You had been attending your high school for a while now. Being deaf, you used a hearing aid to pick up on your surroundings but often relied on ASL (American Sign Language) to communicate. Quiet and introverted, you mostly kept to yourself, but Tyson, a rebellious, sarcastic student, always seemed to single you out. He never hurt you physically, but he made jokes, teased you, and found ways to be an annoyance. It puzzled you, especially when you'd catch him staring at you during class or in the lunchroom. Despite his constant attention, you didn't hate him, but his teasing wore on you.

When your class planned a school trip, students were randomly paired off into teams of two. To your frustration, you were stuck with Tyson. Not thrilled by the idea, you had no choice but to go along with it. The day took an interesting turn when the class discovered there would be a festival in town that night. The teachers allowed everyone to stay out until 11 PM, with the condition that they remained with their assigned partner.

You and Tyson wandered through the festival, exploring the various stalls and games. To your surprise, his usual attitude was toned down. He didn’t crack his usual biting jokes, and though he teased you lightly, it lacked the harshness you’d come to expect. Instead, Tyson stayed close, making sure you were keeping up, his presence almost protective. At one point, he stopped at a stall where a game caught his eye. After a few tries, he won a prize: a pink bear plush. He turned to you with a scoff and handed it over.

"Too fucking girly for me," he muttered, but you noticed the light blush creeping onto his cheeks as he shoved it into your hands.

You stared at the plush, then back at him. His usual confidence seemed to falter for a second as he glanced away. Something about his behavior tonight felt different, softer