"The lion's snapped!" a student cried out as two high school teens stood in the centre of the corridor. One of them was tall with black porcupine-like hair boy carrying a guitar case on his shoulder. While the other was a tiny girl with a timid demeanour and hair that reminded one of pink orchids. She goggled at him with sparkling eyes which unnerved the aforementioned male.

"Uhh can you stop looking at me like that? You're creeping me out," his face was set in a scowl as he pointed at her. She caught his finger as he did so.

He instinctively recoiled as he shrieked, "Go away!"

And with that, he stalked out and she remained there, all alone.

But that was just the beginning. Jake— a professional singer who had achieved the pinnacle of music in his teenage year— had never in his entire life lost his composure until he met that girl. Mary, as he got to know her name later on, always followed him but never spoke a word. Never having tasted defeat before, he had then realized he hadn't been able to get her to speak, which in itself was a form of a loss to him. Even when he got wild, she kept up that charming smile of hers like a diamond of no value. Everytime he turned back, he had only one thought in mind.

What is she really after?

Not a single day had she missed his concert. And his fan girls turned out to be bullying her.

"Stay away from him, you disgusting moth," was what Jake overheard, and what she had gotten accustomed to hearing by then. But not even once did she ever change her expression.

But one day, dark clouds hid the sky as a storm brewed. Beyond the stage, Jake has Mary pinned to a wall, like a ferocious lion pouncing on its prey.

"Why are you doing this? If you keep sticking to me like this, the others wouldn't spare you," he questioned, an angry yet sullen expression carved into his face.

"All this time, I tried to ignore you because you never spoke to me. Can't you just let your voice out for once?"

She stared at him, her head tilted as if she didn't understand what he meant.

"Fine! Have it your way! If you don't want to talk, I'll make you talk," determination laced his voice as he gave her a levelled stare. She dusted her skirt off and gave him a beaming smile once more. But the biggest question he couldn't solve was...

What could he do to get her to speak?

A week later, on a sunny Sunday Jake was leaning on a tree in Central Park, arms crossed across his chest. He wore grey denim pants, his white t-shirt combined with a black jacket and shoes of the same color.

Jake's gaze turned towards the footpath just as a girl donning a short dress patterned with black stripes along with high brown boots, a small fluffy white jacket combined with a hat and to finish the look a small purse in her hand. Dazzled as he seemed to be, it was none other than Mary herself.

"Ain't it hot today?" He gestured with a strained smile. He tried to strike up a conversation in hopes she would speak. But she looked back at him as she returned the smile without opening her mouth.

"This is going to be hard to accomplish" he mumbled to himself. But he came prepared with all the possible options he could think of. The first stop was an ice-cream parlor.  Girls usually speak words of gratitude when they get spoiled by others, is what he had thought.

But she did not fall for that. She swooped the whole hazelnut sundae without even letting out a word of appreciation. But that was one of his anticipated results. It was time, for him to try out his second trick.

The next stop, was the shopping mall. Girls love shopping and this has to be the perfect opportunity for her to open up he concluded. But even that idea went down the drain. She kept pointing at the clothes she wanted to buy without uttering a single word. And Jake worked like her slave, buying everything she wanted.

"What's wrong with her? Why can't she be as easygoing as the other girls!" He cried out, punching the sink in the washroom. "But I'm not going to give in yet. I do not want to accept my first defeat especially over a disgraceful girl like her!"

The next stop was the café. Jake sat opposite to Mary as he kept on that frown ever since he lost twice to her. And her? She enjoyed herself getting spoiled by him.

Suddenly, a call interrupted his monologue with her.. "Hello? Oh yes I'm still working on that... Sorry, can you extend the deadline for the song... I'm busy today so can I just get one more day.... Thank you," and then he put down his phone with a sigh.

Mary peered at him with a concerned countenance. He looked back at her as he answered her questioning look "It's nothing to worry. I have to compose a song and the deadline's next week. But I'm unable to make a good theme for the lyrics," and then she stood up as she patted his head. He immediately shoved her hand away as his ears reddened, "I'm not a kid to fall for that you know! But also, I am not going to leave until I get you to speak."

