The Bright Side of Darkness

Ten

A/N: The timeline got a bit messed up on this... this occurs after chapter 8, meaning it's basically a chapter 8 part two...

"If you thought Bain was annoying before, he'll be even worse now," Travis says as he takes me to his truck. "He ran away with his tail tucked between his legs, but if we know that asshole, he'll be back."

I shrug. Whether Bain now has a grudge against me is no longer concerning. If he goes after me in any way, it will have bad repercussions in public and at school. It isn't like he can steal my girl like in the past, considering Roxie has already moved on with a college guy, but it's hard to tell what Bain's revenge looks like. The guy is about as consistent as his girlfriends – if you can even call them that.

"You gotta stop pushing everyone away, man." Travis lets go of me as I feel for the cold metal of the door handle. "How long do you think people are gonna let you get away with everything? Being angry about your circumstances isn't an excuse to take it out on other people."

I sigh as I wait for him to get in on the driver's side. Once the door slams shut, I respond. "I know that, Travis. Bain has just been getting on my nerves, and I've finally got the balls to do something about that. He thinks he's entitled to anything and everything. It won't hurt him to be knocked down with a tier or two."

I can imagine him rolling his eyes as the truck turns over. "Whatever. You've gotta stop pushing people away."

How am I pushing people away? Bain was hardly my friend, so that doesn't make it possible to push him away. Besides, Bain wouldn't dare lay a finger on me. Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't kick his ass. And Bain was the only person I've 'pushed away' so far.

"Have you apologized to Emori?"

My head whips in his direction. "What?"

"I said -"

"I know what you said!" To be honest, the thought of apologizing to Emori never crossed my mind, and the guilt from that stabs at my chest. An apology is due, but after what she said last night, I'm sure she already knows I'm sorry. "And no, I haven't."

"Tay -"

"Let it go." I shift away from him. The further he pushes, the harder I have to fight to stay calm. "I'll apologize when I see her next."

He sighs but doesn't say anything more for the rest of the ride to my house. Apologies aren't my best quality. In the past, I've never had a real reason to apologize. I've never done something idiotic enough to warrant it. This is different.

By the time we reach the curb outside my house, the silence has become unbearable. "I'll text you later. Tell your sister I said hey," Travis says as I grab my phone off the dash.

I wave to him as I walk up my front lawn. On my first day home from the hospital, I memorized the number of steps between the sidewalk and my front door. Thirteen. Nine if I take large steps. Despite how much it hurts to remember, I've memorized the number of steps between every room in the house, too, including every path leading away from the door.