Unspoken Words

chapter 16|jesse

"Jesse? Hey. Wake up."

I don't want to, but I roll on my back and open my eyes to look right into dad's smiling face. He's sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Happy birthday." He whispers and I smile back at him. "Okay, I'll let you wake up at your own pace. I'm in the living room." Dad strokes my hair gently before leaving the room.

I rub my eyes and sit up slowly. Happy birthday to me. I'm dehydrated as hell. I take the glass of water next to my bed and drink all of it before getting up. I should join dad in the living room.

And as I enter, wearing nothing but an oversized gray shirt and leggings and generally looking like shit, I realize dad's not alone.

"Hey." Cheeto smiles and waves at me. "Happy birthday!"

"Happy birthday!" Lewis repeats. "We got up at 4am for this. Just wanted to let you know, in case you didn't feel loved."

I just stand in the doorway for a few seconds before I start laughing. These two. My god. As I calm down, I look at them again, just to make sure I'm not hallucinating.

"It's pretty fucking weird that you're eighteen now." Cheeto says and changes the position it's sitting in, now hugging its knees with its bare feet on the sofa. "Like, no, universe, she's not a legal adult? What the hell?"

Don't remind me, please. I respond. I'm not ready for that responsibility.

Dad laughs loudly. "Hey, I'm not gonna force you to move out or anything!"

It's just a harmless joke, but something in Cheeto's expression changes for just a split second.

"Anyways," It says and moves aside a little. "We don't want the birthday queen to stand around in the doorway like she's about to leave. Come here!"

I join everyone on the couch and finally let my gaze cross the small table in front of me. There are five packages – I'm assuming they're from dad and his side of the family – my family –, probably Cheeto and Lewis as well – around a chocolate cake with a candle on it. I look up, wanting to thank my father, but am interrupted by Lewis.

"Okay, but are we gonna sing for her or not now?"

My head turns towards him at the speed of light, my death glare and the slight shake of my head being enough to make him raise both his hands defensively. "I was just asking!"

"Honestly, I get her. It's like, the most awkward situation ever."

Thank you, Cheeto, my savior!

Luckily, nobody insists on it (to be honest, Lewis is probably the only person in this room who wants to sing (which confuses me a little, considering his singing voice – I am not sorry)) and I just get to open my presents in peace, which is pretty cool but also feels too awkward. My grandparents seem to know I need mental support chocolate from time to time since they gave me a lot of it; I feel like these supplies will last until my next birthday, to be honest. Their card is pretty sweet as well. My aunt, Hanna, has considered my great intellectual abilities, her package contains a book about foraging (which is pretty cute of her considering my love for mushrooms, but there are no woods nearby) and instead of getting a card, she just wrote into the book. I smile. That's how I know her. Dad decided not to give me one, but two gifts (it's adorable, but I also somehow hate when people do things for me, mainly because I feel like I don't deserve them): a blue beanie that, to be honest, really suits me, and a fantasy novel that sounds really good and, judging by the cover (Yes, you can judge a book by its cover. Actually, you should) and the text on the back, has several different kinds of representation, which sounds great (Jesus, the bar is so low considering these things)! After thanking and hugging him and generally feeling like I don't seem as grateful as I am (which is usually the case), I get to Lewis and Cheeto's present, which they call "the materialistic one" while exchanging weird glances and smiles. It's a small plushie of a grey bunny "for the remaining child in you" (Cheeto's words) and "No, Cheeto, we need to get the idea that stuffed animals are just for kids out of our heads! It's just for when you feel like cuddling a bunny, that's it." (Lewis's words). It's really cute and soft, and I thank them with a hug.

"Okay, you're welcome and everything, but that's not it." Cheeto grins and looks at Lewis. "Your time to shine."

He grins back. "Not sure if I'll 'shine', but sure. Uhm..." He seems to think for a second, then: So Cheeto taught me something. He says.

In sign language.

I'm literally going to cry.

Sure, he hesitates a little between some words and it shows that he's still a beginner, but this is so much more than I ever would have expected. I hug them both at the same time and try to hold back tears, failing miserably.

I'm going to kill you both. I say, and then: I love you.

"Okay, I think that was her way of thanking us." Lewis mutters and smiles like he's the one who just found out one of his friends learned a whole different way of communication from the other friend to understand him better.

A/N: idk what's up with me lately?? like i used to take ages to write one chapter and atm it's like 2-4 days until i publish a new one? bruh