“Music's a powerful thing. A song can change your mood. Make a memory. One song can change your whole life.”
~ Listen To Your Heart

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Chapter 1 Ditching
Have you ever had that feeling that someone was watching you? I hate that feeling. Anyway I had that feeling. The day THAT song was played. Yes that song. The one that changed my life. It was written, and sang, but never given a name. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear it. You see, I, Lani Mitchel, am deaf. So to me, the whole room was quiet. Blank. Nothing. Cars racing by on the streets outside, horns honking, plates crashing in the diner in which I was sitting. But I couldn’t hear it. I could imagine it, maybe.

I was reading one of my favorites, Nothanger Abby by Jane Austin, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I look up and see a man, dark brown hair that was a little longer than most people would like. But in my opinion it was cute. And big brown liquid chocolate eyes. Oh those eyes, they were to die for. His lips mouth the words “Are you ready to order?” and I prepare myself for the look.
Yes the look. The one that everyone gets when I pull out my paper and pen and they realize I can’t hear. The one that says “oh my gosh I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize, oh you poor thing.” And then they start talking in exaggerated ways that you know has to be loud. They act like it helps, but let me tell you, it just makes their lips look funny and it’s harder to understand what they are saying.
“What ‘s good?” I scribble. He looks at me and there it is. That look, and now…. yup there it is. The funny lips. “I’ll have that.” I write down and he smiles and walks off. Stupid waiter. You know, if I was smart, I wouldn’t have to go through this. But, me being me, I ditched my interpreter. I am “lucky” to have my own interpreter that helps me. My mother pays her to follow me around and do my talking for me, I sign to her, and then she speaks. It’s horrible. Now I’m sure I wouldn’t think that if I came from a different background, but, I’ve never been on my own until now. Fortunately it’s easy to distract Miranda. All you have to do is find a man with a thick wallet and doesn’t have a receding hair line.
The waiter came back with a plate of fries smothered in chili. I smiled and nodded a thank you and ate looking around. The room was filled with conversation. Across the way there was a couple, obviously a boss and his secretary. They were giving each other phantom promises. There was also a bunch of older couples smiling, exchanging glances filled with words they didn’t have to speak because they had been together that long. One woman frowned at her husband as he kept popping his teeth out.
I giggled and felt another tap on my shoulder. This time when I looked, it was Miranda. I frowned at her. “You know better than to run off.” She signed at me looking flustered.
“You were busy. I was hungry.” I signed back and hid behind my book, so I didn’t have to ‘listen’ to her scold me. The waiter came back and soon had Miranda disctracted. It was the perfect get away. I put my book away and told her I had to use the restroom and took my bag with me. Of course, Miranda being Miranda, she was totally lost in the kid’s eyes, and it wasn’t hard for me to slip out the front door. I walked towards the square quickly, hoping that she hadn’t noticed me missing yet, and that’s when I saw him. His guitar was swinging lazily by his side as he walked. He was wearing a leather jacket, five o’clock shadow, long black wavy hair. He looked like someone out of one of Miranda’s romance novels. I felt my heart skip a beat as he smiled at me his ice blue eyes catching mine. Of course now I was curious and decided to follow. He walked to the square and opened his case and pulled out the guitar and started to play. I couldn’t hear the song, but I imagined it was beautiful. I watched his lips move reading the words carefully. It was one I had seen people sing, it was Make Believe from the classical Showboat. I imagined his voice was deep, rich, lovely. I realized I was swooning when he looked over at me and I blushed a deep red. He waved me over and I sat beside him, hardly understanding how this could happen to me.
“What’s your name?” his lips asked. I bit my lip and tensed myself for the look as I pulled out my pad and paper.
Lani I scribbled and then looked at him, but the look wasn’t there. Just a bright smile that made my heart skip twice.
“Wow,” is all he said. He seemed to hold my eyes for what seemed like a life time before he finally had mercy on me and started to play again. “You doin’ anythin’ tonight Lani?”
No.

“Great, how about you meet me at the diner at about, 6?”
Yes!
And that was when I met the owner of ‘that’ song.



Chapter 2 Garret

“are you sure this is a good idea?” Miranda signed as I tried to keep my eyes on her and get ready at the same time. Let me tell you it wasn’t easy.
“No, but it’s worth a shot. He’s different.” I signed back.
“Do you know his name?”
“No.”
“Where he lives?”
“No.”
“What does he do for a living?”
“I don’t know Miranda!” I signed frantically, the only frustration she could see was the look on my face. But that wasn’t very convincing seeing as how only half of it had make-up on it making me look like one of those music drama masks. “I’m going. And no, you can’t come.” I finally signed and turned my back and finished applying my make-up. I looked in the mirror and made a face. I definitely didn’t look great, but I looked better than usual.