I don't know what to say

Submitted into Contest #89 in response to: Start your story with an ending and work backward toward the beginning.... view prompt

67 comments

Drama Gay

I think I followed the prompt. If not, oh well, enjoy the story anyway. There probably isn't going to be a sequel, by the way.



“Jace, look!” Mike says, pointing over the side of the railing, and leaning forward. The wind blows his curly red hair out of his pale, freckled face. He’s tall and lanky, and clumsy sometimes.

Charlie automatically reaches out to grasp the back of Mike’s shirt, and pull him back, not looking up from his phone. His black dreads are pulled back in a low ponytail, and his rectangular glasses are perched on his nose. 

“What is it?” I ask him, following his finger. We’re on a bridge, and lots of people are walking either direction. Mike wanted to take pictures, though, so we stopped.

“Over there. Isn’t that an elephant?”

Charlie coughs at that, looking up. “Mike, we’re in New York.”

“Yeah, but look.” He says. “I’m pretty sure that’s an elephant.”

“Mike, that’s a bird.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. Never mind then!”

Charlie snorts. “Did you get your pictures?”

“Yep. Let’s go!”

Mike is a little bit childish, and a lot sometimes, but I love that about him. He’s also optimistic all the time.

Charlie is calmer than Mike is, and is usually focused on several things, but still always listening.

I’m quieter than both of them. Being mute, that makes sense. They both learned sign language so they could talk to me, which is probably what made me start to fall in love with them.


“Hey, you.” Someone behind me said.

I turned, and saw a cute short guy with fiery red hair grinning at me. I hugged my books to my chest, not sure what to do. I’m in high school, and have no experience on how to flirt.

“Hm. You look familiar.” He said.

I frowned. I was sure I’d never seen him before.

“Oh! You dropped this in the library. I’m Mike.” He said, holding out a stack of papers stapled together. My eyes widened, and I took it from him. It was the essay I’d been working on all weekend.

I took it from him, and, on reflex, signed thank you. He tilted his head in confusion.

“Well, I was wondering, are you any good at math? It’s the only subject I can’t figure out, and I need someone to tutor me.”

I nodded slowly. I was good at math. But how could I tutor someone if I couldn’t even talk?

“Do you think you could help me? I have a big test coming up next month, and I really help.” He said.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out an index card I carried around for exactly that reason, and handed it to him. It said, My name is Jace. I’m mute. He read it, then looked back at me.

“Oh. Well, that’s all right. Can I have your number?”

I blinked. My number? He hardly knows me.

“Please? You could teach me over text.”

I didn’t think about that. I nodded slowly, and he grinned as I pulled out my phone, and handed me his. He typed his numbers in as I did, before handing the phones back to each other.

“Thank you! I’ll text you later. And-Oh, hold on. Charlie, I’m over here!”

He waved to a tall guy with brown hair, who walked over. He smiled at me, and said, “Who are you?”

“Jace,” Mike chirped. “He’s going to tutor me in math!”

“Really?” Charlie asked.

I nodded. I was going to try.

“Thanks.” He said. “Though I should warn you, he hates listening to people.”

That shouldn’t be a problem.


“Jace. Jace? Jace!”

I blink, automatically stepping back. Mike is waving a hand in my face. “Are you okay?” Charlie asks, frowning. We’ve been walking, but I wasn’t paying attention.

I nod, and sign, Sorry. Just thinking.

“What about?” Mike asks.

The first time we met. When I agreed to tutor Mike.

That was before I knew they were dating. When they told me, they also told me they both liked me.

Charlie shakes his head, lifting his hand to hail a cab. “That wasn’t the first time we met.”

Really? When?

The yellow car stops by the sidewalk, and we get in, Charlie in between us. Charlie tells the driver directions, then sits back.

I give him a curious look.

“We both ran into you at the mall one day in middle school. You don’t remember?”

I shake my head. I tried to avoid malls in middle school. Being a weak gay mute kid got me targeted. If I went, I went with my mom, but rarely. The one time I did go, I got beat up. I don’t remember much of what happened after, though.

“Well, these kids were messing with you in the alley by the mall. I stopped them, and Mike got security. I don’t know what happened to them, though. 

“But we brought you to the bathroom, since you were bleeding. You didn’t say anything, and we thought you were just scared. You had your phone, so we called your mom. 

“She brought you to the hospital, since apparently your head was hit hard, and you lost a lot of blood. Neither of us realized it was you until a couple weeks after we met. I didn’t think it was important to mention.”

By the time he finishes, we’ve reached the house. Charlie pays the driver, and we get out of the car.

“You know what would be cool?” Mike says. “If we met when we were little. Or if our parents knew yours, Jace?”

“Then we’ll find out today.” Charlie says, wrapping an arm around his waist, and kissing his forehead as we walk up the steps.

