Sorry its been so long, you wouldn't believe me if I told you how much my life has just been getting in the way! I've been promoted, twice, and had so much training to do, and now I'm looking into buying a house! Gosh, there's so much!
Anyway, after all the time I've made you wait, I'd better get on with the story!
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It was several long days before I got any response from Alex. I guess he must be busy.
In the meantime, I attend several Braille classes, spend some more time walking around blindfolded, and see my boyfriend for all of about two minutes!
It seems like ever since he got his job, I never see him. Mom took me out for dinner one night and we had Thai, which is a new favourite of hers, but I just poke my dinner with my fork.
"Lauren, you've got to eat. Why are you so down?" She questions as she holds her hair back and leans in to suck up some more noodles. I think she realizes as soon as she says it that she's going to get a deadpan response.
I look at her with a bored expression, "I'm going blind?"
She sighs, "No, I mean really? What's going on that is making you mope around the house all day and do nothing constructive?" My mom isn't a stupid person by any means, so I'm not surprised she has picked up on my mood.
"I emailed this guy who has supposedly got the same condition as me, and he said that he'd be there for me to talk to, but its been days since I emailed him." I explain, my fork clattering on the bowl as I exhale loudly. "I don't know why I let myself get excited."
"Honey, what about Jason?" She says with furrowed brows, "Why don't you talk to him? You know he's always there for you..."
I slouch now, my elbows on the table. I don't even care how rude that is... "Mom, I haven't even seen Jason since last Tuesday. It's Sunday, for Pete's sake!"
A soft sigh leaves her mouth, "Have you called him?"
I chew the inside of my cheek... Guilty. Guilty, guilty, guilty.... "Well, no, but..."
Mom laughs, "Call him, go on, call him now." She urges, putting her fork down, too.
I groan and pull out my phone, taking my time to find his number and hesitating to press call.
After two short rings, Jason answers, his breathing heavy and loud. "Hello? Lauren?"
I mash my brows together, "Jason? Where are you?"
"I'm just out for a jog, how about I run by your place?" He explains, and I can hear his feet against the pavement. "I'm only a block or so away..."
I perk up, "Really? Yeah, that would be great!"
Mom chuckles, nodding her head to say 'let's go'. She stands and puts her napkin on the table beside her plate, gathering her coat and bag from the chair beside hers.
"Okay, cool. I'll see you soon!" He says quickly.
I hang up and stand as well, grabbing my hoody and pulling it over my head.
Mom smiles at me, "See, that's better. You look much prettier without that frown." She kisses my cheek softly and we pay and hurry on home.
Jason is just running up the drive as we pull in. "Hey!" He calls out as I climb out of the car quickly. "Hi, Mrs Grey!"
Mom waves but heads inside and leaves us in the drive.
"I've missed you," I say nervously all of a sudden.
Jason smiles warmly at me and steps forward, pulling me into his arms.
For once, I don't mind the sweat... I'm just glad he's finally here.
He ends up crashing at mine. We lay in bed for a while in the morning, just staring at the roof and talking. I tell him all about Alex Rover and he chuckles. "Maybe there's stuff going on in his life, too?"
It's a valid point. Maybe I just don't want to hear it.
Having someone else to feel let down by is certainly much easier than being let down by myself. I mean, why me? Blind, seriously?
A bit dramatic, Lauren...
"Hey, what're you thinking about now?" Jason asks, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.
"I want you to come to one of my Braille classes." I blurt before I even realise. I'm already preparing myself for him to say he's too busy with work when he stops and turns to face me.
"Wow, really? Lauren, I'd love to." He says, crawling across my bed to kiss me. I find myself grinning as he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. "When is your next class?"
I pull the calendar up on my phone and read off the date and time to him, observing his thoughtful expression. Again I expect him to make some excuse.
"Alright, I'm not working then. I'll pick you up, okay?" He pulls on his shoes and stumbles over to kiss me with untied shoelaces.
It's a gentle kiss on my forehead and it warms me, making my bones feel like goo. "Jason?" He pauses and looks into my eyes expectantly, "I, I, thank-you..." I finally stutter out.
He smiles at me and turns to leave. I watch his back as he retreats and disappears through my door.
Once he's gone, I climb off of my bed and sit in front of my computer, checking my emails.
To my surprise, there is an email from Alex Rover. As soon as I see it, I feel silly for having doubted him.
Then a thought stumps me...
I had doubted Jason several times this morning. I doubted he would come to my class... I doubted he would find the time to be interested...
And mostly, I had held back from saying those three little words because I doubted that he would understand my meaning.
Before I even open the email, I leap from my desk and bound down the stairs, hoping to catch him.
He's just about to close the front door when I grab the door handle, halting him.
"What are you doing, Lauren?" He says with an amused expression, looking down at me with those gorgeous blue green eyes that won me over in the first place.
I stand on my tippy toes and look up at him. My eyes catch a glimmer of sunlight shining through the leaves of the palm tree outside my house and the rays of light shine directly into my eyes.
It's searing and instantaneous. Earth-shattering, mind-splitting agony erupts from the frontal section of my head and I squeal, pulling away like I had touched hot fire, my hands gripping my head in a feeble attempt to stop the pain.
I'm vaguely aware that Jason shouts my name in confusion and worry, and that my mother appears from thin air, but I'm too busy squealing and squeezing my head in my hands. I squeeze my eyes shut tight, crunching my lids together.
"Call an ambulance!" Someone shouts. But it's too late, I'm slipping from consciousness. In an instant, my body registers a sharp pain in my wrist and then it's just blackness, blissful darkness and silence. No pain...
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So it's been a lifetime since I updated, but you wouldn't believe the time I've had!
Hope you've enjoyed the chapter. It's short, I know. I'm sorry!
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