Open My Eyes

Ten: You're a Pain

         My breath was shallow when it finally returned. When my brain could function again, Iggy was smirking knowingly at me, as if he could hear my hammering heart and short breaths. I swallowed and tried to shake it off, but even I knew the damage was done.

          Iggy straightened, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Still smirking, he chuckled and waited just long enough for a blush to spread onto my face in the silence. He turned away and let his laugh echo down the hall.

          I remembered we were arguing and hurried after him, stating firmly, "Hey, you can't just walk away from me!" My face still burned from my involuntary response to how close he had been, but I blamed it on the recent conversation I'd had with my brother.

          He stopped abruptly and faced me, causing me to almost ram into him again. His smirk seemed even naughtier than usual as he jeered, "You sure you don't want to calm down first?"

          My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. My face was on fire as I squeaked, "You noticed?" I was ready to run away and never return.

          His aviators seemed to glint wickedly in the light. He shrugged casually as he answered, "If I can hear your breathing normally, I can definitely hear it if you're breathing like that."

          "Oh God," I groaned, utterly mortified, "kill me now."

          He laughed, visibly amused. He walked closer to me but stopped a safe distance away, as if he knew how close he could get before my heart would begin to speed up. He tilted his head mockingly. "Come on, don't tell me your heart hasn't raced around a guy before." He must have assumed my heartbeat had quickened along with my short breaths.

          I looked at him in surprise. He acted like it was perfectly normal, like it wasn't something to be embarrassed about. My eyes fell to my hands. "It has, quite often. But-"

          "But?" he echoed, an eyebrow rising.

          "But it's you!" I exclaimed, fumbling in a sorry attempt to explain it.

          A dark shadow passed over his face. Bitterness slipped into his voice as he backed off, biting, "Oh, I see. Because I'm blind, you don't want to get bothered by me. Got it."

          "What?" My eyes grew wide at the sharp sadness in his tone. I shook my head, assuring him, "No, that's not it. It's just . . . unexpected."

          He scoffed. "Because I'm blind," he repeated coldly. "Just admit it, Angela. You're no different than everyone else. I get it. Honestly. It's normal to pass over the kid who can't see." He started to walk away.

          I became frantic. I reached towards him, pleading, "Wait! Iggy, I'm sorry. That's not what I meant at all, I swear. I'm so sorry." My voice cracked on the last word.

          He kept his back to me, still walking away. He gave me a half-hearted wave. "Whatever," his voice pierced, so I could hear him without mistake. He stuffed his hand back into his pocket and forced me to watch his retreating figure.

          I felt horrible. I had no idea he felt that way. It was obvious the pain he felt when this sort of thing happened. And it must have happened often. I couldn't believe how heartless I had come off as. I had to fix this. I had to make it right.

          "Iggy, I didn't mean it! It came out wrong!" I insisted, my voice carrying down the hall.

          He froze, and then turned slightly towards me. Relief washed over me when I saw his signature smirk painted on his lips. He pulled something from his pocket and let it drop to the ground. He called presumptuously, "Hey, new kid! Wanna pick that up for me? I can't see where it fell."