I ring the doorbell, and we wait for the door to open. When we do, Mike grins. “Mom!”

She laughs as he flies into her arms, wrapping his arms around him. “Hey, Micheal.”

“It’s Mike, Mom.” He mumbles.

Mike’s mother has blond hair, and freckles. Mike’s taller than her, but only by a few inches. She looks over at Charlie and I, and smiles.

“You must be Jace. Mike has told me so much about you.”

Mike blushes. “No I haven’t.”

I sign, nice to meet you, and Mike translates.

“It’s nice to meet you, too. Charlie, it’s great to see you again. Your father is already here. Come on in.”

We walk into the big house. Mike’s parents are clearly wealthy.

There are three people sitting in a living room, and they all look up when we come in.

One of them is clearly Mike’s father. He has the same red hair and build as Mike does.

The other two must be Charlie’s parents. He told me he was adopted, so he looks nothing like his parents. The two both have black hair and light skin. They stand as we walk towards them, and Charlie moves to hug them both.

Charlie and Mike both introduce me to their parents. They’ve already told them about our relationship, and, I assume, that I’m mute, because they don’t ask about that.

When the doorbell rings again, Mike’s mother, Martha, goes to answer it. I grin when my mom walks into the room behind her.

I look just like her. We both have messy brown hair, and light skin. I haven’t seen her in a long time, and immediately hug her when she gets over.

She pulls away to sign to me, I missed you. How are you doing?

Good. I didn’t like the plane ride here, but I like new york.

When I was younger, we signed to each other instead of her talking. My father died when I was young, so it was always just me and her.

She turns to everyone else, but her eyes widen when she sees Charlie and Mike’s fathers. “Devin? Elijah?”

“Hello, Lucy.” Mike’s father mumbles.

“Wait, you guys know each other?” Charlie asks.

His father sighs. “Yes, we, well, we used to date back in high school.”

There’s a long silence. Mike breaks it.

“Well, I was right.” He says. “They do know each other.”


April 09, 2021 21:48

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67 comments

Meera Lakshmi
21:23 Apr 17, 2021

heyyyyy

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Ari Berri
21:30 Apr 17, 2021

hi

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Meera Lakshmi
21:34 Apr 17, 2021

how r uuu

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Ari Berri
21:39 Apr 17, 2021

I'm fine, mostly bored though.

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Meera Lakshmi
21:46 Apr 17, 2021

ah. i am in a class lol

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Angel {Readsy}
15:22 Apr 18, 2021

I wrote a poem you did not comment. Hey Ari brother my peacock brings all the treasures at your window. Hey Ari brother my song bird sings melodious song of fame for you. Hey Ari brother. my rabbit bring all the joy of world. Hey Ari brother all angels gather to illuminate you

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Ari Berri
22:04 Apr 18, 2021

I'm so sorry! I thought I did, I must not have sent it. The poem is sweet, thank you. =)

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Angel {Readsy}
23:50 Apr 22, 2021

Kindly read my story I need to talk to a fairy

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Ari Berri
23:53 Apr 22, 2021

Sure.

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Ro Gardje
18:10 Apr 17, 2021

Wow this is great! I have only recently joined the platform and submitted my first story two days ago. Any feedback would so so so much appreciated! I am really enjoying reading all the stories, great stuff out here! And your story is adooorable, a real good read! I loved it! 😍

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Ari Berri
18:52 Apr 17, 2021

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it! =) Sure, I'll read your story.

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Sophie Holmes
14:07 Apr 19, 2021

Love this! You're super good at characterization :)

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Ari Berri
14:18 Apr 19, 2021

Thank you!

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Cookie Carla🍪
17:01 Apr 15, 2021

Heyo!! I just wanted to say Amel Parvez asked me to shout you out in my bio so I did :) She also said you are one of the best writers on Reedsy. Congrats!!

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Cookie Carla🍪
17:02 Apr 15, 2021

Also this is N Woo!!!

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Ari Berri
17:23 Apr 15, 2021

Aw, thanks. That's nice of you both.

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Cookie Carla🍪
17:24 Apr 15, 2021

No problem!!

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14:03 Apr 15, 2021

eaduwijefibuyeidwnjbh YOU CHANGED YOUR PFP TO ALEX FIERRO 💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚💗💚 I feel so bad though because, in my bigger story, I have a gender-fluid character that kinda inadvertently became Alex... (their main color scheme is like dark green and purple... but they have pink hair).

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Ari Berri
14:20 Apr 15, 2021

XD Alex is my favorite character ever. I want to do a gender fluid character, too, but I'm not sure if I will. Have you posted that story?