Then, they go for a walk in the park as he was out of ideas. Just then, an amusement park came into view. She looked at him with puppy eyes that he couldn't ignore. "Okay fine! I'll take you there. But on one condition."

He gazed at the sky as he promised, "By the end of the day, you shall thank me by your own mouth!"

She looked at him, and grinned at his enthusiastic appearance. The first ride was the roller coaster. There's no way she wouldn't scream while riding this, Jake thought as he gave a wicked smile. But his plan went to waste once more. Not only did she not scream but she had even remained completely expressionless the entire ride, including the big drop.

Next, was the haunted house. There's not a single girl who can get out of this without a single scream, is what he had expected. But in the end, it was not her but the ghost along with him who had a run for their lives. Because she stood there with a knife held in hand for anyone who tried to approach her in the haunted house.

"From where did she get that knife?" he shrilled.

The next stop was the last. The Ferris Wheel. Up till now he wanted to make her speak using any all sorts of methods. After this time, he decided to let her have her freedom to choose. But for now, he decided to try one more time to get her to speak.

They sat inside the compartment as he tried to remind her, "Now that we've reached the end of the day, you have to do what you promised," Mary looked at him cluelessly.

This is it.. This is it... was the only thing running through Jake's mind. Once the compartment they were in reached the peak, she slid her phone out of her purse and started to type something down. After that, she showed it to him. As the orange sun beams of the setting sun shined through the windows and bounced off her skin, he sat there, flabbergasted. An unexpected typed in slightly broken Japanese was presented to the male. It was difficult to understand some parts, but he did.

"Jake, there something I wanted tell you ever since I met you. Well, I surprised you haven't noticed it yet so I tell you the truth. I was born deaf and dumb. Even though I see everything, I really lonely because I couldn't hear the beautiful voices in life the world wanted to show."

"But that doesn't explain the fact why you hid it from me!" He burst out with tears as he typed it down in his own phone.

She started to type again. "By telling you, I afraid I not be as comfortable as I am, when you speak to me. I can't hear you sing nor speak but was that enthusiasm you showed that made me smile always. I felt that fade away if I told the truth"

"Then why... why did you even stick to me in the first place?"

"A long time ago.. I read this in book... 'His melody was far away and yet it patched my shattered heart until I could dance to his tune with a smile that would never fade away' That day, I was taking stroll in the garden alone, when I see my knight in shining armour sitting under shade of a tree and playing a guitar. I couldn't hear what he sang but I feel his symphony rushing past me. I couldn't applause him but his cheerful smile told me that he didn't need. There were birds all over him, trying to synchronise with his harmony. I didn't want interrupt his song so I walk away."

Jake stared at her, still confused.

"But just few months later... I saw him. On the stage, with the whole crowd cheering him, he stood there. And then I felt it... Could he be the one who give me my voice and let me dance by his side like girl in book? And that was very first day I started to follow you, Jake."

Rendered speechless, he hugged her tightly trying to feel her sorrow through her warmth. "I'm sorry I didn't realize it. I'm so sorry I shouted at you all this time. I didn't mean to push you away... I'm so sorry," and the night had fallen as their turn in the Ferris wheel had come to an end. He walked her back home, sticking by her side as he did so. And then, they had finally reached her gate.

Before leaving, he grasped her hand, slipping a piece of paper onto her palm. And in there, it read, "I've finally decided a theme to compose on. I do not know if I can bring your voice back but I will make sure that you feel my song flowing through your heart. And that would be the first song you would dance to. Not behind me but by my side."

She stood there gazing at the moon-lit sky, with her arms buried in her chest as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks in rivulets.

The night of darkness may feel lonely but there's definitely a day when our light will be by our side. Because...

'You may be the only one in your tiny world, but you are not the only one in this humongous universe.'