Love Is Blind

1

I stare at the ground as I walk to my first class of the day, the autumn wind adding a slight chill to the air. It's a day like any other. Nothing new. Nothing special. It's the start of my Junior year of college, and I've only got two more years to figure out what I want to do with my life.

The wind blows a crisp looking leaf across my path and I take a little extra step just to hear the satisfying crunch under my foot. This is truly the best time of the year. The chill in the air makes my habit of drinking coffee all day long not nearly as weird for everyone around me. I pause for just a moment at my favorite spot on campus. Right in the middle of the quad, surrounded by the most colorful trees I've ever seen, I take in a deep breath. I get that same feeling in my stomach that I do at this time every year. It's the smell of seasons changing and old things passing away. Perhaps I like this time of year because it symbolizes letting go of old things in order to prepare for what lies ahead and the growth that will soon happen. After all, that's exactly what I'm going to be experiencing very soon.

I shake myself out of my daze long enough to realize that I only have two minutes to get to class, and I'm about five minutes away from the building. I break into a bit of a sprint as I desperately try to reach the building. I can't believe I would get so caught up. I've never been late to class before. I certainly won't be now!

As I run, I shout at people to get out of my way. I make it into the building completely out of breath and charge into my classroom. I make my way to my seat with one minute to spare. I sit trying to catch my breath without making a weird face. Not as easy as it sounds, by the way. My professor begins the lesson, and I finally catch my breath enough to pull out my journal to take some notes.

***

"What do you mean you're dropping out?" Holly's face is gaping. She looks like she's been caught by a fishhook.

"I just can't figure out what on earth to do with my life," I sigh.

She rolls her eyes, and her head rolls with them, bouncing her red curls everywhere. "You're an art major, you literally have the whole world at your fingertips."

I stare out the window of the coffee shop where we're sitting. It's called Java Juice. It's a cute little place that offers healthier coffee options and also a juice bar. I think back two years ago and the whole reason I started out as an art major in the first place.

"I know you're undecided, and you don't know what to do yet, but your art is truly beautiful,"  Bryant said.

I feel the heat rising to my cheeks. "Thank you."

"Why don't you major in art? It'll be such a perfect major for you. You'd have fun, and you would have so many options for what you want to do." He smiles at me, the same way he always has.

I take a sip of my juice and just let the taste sit in my mouth as I look out the window and contemplate what Bryant has just suggested.

He does have a point. I would have a lot of fun in those classes, and I would have a lot of options. But isn't it hard to land a job in the art field? Who in the world would hire me just because I'm good at drawing?

Holly's voice pulls me out of my memories. "Earth to Grace?"

I look at her with a furrowed brow. "I'm sorry. I was in a different world."

Bryant was my high school sweetheart. We met when I was a sophomore and he was a junior. It was love at first sight. He gave me so much attention, and I fell for him hard. He was the one who convinced me to come to this school in the first place. I would've normally opted for a much smaller college with a much more tight-knit community. Instead, we ended up at one of the biggest universities in Chicago. When I decided to follow Bryant I thought we would be together forever. Forever only lasted about three years.

Not long after I first got here, and not much longer after our conversation where he insisted I become an art major, a cheerleader for the football team caught his eye. I found out that he was cheating on me the same day that I changed my major to art. Out of spite, I kept the major.

I take in a deep breath. "You're right, I do need to keep my major and find out something to do with my life."

Holly looks at me with some surprise. "Why the sudden change? It's literally been like two minutes."

I smirk at her. "I had a flashback to Bryant."

"Oh, I see," Holly smiles deviously.

I take the last sip of my coffee and stand up. "I'm going to get going. I've got some job hunting to do. See you at the game later?"

Holly smiles and nods, beginning to pull out some of her homework.

I wave goodbye and head out the door, back into the chilly autumn air. I'm in deep thought as I walk back to my dorm. If I'm going to the game I'm going to need some warmer clothing. I also need to figure out what on earth I'm going to do with my life, so I guess I'll be doing some googling between now and then.

I notice a slight clicking sound that pulls me out of my daze and I realize what it is just a little too late. As I lift my head to find the source of the noise, I run smack into someone.

I gasp. "I'm so so sorry!"

I look down at the heap on the ground. The guy looks fairly ruffled as he uses his hands to search the ground and he finally grips this long metal pole. He starts to stand up rather slowly and I notice that he's wearing sunglasses.

The guy starts to brush off his pants. "It's all good, you just must be the only person in the world who walks as quietly as you do."

I chuckle a little bit. "Well, maybe if you weren't wearing sunglasses as it gets dark you would be able to see someone before you run into them."

He smirks a little bit. "I'm not sure it would help very much."

"What do you mean?" I ask, cocking my head to the side.

"It wouldn't help at all, because I can't see anything anyway."

Still very confused I repeat my prior question.

He slowly reaches up and takes off his sunglasses to reveal eyes that are so light blue they almost look like ice. Then it hits me.

He's blind.