Hope.

• Chapter 3 •

• Tyler •

The sound of footsteps and voices surrounded me as I clutched onto Iris for help. I gripped my folded cane tightly trying not to get trampled. She guided me through the crowd of hungry teenagers. I felt people push and shove me around.
My heart pounded in my chest in fear, I hated the feeling of being surrounded. It was too much to handle, the smells, the feeling, the noise.

I gasped as Iris sharply tugged me to a side. "Hey, it's okay," she said, placing an arm on my shoulder the sound of everyone's voices slowly fading in the background. I took in deep, shaky breaths as I tried to calm myself down. "Listen to me. I need you to breathe okay? Everything's okay. We don't need to go back out there if you're getting overwhelmed."

"I-It's just t-too loud," I stuttered, tears stinging my eyes. I quickly wiped them away in one swift motion. "I-I can't,"

"It's okay," she said, pulling me into a hug causing me to gasp in surprise. That's the one thing I hate about not being able to see. I can never know whether someone is coming to hug me or hurt me. It scares me. A lot. "Listen, we can wait here until everyone is in the cafeteria and then we can go. Alright?"

I nodded, sniffling as I pulled away from her. "Where are we waiting exactly?" I asked, sheepishly rubbing the back of my neck.

"Just in one of the classrooms," she responded, I heard the sound of a chair being scraped on the ground and the slight creaking of her sitting on it. "Wanna sit?"

"No, thank you."

"Suit yourself," she said, letting out a sigh.

After a minute or so I heard her get up. "Let's go?" she asked. I nodded and she guided me out of the class. The hallways were eerily silent except for the sound of my cane against the floor. I could still hear light chatter from what I was guessing was the cafeteria. We walked in the direction of the chatter as the voices started getting louder and louder causing my heart to start hammering in my chest.

As soon as we walked in the chatter quietened down for a second and the cafeteria broke out into collective whispered. My heart sunk as Iris grabbed my hand trying to comfort me. The silence just made the fact that I was different from everyone more emphasized. The whispers made me feel nauseous as I felt my knees buckle.

"Guys, what the heck!" Iris yelled, causing me to flinch slightly. Everyone became dead silent for a second before they resumed their loud chatter. I let out a small sigh of relief as I glanced in Iris' direction sending her a grateful smile. "No problem,"

I walked behind Iris following the sound of her footsteps. They were more concentrated and loud so I guessed she was wearing heels. After I went blind I started relying on my other senses especially hearing. That's why sounds that are perfectly bearable for some people make me frightened because for me it's the only thing I focus on.

Her footsteps stopped abruptly resulting me to halt. "Wait, how can you tell where I'm going?" She asked, an amused tone lacing her words.

"Your footsteps," I responded, biting my lip nervously.

"But the cafeteria is so noisy and there are like a bajillion people walking right now. How do you know which footstep is mine?"

"You're closer and your wearing pointy heels," I responded, cooly. When I was a little younger questions like these me made me angry. But now it makes me feel like I have some superhuman power.

But do not ask me if I'm like daredevil. Let me make it clear.
I. Am. Not. Daredevil.

"How did you know I was wearing heels?" She asked, now in a more exasperated voice.