Love is Blind

Chapter 4: Misunderstanding

My eyes kept wandering from my touch screen to the clock that was positioned above my kitchen table; two o'clock in the afternoon. My plans had totally turned to dust, and the internet was down. What was an introverted guy, like me, to do? Of course, there was the television, which held many different channels full of entertainment, but I was beginning to tire of just sitting still. When I die and my life flashes before my eyes, I want what I see to be worth it. I want to be able to think to myself, yeah my life was successful. Screw it, I threw myself from the comfy heat of the couch and scrambled to my bedroom. Many of the scarfs I owned were hung from the ceiling rafters and acted like a canopy, shielding my bed from the rest of the room. I took my time picking the perfect scarf and decided on a blue and yellow plaid one. I strung it around my neck and exited the apartment. It was a new day, but it felt like a new life. I felt like I was just emerging from my cocoon, and the world was a scary, new place compared to my old comfy abode.

"This butterfly isn't a caterpillar anymore, bitches!"

I started flapping my arms up and down like an absolute freak, and I'm sure people were starting to stare. But, I couldn't care less. I spun around in circles and thought all that was missing was rain. I imagined myself tipping my head up to the sky as giant, wet drops licked my face. I imagined myself spinning, while drops of water flung off my coat and scattered on the pavement. The hint of a smile flitted across my face, before I opened my eyes and saw a girl standing on the corner, watching me. I stopped where I was and met her warm stare. She placed a gloved hand over her mouth and with the other, she motioned for me to come over. My over-active imagination kicked in, and I questioned my higher want to follow her. After all, she could be a serial killer. After a brief moment of deliberation, I decided that following her wouldn't be too bad of a decision. Once she realized I was willing to follow her , she disappeared around the corner. I had thought she would at least have waited for me to catch up to her before she started walking, but no, she just walked away, before I even saw her face. I proceeded around the corner, just to see that she had either left me alone, or she had hidden somewhere among the brightly colored shops.

It seemed that everywhere I looked, another purple, orange, or yellow umbrella stood tall, contrasting against the dull grays of the streets. I quickly became confused, when after twenty minutes of looking, I still couldn't see her light blonde hair or her giggly smile. I scanned the area, and then I saw it; two brightly colored, red vans sticking out from under the florist shop's hedge. I snuck up beside the hedge and heard distinct giggling. I'd remember that goofy laugh anywhere. I smiled to myself and gave her jumper cables. She screamed and covered her mouth, before it could get too loud.

"Why Dan, fancy seeing you here," she smiled warmly at me, and my heart melted. Her eyes were the bluest I've ever seen.

"Jamie," I breathed out.

"How are you? I was going to call you, but you know, the bro code."

She shook her head at me and sat down at one of the many tables. I followed suit, and soon we were having a heated debate about dragons and dinosaurs.

I couldn't help but stare as she used her hands to express what she was saying. Her imagination was so vivid, and I don't think I've ever met someone that smiley before. The time ticked away as if I were sleeping, and not once, had the smile left her face.

After a brief comfortable silence, I finally spoke, and the cloud of silence dissipated.

"Well, you know what I do for fun, so what is it you do for fun," I smiled at her, in what I hoped was a flirtatious smile.

"Tell me again what you do for fun," she winked at me.

"I fall asleep in coffee shops and follow strange girls around market squares."

"Wow, you sound like a class A freak,"she pulled her sleeves up and leaned in closer on the table to me.

"When I wanna have fun, I hang with my best friend," a mischievous look took over her eyes, and I was beginning to get worried again. I could never tell what this girl was thinking.

"Oh yeah, who is this best friend of yours?"

"His name is Phil, and he's my brother,"her eyes softened when mentioning him, so I knew they were close.

"Why isn't he with you today?"

"He's running a pretty high fever, so he preferred to stay home."

"Why aren't you keeping him company, or do you not live with him?"

I knew it wasn't my place to ask, but I was curious. And besides, she didn't seem to be bothered by my many questions. In fact, she welcomed them.

"No, we live together because he doesn't like to be alone"

She began rifling through her bag and brought out four leaves. They were a little crumbly, but they were gorgeous, bright colors, nonetheless. She laid them out on the table and set a pebble on top of each one of them.

"And, I'm not with him because he asked me to do him a favor."

She looked down at the leaves, and a fleeting smile hinted her face.

"What was the favor?"

"He asked me to bring home some leaves, and describe them as best as I could."

"I'd say this one resembles a romantic evening, with a fireplace lit up and smooth jazz playing in the background," she held up a red leaf with orange speckles and pointed at the colors blending together.

"Why wouldn't you describe the leaf as red or orange?"

"Because, he associates colors with emotions," she continued examining the leaves, while I inwardly questioned this family's mentality. I was about to question her further, but then I saw her expression. And, I knew she was done on that topic.

In order to change the topic I said, "my best friend is a guy named PJ, but he's been acting weird lately."

She looked up from the leaves and smiled at me.

"You don't have any siblings."

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She had me figured out. The lightning bugs came out and illuminated the night sky, along with the many stars. Jamie, being the weird girl she is, pulled out a jar from her bag. What doesn't this girl have? And, she chased after the luminescent bugs. I laughed, as her hair flew out behind her and couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she was. She finally returned to the table, huffing and puffing with a jar full of lightning bugs. She set them in the middle of the table, after recollecting all the dead leaves. The bioluminescent lights framed Jamie's face in a flickering glow, and she rested her face on her hands.

I couldn't help myself, I leaned in, over the lights, and kissed her. It was a chaste kiss, but it felt special, nonetheless. At the same time though, it felt so right but so wrong. I must've romanticized the situation, when she wasn't giving off those vibes because she pulled back and stared at me in horror.

"I'm so sorry, I read the signs wrong. I thought you wanted me to kiss you," I scratched the back of my neck and tried not to look awkward. She looked to be evaluating what I said and was battling herself.

It seemed like forever, before she finally looked up at me. Her eyes were bright, and she attached her lips to mine again. She licked at my lips, and I allowed her to stick her tongue in my mouth. We sat there, at that table, kissing, and I had never felt so alive before. She backed away, breathing hard, and looked me in the eyes.

"I like you, Dan," she said.

"But, I can't date you."

I shook my head in disappointment but attained a small smile anyway.

"That's fine..."

"Until-" she interrupted.

"- you prove to me that you can get along with my brother,"

Is that it? I pretended to think it over for a bit. Then I said,"if that's what it takes, so be it."

She smiled and tore a piece of notebook paper. She quickly scribbled down her address and handed it to me.

"I'll call you, when he gets better." She hugged me and then was gone.

Get along with her weird brother, how hard could it be.