Running Blind // Discontinued

Chapter 26

I sunk into my plastic chair in the Meteor Zone that Friday afternoon, my brain foggy from the lack of sleep, and the afternoon air, that was still thick from the night's rain. I had come to school with high hopes of telling Mercy about my early morning antics with Jaxon, yet she wasn't at school today, for whatever reason. I kept mentally scolding myself for even opening that window, let alone actually listening to him when he said move over.

I could still feel his wet shirt brushing up against my skin and the warmth that radiated off of skin, like I imagined it might from the sun. A deep, dark part of me secretly relished in the fact of my sleepless studitity. Although the other part, knew how stupid it was to do something like this, and it was much more convincing than the other lust filled part. I groaned as I tried to sink even deeper into the chair, trying to hide from my shame.

To make matters worse, I dubbed Jaxon an asshole, at lunch today. For he just walked up to me, while I was mindlessly chewing a soggy baloney sandwich, that had too much of cheap cheese that tasted like plastic, and, in front of my friends who were congratulating me on running at the cross country meet, apologized for leaving the window opened this morning. I could practically see the grin that was almost definitely lacing his lips as he said that, and the terror on his face when Eve started screaming at him to explain himself.

By the time I barely heard Jaxon's shoes, sprinting from the inevitable raft that belonged to my friends, I knew it was too late, and that his damage was done. I felt my cheeks grow hot as the icy glares of my friends turned to me. I, immediately, attempted to explain what he meant in a way that didn't make me look like a slut, but it just ended up with me stuttering inaudible things to my friends, that I doubted they could understand.

However, for once, it was not my fault for not telling them something for I didn't have any morning classes with any of them, since I didn't have a single class with any of them, except for Mercy, who I suppose was sick today, of all days. Sometimes I felt like I had to tell Mercy first or else she'd flip out, and I knew she would continue to be mad at me for the rest of the day, if not the rest of the week. I knew she was sensitive about trust like that.

Eve sat down next to me and signed a hello, since she had to go to her locker, which was nearly on the other side of the school near Mercy's locker, after lunch to grab her books for this class, while my locker was on the way to this class. The class felt strangely empty without Mercy's fingers constantly brushing against the palm of my hand as she updated me on everything that I might need to know. It was like she told me everything, and there were no secrets between us.

Do you know where Mercy is today? I signed into Eve's hand. It was a simple innocent question that I thought wouldn't affect the world in one way or another. I mean, she was sick wasn't she? Or perhaps she was out of town, visiting some relative or another, but that didn't quite make sense, since she would have told me about that right? Friends don't keep secrets from friends, right? Well that was where I was mistaken.

You don't know? Eve signed back, and my blank stare must of given it away that I was clueless, a feeling that I hated. She is dancing in her first ballet competition of the season. I thought she had told you about all of that. She told me she would. Eve signed, then paused for a moment, as I simply let the words sink in. I guess she must've just forgotten. She said, and despite her sympathetic words, their true meanings sunk in before anything else.

Mercy was keeping secrets from me.

A fit of rage boiled up to the surface, as I bit my lip trying to push it back down so that it wouldn't explode on Eve, although what might she be keeping from me? I knew, deep down that Mercy had trust issues, and that wasn't really her fault. I mean after what her father did to her, who wouldn't? Although, I had thought we had gotten past this stage of her keeping things from me. I had always been the odd one out compared to Mercy and Eve who had been friends since Mercy moved here. In fact, Eve once told me she was Mercys first friend here.

I knew I was the outsider to Mercy, and I knew that even now she didn't trust me as she trusted Eve, but sometimes I got so sick of it. She still thought of me as the backstabbing popular bitch I was who would do anything to claw my way to the top. I had changed, and she should've known that first had. Now all I could feel towards Mercy was hate and betrayal. Was this how little our friendship meant to her?

Suddenly the overwhelming feeling to know the truth washed over me. It was time my friends stopped keeping secrets from me, and that included their appearances. It was time that their shadows wasn't all that I could see. I let my mind spin, seeing the endless possibilities for Eve's appearance. Was she blond like Mercy? What did her eyes look like? What about her nose? Did she have a big nose like Mercy's?

Can I touch your face? I signed swiftly into Eve's hand, and I suppose she was just as confused as Mercy, when I asked the question. I want to feel what you look like. And...could you tell me the colors as well? I just really need to know right now, I signed, and Eve gave a simple yes in reply, and my hands immediately went to her face, gently rubbing my hand along her skin. Her skin was smoother than Mercy's and a bit more powdered. I guessed she was wearing makeup.

Well, I suppose, to start my description, I have really big brown eyes, the color of chocolate, She signed, grabbing one of my hands, while my other made its way to her eyes, which were in fact rather large. And I'm bit of a shorty compared to you and Mercy, She added, and I smiled a bit at this part. I already knew she was short. As my free hand made it's way up her face it was met with her forehead, which was covered with her bangs.

What color is your hair?

It's a dark brown, or black, in some lightings, She signed, with a shrug, as my hands made their way down the sides of her face to where her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Oh, and I have caramel colored skin, She added, and I finally got a mental image of my friend, so she was no longer simply a shadow in a world full of them. In a world full of shadows. In the world full of darkness and deceit. Now there was only one thing I had left to find out.

Could you..could you tell me how you became deaf? I signed, as quickly as possible, not wanting to repeat the whole Mercy incident. I could tell the she was shocked by this question, although not too shocked, for Mercy must of told her what had happened after I had asked her for her appearance. They really did tell one another everything, didn't they? I used to be able to know if someone was lying to me with ease. I could read eyes, and their tone. Yet I couldn't do either of those with Mercy.

Sure, Eve signed, and I let out a breath, I didn't even know I was holding. It happened when I was in third grade and I was walking home after school, since my house is just a few blocks from the elementary school I went to. I always went to a neighbor's house after school, and that day, when I was at the door, their was an explosion and...and.. She froze, as if lost in the memory. I woke up in the hospital three days later, and I haven't heard a thing since.

Oh, I'm so sorry Eve, I signed, and I truly meant every word of it. She said nothing, just turned away as Mr Meyers began the day's lesson, leaving me swimming in my thoughts. Both of my friends had had these things happen to them for reasons they could not control, but me... I was stupid and selfish and I deserved my blindness. It was the eternal price I would have to pay for taking a drink. And I knew I deserved it.

Although, then again, what would've happened if I hadn't?

AN:

Hey guys. I just want you to know how long this chapter took me to write, just for you. It was three hours. THREE HOURS GUYS!!! So now I'm mentally dead, but we got the Eve chapter out of the way, so I'm guessing that my next chapter will be Ashey being mad at Mercy, and hopefully they won't stay mad at one another for too long, but then again I'd be mad too if Mercy had kept something from me. Or missed science class...

Anyways it's right on time (for once) and I'll see you guys again in two weeks. Thanks for reading...and bye!

Also this chapter is dedicated to Betsy0812 because....I felt like it.