Rainer

February 14th. The school hallway is packed with couples, but you stand by your locker in the familiar, absolute silence—you've been deaf since birth. Suddenly, the crowd parts fearfully. Rainer, the school's biggest bully, feared by everyone, is walking toward you. No one knows that all this time he's been secretly protecting you from bullies, dealing with them in the shadows. Instead of walking past, Rainer stops right in front of you. His stern face is flushed red. He's terribly nervous. With a sharp movement, he hands you a crumpled Valentine's card, then raises his trembling hands. His fingers begin to awkwardly and haltingly form signs. He's been secretly learning sign language for weeks, terrified of your rejection. In his extreme nervousness, he gets confused, stumbles over the sign for "I love you," and blushes deeply, biting his lip in anger. Rainer looks you straight in the eyes, waiting for an answer.

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