The WRA Draft

Chapter Fifteen: The Appointment

( two weeks later)

The clear sky allowed the sun to shine brightly on my face as I walked into eye doctor. In my headphones, I had the demo of the music of The WRA Draft. So far, it sounded great. There were a few things I'd tweak, but we'll figure that out tonight. It was Saturday now and it was time for our first eye appointment of the year.

"Olivia." Mom tapped my leg lightly.

I looked up and pulled out a headphone. "Hmm?"

"Let's go."

Standing, I put away the music and followed the nurse further into the building.

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"Glasses?" I repeated wearily.

"Yes, you'll be needing glasses. It's strange, the sudden change of your vision. Last year, you had good vision, not great, but enough for no glasses. Now, as I've told you, you'll be needing glasses."

"It must be all of that writing," my mother guesses.

"Pardon?" our doctor, Dr. Bane, asked.

"Olivia's class was chosen for the Challenge and Olivia's the director," Mom explains with the slightest hint of pride in her voice.

I look at the doctor, "Does it have to be glasses? Are contacts an option?"

"Yes, contacts are definitely an option. In most cases, people have a unique prescription, requiring special work for creating the contacts, but for you, it'll be a simple task. My wife, oldest son, and I all have the same prescription. It's called astigmatism. Your struggle is seeing more than one light. Your eyes see multiple sources of light and automatically try to focus on all sources, making it all blurry."

I look to Mom with pleading eyes. "Please? I can't get glasses now. Not with the Challenge. That's another thing to worry about."

She looks to Dr. Bane. "How much are they?"

"I highly recommend 1800 Contacts, so that would make a box around forty or fifty dollars. You would only change them once every month."

"How many do they hold?"

"Six."

"Six pairs?"

"No, six lenses."

"That's three pairs." Mom considered this. "And two boxes. Costing almost $100."

"If it helps at all," Dr. Bane added. "My sister-in-law works for the company. If you wanted, I could get you a discount. Maybe, thirty to thirty-five percent off."

Mom considered it again.

"Please. I can use them indoor percussion and marching band an—" She gave me a doubtful look. I looked down, fiddling with my hands. I bit my lip. "Please, Mom?"

She sighed and placed a hand on my knee. "We'll do it."

My head shot up. A smile formed on my lips. It spread to my mother's. Dr. Bane chuckled.

"It appears you've made her day. I'll get the papers." He came back quickly with stacks of papers. He sat them on the table and began asking questions.

Mom answered and asked a few. From what I heard, contacts sounded great. I couldn't wait to get them.

"One last thing," Dr. Bane said pulling out another sheet. "Do you wish to get glasses as well? As awesome and efficient contacts can be, sometimes it's good to take them out so your eyes can rest. Or if you run out, you'll be pretty much blind until we can get you new boxes."