When Eyes Fall

Chapter 1

Raymond is not excited to spend another day at another school. It's hard to make friends. Especially when you're blind. No one seems to want to hang out with him. The only reasonable explanation he can give himself is that he's an official freak. Why else do people intentionally avoid him?

"Ray, c'mon. You're going to be late for school." The sound of his mother's voice growing nearer snaps him out of his trance. What time is it? "Ray I know this is very difficult for you, but you know we don't have a choice..." The poor boy has moved three times since he started high school. This is only the second week of junior year... What has he ever done to deserve such poor treatment?

"Mom, I think I'm sick... I probably shouldn't go today." His voice is trembling. He wants nothing more than to lie back down and weep the day away, though he highly doubts that is a realistic option.

"Sweetie, I know you don't want to go, but I have to meet my boss in an hour and I-"

"Can't leave a blind boy to fend for himself. Yeah, mom, I know." Raymond interrupts his mother in an angry fashion. Her lack of faith in him is very upsetting. He is almost seventeen after all. And it's not like this hasn't been the norm for him his entire life. He could possibly understand if it wasn't...

"Oh, Raymond. I'm terribly sorry, you know I am, but we have to go. Quickly! You're already late... Oh dear! I will be soon." Mrs. Rickman is panicking now. It took her nearly three months to get this job and if all goes well , which she is now praying it will, she may have her dream job.

"Raymond, please hurry!" In a fit of rage, Raymond gets up quickly and nearly falls head first into his beautiful bronze doorway. However, he misses it narrowly when his mother blocks his head with her hand and uses her other arm to steady him. After that, fighting the tears become more difficult.

"I can't go! I can't deal with it anymore! Can't you get me a tutor? I can't see, mom! I can't take notes when I can't see. I can't tell when people are joking when I can't see! I make a fool out of myself because I can't see!" Raymond is sitting on his bed sobbing now. His mother is holding him tightly.

"Shhh. Everything will be okay. We're gonna find a way that'll work for you. It's just going to take time, alright?" She whispers the words soothingly into the ear of her wonderful son. The effort is nearly as painful as the scars he has from past bullies.

"No! It's not okay! It never will be!" Raymond is not angry, he is simply upset. This comes as a relief to his mother. His anger has seriously gotten out of control, though not as bad as that of most teenage boys. It's just worse because when he rages, he gets dizzy. And when he gets dizzy he is much more prone to falling.

Suddenly Mrs. Rickman's phone rings, causing both she and Raymond to jump. When she answers it she is shocked to hear the voice of her new boss.

"Hello. I'm calling for Abigail Rickman?" She lets the question hang for a second before responding.

"This is she speaking." Raymond goes still, listening intently. "How may I help you?"

"I understand that you recently moved, though I am quite disturbed by your absence. Where might you be?" Mr. Kravitz is growing very impatient. Raymond chooses that moment to get up and feel intently for his backpack. When his hand finally lands on it, he carefully puts it over his shoulders.

"I'm at home... My son had a meltdown. He is very anxious about going to a new school. It's not easy for him to adjust to change." There is a long silence on the other end.

"How old is he? Why does he get so anxious?" Mrs. Rickman looks up at Raymond so sincerely that it causes him to nod bravely. She smiles, though he cannot see it.

"He's seventeen. And he's blind. It's much more convenient for him when he knows way around." She is giving all she has to hide her enthusiasm. It's very difficult.

"Oh. My apologies. I didn't know... Feel free to take all the time you need. Within reason of course." He laughs weakly.

"Thank you so much for understanding, Mr. Kravitz. Words can hardly express how thankful I am." She is so excited that she isn't going to be fired for being late on her first day, that she is almost tempted to tell Ray to go back do bed. She quickly reconsiders, though.

"It's not an issue. Just please don't make a habit of it." The man smirks on the other end, proud of himself for easing her day.

"I won't." She sits there smiling like a fool for quite a while before he says goodbye and hangs up. Wow! What an amazing man! That's all Abigail could think as she helped Raymond to the car.

Thanks for reading Chapter 1! Please let me know if you enjoyed it :) If not I'm open to suggestions :P