The Boy With The Blank Stare: Future

Chapter Seven: White Lies

Ouma's POV:

The room still felt foreign as I once again in vain tried to get comfortable. It had been at least a month since I'd moved into my aunt's house, and it had taken an annoyingly long time to memorize the layout so I wouldn't have to be dependent on my aunt and uncle to move around.

Yet they seemed to believe that I was helpless anyway as if they think I never learned where a particular rug was, or as if I never had to move around a house while blind before. The only real challenge was the stairs, and even then they had installed a mechanical system to help me move up and down the stairs better, so really other than that I don't need much help.

Still, the hallways were much longer than the cramped one-bedroom apartment my mother and I had lived in, and my new room was a palace compared to the small cramped closet-like space I used to have which got even worse post the wheelchair.

Outside I didn't hear the honking of cars or the drunk teens and adults, no mother coming home in the middle of the night only to leave an hour later for another shift or odd job, and no broken laundry machine our landlord always promised to get to 'eventually'.

Instead on the rare nights where it wasn't complete silence, it would be soft music from the other side of the wall, from what I guessed was Kiibo doing late-night studying. It was tranquil, almost a heavenly space compared to where I came from.

But I still couldn't sleep.

I eventually gave up trying and pulled out my headphones, hoping whatever random playlist would trick my brain into sleeping, minus the one panic at the disco, I wish I could ask Chiasa questions about why she added that song, it almost worked till...

"Hey, we have school" someone called out as I groaned, "I'm sorry, my mom asked me to wake you because she so I could walk you to- I mean to take you- I mean go with you to school" Kiibo sputtered out, once again trying his best to word things not to offend me.

He always seemed to try and do that, what was it he used to say? Live by example?

I rolled my eyes but sat up, 'tell her I'm sick' I asked, "uh...sick?" He asked as I silently wished he'd taken learning sign language more seriously, I nodded but he paused.

"Are you actually sick or do you want me to lie?" I asked and I held two fingers up. He sighed, "I can't do that, I'm sorry" he apologized.

'I don't want to go back, don't take me back' I begged, "go...back? I'm still behind I'm sorry, it's just...look this is our last year before I go to college and...well I don't want you to be alone all day ok? A lot has been happening to you and...it would make me feel safer" he reasoned.

...make him feel safer...I bit back my bitter remarks, and just sighed nodding as Kiibo left the room shutting the door and I reluctantly got ready for school.

~-~-~

The wind was calm today as the newfound breeze made me a bit cold, but I just continued listening to the music before...

'Hey, why didn't Harukawa come with us today?' I asked, and it took a little while for a reply.

"Um, you asked why Harukawa isn't here right?" Kiibo asked and I nodded, "oh wow Iruma wasn't lying, those new systems do help with languages. Well she called me this morning and said couldn't come with us, she wouldn't explain I'm sorry" he apologized, though his tone sounded a bit worried.

Oh..."I can try and get her still if you want?" Kiibo offered but I shook my head. It was fine.

The rest of the way was in awkward silence as if Kiibo was spending the whole time reviewing actions and words, and I silently regretted how I freaked out prior over the headphones.