- Hi, Melissa! Nice to meet you too! - everybody shouted a unified greeting.

Douglas then pulled out a chair from the closest desk and pointed at it with the palm of his hand.

- Here you go! - he said, as enthusiastically as he could, moving away to make room for Melissa.

Melissa nodded in thanks and pushed herself forward.

Soon after she unpacked her bag, which was hanging on the right side of the wheelchair, the whispering began.

- We're having a handicap at our school?
- What the hell? Why'd she come at the middle of the semester?
- Oh god, this is horrible...
- I hope they're not going to tell us to babysit her...
- They should send her back to the hospital!
- I can already see her getting bullied...
- What's wrong with her?

- HEY! Everyone, quiet! Class started five minutes ago! - Douglas shouted impatiently.

The whole classroom went silent again, but the tension could still be sensed in the air. This girl... Melissa... Who is she? Why is she here? Why now? Transfer students don't just fall from the sky like that. It's rumored, it's mentioned, it's announced, at some point or another. But this is completely different.

- First the dream, then the nosebleed, then the notes, and now this. Just throw in something else, universe. I dare you. Shit... - Joseph fought with his thoughts.

Is any of this even significant? Does it matter anymore? Should it matter?

For the duration of the class, he couldn't stop looking at her. From behind she looked like... like...

Melissa suddenly turned her head around and looked Joseph straight in the eyes, like she knew he was staring at her.

She gave him an angry expression. Her face was practically screaming I hate you. Where on earth did that come from? Did he deserve that?

Joseph felt uncomfortable.

- What's up with this girl? - he thought and looked away from her gaze.

- What is wrong, Melissa? Please, pay attention. - Douglas addressed her, taking a break from writing on the board.

- Sorry, sir. It won't happen again. - she said shamefully, clenching the pen in her hand.

For once, Joseph was glad Douglas notices everything going on in class.

- Welp, that was a thing. Let's never do that again. - he thought.

Maybe she was just on edge. I mean, who wouldn't be when transferring to a completely different school. Maybe she was confused. Maybe scared. Or maybe she was just easily angered. Still... her eyes... They screamed honest hatred. But they never even met before, so she doesn't have a reason to be mad at him, right? Or maybe they did meet at some point, and Joseph just forgot. It wouldn't surprise him, after today's events. But there was something else. She looked... sad, in a way. I mean, in her condition... And with everyone responding the way they did... It doesn't bode well for her. This school... This environment... It knows to be toxic sometimes. Physical and mental disabilities... People here aren't familiar with them. They push them away.

A wave of shame washed over Joseph.

- God, I'm such an idiot... It looked like I was judging her. Of course she'd be mad!

***

After a couple hours of boring, monotone classes, it was finally time for lunch. While waiting in line for the food, Adam tapped him from behind.

- Oh, hey, dude! I heard from Matt you were caught up in traffic this morning. What the hell happened? - Joseph asked.

- There was a damn protest in the streets! - Adam answered annoyingly.

- What for?

- Hell if I know, honestly... I was more preoccupied with how angry Marsh was gonna be with me... - he paused, then quickly changed the subject. Obviously he didn't want to talk about it anymore. - So, I heard you got someone new in class. What's up with that?

Adam was in Mrs. Marsh's class, separated from Matthew and Joseph. I guess news travels fast.

- Yeah, um... - Joseph stumbled. - Her name's Melissa, and-

- I heard she's in a fucking wheelchair! - Adam was a lot more enthusiastic then he should've been.

- What's wrong with you? I mean, yeah, she's disabled, but... You really shouldn't say it like that.

- Fuck, sorry... I'm... Shit, you're right. - he realized. - I was just-

- No, no, it's fine. You were saying?

- Do you know why she's here?

- I have no idea. Nobody mentioned anything. And the school never had anyone like Melissa. Well, not that I know of, anyway. But it's good that she's here, I guess.

- Did you introduce yourself to her?

No... - Joseph let out a sigh. - I think she's mad at me.

- How's that possible? - he laughed. You just said that-

- I know what I said. But she hasn't spoken to anyone yet, much less me. Nobody wanted to talk to her, and she doesn't want to talk to anyone either. I...

- Wait, here's a chance.

