Growing up Socially Awkward

Part 2

 Keeley had always hated her house being a bungalow. She always wished she could move her room into the attic so that at least if anyone tried to break in, they wouldn't break into her room. Even though not a single house in her neighborhood had been broken into while she's lived there, she's set on the idea that her home will be the first. Her house was long and narrow, with a hallway that carried from the front to the back; doors lined up along the walls. Across from Keeley's room was her little brother Nathan's room. He is the polar opposite of Keeley, a rambunctious 12-year-old with a big mouth and a tiny brain. Also, unlike Keeley, Nathan is the most popular middle schooler in their school. He spends much of his time with boys Keeley's age, Including Owen, who Keeley has had a crush on since 7th grade.

She had a problematic 6th-grade year with her newfound trouble speaking to people. Because of that, she started in 7th grade with no friends. This was when she met Owen. Tall, talkative, gorgeous Owen with his brown hair newly cut for the beginning of the year with a short side long bang haircut. Looking back, his hair looked awful, but when she looked at him, all she saw was perfection. Keeley's class's first assignment was in pairs, and the students were allowed to pick. As everyone scurried to their closest friends, Keeley sat alone at her desk, having no friends to pair up with. Then suddenly someone walked in front of her desk. "Want to be partners?" Owen had asked her in a wavering 13-year-old boy voice, which cracked slightly when he talked, but he never seemed embarrassed by it back then. Ever since that day, Keeley had been entirely in love with him.

The door next to Keeley's was the bathroom door, yet another reason why she wanted to move her room into the attic so badly. Next to the bathroom door was the door to a coat closet, and across from the bathroom door was the door to her parent's room, the biggest room in the house. Keeley dragged her feet down the hallway, "Good afternoon, stranger." Her dad chuckled. "Come sit with your dad, sweetie." he continued, patting the spot on the couch next to him. Keeley walked to the couch and sat next to her dad, he wrapped his arm around the back of her neck, and she leaned into him. "How's your essay going?" he asked her. "Bad." she groaned in response. "Im sorry, kiddo, im sure you'll figure it out soon," he said, kissing the top of Keeley's head. Her dad always had the best things to say. He never failed to improve Keeley's mood, even on the worst days. Even as such a socially capable man himself, he never failed to find a way to empathize with Keeley about her struggles talking to people. Her dad was home more often than her mom, who was a flight attendant. Her job wasn't easy, and she was usually away from home for days.