BLIND BOY // PHAN

1

The way Dan saw it, there was no reason for him to be happy.

He woke up at six forty, to go somewhere he didn't like. Every day. School.

It also didn't help that he was blind. Everywhere he went, he'd have to do the worksheets electronically, and the teacher would have to find a book for him in braille. Because he couldn't find his own book. He was blind.

His parents loved him, embraced his preference for boys, even. After all, they were gay, too. They'd adopted Dan that way when he was a baby, and Dan thought it was normal for people to have two moms, or two dads. Not one of each. He'd never met anyones straight parents, because since he was blind, nobody interacted with him. He got it, though. People have their friends over to play video games, show them their texts with their friends, and things like that, that'd make Dan uncomfortable anyway. Dan figures, though, it would be nice to have at least one friend. A shoulder to cry on, someone to laugh at jokes with, but nobody wants someone like him. He's gotten over the depression of having no friends, mostly.

Getting to school was a pain, though. He'd have to walk his way to the bus stop, feeling along the ridges of the bench to make sure it was the right one. Then he'd have to wait for his school bus, which was a pain, because three busses passed his stop. His driver had to tell him if it was the right bus, yelling down to him. He thought it was awkward, but he was glad his bus driver wasn't rude to him. That'd suck.

Now he was at school though, sadly tracing his hands along braille words. Just like every other day.

Except, today the teacher announced a new boy, Phil Lester, who was sat next to him, since nobody really liked to sit next to him. Dan has his hands drumming on his desk lightly, and he could almost feel Phil Lester rolling his eyes next to him. He couldn't help it, ot's the only way he could tell the desk was even still there.

He didn't think Phil Lester knew he was blind. After all, Dan really isn't talk of the school. Most people don't even know his name, and they don't need to. He doesn't want them to. Phil Lester didn't seem happy, and honestly, it was making him nervous. What if he was plotting something and Dan couldn't see it? Dan sighed.

Reaching out for his papers, he realized they weren't there. He felt all around the desk, wondering if maybe he knocked them off? No, they weren't on the floor either, he felt with his feet.

"Dude, what's with the shades? You think you're too cool for school?" He heard a voice next to him ask. He didn't know what to say, in a panic, he forgot to mention he was blind. He probably seemed stuck up to Phil Lester, but he didn't know how to say 'I'm blind' without making Phil Lester feel bad, and pity him. It sucked, but he never complained.

"No- uh, sorry," He stuttered, feeling his cheeks get hotter as he spoke. He didn't want to make Phil mad- what'd he do wrong? He decided to just keep still and inwardly panic, because where on earth were his papers?

He heard an annoyed sigh from next to him, and papers shuffling. "You could've just asked for them back, moron. I know you saw them in my hand," he proclaimed, boredom laced in his voice. Dan nodded solemnly, lips pursed together. He felt in front of him for the papers, sighing when he felt them right in front of him. It was his homework, his mum would read it to him, and he would give her the answer to write down if needed. It sucked that he couldn't do something involving braille, because then he could do it alone, how he preferred. He also understood it'd be hard to have all his worksheets made in braille, but he could do it online, or something. He felt like a five year old, having his mum help him.

He listened to his teacher talk about math, and other things he had no clue about. He supposed that was a perk, getting out of writing because he just can't see. He still wished he could write, he guaranteed if he wasn't blind he would know what in the world Ms. Valence was talking about. moral of the story, being blind sucked.

He sort of wished he'd went blind when he was a kid, or something like that, so he at least knew what seeing was. He had no idea how that worked or what things looked like, just how they felt. He'd have to brush his fingers against the wall in order to know where he was, and even then he messed up sometimes. His locker didn't have a lock, because he wouldn't be able to put it in. They told him that they could have somebody wait by his locker everyday to put it in, but he brushed it off saying he'd feel bad, and it'd be too much to ask for.

Phil kept kicking his legs under the table, probably trying to intimidate Dan. It was working. Dan's hands were rapidly tapping in the desk, but barely making any sound. His mind kept circling around one thing: what did he do to make Phil mad? He contemplated taking off the sunglasses, but then someone would be talking in one direction, and he'd be looking in the other. He decided against it.

He toughed it out.

-

Walking home was certainly interesting. He had to go pick up his dog from the office (he chose to not bring his god to class, either his peers or his dog would get confused), then try to make it home alive.

Her name was Margo, she was a lab, but she was smart. She'd step in front of Dan if he was about to step into a puddle, or if a car was coming. She never got distracted, she was a great dog.

The bad part about always walking home was the weather. Some days it was absolutely perfect, but others were the worst. Most days it was too hot or too cold. Rainy days were horrible, because he never remembered to get an umbrella, so he'd just tough it out. No way was he running, he'd get the same as wet anyway, it's a fifteen minute walk.

Lucky day, he supposed, he could feel the sun beat down on his body, but not too much or too little. It was nice out.

He made it home soon enough, just enjoying the sounds and smells of nature around him as much as he could. There wasn't really much, he thought. Returning home, though, he smelled- was it brownies? He wasn't sure, but it smelled great.

His mum was a great person. She had a girlfriend, her name was Ashton, and they loved Dan. His mum had been dating Ashton for three years, he wasn't sure why they weren't married yet, honestly. He thinks they're gonna get married real soon.

His mum had golden blonde hair, is what Ashton told him. She says it's really pretty. She was a couple inches shorter than Dan, maybe at his nose. She was always warm and nice, and smelled like vanilla or cinnamon.

"Mum, I'm home!" He called, reaching out to find a chair, and wrapping his backpack around it.

"Oh, perfect time! Would you and Margo like to take some brownies to our new neighbors?" She questioned, coming closer as she spoke. "I think they just moved here yesterday."