Perfectly Ourselves

Chapter 1

(Anything in the single quotes 'these quotation marks' means it's sign language.)

When I was 15 I had this boyfriend. We dated for a year. He was really bad. He was abusive, toxic, and a cheater. We broke up when he raped me. He went to jail, and I gave birth to our daughter. Just your typical love story.

I've moved on from him since then. I mean, it's been like 6 years. Thankfully my dad is the world's best therapist and he supplied free therapy for me until I was all good.

Maybe I wasn't as affected by it then most people would be, but I mean why live in the past? I can't be this depressed ball of unstableness with my daughter. I still need to raise her into a strong independent young lady. But like with my parents help of course.

...

I'm laying on my parents couch as I watch my little pony reruns with the subtitles on, just chilling while Zoey takes her nap.

I'm on the fourth episode when my little brother Noah stands in front of the tv blocking my view.

"Seriously Noah?! It was the best part!!" I whine.

'I've been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes.'

I roll my eyes. "Sorry for not hearing you. Please move."

Noah raises an eyebrow. 'You would've heard if you actually used your hearing aids.'

"You know I don't like them. Is this really a surprise?"

Noah's shoulders slump, meaning he's exhaling heavily, meaning he's upset.

'Whatever. Mom wanted you.'

'Jerk' I sign and run off to find my mom. She's probably in her art room, or the kitchen.

I check the kitchen first since it's on the same floor, thankfully mom was in here because I did not want to go downstairs.

"Yes mama?"

My mom starts rattling off words as quick as the speed of light, while I just stand there waiting for to look at me.

I feel Dad's footsteps on the floor, and know he's now in the kitchen as well.

"Guys! I don't have my hearing aids in!" I say loudly, or I hope it's loud. I usually talk very quietly whenever I can't hear myself, not because I want to be quiet, but because I have no idea how loud I am.

Mom frowns. 'You could have said that before I started telling you everything?'

I just shrug.

"So what do you need me for?"

'I wanted to know if you wanted me to make you and Zoey food to take back to your place?'

"Oh. Sure. Less meals for me to make."

'Ok that's all. But your dad wanted to tell you something.'

I turn around and wait for my dad to start signing what he wants.

'I was just saying how River was dropping by so the girls could play together.'

I give him a thumbs up and go back to the living room to watch my little pony. I will forever be grateful for my grandfather getting me to watch this with his years and years ago. Because I am now hooked for life, and I'm turning my daughter into a lifelong fan just like I am.

I'm on like my seventh episode now, and I feel the couch dip ever so slightly, meaning my daughter has woken up and is now watching with me. I turn my head and sure enough there sits Zoey with a huge smile on her face as she waves to me.

'Hi mommy!' She signs happily.

"Hey baby. How's you sleep?" I ask and Zoey crawls onto my lap.

'I slept great! I had a dream that I had a pet unicorn!'

I smile as brush a strand of Zoey's hair out of her hair and behind her ear. "That's cool baby."

Zoey nods and focuses back on the tv.

Before we finish the episode, Zoey taps my shoulder. 'River's here mommy. Let's go say hi!'

I nod and Zoey grabs my hand as she leads me to the kitchen where River, Emily, and Katlyn are. Zoey let's go of my hand, and signs while talking to the three of them. 'Mommy has her hearing aids out so you'll need to sign to her because she won't be able to hear you.'

River laughs and looks to me. 'Geez Keels. She's smarter than I was when I was her age. And I was smart.'

I roll my eyes. "Of course you were."

Emily bursts out laughing and she lightly slaps River's arm. 'Good one Keely.'

Mom and dad come out of the pantry, with a bag of pasta shells in mom's hand. She says something to them, blushing slightly, and River fakes a gag.

'They kissed!' River signs with wide eyes. Zoey shakes her head.

'He does realize that he kisses aunt Emily all the time?' She signs with amusement sparkling in her eyes.

Katlyn says something to Zoey, and she nods. 'We're gonna go play mommy. Try not to miss me too much!'

"I'll have to try very hard then." I say smiling at Zoey.

They run off, and Emily says she's gonna go next door to my grandparents. Emily has this weird obsession with my grandma. They're literally best friends, it's weird. Actually it's not weird, both sets of Emily's grandparents died before she was born and my Grandma is the grandma she never had.

I sigh and sit on the island and River raises his eyes at me.

"I'm so bored." I explain.

'Wait, am I hearing you're tired of watching my little pony? We need a celebratory cake for this!' River signs as he smirks.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, make fun of me instead of doing something with me. What a buzzkill you've become old man."

River frowns. 'That's a Wyatt thing sis.'

I love calling River an old man because Wyatt calls him that and it still gets on his nerves after all these years.

River suddenly grins, like he just came up with a devious scheme.

"What? What did you just come up with?!"

'I say we prank grandpa and Noah. They're watching that one horror movie they talked about wanting to watch.'

I grin, my inner prankster coming out to shine. "K bro. Let's go fwazy baby."

River shakes his head and fists bumps with me.

Apparently when I was young I had a bit of a speech impediment and couldn't say my R's correctly and whenever I'd say crazy, it'd come out more like fwazy. And apparently whenever I was excited I'd always yell let's go fwazy baby. I've seen videos of it and I was absolutely adorable.

*****
Well tic tacs? How do you like the first chapter so far? This book is on Keely's life. And if you remember back in I'm Finally Wanted, I mentioned an incident. Well you'll get to find out what it was in this book.