The Boy with the Blind Eyes

NINETEEN

'So, how are you doing, babe?' Lina asked Tamsin the next night, carefully sipping her red wine. Her lively green eyes were fixed on Tamsin, wary swirling in them. She picked up her napkin and dabbed at the corners of her lips in a ladylike way Tamsin had never seen her do before. Lina glanced around as she waited for Tamsin's reply, almost as if she were nervously awaiting someone.

Tamsin ignored Lina's question—it wasn't a question she had ever been accustomed to answering before; she wasn't going to start now. It was better that the tearful emotions and confusion stayed tucked away in a compartment of her mind, where nobody could ever touch it. Instead, she asked, 'Are you nervous or something?'

Lina's eyes locked back on Tamsin. They widened and she froze for a moment. Coughing once into the fist of her hand, Lina cleared her throat again and tentatively took another sip of wine. 'I don't know what you're talking about,' she said quickly.

They'd left Hamilton for the night and had opted to eat dinner out at a fine, French restaurant nearby. Lina had insisted they catch up, considering that they hadn't been in contact much lately, what with the room swap and all. But now Lina was acting weird, her eyes darting to the bar and other tables, scanning the elite people for a face—seemingly.

The bald-headed waiter who Lina had bribed (with $100) to serve them authentic red wine—only the best—came past their table, subtly holding the wine in front of his chest. 'More wine, ladies?'

'Thank you, Antoine, yes.' Lina held her glass outward, and Antoine took it, filling the glass halfway. Tamsin shook her head when he gestured for her glass, and he was gone as soon as he had arrived.

'You sure are drinking a lot tonight,' Tamsin commented, taking a sip out of her own glass.                              

Lina had another gulp from her glass and shook her head wildly. 'No more than usual, sweet.'

Tamsin narrowed her eyes. 'What's got you so spooked, Leens?'

Lina picked up her menu, out of breath, and scanned the list of dishes. 'The ceviche sounds good, doesn't it?'

'Lina.'

Lina rolled her eyes, exhaling sharply, and dropped the menu. 'Alright, alright.' She huffed, fixing her eyes on the floor. 'There's been a development, you could say.'

Tamsin's brows rose. 'It sounds serious.'

Lina scoffed, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. 'It isn't. No, it's...nothing special.'

'Tell me?'

Lina hesitated. 'Okay.' She hunched over the table, eyes bright with worry. 'Well, uh, it started yesterday. I was in my clarinet class with Blake and T, and...this gorgeous specimen of a guy walks in.' She shuddered, a smile curving at her lips.

Tamsin grinned. 'So it's a boy thing?'

'Let me finish. During class, we exchanged a lot of looks, and...after class, he invited me to dinner. That's where I was last night. He took me to the beach of all places—'Lina stuck her tongue out disgustedly, 'and he bought us fast food for dinner. And then there were fireworks. Literal fireworks. And then he kissed me.'

Tamsin grin morphed into a half-scream, half-laugh. 'Leens! That's great!'

'Yeah,' she nodded. 'He asked to see me again tonight. You know I have rules about these kinds of things, so I lied and told him I was staying home and studying, busy with a final or whatever. He seemed to buy it, but I'm worried he'll somehow catch me lying to him.'

'I think you'll be fine. If he's as cheap as he sounds, he won't be coming to a place like this,' Tamsin laughed. If it were anybody else she was talking to, she would never have said something like that, in fear of offending them. But this was Lina. The girl had a thick skin.