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14:27 Apr 15, 2021

NOOO lol it's in a wayyy longer book series I'm doing, and they're only in like book 5 and on. They're kinda chaotic, and they basically were kinda a victim of poverty, but mostly they became genderfluid bc they were supposed to be married off to some random guy. I was gonna explain more, but then I realized that talking about how they help some random girl run for president/god to stop the main god from performing a ritual to end the world and create his new world without any backstory is very ummmmm

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Ari Berri
15:13 Apr 15, 2021

Oh, okay. Seems interesting.

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Jasey Lovegood
01:46 Apr 15, 2021

Hey, Ari! Could you check out my latest story and the comment I made? Thanks! :)

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Ari Berri
13:50 Apr 15, 2021

Sure!

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Jasey Lovegood
23:55 Apr 15, 2021

Thanks!

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Meera Lakshmi
16:51 Apr 14, 2021

Hi!

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Ari Berri
17:06 Apr 14, 2021

Hi =)

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Meera Lakshmi
17:07 Apr 14, 2021

Doc at 12:45 CST?

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Ari Berri
17:09 Apr 14, 2021

I can't, I've got to take a state test soon.

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Meera Lakshmi
17:13 Apr 14, 2021

kk, good luckkkk!

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Ari Berri
17:14 Apr 14, 2021

XD Thanks!

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Angel {Readsy}
16:21 Apr 18, 2021

I am thinking to say good bye to you all

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Jasey Lovegood
09:09 Apr 14, 2021

I was literally about to comment that Celeste. WE STAN ALEX FIERRO.

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Ari Berri
13:46 Apr 14, 2021

Thanks!

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Ari Berri
13:46 Apr 14, 2021

Thanks!

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16:57 Apr 12, 2021

Hi! Great story! So glad you aren't leaving right now, I really like your stories, and hey! The sixteenth is my new favorite day in April! Besides my birthday I guess.

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Ari Berri
17:14 Apr 12, 2021

Thank you!

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17:16 Apr 12, 2021

:)

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Cookie Carla🍪
15:47 Apr 12, 2021

April 23rd (Day of Silence): In the United States, students take a day-long vow of silence to symbolically represent the silencing of LGBTQ students.

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Ari Berri
15:52 Apr 12, 2021

Oh, thank you. =)

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Cookie Carla🍪
15:55 Apr 12, 2021

:DD

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Amel Parvez
16:23 Apr 11, 2021

Sweet!

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Ari Berri
18:10 Apr 11, 2021

Thanks!

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Amel Parvez
18:18 Apr 11, 2021

Anytime!

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Meera Lakshmi
22:36 Apr 10, 2021

The doc is set up, when should I put the link up? I want to put it up and then immediately take it down.

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Meera Lakshmi
13:50 Apr 11, 2021

:)

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Meera Lakshmi
13:16 Apr 12, 2021

Ari?

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Sunny 🌼
14:28 Apr 10, 2021

Aw man, I don't think I've seen a poly relationship like...ever. It's nice that you decided to write one in your story Ari, it was cute n sweet.

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Ari Berri
14:33 Apr 10, 2021

Thank you! I'm glad you like it!

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Jasey Lovegood
04:16 Apr 10, 2021

WFVUIEBQUI;VB POLY RELATIONSHIP YES I STANNNNNNNN Ahem, anyway. Great work, Ari! You never fail to impress me with your beautiful LGBTQ+ stories. I loved the ending, and I honestly don't mind if there isn't a sequel, because this captures a little insight into Mike, Jace and Charlie's relationship. One piece of feedback: [ Mike’s taller than her, but on.y by a few inches.] Easy typo to fix Amazing work! And congrats on 80 stories!!!! Can't wait to read ur next story :P

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Ari Berri
14:33 Apr 10, 2021

Thank you! I'll fix that.

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Jasey Lovegood
23:10 Apr 10, 2021

No problem! :)

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00:41 Apr 10, 2021

Mike, Jace, and Charlie are in a poly relationship, right? Correct me if I'm wrong. If they are in a poly relationship, it's adorable :) Great job!

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Ari Berri
00:55 Apr 10, 2021

Yes, they are. Thanks, I'm glad you like it. =)

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00:56 Apr 10, 2021

Np :)

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Ari Berri
01:34 Apr 10, 2021

=)

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02:32 Apr 10, 2021

Would you mind giving feedback to my latest story?

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23:07 Apr 09, 2021

Hehe, I lose all my brain cells reading stuff like this, but in the best way. How👏Do👏You👏Write👏Such👏Cute👏Bois Gaaaah

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Ari Berri
23:59 Apr 09, 2021

Thank you! XD I don't even know.

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Ari Berri
23:05 Apr 09, 2021

=)

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Unknown User
17:48 Apr 12, 2021

<removed by user>

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Ari Berri
19:22 Apr 12, 2021

Thank you! It's fine!

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