Eyes Meet

Chapter 2

"Are you sure you want to do this, honey?"

"Are you sure you want to let me?"

A loud sigh escaped my mum's mouth when I shot at her with that question. I could hear her preparing my lunch box as I sat on a small bench near the front door, putting my shoes on.

"I don't know how sure I am," She replied. I knew she was worried just by her voice.

"Maybe you should ask me" I chuckled.

"Okay then. How sure are you?"

"One hundred percent!" I answered with confidence built up in my speech. I had been waiting for this time to come and I couldn't be happier.

I stood up when I was perfectly in my school uniform; a white long sleeved, collared inner shirt with a red tie wrapped around my neck, black blazer paired with knee length skirt, red socks and black leather shoes.

I couldn't see them though. It was mum who told me their colours as the uniform I was wearing was different than the one I used to wear for my primary; when I still had my eyesight. If I wasn't wrong, that uniform used to be dark blue in colour.

"Okay then, I trust you"

I smiled as my right hand wandered, looking for my walking stick. I had always wanted to hear that sentence from her. She finally trusted me to walk all by myself to school. I had been waiting for that moment to come since I was ten, not long after the blindness started. Five years after that, mum finally made my dream come true.

"Thank you, mum! You are the best!" I jumped a little, expressing my appreciation.

"You would only say that if I let you do what you want"

"Ugh come on, that's not true" I groaned playfully, squinting my eyes and pressing a huge grin on my lips.

Mum's footsteps rushed into my ears shortly after.

"Your lunchbox is ready," She instructed as I heard her unzipping my school bag. "Make sure you don't leave it somewhere like you always do. I just bought this one"

"I'll try my best, can't promise" I laughed a little to hide the truth I didn't want her to know; things that happened to me during recess.

I wished I could tell her. I wished I could stop lying to her face that I longed for to see. I wished I could let her know that there were students bullying me, taking away my lunchbox while I was eating or even before I could eat the food she cooked for me. I wished I could bring back all the lunch boxes that she loved so much without having to say I left them somewhere and nowhere to be found.

I couldn't tell her or anyone else about that. I had tried to before but not even a word ever came out from my mouth. It was because I couldn't risk getting transferred to a different school. I liked that school. I liked the teachers. So I guessed I didn't have to like the students since I was there to study anyway. Except for those spoiled brats, that school was already perfect for me.

Mum used to insist that I should have gone to the special school where all kids with disabilities studied. But dad didn't like the idea at all. He said if I only mingled around with less fortunate kids just like myself, how could I survive the world later on? If I was put and kept in my comfort zone, what would happened after school since I would need to socialise with the normal people?

Whether in university, a coffee shop, or workplace, it would be very hard for me to get along in society. So he thought it was better for me to familiarise myself with those possibilities as early as I could, and I was very thankful he made that kind of decision.