In Chicago, Amethyst, deaf since age three, meets Von, a rapper with a passion for music. Though their worlds seem very different, they form a surprising bond that grows into something deeper. As they fall in love, they learn that true connection ca...
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Hi! My name is Amethyst Opal Wilson. I'm 23 years old.. and I am deaf. I wasn't born deaf but I started going deaf at age 3. I didn't get my cochlear implant until I was 9 so throughout that time, my family and friends learned ASL and that is the language I mainly communicate in.
Most of the time I travel with my mom so that she can help me understand other people and translate what I'm saying, but I'm 23 now and I decided that now is the time for me to learn how to speak for myself and manage in the real world.
- - -
I've been dying to go shopping anyway, so I went to the mall, by myself, going through the stores. Right now I'm in target picking up some more skincare stuff, I walked down the aisles looking for the regular Dr. Thayers toner that I use but I could find it anywhere.
I squatted down, reading all the labels trying to find it but then I realized there was a group of at least 5 men staring at me. I assumed they were staring at my butt because I was wearing a mini skirt and a crop top so I guess I should've expected it.
But last time I checked I was in the aisle by myself. They stayed in my peripheral vision for a few minutes and at this point I'm wondering why they won't leave.
I stand up, my heels clacking on the floor as I do, I look up at them with my slurred deaf tone I asked.
"Can I help y'all?"
"Whatchu ... shawty?" I hear some of what the man says but not all of it.
"Huh?" I said.
He repeated himself and I heard, "I said whatchu drunk shawty ya voice sound all slurred n shit, and whatchu doing witcha hands, who you reppin?" He squinted at me.
I rolled my eyes at his ignorance, "I'm not drunk. I'm deaf, and I'm doing ASL, it's sign language."
"Well ion speak allat shit so chillat."
"You came up to me first. All of you did, why're you still standing here. I'm just tryna get my skincare and go." I said and signed, hearing my nails clack quickly as my hands hit each other with some of the signs.
"Stop doing allat bro, we see ya nails." One of the big eyed boys next to him said. His eyes were really big and he had blonde locs that were twisted together.
"It's not about seeing my nails, I am doing sign language! How many fucking times do I have to say it." I rolled my eyes starting to walk away, fuck the toner, I'm just gonna go somewhere else.
"Aye Whatchu doing ma?" One of em shouted, I'm assuming it's the first one that talked to me but I pretended not to hear him.
"Von yknow shawty deaf, walk up on ha." Another one laughed.
