Quiet

Chapter Twenty-Five: Feet

"Panic 5 minutes till stage!" Someone shouted in the changing room.

I wished dad good luck. He kissed my head and did his good luck shot with the band before they all ran toward the stage. The blissful sound of music and screams ran through my ears. I saw a really worried Josh. I was worried about Ryleigh she passed out during the set. She was doing so good though. I think all the stress got to her. I looked at Zack pointing to Josh.

"Yeah you can go over there kid, just don't leave this building you dad would kill me if you got hurt."

I ran over to josh wrapping my arms around his waist before hugging him. I gave me a cheeky toothy smile. He wrapped his arms back around me and patted my back. We had gotten closer as Ry had talked about me to Josh.

"Thanks." He simply stated looking at me.

'for what?' I signed and he got out his phone.

"Sorry, can you type that, I don't know sign language or enough of it to understand."

I nodded smiling and typed into his phone what I had signed.

"Oh, for being there for Ryleigh all this time. She talks about how you saved her and held her sometimes. I think that means a lot about who you are. You protected my baby sister." Josh said looking down at me and smiling giving me another tight hug.

If only he knew the truth. I nodded and typed a quick thank you to him on his phone before handing it back. I left my number in his phone notes and ran back to Zack who was motioning for me to come over.

"You are going to stay right here until I come back with your dad. He is going to be doing the death walk."

I nodded my head understanding Zack.

'remember not deaf.' I signed and Zack grabbed walked down the side stage grabbing dad to walk with him.

I watched smiling and waving at dad. I was pretty proud when he waved back and stuck his tongue out at me. He was such a dork but he was my dad. Before I knew it the show was over. Dad ran over all sweat and tackled me in a hug. He smelt terrible from all the sweat. I tried to push him off but failed. I was soon picked up and thrown over his shoulder. I fought back for a while pounding lightly on his back. I swear to god.

I was thrown onto the sofa in the changing area. Dad was still signing out of key and was pretty hyper. I heard a knock at the door. It was one of the crew members telling us we had to get out within four hours. I was kind of shocked. What would we be doing here for four hours? It shouldn't take any of us that long to shower and change. My phone went off in my back pocket causing me to leave my current trains of thought.

'is this Logan?' The text message read.

'Yeah, who is this?'

'Come to the next dressing room to find out.' By then I knew it was Ryleigh.

I got up leaving dad to deal with the band. Zack had to deal with dad and I was just not ready to deal with that. I walked to the next dressing room and knocked on the door softly. I heard loud music blaring from one of their portable speakers. Different crew members dressed in yellow and black shirts walked by me along with security. I banged on the door a little harder. Next thing I knew a crew member had notified security I was trying to break into a dressing room. I was pulled away from the door.

No, no, no I thought in my head as I was pulled away from the door. Luckily though Ryleigh came running after the security guard. I didn't put up much of a fight just held my phone close in my other hand.

"Put her down!" Ryleigh screamed at the security guard who then proceeded to put me down.

She placed a lanyard over my head and wrapped an arm around me. Ryleigh checked me out for bruises before taking my arm and pulling me back toward the Twenty One Pilots dressing room. Josh was drumming on the brick wall and Tyler was sitting on his phone. I gave them both a wave as Ryleigh ran over and got her jacket off the chair.

"He,y we are going to go walk around the venue one last time." She said and walked back out the door shutting it.

'Wo,w they must really trust you.' I signed to her.

"Yeah they are cool as long as I keep my phone on me and I am not alone." She signed and said out loud as we walked. It was nice having someone to communicate with.

"So I heard from Josh, who heard from Tyler, who heard from Brendon and Sarah that you miss thing, are in speech therapy." Ryleigh said a little excitedly

I nodded my head a little before she grabbed me wrapping me in a tight hug. I hugged me back just as tightly and we fell to the floor smiling at each other like dorks. Jordan walked by and waved at Ryleigh.

"You okay down their small Dun?" He said offering her a hand before looking at me confused.

Ryleigh took his hand and then took mine pulling me up.

"Why does she have your lanyard. You know Josh would flip." Jordan pulled Ryleigh a little bit further away from me.

"Josh gave it to you to be responsible. Brendon probably doesn't want her going too far with her not speaking. You know how it can be Ryleigh." I didn't stick around to hear the end of Jordan's speech to Ryleigh about how she was being irresponsible helping me out again.

I felt the tears prickle at the corner of my eyes. I took the lanyard off putting it back over Ryleigh head before walking toward one of the back bathrooms. I put my head down and stared at my shoes as I walked. I heard feet moving behind me I knew it was probably Ryleigh but there were times. Times like right now were I would have rather been deaf and not heard what Jordan thought of me than be hearing.

"Logan wait!" Ryleigh said as I pushed the door open. I kept walking no longer caring where my feet lead me anymore.