Perfectly Ourselves

Chapter 16

I haven't seen my family in like a whole week. Riley and I have have been going insane with all these finals we have. I mean, we only have four classes this semester, but it's still a lot. Mom offered to let Zoey stay with them for the week, and I stupidly excepted that offer. While I did enjoy having peace and quiet, I miss my baby. And Noah basically lives at his one friends house. He hasn't been at home durning nighttime in like a week. So Riley has been keeping me company.

He learned that I have trouble sleeping, and sometimes he'll stay up all night with me. It's quite sweet of him, because most of the night he's seconds away from falling asleep.

"Sunshine, I've brought food!" Riley yells as he walks into my apartment.

"You don't have to yell Riley." I say rolling my eyes. I was literally right in the kitchen.

"But what if you were in your bedroom and your single hearing aid didn't pick up my voice?"

"Ok. Didn't think of that." I admit taking the food from Riley's hands.

"When are you going to let me buy you a new one?"

I shrug. "Never."

One thing I've learned, is that I started wearing my hearing aid a lot more. I used to dislike wearing them because it reminded me of Kai, and the car crash. But now Riley's around more, it's almost always in. Riley has been learning sign language, and he's a fast learner, but it's much better to hear his voice.

Over the past week, I've come to realize I like Riley. Which I already knew. But I really really like him. I know he likes me, and that I haven't told him I like him yet. But I'm honestly scared. What if he changes his mind? What if he's just like Kai? What if he hurts me? Or what if he finally realizes I'm not good enough for him?

"Keely, let's go watch my little pony while we eat." Riley says, sensing how I'm thinking about Kai.

Apparently Riley says that my entire body language will change when I think about Kai, and that my eyes gloss over; that I become distant from everything.

And I just have to say, Riley is great at getting me out of these slumps. He knows that I'm having slight problems with it again because I'm opening up to someone. Because I'm becoming vulnerable and I'm allowing myself to get hurt in the same way potentially.

Riley places his hand on my back and leads me to the couch, and we both sit down. Riley then places a plate of food on my lap, and starts an episode of my little pony.

"Don't you hate this show?"

Riley shrugs. "Hate is a strong word. I just dislike this show, but you like it, so it overweighs my dislike."

"We don't have to watch this. You can watch one of your adult shows."

Riley looks at me, like he's asking me if it's really fine if we watch one of his shows.

"Don't look at me like I'm incapable of liking adult shows." I say smirking at Riley.

"It's not that I think you're incapable of liking it, it's that you love my little pony so much."

I shrug. "So? We always watch what I want to watch. So it's your turn to watch something."

Riley grins. "Really?"

"Yes. Now hurry up and pick something before I change my mind."

Riley shakes his head as he smiles.

...

Riley and I are now just sitting silently as we stare at the blank tv. The show has ended, and we haven't started a new one.