365 Days Without You

Chapter Nine (Days 86-90)

Day 86. "Alex?"

Why won't he answer? I think to myself.

"Alex!" He's walking away, without the slightest hint that he's heard me.

I run to catch up to him but it seems like I'll never reach him. Why won't he stop?

I wake up sweating. Alex is driving and there's music playing but the volume is low. We're heading home.

When I finally broke the kiss yesterday, Alex stared at me in shock, confusion, and another mix of emotions I couldn't quite discern.

"I don't know why I did that," I breathed shakily.

"I don't either," Alex said quietly. "Should I have stopped y - "

"No," I said quickly, cutting him off.

"Okay."

We ate breakfast and headed out to walk around the city. It was green, and there were so many flowers blooming everywhere. There was a beautiful park in - what seemed like - the center of the city. As we sat, I noticed this blind girl speaking French. She seemed oddly out of place, in a random city like this one, blind, and French. I could tell she couldn't see by the cane she was holding out in front of her.

"Hey, Alex," I nudged him and gestured towards her. "Listen."

"Comment-allez vous? Je suis Alice." She was trying to introduce herself to people around her but not many people seemed to understand.

"Let's go talk to her, find out what she's up to," Alex suggested.

"Alex!"

He got up without waiting for me and then stopped in his tracks and turned to me, holding out his hand.

"Okay," I said quietly and took it, walking beside him towards the girl.

She was beautiful, too, and I wondered what a waste it was that she might not know it because she couldn't see. Blonde hair, pale white skin, rosy cheeks. She was wearing sunglasses, which were positioned on her perfectly shaped nose. And her smile was brighter than the sun, which made me wonder how she could be so happy without such an important sense.

"Hello!" Alex called to her.

She said "Ah!" and turned towards us, smiling.

"'Ello! I am Alice!" Her voice was sweet like honey, and it matched her disposition. She had a slight accent, the type that made a big deal about itself without making a big deal about itself, if that made any sense.

"Hi," I said shyly. Her head slightly turned towards me.

"Comment-allez vous?" She smiled. "I lost my guide. I don't know wher' he went. I have his number." She fumbled in her pocket and pulled out a crumbled paper. "I haven't gotten a mobile phone yet for the time I will be traveling in this country."

"Oh, use mine," Alex said quickly. "Er - do you want me to dial for you?"

"Yes, please," Alice laughed. It sounded like tiny, tinkling, bells ringing.

Alex spoke as he dialed the number.

"If you don't mind me asking, why do you travel if you can't - er, -" He didn't continue because he didn't want to sound rude.

"I can't see?" She smiled.

"Yea, sorry," Alex said apologetically.

"No, it is fine. I do so because there is not just sight in traveling, there is a smell to any place, and feel, and sound. There are many languages, as you know. I want to experience them all. I may not have my sight but I have all of those, and I am thinking to myself, why should I sit and be sad, when there are ten beautiful things that I have in life but one bad?"