Sounded Silence

That Night

PJ's POV

I distraughtedly went to my night gig at Club Fun. Deejays don't really talk unless it's necessary, so maybe it won't be such a big deal.

The request box was chock full of cards, so I randomly pulled one out.

"Play Hurricane by The Fray."

I know that handwriting. It's Paula's. We've been dating off and on, but she still needs to know. I randomly pull a record out and play it on the turntable before slipping down and making my way though the crowd to find her.

When I spotted her, I waved my arms recklessly. Then I realized her gaze wasn't fixed on anything. One option sparked inside my brain: run. And so I did. When I stopped running, I trapped Paula in a cicada block, my head just barely touching her breasts.

"What's got you so antsy, party boy?" She says in an almost deadpan tone. I look her dead in the eyes, barely seeing my stressed and exhausted reflection in them.

I wanted to pull out my phone, since it was the only way I could explain this, but then I remembered I left it on the turntable. It was my way of freestyling. I just opened my mouth at pointed my finger in it.

"What does that mean?" Paula asked, "you sick or somethin'?"

My face went red. Before I could do anything, a hand touches my shoulder.

"Ey! Stop flirtin'!" The voice and hand belonged to King Kong Mushi, the head of Club Fun. He pulls on the neck of my jacket and drags me back to the turntable.

I frantically searched for my phone. I type as fast as my hot fingers could:

"I've got nerve damage that shut off my speech. In other words, I can't talk!"

When I look up, Paula is standing there in front of me. I hear her phone buzz, and she pulls it out to read my message.

Her phone slips out of her hand.

She picks it up and bolts away.