ETERNAL LOVE

14: THE CARETAKER

AUTHOR'S POV

Elsewhere Hotel,
07:34 pm.

Xaden was sitting in front of his laptop in his hotel room working on his given project.

The busy man stretched his body and arched his back hearing a satisfying bone-cracking sound. He palmed his neck and moved his head back to get some relief but his eyes caught Alice behind who had her earphones on. The side of her head was resting against a wall. Her eyes were closed. Her right foot was slightly moving up and down syncing with the music.

She seemed super bored being left with Xaden as he didn't share a word with her. He didn't know where to start only if he knew how warm-hearted Alice is to start a conversation with.

He closed his laptop and walked towards her." Hey." He called but she didn't react as she didn't hear him.

Xaden bent a little and removed her earphones.

Alice flinched and immediately opened her eyes. " Jane?" She curled back.

He panicked and tried to speak with her in sign language only to realise she was not deaf or mute but blind.

" Calm down. It's me. Xaden." He said tapping his chest.

" Xaden sir."  Alice heaved and relaxed her shoulders.

" Wanna go downstairs? It's so suffocating here." Xaden asked standing straight.

Alice hesitantly nodded rolling the headphones' wire over her mobile.

" Would you mind holding hands? It'll be easy for both of us." Xaden nervously asked. A sweet smile rose to his lips as she moved her hand and caught Xaden's wrist. Her palm was too small to even make a full circle around his wide wrist.

Xaden carefully took her downstairs using an elevator. As soon as they decent and the door opened he saw the hall full of guests.

Alice's grip on his wrist tightened as it was noisy.

Xaden glanced at her gulping self. " There's nothing to be afraid of." Xaden said calming her a bit.

She nodded losing her grip a bit.

Xaden walked her from the corners of the hallway to avoid bumping into guests.

She was like a new toy for a curious child for him. He was studying her every act with hearty eyes.

" You stay home all day?" Xaden asked curiously as she needed to be ushered for almost every step.

" No...I go to a park by myself as it's near my house. Reed also comes for jogging there. I'm taking classes to learn piano also." She explained.

" You like music?" Xaden asked taking baby steps to match her speed.

" A lot. My dream is to learn the piano and play it in front of hundreds of people. Like some fairytale, wearing a white gown." She said dreamily as she could see it happening in front of her eyes.

Xaden stared.

She's so full of life. All because of Jane. As she never made her feel she was any less.

"Wait." Xaden suddenly stopped. " How could you know the color's name? I mean you-" He paused as his mind stopped functioning thinking how could she distinguish between the colors if she was sightless.

She flashed a smile. " I'm not born like this. I lost my eyesight a few years ago." She explained shortly. " I've seen everything. Now I'm feeling it. I have an image of everything in my mind. But I desire to see this city. Jane used to live here in a hostel for her studies. She used to say this city is amazing. She promised me that she'll show me every corner of it when I'll get my eyesight back." Being innocent she over-shared.