The Blind Girl And The Quarterback (Wattys2017)

Chapter 23

I laid on my bed tossing a hackey sack in the air and catching it repeatedly. I was so bored. Finally after awhile my mom called me down for dinner. As I made my way through the hallway, I saw that more things had changed. There were more pictures of Garry and I hung on the walls.

I didn't realize how much I've actually changed over the years. My eyes were still the same color, but there was something different that shone in them too. I can read small words now, I still have a hard time reading actual words.

I also got my driver's license. They said not to worry about getting a permit first. The people there were so kind and told me to just enjoy seeing the world again. So I did. I drove around and went sight seeing for about 3 hours yesterday after going to Aaron's house. The world is beautiful, but yet so destroyed.

I found a book called 'Suicide Notes by Michael Thomas Ford.' I read the first paragraph, which took me about fifteen minutes even with some help. It said that astronauts get sick when they come back to earth from the moon. The reason being is because they've spent so much time in an area where smell doesn't exist, that when they come back to earth all they smell is the stench of rotting meat. It's kind of grotesque, I know, but it makes you wonder about the things we take for granted. Or the things we may think are beautiful on the outside, aren't on the inside.

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*1 week later*

Aaron called me earlier wanting to know if I'd like to go on an official date. So here I sat putting on makeup for the first time. I couldn't seem to get it right.

"Mom!" I called out.

Yes?!" she called back.

"Can you come help me?!" I yelled and I heard the echo of Garry's groan at our yelling followed by the sound of my mother's footsteps approaching my door. I looked over at her. "I need help with my makeup."

She smiled and came over and did my makeup in about 10 minutes. Once she was done she stepped back to look over her work and let me look into the mirror seeing a girl I didn't even think was me at first.

"Is this really me?" I asked her flicking my eyes toward her. Tears shown in her eyes as she nodded. I looked back towards the mirror and leant forward slightly. I lightly touched my bow bright red lips and rosy cheeks in wonderment. "I don't even look like me." I whispered. My mom's hand gently touched my shoulder.

"You are Ruby, you always have been." She whispered and I felt something wet land on my shoulder and knew she was crying.

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I had dressed into a nice blue dress with sequined patterns near the hem of it. I put on a pair of my mother's black three inch stilettos and let my hair down naturally. I looked in the mirror one last time and made my way to the living room.

Garry was sitting on the couch across from the tv watching football then glanced up at me. His eyes almost immediately widened.

"What the hell are you wearing?! And-" he squinted his eyes at me, "is that, makeup?!" I smiled and nodded laughing slightly.

"Yeah, I'm going on a date with Aaron," I said and sat next to him.

He squinted his eyes at me. "When's he picking you up?" I looked at the clock.

"Fifteen minutes," I replied.

"Ok, and where's he taking you?"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you 'don't know'." He squinted his eyes at me again. I rolled my eyes at his protectiveness.

"He said it was a surprise."

He nodded and looked at me worriedly. "Just tell me where he takes you when you get there ok?" He said. I nodded smiling slightly. Then his protectiveness kicked in again.

"Do you have your pepper spray?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?!"

"Because why would I need it?"

"So if he tries anything."

"He's not going to try anything!"

"You never know! And when's he bringing you back?"

"At tw-"

"Oh stop interrogating her Garrett," my mom laughed. Both our heads whipped towards as she stood there smiling and rolled her eyes at us. "Aaron's waiting for you on the porch," she winked, "he told me his plans for Ruby so don't worry Garry." I stood up and brushed myself off and Garry stood up next to me.

"Be safe little sis," he whispered as he pulled me into a tight hug. I smiled and hugged him back.

"Always," I whispered back then released him and made my way to the porch to greet Aaron. Aaron stood there in a nice suit with a red rose gripped gently in his hands.

As soon as he saw me, he knelt on one knee and held the rose out looking up at me. "For you m'lady," he said in an almost perfect British accent. I gently took the rose from him and smiled as he stood back up and gently placed his hands on my waist, pulling me towards him and leant down and kissed me lightly.

It was a short kiss and I was almost disappointed when he pulled away. I set the rose on the small table on the inside of our doorway and shut the door behind me. He put an arm around my back and swiftly took his other arm and lifted me up bridal style. I smiled as he then proceeded to carry me to the car and cautiously and gently lower me into the passenger seat and buckle me in. He then hopped into the driver's side, started the car, and we were off.

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Aaron ended up taking me to a small cliche cafe. I ordered a mocha as he ordered a cappuccino. I was taking a sip of my mocha as darkness clouded my vision if only for a second then cleared again. I shook my head and thought to myself I must've just blinked a little long is all.

Once it was time to order, we became even more cliche. We order a big bowl of spaghetti for the both of us. It was just like in a movie. After dinner he took me to a movie. We went and saw Sing just because we could. It was the best night I could've asked for.

He brought me home at midnight as promised. We said our goodbyes and I took a quick shower to rid myself of all the makeup. I then got dressed in pajamas and laid in bed. I could've sworn it went pitch black even before I fell asleep.