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Start of “Circumventing Language Barriers by Speaking Louder”
The start of Circumventing Language Barriers by Speaking Louder. I will probably change a lot of this before I finish (which won’t be for a long time). Maybe it is okay?

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Jordan lay sprawled on the bathroom floor covered in puke and shit. Jordan groaned and laboriously pulled himself to his knees in front of the toilet where he simultaneously puked into the bowl and shit onto the floor. Jordan was experiencing the worst food poisoning he’d ever known and held minimal control over his bodily functions. Jordan fell back against the wall by the toilet and wearily piled some tissues on the shit puddle between his legs, drooling onto his arms as he worked, before flushing the toilet for the umpteenth time and leaning back against the wall at an uncomfortable angle. Jordan earnestly prayed for death.

-

Eight months ago, Jordan graduated from a Vermont college. He and his friends cleaned their dorm rooms, bathrooms, and kitchen. Everything was filthy beyond the conventional definition of ‘filthy.’ There was a bet going with the RA that they couldn’t clean their suite well enough to pass inspection. Whoever won got a free steak dinner. They passed inspection but the RA didn’t hold up her end of the deal because she was a giant bitch and Jordan hated her for various reasons accumulated over the year, this one included. Jordan wrote “bitch” on her whiteboard before going to the graduation ceremony. He threw the marker out the window from the second floor.

Jordan entertained the thought of inviting Ellie to his graduation for a while, but decided against it. She probably didn’t have time. He wouldn’t even know how to ask.

At graduation, Jordan’s major was next to receive their diplomas. As Jordan waited in line, he imagined doing a series of things. He would wave to the audience and bow at the height of applause, regardless of its sincerity. He would take his diploma and throw a consciously ironic thumbs-up to his non-graduating friends, then he would wink at his mom and dad. Instead, when his name was called, he walked across the stage at an average speed, shook all the hands, took his diploma, and paused a moment to tell all his professors that he would miss them. Jordan knew he wouldn’t actually do all the things he imagined in his head. Jordan was okay with how things played out in reality.

Afterwards, Jordan and his friends went to eat together. Jordan’s parents came but sat at a different table. Jordan talked with people and said goodbye to some other people he didn’t know as well and then ate food and talked more. Jordan’s parents texted him “are you ready to go soon” and Jordan didn’t respond for some reason. They texted him again ten minutes later and said “why are you ignoring us” and then Jordan felt bad. He said he was ready to go so they paid and left.


In the parking lot, Jordan said goodbye to everyone and hugged Annie tightly and said he would miss her the most. Annie said not to make her cry. Jordan said sorry. He kissed her and she cried.

-

Three weeks before, Annie and Jordan were drunk and having sex in his room. Jordan stopped suddenly and rolled next to Annie and put his face very close to hers. Annie closed her eyes and Jordan put his mouth by her ear but didn’t say anything and Annie wasn’t smiling anymore. They held each other for a long time. Jordan moved his fingers slowly through Annie’s hair and over her arm, lacing through her fingers. Annie had many scars. Annie used to be very sad.

They didn’t say anything. Then Jordan moved his hand down Annie’s body and Annie inhaled audibly. Jordan did things with his hands and then moved back over her and they continued having sex for some time. Annie said “I love you” and Jordan said it too. Jordan leaned back and spread Annie’s legs. He laid back down on her body and did not move for a long time. Jordan and Annie stared at each others’ eyes and at each others’ faces with no discernible expression. Jordan’s thumb smoothed the hair behind her ear. Annie said something that Jordan did not understand and Jordan put his hands on her breasts. Twenty minutes later, Annie was in the bathroom, wiping Jordan out from inside of her and Jordan was gathering his bedsheets to take to the washing machine. They made eye contact as Jordan left with full arms. In the hallway, Jordan suddenly remembered the shape of Ellie’s back. He couldn’t remember exactly their last time together. He wondered if the sheets would stain.

-

Annie cried softly in the parking lot and Jordan walked to his father’s truck where his parents were waiting. He watched all his other friends drive out of the parking lot. He walked back over to the car Annie was in before it left and opened her door. He was he would miss her and kissed her again. He said he wold talk to her a lot. Annie didn’t say anything and drove away. Then Jordan got in his father’s truck and left for Georgia.
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Posted 1 year ago