looked back down, that’s when I noticed a notebook, textbook, and purse scattered at her feet.Shaking myself out of my stupor, I quickly reached down, then gathered all of her things, and she took them when I handed them to her, a small smile playing on her lips.
“I’m so sorry,” I repeated, and when she gave me a shy nod, I almost face-palmed myself.
I was a fucking idiot.
It’d taken an entire school year, but when I’d finally realized that I needed to shoot my shot with Roxanne or suffer in miserable regret for the rest of my life, I had signed up to take ASL classes during summer break.In fact, I was still taking them.After explaining the reason why I’d wanted to take the classes, Mrs.Segar had warned me that it took a good three years to master ASL enough to be considered fluent.However, she’d also told me not to feel discouraged because everyone learned at a different pace, and that I might be the exception.
I hadn’t been.
Now, while I still had a lot to learn, I’d been making big strides, and I could manage the basics.Learning ALS was more than learning hand movements; you had to understand the language just like any other foreign language that you set out to learn.It wasn’t easy, but challenging work didn’t scare me.It’d never had.Besides, this goal felt more significant than anything else that I’d ever gone after.
After taking a deep breath, and praying that I didn’t humiliate myself, I attempted my first sign to someone outside my ASL classes.“I’m sorry,” I said as I signed, my heart in my throat, my stomach at my feet.
Roxanne’s hazel eyes widened, her face completely surprised, and I could only pray that I hadn’t signed something offensive or cheesy.When she didn’t respond right away, I dropped my gaze, then went to pick up my book bag off the ground.Her silence was killing me, and I couldn’t help but feel stupid at trying to communicate with her like that when I still had so much more to learn.I knew that she could read lips, so I should have just spoken my apologies, making sure that I’d worded my apology slowly.
Finding the balls to face her again, I spoke, making sure to speak as eloquently as I could.“I’m sorry.I shouldn’t have been rushing.Are you okay?”
Roxanne cocked her head, her brows furrowed with confusion.Finally, she brought her hands up, then signed, “I’m fine.”
