By hope its You!

(3pm)

Joan walked to the park in hopes Luke and Grace wouldn't find her. She wanted to get home to get ready for the night's activities but with them looking at home she didn't want to face them yet. Whenever Joan got frustrated she would start signing with her hands too much and let her feelings out with her hands. It made her more confident because very few people in Arcadia understood sign language. It was almost a different language that she only knew and felt comfortable. She knew that next year she was going to be in Davidson's distinguished Sign Language program and it would be different. Her plan was to get a major in sign language and maybe come back to Arcadia and teach it at the high school if she could. She was by then walking in circles in front of the park bench and groceries still on the bench. Her hands raced as they made letters that made words and then phases. To many it was unbelievable that one girl could change so deeply by one disease and become who she was. She felt like shouting but she knew you couldn't do that with your hands. It was getting very chilly and she grabbed the bags and walked out of the park homebound.

As she reached her front porch the back door was open and she stepped in. Her mom was cutting vegetables with the famous white apron she had bought about 3 years ago to paint in also. She turned around and Joan signed, Hi mom, I got the groceries and sorry it took so long. I took a detour at the park. Helen smiled at her daughter. "Did you get what I asked?" Joan nodded and signed; I also got tomatoes because I knew we were low. Helen got down to business and signed, you better get ready and take those boots off and coat. Joan nodded and headed towards her room.

Kevin sat in his room and he waved at his sister to come in. Joan nodded and grinned at her older brother. Kevin asked, "Are you excited about tonight? Joan nodded and grabbed some paper and wrote, "Are you coming or do you have work?" Kevin smiled and said, "Missing you and Luke graduate would never happen." Joan nodded and waved bye. Then she headed towards her room and picked the clothes that would go under her gown.

(4 pm)

Joan laid on her bed and feel asleep in moments. Her eyes were surprisingly heavy and the bed was inviting. She woke to the smell of Italian food and sounds of her laughter. It shocked her and she wrapped a blanket around herself and walked down the stairs. Her mom saw her instantly and signed, Come on sleepy head, grab some food and come watch some home videos. It was Luke's idea. Joan smiled at her mom but glared at the back of her brother's head as if he knew he shrunk farther into his seat. She grabbed her dad's famous spaghetti and some salad. When she was younger she hated the salad but over the years she grew to like it. She took the seat next to Kevin and leaned on his shoulder. Kevin smiled at his sister and said, "You see yourself?" Joan nodded and then the video flipped to her high school party that she wasn't supposed to have. Luke grabbed to turn off the video but Will grabbed his son's arm. Joan was frozen in her seat, it had been because of her illusions that party had happened but she probably wouldn't have ever danced with Adam in the end if not.

(4:56 pm)

Will watched the video for the rest of the time. It flashed around the house, loud music. His face didn't show happiness and he seemed very agitated. Helen looked at Luke in sheer shock. Kevin looked down at Joan and grinned. Joan watched the video, It seemed so long ago that video was taken. Then it flashed on Joan and Adam. "You want something to drink Joan?" Adam asked. Joan smiled and said, "Sure how about water or whatever." The camera fallowed Adam into the kitchen but then turned to the dance floor.

Joan stood on the side watching everyone dance and some cute young guy came in front of her. She didn't seem frightened; she smiled and started dancing with him. Joan saw the illusion that she had thought wasn't real but in this video he was real. As the video flashed back to some more action Joan heard for the second time ever, "Jane?" Joan watched the camera flash back to Joan and the boy and see her pain in her eyes and then Adam left. She nudged Kevin, He grinned, "You had a cute guy to dance with right?" Joan froze at what her brother just said.

The video flashed as the bell rang and it turned dark proving the end of the movie. Will looked at Helen and then to Luke and Joan. Dad, I can explain. Really I can. Joan signed. Her father sighed and said, "Joan you know I can't understand you!" Helen replayed the message to Will. Kevin wheeled out into the conversation. "Dad it wasn't Luke's or Joan's party. It was mine, I felt like having one and well it back fired on me right?" Helen looked at her son in deep sadness. "Kevin I relied on you to be responsible when we were ever gone. Joan stood up. She signed, Luke and I really should get ready mom. Please can we talk about this after the graduation? Helen nodded and Will sort of understood. Kevin smiled at his younger sister and Luke looked relived at the moment.

Joan sat on her bed with the door partially open. The fan was on and she pulled her legs up and wrapped the blanked tighter. They had all seen him. How could that be possible if he was an illusion in my head? Joan shook with fear. Kevin rolled into her room. "Hey, you ok?" Kevin asked. Joan nodded and then pointed to her clothes. He understood and as he left said, "Really that guy was cute don't embarrassed that your older brother knows!"

She got a grip of herself and shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind. Joan got dressed in her graduation gear. She wore a blue gown instead of the traditional green. The only reason was to show she was a different person and student. She looked in the mirror. Then she looked over her head at her clock. It read 6:35 pm. That gave her twenty minutes to help her mother and leave for the ceremony with Luke.

They got into the car and headed over to Gracie's house to pick up Luke's girlfriend and then to Iris's and then to Adam's. It was a tight squeeze even with Iris and they hadn't even picked up Adam yet. Joan sat in the front passenger seat next to Luke. "Hey Girardi?" Joan turned around. "Can we switch seats so I can like can sit next to my boyfriend." Grace asked. Joan nodded. She saw her old friend smile and then turned to Luke who blushed. Joan shook her head and sat next to Iris who was fumbling with her gown and hat. Joan sighed with her hands as they arrived in Rove's yard. Iris looked down at Joan's hands. "What are you signing about?" She hated these certain questions because she could talk. She pulled a pad of paper out from who knows where and wrote. "It's a horrible habit I have Iris. Plus this is the way speak and even though you don't understand it I do." Iris nodded and said, "OK"

(7:30pm) Luke got out of the car and so did Grace. "Hey Adam you coming?" Adam came out of the house with a green gown and his cap. He looked back at the house and walked over to Luke. He said something that made Luke come back to the car and say to Joan. "Adam need to talk to you in his shed? Make it quick Joan!" Joan just sat there. Frozen in her seat because she had just seen something cross the street that looked like her old crush that claimed to be God. Joan nodded and slides out of the car.

So Sorry but I wanted to make something before the graduation, which for them is going to be at 8:30 pm.

Lighthope1 (Promise I will) write soon i will