A Whole New World

Chapter One

"Sooo... what do you think?"

I pulled my hands back from Jude's jaw. The soft baby skin that used to be there was now replaced by a line of short scratchy hair. "It's coming in nicely." I let him know.

"What did I tell you! Just five months on T baby!" Jude screamed. Jude practically always screamed. I kept wanting to let him know I was blind not deaf, but I soon realized the screaming applied to everyone.

"What's Jude screaming about this time?"

The voice belonged to my best friend, Colby. I heard him smack his bookbag on the table as he sat down, like he did every morning.

"I'm growing a beard dude. It's going to be awesome." Jude whisper-yelled. At least he was trying.

"Ah, congrats man." Colby gave Jude a high five. After that, I heard him bend down and give Callie a treat like he did every morning. Callie was my guide dog, who was also in love with my best friend.

"Dude, you need to stop giving her treats. She's working." I protested. I didn't consent to their relationship.

"But she's such a good girl." Colby cooed. I knew Callie was wagging her tail like crazy under the table by now.

I just shook my head.

Colby giggled.

Soon, two more voices joined the conversation: Lotus and Rolo, the last to complete our little friend group.

Lotus was the first to speak. She gave her usual greeting. "Hello, weirdos."

"You know, I don't appreciate you calling us weirdos, I mean, you're not wrong, but I still don't appreciate it." Jude huffed.

"Yeah, especially since your the weirdest here." Rolo added, followed by a sharp "oww!"

They burst into laughter.

"Lotus just elbowed Rolo." Colby said through his snickers as I leaned into him for an explanation.

I grinned too. He was asking for it.

I had known my friends since the start of high school; Colby since the start of kindergarten. Lotus was right, we really were kind of weird, especially when you put us all together. I mean, there was Jude, who was this loud vibrant kid who always had his hair a different color every three months, as I've been told. So far it's been green. Then there was Lotus, who was the embodiment of your dark emo princess. Colby told me she always wore black, from her heavily applied eyeliner to her combat boots. The only color she had on her, apparently, was deep red hair that she kept in a very refined bob and her matching red lipstick. She was in love with Marilyn Manson and her most prized possession is Baby, her hot pink Fender strat. Next was Rolo. Rolo, whose real name was actually Ronaldo, was the laid-back, man-bun having, skateboarding, sometimes weed-dealing, Brazilian-American member of the group. He dressed like he was at the beach everyday. He was also totally a mama's boy. And then there was Colby. Colby is like your humble church-going boy that you were proud to bring home to your parents. They was practically no one Colby couldn't charm. The weird part of him is that he made the choice to hang out with us. And then there was me, and for me, I've learnt that being blind already made me weird by default, or as my mom liked to put it, interesting. Together, we barely made any sense.

"So what are we doing after school today?" I asked, once everyone had calmed down.

"Sorry bud, Dev is making me take an early shift." Lotus said patting my hand apologetically.

"Oh yeah, how's Dev." Rolo asked, mischief ringing clearly in his voice. Dev was Lotus' boss and the latest bane of her existence, so obviously Rolo loved him.

"I swear, I've never seen anyone more devoted to Bath and Body Works. Like, he actually loves it there. But if he thinks he's going to drag me down to a death of bath bombs and essential oils, he better think again. I'm just there for the money." Lotus finished with a defiant huff.

"What about you Jude?" I moved on to him.

"Yeah. Can't. I'm meeting up with Jada." The sentence erupted a giant sigh from the entire group. Jada was his girlfriend. She was sweet and all, completely head over hills with Jude which was great for him, but she could be a little bit of a... "hyperactive Barbie on steroids". Lotus' words, not mine.

"You guys are just jealous." Jude accused us. 

"Yeah... that's the problem." Lotus whispered.

"Okay, Rolo?"

He took in a sharp breath. "Meeting up with... customers."

"Yeah, don't even want to know." I informed him. "Colby?"

"Firstly, I'm insulted that I was the last one you asked but... sorry, choir practice." He put an arm around my shoulder and I shrugged it off, turning away from him.

"You guys are the worst friends." I announced. 

"What does that say about your choice in friends?" Lotus asked. I swear the girl always had something to say back.

I groaned and just in time, the bell rang. 

I stood up. "Heel!" Callie immediately got up and came to my left side upon hearing the command. 

"Are you leaving? We still have like ten minutes before the late bell?" Colby asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, but I don't have time for people who don't have time for me." I told them with a smile, "Lets Go!" I held onto the handle of Callie's harness and let her guide me away from my betrayers.

"I hate when he turns on sassy mode." I heard Lotus say as I walked away from them. 

I laughed. I knew they were judging me now, but they'll love me later. That's what friends are for. And I love them for it.