Out of the Darkness - A KathNiel Story

Chapter 5

"Here." Marlann encouraged, guiding her towards a keyboard set up and she pulled out the chair for her before placing Kath's hand down on the desk. "The chair is to your left," Marlann said, watching ready to help as Kath let the strap on her white cane go around her wrist and she reached to her left for the chair, finding it and she held onto the back of it to help her lower herself down so she was sitting at it and she pulled herself in closer to the desk.

"Are you next to me?" Kath asked, turning her head in the direction she knew Marlann was - she hadn't heard her move anywhere else.

"My project is on the computer - I'm using a production program, but I'll come and make sure you're okay... if you want me to?" Marlann said and Kath hesitated before nodding her head. The sniggering had thrown her completely, made her impossibly more nervous. She may not completely trust Marlann yet, but Marlann was all she had for support. "Okay, cool," Marlann said enthusiastically, before leaning in closer to her. "Lose yourself in the music, it helps," Marlann whispered.

"Why do you think I'm doing a degree in it?" Kath whispered back, hearing Marlann sigh and she felt Marlann touch her shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly before she walked away. She could hear a chair scrape against the wooden floor across the room, but then she could hear unfamiliar footsteps coming closer to her.

"Hi, Kathryn-" The teacher started.

"Kath." She corrected her teacher.

"Sorry - Kath... Welcome to our class! It's very exciting for us to have you, you're very welcome here." The teacher said. "My name is Grace, we go by first names here, and basically what we expect you to do like your big project this year is to create an EP. It can be original music, remixes, a mixture of the two... your friend Marlann? She's creating an EP entirely of musical songs she's doing covers of, but she's creating the backing tracks herself to make them more her own - you can do something similar if you want or if you have any other ideas, you can come and ask me." Grace explained and Kath reached out with her hands, feeling the keyboard on the desk in front of her.

"Can I record on this?" She asked.

"Yes, and we transfer your work over to a USB at the end of every class, I can ask someone to help you do that if you-"

"I can play the piano without my sight, I don't need constant babysitting," Kath said and Grace sighed, seeing how close Kath was to tears.

"I didn't mean to offend you, sweetheart... are you okay?" Grace asked and Kath just nodded her head. She didn't mention the fact that she was laughed at for simply stumbling into a table seconds after she came into the room, she didn't mention how much she hated the fact that she was blind and how she struggled to trust anybody at all. She didn't want to be pitied, she didn't want charity and she knew her father felt the same way - he was protective over her, she didn't want him finding out.

"I'm fine... I-I'm sorry, it's just..." Kath trailed off and the teacher gave her a soft smile, even though she knew Kath couldn't see her. Every teacher had gotten a briefing in regards to Kath, just in case they saw her around and she needed help. Every teacher knew that she had no sight at all, just for her own safety.

"It's scary enough to start a new University when you have your sight, let alone when you don't... I'll leave you to it. Raise your hand if you need any help, alright?" Grace said, before walking away and Kath sighed, feeling the pity coming her way from the teacher. She felt around for the headphones she knew would be attached and she eventually found them, placing them over her ears and her fingers brushed against the keyboard keys. She felt instant comfort and relief as she pushed down on a chord and heard the music fill her ears and she immediately lost herself in the music.

Teddy was relieved to see his daughter coming out of the main building of the University, talking to a young woman. "Kath!" He called and she turned her head in his direction for a moment before saying goodbye to the woman she was talking to and Teddy came closer, taking her hand to hook her arm through his so he could guide her to the car. "How was your first day?" He asked and Kath shrugged, moving her white cane in front of her as they walked at a slow pace towards the parking lot - Teddy always walked too slow for Kath's liking, but his protectiveness stopped him from going any faster.

"It was fine," Kath answered, getting into the car once Teddy had placed her hand on the handle.

"Just 'fine'?"

"Yes, Dad, it was just 'fine'," Kath mumbled, collapsing her white cane and holding it in her lap - she didn't need it anymore.

"Your Mom has been worried all day about how you were getting on," Teddy said, starting to drive them home and Kath inaudibly sighed.

She couldn't tell him about the students that had laughed at her.

They'd never let her go back.

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