- A chance to wha-

Before Joseph could finish, he saw her. Melissa entered the cafeteria. Everyone else saw her too. All eyes were on her for a couple of seconds, but almost immediately, everyone averted their gaze, pretending nothing even happened. No one knew how to act around her, it was obvious from the start. It's like cats finding a mirror.

Melissa soon joined the line for food. She was constantly looking downward, nervously messing with her fingers and scratching her face.

- Fine. Just hold this and bring it to the table, would you? - Joseph placed the tray on Adam's left arm, without giving him a chance to say no.

Melissa noticed him right before he stopped next to her. She didn't say anything, but she was slightly confused.

- Hey, um... I'm Joseph. I... I was the jerk at the back of the class, remember? - he said with a nervous laughter.

- Water under the bridge, dude.

- What-

- I said, water under the bridge. You came to apologize, right? - she stared intensely into his eyes, just like last time.

- Yeah, um... I did. And yeah... Sorry.

- Okay, but you barely even have a reason to be sorry. Not like you killed anyone.

Her words were as sharp as a needle. They were completely different from her behavior. Instead of shy and awkward, they were confident and certain. A complete contrast. At that moment, Joseph felt like he was only scratching the surface of her true, full personality.

- Is that it? If you don't mind, I would like to get something to eat. - she continued throwing more words at Joseph, this time, they were cold and uncaring.

- But...

- What? Just say it already.

- You look like you're still mad at me... - Joseph carefully muttered.

- So what if I am? Most of the time, and apology won't undo one's actions. - she spoke like a grownup. - Anything else?

- Wait... you just said I had barely a reason to feel sorry. So why are you still-

- Honestly? No reason. Do I have to have a reason for my emotions? I didn't order you to change the way you feel. So you shouldn't expect me to change either.

- But I didn't-

- Now, if you'll excuse me...

Melissa, along with the line, continued onward, but Joseph was frozen in place. What just happened? The conversation played out in the strangest way possible. This Melissa... Who is she, really? Joseph wanted to find out now more than ever.

- Joe! - it was Matt. He was sitting down next to Adam, and with a couple of other people. - If ?{{}!ou'r!e fin%ishe(d ove^$r th(ere), let+)'s e_at!

- ... What...?

- Co12'L":>"me on, w!":)hat #rok!#:<Le you |"}doi<ng !"3over t80he[;[;re?

- I... I... can't hear...

The whole school went silent. Everything continued moving, happening, but there was no sound. Like someone just suddenly hit the mute button on the remote.

- Am I... deaf?

He didn't have the memories of the dream, but he recognized the intense silence. He recognized the feeling.

- Guys, I... I'm just going to the bathroom, okay? - he said, hoping his friends were still able to hear him.

With silent footsteps, he left the cafeteria as calmly and inconspicuously as humanly possible. But...

- Goddamn it! What the FUCK is happening?! FUCK! - he was practically screaming inside.

He felt like he was levitating. Weightless. The lack of sound was sickening. Frightening. Absolute.

Joseph sprinted through the hallways. He started feeling warm fluid run down his face, but he didn't have time to check what it was. Holding his hands up against his face to stop it from dripping onto his clothes, he rushed into the first floor's bathroom. Once there, He immediately started pouring water over his head, hoping it would do some good.

He looked at the clear mirror in front of him. His face was covered in water, sweat and blood, which appeared to run from his nose.

Another nosebleed. This time, it wasn't followed by a high-pitched noise, and instead by the absence of sound.

As he was continuously splashing water at himself, he began to wonder if he was actually just crazy. If not that, then he was sick. One or the other. But whichever it is, he needs a doctor, and soon. If this continues, then...

Again, he thought of his previous theory. That the very universe is punishing him. Punishing him by giving him illusions, planting seeds of doubt, fear and confusion in his brain. He deserves it. Everything that's happening, and everything that will happen. This catastrophe was in the making for a whole year.

Images raced passed in his head. He couldn't take it anymore.

He really couldn't.

Then, slowly, carefully, he started hearing water hitting the sink. Someone started turning up the volume. Then he heard muffled voices outside in the hallway, of both teachers and students. Then his own panicked breathing.

It was over. The deafening silence was gone, replaced by the swirling and accumulating questions inside Joseph's mind.