EmPATHETICally Blind (A skinny love story)

Chapter 5: Warm coke and deep conversations

  Matt's POV:

We leaned against the back of Emilee's pickup truck, our legs stretched out in front of us, on some soft but scratchy blanket that was laying in the back. The sun was beating down on me, and I could feel beads of sweat forming on the base of my neck. Emilee, whose arm was pressed against mine, didn't feel warm or sweat. In fact, her skin was relatively cool. I wondered how she wasn't dying out in this heat.

She drove us somewhere in town, who knows where. It smelled like salt, and sunscreen and sweat, so I'm assuming she drove us to the beach where we have a small lake.

        "What's your absolute favorite thing to do? Any time, any day, any weather?" She asked me. My eyebrows furrowed, and I wondered where she dug that question up from.

        "Gee. I don't know. I loved to play soccer, a lot. But since I can't even see the goal or the ball anymore, I don't know. Listen to books, I guess." I answered. She didn't say anything, and I realized how depressing that must sound. Oh well, gotta face the music I suppose.

        "What about you?" I asked, nudging her. I felt her shrug next to me, still quiet. Great response.

        "Um...." She said, after a little while, startling me. Apparently she took a while thinking.

        "I love to make art. Draw, paint, rearrange my room. All of it." She said. I smiled, she reminded me of my artistic aunt who lived in Denver. I'd always run around her art studio, staring in amazement at all the things she's made. She'd even let me create my own art, then she'd hang it up right along with hers.

I felt I should ask her a question next, but I didn't even know what to ask. I was never great at making conversation, but I suppose it was all I had.

        "What's your favorite movie?" I asked. She snorted, and I turned towards the sound, sticking my tongue out her.

        "I almost don't want to tell you, about half of the people I tell don't know it, and the other half don't like it." She said. I nudged her with my elbow.

        "Tell me tell me tell me." I said, in that annoying way I had.

        "Scott Pilgrim versus the world." She said. I held up my hand for a high five and she high fived me. 

        "No way mine too!" I exclaimed. She laughed, a sound that made my hands tingle and my heart speed up. Some people had the most beautiful laughs.

I could feel my throat dry up, and I cleared it a few times, when she pushed a can into my hand.

        "Look what I found. Coke. It's been sitting out here for a while now, so it's probably warm." She said. I popped the tab open and drank some, almost recoiling at the taste. It was very warm indeed, and most of the fizz was gone. But it fixed my dry throat problem nonetheless. I drained it and smushed the can against my head, something that my brother taught me a while ago. It was kinda stupid, and pretty cocky.

        "Well that was very disgusting. Next question?" I asked. She laughed again, then turned silent as she thought. I could hear the hesitance in her voice as she asked this next question.

        "How'd you become....blind?" She asked. I frowned as the memory came back to me.

        "Probably a question best saved for later." I said, in a tone that I was hoping would sound like that deal was closed, but she could keep talking to me.

        "That's fine. Why don't you ask me one? I can't think of much." She said. I sighed, wiping my forehead.

        "Why did you move here?" I asked. I felt her tense up next to me. I knew I hit a personal spot too.

        "My uncle isn't feeling well, mom wanted to move here to be closer to him." She says. I can tell by the tone of her voice that she's lying through her teeth.

        "Ah, that sucks." I say.

We throw questions back and forth until I can feel a definite sunburn starting, and she drives us back to our street.

She drops me off right in front of our house, and we manage an awkward sideways hug in the car.

        "See you later." She says. I nod and I whistle out the window, hearing my dog bark in response. I climb out of the car, remembering there's a step there.

When I get inside, I run upstairs to where my brother's room is and knock on his door.

        "Can I help you senor suntan?" He asks me. I roll my eyes.

        "I want to ask you something and I don't want you to laugh." I say. 

        "Okaaay?" He says questioningly. I lean against the wall.

        "What does Emilee look like?" He makes a pfft sound, but doesn't laugh.

        "Don't know why it would matter, her sister's hotter." He says. 

        "Carter, please." I say. He sighs and starts to describe her in a kinder tone.

        "She's got long, wavy dark brown hair. Almost black. Kind of pale skin, but you can tell she's been out in the sun. She's got a lot of freckles too. Um, she's pretty skinny, a little flat chested actually. She's got a heartshaped face with a pointy but not that pointy chin, and ummmm brown eyes. Small nose. A small gap in between her front teeth. Small hands." 

I drew an image of her in my mind, and smiled a little.

        "Thanks." I said, leaving.

        "I don't think any amount of sunburn lotion will fix that blush you have." Carter called out behind me. I flipped him off behind, and by the way he laughed I knew he saw it.

If only I could see her for myself.