blind - owen teague | ✔️

4. Apple Juice

I had never met anyone who had read the Sunday funnies before, unless they were older, the middle aged or even the elderly. So, when this male suggested it, I became confused.

"You read the newspaper?" I asked as I got comfortable on the pillow, my head tilting. My little frown must have mirrored my confusion, because this laugh left him, and my lips twitched up before I could stop them.

His laugh was odd, but oh so contagious. It was almost serendipitous.

"Yes, I read the newspaper." He told me and I nodded.

"Hey, apple juice." My face burned suddenly as he found the apple juice that Anisa had left behind. Hearing the wrapper to the straw crinkling, I knew he was drinking it.

I messed with my fingers and tilted my head a little as he began to read one aloud to me.

"'Can we play too, mommy?'" He said in a kid's voice and chuckled softly. "And the mom's trying to clean up." He explained, since I couldn't see.

I could hear him, flipping through the papers and his scent filled the area near me. The minty, light, non-overbearing cologne he had. I didn't know what it was but I strived to know.

Staying quiet politely, he read me a few more of the corny one liner comic strips and then, I asked a question once he was quiet.

"Do you read a lot?"

This earned a snort in reply and I almost blushed, thinking he didn't. "I enjoy reading." He finally said. "I do a lot of reading." He told me.

I nodded and was tempted to ask his favorite book, but was interrupted when he asked the same question back, to which I nodded.

"More or less, but I kind of can't right now." I joked with a side smile.

I couldn't tell if he smiled at my joke, so I shrugged after.

"What happened? Y'know, to your eyes." I knew this question was coming, but even I didn't have an answer to it.

"I don't really remember. I know it was an accident, though." I admitted. "There's no way that this was done on purpose." I sighed.

Owen made a small hum and I tilted my face in his direction, getting lost in my thoughts. What did he look like? What was the face to this voice? Was he terribly unattractive? Terribly handsome and out of my league?

I suddenly wanted to know everything about him, but that was cut off with the door clicking open, shattering the silence like a fist through solid glass.

"Owen William Teague, leave the girl alone." Anisa's voice said and I heard Owen moving from the recliner beside my bed, where Anisa had previously fed me breakfast.

"Told ya she's always on my case. See ya, [F/n]."

-

That first day was a whirlwind of sleeping and adjusting medicine and getting used to my stay here at this hospital. It was terribly boring, as well, and mind-boggling.

The next few days became easier. Eat, sleep, get up to use the bathroom. The same three steps, get used to the surroundings and ever cold room.

My curiosity was beyond peaked. I was insatiable and I was lost. I hated not knowing where I was, or what was going on.

A few days later, Anisa was writing down prescriptions and checking my vitals when my hand lifted, touching her sleeve. I gently rubbed the fabric between my index and thumb. It was starchy, probably white. A doctor's coat.

"I see you're curious." Caught, my heart jumped in my throat, my hand recoiling to my chest.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled, gently scratching my arm in embarrassment. "I can't help it... Everything's new... It's like I don't have any control over it."

"I know. I don't mind. How about I bring you some things from the gift shop to feel around with. Make you feel a little better?" She offered. She was too kind.

"Y-you don't have to do that." I murmured, but I heard her click her pen.

"I'm gonna bring you a stuffed animal. I'll see when I can, okay? Want another juice box?" She asked, and I looked over in her direction.

"I haven't drank the one you'd left." I said in confusion, reaching for it and found it was light. Empty. Drank.

I thought I had smelled Owen's cologne earlier. I thought I was just going crazy wondering what he looked like.

He drank my damn juice box.

"It's empty. Maybe you forgot. I'll bring you one back, okay?" I heard her heels clicking as the door opened and shut, and I huffed softly.

Moments later, the door opened and shut again. She surely couldn't have come and gone that fast.

"Good afternoon, [F/n]." There was that voice again, almost sultry. Something soft, but weighted hit the floor beside my bed and I flinched.

"Just my bookbag." He'd just come in from school, I realized. I sighed, slightly in relief.

"What are you doing in here?" I questioned, making him chuckle softly. "Well, at least, what are you doing drinking my juice while I'm asleep?"

His laugh was louder this time. I smiled softly, and messed with my blanket. I still hated it, but it was warm.

"Finally, you caught me. I drank it before school this morning." He confessed. "And given, you're my only friend here. It beats doing my homework in the waiting room."

"Friends don't drink other friend's juice boxes, Owen Teague." I joked. He certainly was growing on me, the suspense of knowing what he looked like was eating at me.

"Touché, Miss [L/n]."