A Whole New World

Chapter Ten

Colby's voice rang unmistakably through the rowdy hospital lobby. 

I watched as he made his way to me, and once he was close enough, I launched my entire body at him, attacking him with the biggest hug I could muster. He didn't respond at first, but eventually he hugged back, just as tight.

I smiled into the soft cotton of his sweatshirt, taking in his scent, experiencing him the way I had for the past eleven years of my life. 

He was here. He had come.

Then I let go, and I let myself experience him in a whole new way, with sight. I looked up at his smooth freckled face, thick eyebrows, sharp jaw, wild dark curly hair, plump reddish lips, and last but not least, his piercing blue eyes. He had told me he had blue eyes once. It didn't really mean too much to me back then, but right now, with the way he was looking at me, it meant everything.

"So that's how you look at me." I said in a hushed voice absentmindedly. 

I hadn't meant for it to upset him, but it was clear it had when he closed his eyes and pushed his hair back with a sigh. "You really do know." He said.

I nodded.

"Look Jessie, I'm sorry. I really am. And I understand if you hate me now because of this, I just... I just..."

I interrupted him with another hug.

"I don't hate you Colby." I told him, "I could never hate you."

I felt him relax against me.

"In fact," I turned around to look at where my mom and my friends were waiting. I looked at Jude and Lotus, remembering what we had talked about at the sleepover.

I looked back at Colby. "In fact, I might actually like you back."

I saw his face light up. He cheeks immediately went red. I guess that's what blushing looked like. It was kind of cute.

"That's... great." He said with the biggest grin.

"I still have to figure some stuff out." I reminded him. 

"Of course. Of course. I completely understand." He looked at the floor and dug his hands into the pockets of his jeans, and that's when it hit him.

"Oh my God." He said, lifting his head up slowly to look at me. "You're seeing."

I laughed at his statement and how it had taken him till now to realize.

"You're seeing!" He said again, like an excited puppy. "You're freaking seeing."

He enveloped me in our third hug of the last five minutes. 

"I'm so happy for you." He whispered.

"Thanks." I replied.

We were like that for a few more seconds, before I heard my mom cough. "Why don't we go have lunch. To celebrate! There's an Olive Garden not too far from here Jessie."

I detached myself from Colby and looked at my mom with a smirk. I guess she wasn't kidding about getting jealous. Although, Olive Garden did sound really good right about now. "Sounds good Mom."

"Okay, lets go." She walked out of the door, leading everyone out. I grabbed Colby's hand as we followed behind. We smiled at each other.

Stepping outside, I took a deep breath and looked at the world around me. The cars, the buildings, the leaves just halfway through their color change, and the people, also making changes as they walked to and from various aspects of their lives.

It all felt like a whole new world. One that seemed full of magic and wonder and new possibilities.

And I couldn't wait to see what it had in store for me.