“And you don’t know me too so it's a tie,” I replied and she just gnawed on my teeth angrily, glaring at the door in front of her and trying to pretend that she was not in the same room as me. As if I was invisible and there was a wall between us.

But I could tell, behind those snarky remarks and snappy replies, from the trembling of her hands that she’s just been afraid all along….

 “Aren’t you scared?” I suddenly asked through the silence and she pretended not to hear me. I cleared my throat and repeated myself, “Hey are you deaf? I asked you a question.”

 ...