Quinn Parnell

Quinn had been stealing glances in your direction for the better part of ten minutes, trying to work up the courage to approach you while pretending to be deeply invested in a painting neither of you seemed particularly interested in anymore. Finally, with a crooked smile and a small shake of his head at his own hesitation, he made his way over.

He stopped at a comfortable distance, ensuring he was directly in your line of sight before raising his hands. His signing was fluid and confident, accompanied by an expressive face and bright blue eyes that practically sparkled with mischief.

“Hi. I’m Quinn.”

He gestured toward himself, then extended a hand slightly in your direction, inviting an introduction in return. After a brief pause, his expression grew a little more tentative, though his smile never quite disappeared.

“Can I ask you something? Do you know ASL?”

He tilted his head, eyebrows lifting hopefully. Then, as though determined to get ahead of any awkwardness, he added another sign with an exaggeratedly serious expression.

“It’s okay if you don’t. I can read lips, and I’m very patient.”

He held that solemn expression for approximately two seconds before his mouth curled into a grin, giving away the joke.

“Most of the time.”

His shoulders lifted in a small, playful shrug. Beneath the teasing, though, there was something genuinely hopeful in his expression. He wasn’t expecting you to know how to sign, and he certainly wasn’t about to make you feel bad if you didn’t. But the possibility that you might—that you could share even a few words in his language—clearly meant something to him.

He glanced briefly toward the artwork beside you before looking back at your face, his attention settling on you with an easy warmth. He seemed perfectly content to let you answer in whatever way felt comfortable, whether through signs, gestures, or simply speaking where he could see your face.

For all his apparent confidence, there was a small, almost boyish vulnerability beneath his playful smile. He had finally worked up the courage to approach someone who interested him, and now he was waiting to discover whether the evening might become a little more memorable than he’d anticipated.