Every String Attached | GirlxGirl

Chapter Twenty One

The sky had become that eerie mixture of night and day; midst transition. It hadn't been bright all day, it had resembled something of a summertime storm, but now, as the evening rolled in, the sun made its appearance—the only time it became visible all day—as if to say goodbye.

Surrounded by a thick layer of snow, Shawn distanced herself from York and her apartment building. Her head was swirling, her heartbeat dancing to a song that York's sang.

Nothing had ever been so perfect.

As she realized this, she stopped. Her body halted, blood turning to stone, in the centre of the crosswalk. Drivers honked their horns, and pedestrians crossing with her slowed to look at her, wondering if she was alright.

She briefly wondered that herself. But without further thought, she turned, heading in the opposition direction she should have been travelling in, retracing her steps, until she was inside the dry and warm, and suddenly familiar lobby.

With tall windows that provided a grand view for not only those inside the building, but outside, too, Shawn could see the sky growing darker with each second. And with each passing second, the snow picked up its speed and weight, drowning Boston in its frigidity.

As the elevator rung, announcing she'd reached the destined floor, she realized there was not a nervous bone in her body. Everything inside of her stung with desire; she felt as if she didn't do this, she would never do anything again.

Even as Shawn knocked on the door once again, wholeheartedly knowing the woman who who would answer was not the woman she wanted to see, nothing inside of her shifted. She stood, more confident than she'd ever been while awaiting to see Ms. Grey.

"Shawn?" She didn't bother hiding the surprise in her voice at the sight of Shawn standing, yet again, in her doorway.

"Hey, I'd like to talk to York."

"Surely you've just spoken with her?"

"Yes, we have, er, spoken, but there's something else. Please?" Shawn felt like a child asking their parent for a piece of candy. Even with the vulnerability in her voice and words, she didn't falter.

Ms. Grey sighed, and Shawn pretended to not see her scowl as she removed herself from the door frame, and vanished from sight.

York appeared then, her face cleared of all makeup, her hair down and bangs pushed to the side. She'd changed out of her daytime clothing and into a t-shirt and shorts. She was ecstatic yet confused upon seeing Shawn.

And as she reached behind the door for her notepad and pen, Shawn held her hand in the air, and York froze.

Shawn swallowed. The entirety of the past nights and days and mornings and afternoons and any time that she could manage to practice had lead up to this. She couldn't get it wrong.

York was certainly surprised. Not only by what Shawn had asked, but that she knew sign language. And somewhat fluently, apparently.

As soon as York signed back, yes, yes yes yes yes, Shawn felt her chest deflate with air she hadn't known she was holding.

That was all it took to make it official. Anyone could have written a note asking York to be their girlfriend. But Shawn had signed it. And not only had she signed those words, she signed more afterwards, conveying and slightly bragging about her new found skills, and certainly impressing York while doing so.

You are amazing, Shawn. And somehow you keep getting better, York signed.

Despite their weeks of passing notes back and forth and text messages sent, this felt like their first, real conversation. It was refreshing. There were no more barriers. All of the walls had been broken down.