Blinded Love
"So, do you want to sit with me and some friends at lunch?" Jacob asked me, and I smiled. Whenever someone spoke to me, I automatically moved my head in their direction, so that they weren't freaked out about me, only that I had my eyes closed. Really, I had tinted glasses so no one would see my closed eyes from afar, but I probably got loads of stares at school. Luckily for me though, I couldn't see them pointing, immersed in silent laughter, or staring at me because I had a 'funny stick' that I used to tell where everything was on the floor, and whether I could be expecting any steps anytime soon.
"Uh, yeah. Sure." I said, and carried on walking.
"This way." Jacob said, and to my surprise, he wrapped one arm round me and held my arms firmly, guiding me along another hallway. I felt the rush of cold air on my face, and knew instantly that they were sitting outside. In the distance, I heard voices.
"did you see the new girl? She hot!" Said a male voice, and I assumed that he called a lot of girls hot if you used the reference to me. I certainly wasn't even remotely pretty. I had honey blonde hair that was in a natural perm, and fell down a few inches past my shoulders. It wasn't waist length, but not my shoulders' length. It was about in the middle.
"Yeah, but blind. Poor girl." Said a slightly younger voice, and I knew instantly that I would like this person. They seemed considerate.
"Huh. Oh well. There are plenty of fish in the sea." Said the older voice again. Eugh. I hated how some guys thought like that; like descent girls were replaceable. Jacob's voice brought me away from these strangers.
"Laura, these are my friends. Paul, Seth, Jared, Embry and Quil." He introduced me, and I heard a chorus of 'hi' s. I felt for the back of a chair, found one, and sat down. They were talking about something that I had never heard of, so I didn't bother keeping up. I faded away, sinking deeper into the seat, leaving my lunch untouched.
"Hey, you gonna eat that?" Jacob asked, and I shook my head.
"Help yourself." I said, and heard the sound of wrappers being torn off. Obviously he and his friends were tucking in. I didn't feel hungry, in fact I felt kind of sick.
"So, Laura. Where did you move from?" Someone asked me.
"I moved from LA a week ago." I replied.
"Why? I mean, for one its cold and wet here most of the time." I sighed. I knew why; because I was too old for the care system there, and if I moved here, then me and my brother wouldn't get split up. Crap. My brother. He's probably losing his mind trying to find me.
"Me and my brother would get split up if we carried on living there." I answered, and made to leave.
"Where are you going?" Jacob asked
"I need to find my brother. He's probably losing his mind trying to find me." I said, and grabbed my stick from my bag.
"I'll help you find him." Jacob said. Ahh, he was so sweet.
"You don't need to do that." I said. He laughed.
"Who else is going to stop you from walking into doors?" He asked, and frowned. That was something I had gotten bullied about in my last school.
"I don't know. Hopefully God's in a good mood today." I said in reply. I was Christian, and definitely believed in God, but he laughed. In response, I scowled, and headed off. I felt his arm wrap around me to guide me, but I shrugged him off. Suddenly I heard my brother's voice.
"Laura! There you are!" He cried out, and I felt myself pulled into a hug.
"Sorry, I made a friend." I said, and I knew he was probably giving Jacob a death glare and mouthing threats to him. He had always done that to people he thought could hurt me, and I knew that from when I could see. Yes, even when he was five, he was trying to play the big boy.
"Okay. Where do you want to go?" he asked me. I considered my options.
"Can we head over to the music department? I really need to listen to music." I said, and then added, "Bye Jacob." I added, and heard quiet laughter from Tommy.
"What?" I asked him, a little annoyed.
"He left once I arrived." Tommy told me, and I felt myself blush. "Okay, let's go." He said, and guided me off.
After half an hour of listening to the orchestra, the bell rang, announcing the end of lunch.
"Do you enjoy music?" Someone asked. They had an important air to them, so I assumed they were a music teacher.
"Yeah."
"Do you play?" he asked, and I wished I still could.
"No, I used to, but now I can't."
