Through My Eyes

Chapter 19

"So about your graduation", Katie says and I jerk my head up from my math problem.

"What?" I ask a little louder than I probably should have.

"Graduation", Katie repeats patiently. "I know it's only mid-April but I think we should discuss it."

It all happened so fast. It seemed like it was last week when my mom was coaxing me out of the car with food and now it was over. Well, not over. I'd have to start all over again somewhere else.

"In a few weeks, you'll have to apply to colleges. As you probably know, there are blind colleges all over the country, the closest being our very own Utah College for the Visually Impaired only a few hours away", Katie lectures. "Although you are blind, you're marks and GPAs are equally important as they would be if you were joining a normal college, so I recommend you study well for your upcoming finals."

Oh yes, we had finals. Being blind did not exempt you from finals. Just a warning to all you desperate thinkers.

"But afterwards, if you both would like, I have planned a bit of a graduation trip", Katie adds, pushing thoughts away from finals out of my head.

"Where?" Ross and I blurt in unison.

If I still went to my old high school, we'd be going to Disneyland for a few days. But now any trip is a trip.

"Perhaps Six Flags?" Katie proposes. "But if you have any other suggestions, I'd be happy to consider them."

"Six flags sounds great", I say and Ross agrees.

"Very well then. First week of May is your finals and second Saturday is your graduation ceremony and trip", Katie decides. "I'll send you home with permission slips for your parents to sign."

"So where are you going to college?" I ask Ross when Katie walks away.

"Probably the one in the state. I don't know what I'm going to study though. There's limited options for us", he says.

"Me neither. There's nothing I'm good at. I wanted to do interior design when I could see but that's out of question now", I say remorsefully.

"I know something you're really good at", Ross says.

"Making sarcastic comments?" I ask.

"Well, that too, but I was going to say English."

"Huh?"

"Literature or journalism. You get so lost into it when you're writing. It's cute."

"I never thought of that", I say slowly. But it was true. English class is the only class where I feel alive and not blind. It's the only class that I get to use my imagination to remember how it was when darkness wasn't the only thing I could see. "But you might be right. I do love English."

"Don't worry, you still have time to figure it out", Ross tells me.

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"So how excited are you for Six Flags with your boyfriend?" Cami asks me as I sit down next to Pamela at our picnic table. We sat with the guys on alternate days so we had some time for girl talk.

"Were you eavesdropping?" I ask her teasingly. 

"In my defense, nomenclature of organic compounds is pathetic", she informs me. 

"Amen to that. And yes, I am excited", I tell her with a smile.

Boys only want love if it's torture.

Don't say I didn't, say I didn't, say I didn't warn you.

"Your ringtone is Blank Space?" Pamela asks me with a laugh. "I love that song!" She was still pretty quiet around us but she was starting to warm up. It didn't help her case that Cami had an extremely big mouth.

"Who could that be?" I wonder aloud. Everyone who had my number was around except Mere. I'd blocked Tyler's number a while ago. Did he find a new number to call me?

"Hello?" I ask tentatively. 

"Adelaine! Hello!" my mother's voice greets me and I roll my eyes. I'd forgotten she had my number too.

"Hey mom", I greet tiredly. During the first few weeks, my mom used to call me every lunch break but she'd started laying off recently. "What's up?" What was up which was so important that she couldn't wait till I got home? She sounded cheery so I doubted anyone had died.

"Your birthday! I've been thinking about it and I just got a great idea and I couldn't wait to tell you so-"

"When's your birthday?" Cami whispers to me. She wasn't eavesdropping this time. My mom was just that loud.

"Mom, my birthday's not for another three weeks and I don't want to celebrate it this year", I tell her.

"How could you not want to celebrate-" Cami begins but I swat her until she shuts up.

"Don't be silly. I've already planned a party for you and I just called you now so you can invite your friends. I wanted you to tell them now because after you got busy with finals you might forget and-"

Cami suddenly snatches the phone from my hand. "Don't worry Mrs. Fawyer, I'll let everyone know. Oh, I'm Cami by the way."

She's hanging up when my mom shouts "Thanks darling! Call me Charlotte!" Oh they were a great match, they were.

"Camilia Gen-Wilkins", I quickly amend. "Don't you dare-"

"Addie's having a birthday party on the...umm", she prods me with her elbow. 

"18th", I groan. No hope now.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone comes", she tells me, patting my shoulder.

"Oh, boy", I say with a sigh.