•DISCONTINUED• Blind [A One Direction Fanfic] -Amy's Adventures Book 3-

Chapter 8

~Niall's POV~

For the entire week after the interview, I spend most of my time at the eye doctor's, learning how to be blind. Exactly one week after the interview, when I can barely see my hand in front of my face anymore, we head to the hospital to get a scan of my brain. You know, to make sure my sight is the only thing I'm going to lose. Brain damage is unpredictable, apparently. But of course, the only thing that was affected was my sight, so late Tuesday night, as I collapse on the couch after a long day of interviews and fans wishing me well, I'm not really worried. Even though I can barely see Liam in the bright light of the room, even though the doctor predicted that I had a couple of days at the most, the thought manages to slip from my mind. Exhausted, I close my eyes, immediately falling asleep.

The next morning, the thought that somehow escaped me returns full force, as I open my eyes to Liam's voice.

"Niall, wake up, we've got an interview." Liam says, and I feel something poke my cheek. I open my eyes and gasp, knowing fully well that Liam is right in front of me, but unable to see him. "Niall, what's wrong?" Liam asks. I guess he forgot, too.

"I can't see you." I say, sitting up and looking around, my eyes wide. Even though I've been preparing for this for weeks, it's still a shock to feel light on my face but not see it.

"Lads!" Liam yells, and I hear three sets of feet pounding down the stairs. Two of them start to ask what's wrong, but as soon as they see me staring off into space, at least I assume that's what I look like, everyone is completely quiet.

"We have an interview today." I say. It's a statement, not a question, but Liam still confirms it.

"In about fifteen minutes the cars should be here." He says, and I sigh.

"I've been mentally preparing for this for weeks now, but nothing can really prepare you for complete blindness. It just feels so... strange." I say, putting my hand out in front of me. Liam presses his hand into mine and helps me stand, then transfers my hand to his upper arm like the doctor told him to.

"Let's get to your room and get you changed. We don't want you wearing the same clothes as yesterday now do we?" He jokes, helping me up the stairs. In one night I've become completely dependant on other people. You never think about how important your sight is to everyday things until you no longer have it. I wish I'd appreciated it more.

~•~•~•~•~

I sit uncomfortably, listening to Paul instructing the other lads on where not to go and what not to do. There's no point in telling me because I can't go anywhere without someone else's help, so he's directing his attention on my friends.

"Niall, come on, it's time." Louis says, and my hand finds his arm pretty easily. I'm wearing a pair of sunglasses now, even though we're indoors, because I felt like it would look strange for me to just be staring off into space throughout the interview. My other option was to keep my eyes closed, but that also felt a bit weird so I decided against it.

"Alright, Harry will go out first, then Liam, then Louis and Niall, and Zayn will bring up the rear." Some woman says, and someone clips a microphone to my shirt. "You're on in 5." She adds, and I listen as high heels click away. My hearing appears to have improved, probably because I have to rely on it a lot more now.

"Here they are, One Direction!" A man, can't remember who he is, says, and Louis pulls me forward. I smile, letting him guide me to our seats, where I sit down right next to Louis, releasing his arm and praying that I'm at least sort of looking in the right direction.

"A little to the left, Niall." Zayn whispers, and I turn my head just a bit.

"So, obviously we've got to start with the big, current news." The man says. "Niall, you revealed in an interview about five days back that you had a week, tops, until you lost your sight. How's that going?" I sigh, pointing to the sunglasses.

"As of this morning, my sight is completely gone. Woke up this morning to a disembodied voice. Not a fun way to find out you're blind, let me tell you." I say, smiling a bit.

"Sorry about that, lad." Liam apologizes, and I shake my head.

"Freaked me out a bit at first, but it wasn't your fault. Honestly I think seeing your face right in front of mine would have been scarier than just your voice." I admit, imagining the offended face Liam is pulling. "I'm not saying you're ugly or anything, but..." I trail off, smirking.

"Looks like you've gained some sass." The interviewer comments, laughing. "What exactly is the story behind your blindness? We know it involves Greg Smith, but any specifics?"

"Well, when Niall was kidnapped a couple of years back, he suffered from some head trauma. At this point, after a couple of tests were done in the past week, we think that Greg tried to kill him before he stuck him in the alleyway he was found in. Blunt force trauma to the back of the head and a big cut across his chest. Losing his sight may be bad, but he barely even lived." Liam says, somehow able to decipher all of the medical nonsense the doctors said about what caused my blindness.

"Um... apparently Liam understood that much better than I did because I honestly had no idea what really caused it." I admit, shaking my head. "Either way, it's in the past now, what's done is done, and I'm much happier blind than I would be dead. At least, I assume so."

"Good luck, Niall." The man says.

"Thank you." I reply, adjusting my sunglasses.  "I'm probably going to need it."