"Five..." Not again...
"Four..." It's getting closer.
"Three..." Everyone's voices got louder as midnight grew closer.
"Two...." Anticipation filled the air until...
"One; Happy New Year!" Screams filled the air accompanied with laughter, and the distinct sizzling sound of fireworks.
"Happy New Year, Everett!" random people I've never talked to screamed to me, though I barely caught it atop of the booming light show bringing entertainment to people of all ages. Not me. I don't have anything against them I've just, never seen them as something exciting. Technically, I've never seen them at all.
Trust me. I've been to dozens of firework shows, the thing is, I've been blind since I was three. I don't have an exciting story filled with resentment about my vision loss, like most people do. I don't have a crack head mom who drove into a tree.
One night, I fell asleep like a normal three year old boy, and then woke up eight hours later thinking I was just under my fluffy comforter. As hard as I tried to get out under the blanket, I couldn't. Doctors haven't found a reason behind it. Now, I'm a twenty-two year old blind man without a reason behind my disability.
I then hear a girl's drunk voice.
"Hey, I'm Adriana; want to get out of here?" She slurred in my ear.
"No thanks, I'm not interested." I tried to shrug her off.
"What's wrong with you? Are you gay or something? How can you not love this?" The drunk girl sounded offended.
"I'm blind; for all I know, you could be a creepy man who somehow manages to talk in a woman's voice." I smirked. Not expecting it, she slapped me across the face.
"Slapping a blind man, Kinky." I whispered. I heard her gaping then she walked away, the sounds of her heels nearly as loud as the chatter that surrounded me.
I felt around for a place to sit, and found a couch. The couch dipped beside me and I reflexively turned to the source and attempted to start a conversation.
"Hi, I'm Everett." I smiled aimlessly, trying my best not to look like a psychopath.
"Lavender, Lavender May." I could hear the smile in her voice.
"So, what brings you to this party?"
"I- uhm, my best friend. She's right there with her boy toy..." I imagined her head tilting to the direction of her acquaintance.
"I can't exactly see what you're motioning towards..."
"Right there!" She grabbed my chin and moved it, thinking it'd help the situation.
"It doesn't matter how much you move my chin, I still won't be able to see them," I said politely.
"What?" She sounded extremely confused.
"I'm blind." I braced myself for the usual string of words that come out, things like apologies, or just the shuffling of their heels running away.
"That's cool." Her response caught me off guard, so I said the first thing that came into my mind,
"What's your favourite colour?" Seriously Everett? Seriously?!
"Blue," she giggled, "not Lavender, like my name may lead you to think." We talked for at least an hour more. I was about to say good night, seeing as it was already one o'clock in the morning. When suddenly, she grabbed my hand and started running.
"Uh- Lavender?"
"Shhhh, just follow me." I don't know why, but I let myself trust a complete stranger who likes the colour blue.
After a couple of minutes, she stopped running and pushed me into a seat.
"You're not going to tape me up, are you?" After hearing no reply, I started getting worried.
"Lavender?" My hands were starting to sweat. I got up from the seat and screamed her name a couple of times,
"Lav-"
"Everett, you're so loud!" She shushed me and made me sit back down.
"It's not my fault, where'd you go?"
"Just wait a sec." I heard a large thump, startling me.
"You alright there?"
"Yeah, I just tripped on some wires," she said wheezing. Wires? I swear she's going to murder me.
"I'm not going to murder you."
"Did you just read my mind?" I asked suspiciously.
"Nope, you mumble your thoughts a lot. Did you know that?" She teased, a giggle escaping her mouth.
"So what are the wires for?" Instead of a spoken response, all I heard was music.
"It's time to dance." She wrapped her arms around my neck and placed my arms around her waist.
"Do you always do this?"
"Do what?" I felt her head tilt up towards mine.
"Take random strangers to what I'm guessing is a rooftop, and dance with them?" I had to ask.
"Nope, you're my first." So we were on the roof.
"Why me? I'm just a blind millennial."
"You're not just a blind person, Everett. You're so much more," she took in a deep breath, "From the seventy minutes I've known you, I can tell you're one of the strongest people I have ever met. You're charismatic, you care for anyone who'll give you a chance. You may not see physically, but you see everything most people miss. You see deep inside me, Everett. You're more than you'll ever think." She was out of breath once she finished her statement.
I felt her taking a step towards me, the music still playing in the background, and within two seconds, I could feel her breath on my lips.
"You're an amazing guy, Everett. You are. All I want right now, is for you to notice that." She slowly closed the gap between us and kissed my cheek. For a few seconds, she let her lips linger on one spot.
"Lav, let's go." The door swung open, and a feminine voice got closer towards us. She slowly backed away from me and whispered:
"I'll see you soon, Everett." I smiled her way and soon her presence left with her acquaintance.
After my short daze, I realized to problems:
1. I forgot to get her number
2. How am I going to get home?
----
So, whaddaya guys think?
:)
- Kyrstyn
