The Mute and the Wild

It wasn't until the day we finally met in person that I realized my online boyfriend was mute.

The boy sat across from me in the dim booth of the local indie coffee shop, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the table. His face was entirely devoid of color, a stark contrast to the bright, bubbly personality he had displayed over text for the past two months.

He pushed a small blue Post-it note across the wooden table, his eyes darting down, utterly unable to meet my gaze.

I’m sorry to disappoint you...