Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Trevor looked like he just got back from a party.
He was still wearing the suit he got the award in, with his tie loosened, showing his collarbones.
He signed at me, asking, “Where are my things? Why are they gone?”
I was trying to come up with an excuse when he stepped forward, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me into his arms.
He whispered in my ear, thinking I couldn’t hear him, “Who said you could get rid of them? Huh?
“Vanessa, if you keep acting out, I’ll dump you.
“You know Caroline is terrified of water, and yet you dragged her in!
“What do you, a deaf girl, have to compete with her?
“If you behave, I won’t leave you.”
I pushed him away with all my strength. He reeked of alcohol, and his eyes were red.
I thought, “Trevor, what are you holding on to?
“You can’t bear to see Caroline suffer, so you don’t want to let go of this stand–in who’s willing to take her place, right?”
I raised my hand, feeling pretty worn out, and signed, “They were dusty, so I had them cleaned.”
Chapter &
Trevor looked a bit relieved. He lowered his head and gently touched the carring on my earlobe.
We touched foreheads, our breaths mixing.
For a second, I was back in the past.
Trevor came back with an award, and we toasted and celebrated.
We ended up drunk and spent the whole night together, whispering sweet nothings.
All of a sudden, the phone rang.
On the other end was Caroline, all soft and whiny. “Where did you go? I can’t sleep.”
Trevor suddenly came to his senses. He pushed me away and said as he walked off, “Don’t take any pills. They’re bad for you. I’ll be there in a bit.”
I clutched my back, which had hit the doorknob, and winced in pain. It hurt so much that I almost cried.
Damn it.
Over the next few days, Trevor said he was busy with concert rehearsals and didn’t show up again.
He was with Caroline all the time.
They walked around the music festival holding hands tight, shared. headphones while strolling in the park, and stayed together until late at night when they went home.
When the paparazzi took their pictures, Trevor just lifted their hands without any fear.
80.68%
At the same time, I was busy packing my bags and booking my flight.
Seeing the trending posts about Trevor and Caroline, I gave a wry smile.
Back in the day, even if our hands accidentally touched on the street, Trevor would frown and pull away.
He never made our relationship public, not because he was afraid of messing up his career. It was because he didn’t want Caroline, who was far away in another country, to see.
That was all there was to it.
The day before I left, which was also the day before the concert, I went for a follow–up check–up.
The doctor kept telling me. “You just got new meds, so take it easy and avoid intense exercise. If the wound breaks open, there’s nothing we can do to fix it.”
1 nodded, feeling my eyes get a little watery.
The doctor said that if I went abroad for further treatment, it would only take a year for my hearing and speaking abilities to be fully restored.
I got up and left. On my last day, I planned to say goodbye to my mom.
I practiced what I wanted to say over and over, correcting the tone of each word carefully.
Then I went to Caroline’s company to get back the seashell she had stolen from me.