"Do you sing?" He asked, and I smiled. I loved singing; it had been my favourite thing to do after the fire.
"Yeah, but I have to learn the song from memory."
"Do you want to join the choir?" he asked me, and I smiled.
"Yeah, that would be cool." I replied.
"Okay, it's Wednesday lunchtimes here. I see you there!" he said enthusiastically, and then I heard some footsteps approach.
"Hi Laura! Ready for next lesson?" Tommy asked me, and I nodded. He guided me to the next classroom. Somehow though, I felt my mind wander to the guy I had met today; Jacob. There was something about him that made me feel wanted, safe and comfortable. I knew it was dangerous to think like that about a guy though, so I suppressed my feelings.
"Miss Barnet, would you care to answer the question?" A teacher asked me. Crap. I hadn't heard. Suddenly I heard someone whisper to me; 'x equals seven point two five.' I was grateful to this unknown person.
"x equals seven point two five." I told the teacher
"Correct. Miss palmer, what is b?" The teacher continued with his endless torture. My hand was loose at my side, when I felt someone push a note into it. I ran my finger across the surface of it, and was delighted to find the person in question had pushed down hard on the paper, so I could feel the words. It read;
I'm Seth, from lunch. One of Jake's friends.
I replied, writing on the bottom of the page.
Thanks' for saving me on the question.
I answered, and put my arm behind me, so that the teacher wouldn't see anything, but I would be giving the note back to Seth. I heard the scratching sound of a pen, and soon enough the paper was in my hand again.
What did you mean at lunch when you said you had to move here or you and your brother would get split up?
It read, and I bit my lip. Suddenly, I felt the paper snatched out of my hands.
"Miss Barnet and Master Clearwater, detention for passing notes. Stay back after school for half an hour to reflect on what you have done." The teacher said, sounding pleased that he had caught us. I sighed softly. Looks like I would have to get the bus back, or hold up everyone from the care home. Mind you, most went to Forks High School instead, so they wouldn't be held up.
"Is there anything you would like to say?" The teacher asked.
"Sorry Mr Fisher." Seth said, but I swear I heard him mutter; 'not like I'm trying to help Jake out or anything.' I wondered what he meant by that. Had Jacob asked him to spy on me? I hoped I wasn't getting a stalker.
"Sorry." I said, and the teacher harrumphed. The lesson ended, and I felt someone help me to the door.
"Thanks." I said.
"You're welcome. I'm Seth, by the way." So this was one of Jacob's friends.
"Oh, right. Sorry I got you in trouble."
"Nah, it was me."
"Yeah, but I didn't hide it." I countered.
"Forget it. It's fine." He was very kind.
"Okay." I heard my brother's voice.
"Hey Laura. How was last lesson?" I sighed.
"I kinda got a detention; I've got to stay back half an hour."
"What! Why?" He shouted, and I flinched.
"I was passing a note with someone."
"Laury…." He said, using my old nickname.
"Yeah, I'm sorry." I apologised. I knew he would forgive me; he never got angry me. everyone else; yes. Me; never in a million years.
"How are you going to get home?" here was something I didn't know the answer to.
"I don't know."
"I'll stay back half an hour to wait for you." My brother always looked out for me. I smiled.
"Thanks Tommy. Did you make any friends today?" I hope he did.
"yeah, I hung out with these boys called Daniel, and Eliot." I sighed in relief
"That's good. You need friends, not just a sister who's blind as a bat."
"It's not your fault" he said. Automatic from when others would tease me about it, but I heard the double meaning. He was trying to blame himself.
"It's not yours either." We sighed in unison.
"I'm going to head to detention."
"I'll be waiting nearby."
"Okay, see you." I smiled weakly at him, and felt my way into the classroom.
"Ahh, Miss. Barnet. You decided to join us, did you? Take a seat at the front." The teacher's voice loomed across the small classroom, and I could hear it bouncing off the walls. He was trying to be intimidating. Obviously I hadn't made a good impression on him. I sat down at the desk, and tried very hard to imagine myself back in the care home.