When lunch was over, and Kathleen and I were on our way to art class with Ms. Philips, my mind was stuck on Erica and why Jackson thought Beau should ask her to homecoming, so I wasn’t absorbing much of what Kathleen was signing at me. Something about homecoming too, I think. I couldn’t fault Kathleen for being so nice and peppy, because sometimes seeing a friendly face was a relief, but did my interpreter really have to show so much interest in a school dance?

This was turning into one of those days when I was eager to jump into working on my self-portrait rather than focusing on everything else going on around me. So far, I’d come up with a decent outline of someone on my canvas, but I was struggling with how to make that someone me.

When we walked into the classroom I went straight for the supply shelves and got out the trays of bright paints Ms. Phillips suggested I use the other week. I’d been afraid to touch the colors for fear of messing up somehow, but this assignment’s due date was quickly approaching.

I got myself a variety of paintbrushes and a cup of water for cleaning them, then set up my canvas on an easel toward the back of the classroom. I didn’t want anybody to see me while I worked, but I could feel Kathleen’s presence behind me, peering over my shoulder as I inspected the trays of colors resting on the easel in front of me.

Kathleen signed, COLOR TODAY? when I looked up at her.

I shrugged.

MAYBE, I signed back. DON’T KNOW.

Kathleen tapped a finger to her lips in thought while her eyes swept over my canvas.

I felt myself frown when she signed, BLUE, after a moment and pointed to the corresponding color on the tray.

WHY? I signed in confusion.

Kathleen curved her index finger and tapped the top of her ear twice, the sign for hearing aid. YOU, RIGHT? she added in sign with raised eyebrows.

She has a point, I thought.

My hearing aids were a rather big part of myself, and in my opinion neon blue was a pretty awesome color. It didn’t seem like it would be too difficult to incorporate that color into my self-portrait.

OK, I signed to Kathleen after a moment. I TRY THAT.

Kathleen gave one of her big smiles and a thumbs-up, and then the moment was ruined when she signed TRY DANCE? next.

The expression on Kathleen’s face was so earnest I couldn’t find it in myself to outright sign, NO. So I settled for signing, MAYBE, again.