Colorblind

[moffnat]

[fieldbox=Genna Ritter; Flamboyant Friend, silver]"You need to grow a pair, Bracky. You can't be so angry all the time." Genna brought the cigarette to her lips, breathing in the sweet poison and blowing out the smoke into the air. "Your temper with your phone really pissed me off. Why'd you have to throw it? How can I get ahold of you to bitch about my day?"

"Enough. I know." Brackston pulled out the new phone, recently purchased, and began adjusting his settings with a sigh. "I just get so pissed when people make me out to be a bad guy. I'm not. Gets on my nerves is all."

"Then don't be an asshole. Telling someone to piss off and then throwing your phone like a baby was a douche move. It's like...worse than what I would do."

"You haven't seen the things I've seen, Genna."

"No. I haven't. But I can't make your image better if you're not gonna help me make it better! Geez, Bracky. Work with me here. People are asshats. Gotta deal with it, and I know you're better than your anger." She picked up one of the throw pillows on his couch and looked it over, smiling. "I'm leaving. And this is cute, so I'm taking it."

Brackston gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Fine, fine. You comin' over tonight?"

"Yeah. I'll pick up some cherry vodka on the way over, too. See ya then!" Genna gave a cheery wave and left with her prize, hugging the pillow as she descended the elevator to leave the expensive apartment that her best friend inhabited. Reaching her car, the agent pulled out her phone and began flipping through useless messages of people she didn't care about half as much as anyone else, until a peculiar set of words drew her eye.

Genna, you didn't tell me the girl was blind! Her dog is so cute! So many people here to see! xoxo

"Dammit Jane, you stupid media skank. I hate you. Don't text me." Genna groaned and tossed her phone in the passenger seat, turning on the car and pulling out of the garage.

"Guess I gotta go save Bracky's girlfriend now. What a fun little twist to my day."

---

The Kelley home was swarmed in media and paparazzi presence, clicking cameras and microphones and shouting calls, and Genna was having none of it. She muttered curses under her breath as she put her car in park and opened the driver's door to yell at the invading forces.

"Everyone, everyone!" she shouted in a shrill voice, grabbing their attention almost immediately. "Mister Banks will be having a conference thingy to tell all of you annoying rats what's going on. Okay? Okay. Leave the blind girl alone or I'll call the damn cops. Okay. Bye bye. Yes, you too."

"But we were just--"

"Shut up, Jane, nobody likes you." Genna forced her way through the throngs of media personnel and into the Kelley home promptly, without an invitation, without any form of acceptance. She closed the door, locked it, and turned to the family huddled in the center of the room with a smile as if this were the sort of thing she dealt with daily.

"Hello fat man. Nice lady. Blind girl. I'm Genna Ritter, Brackston Banks' agent. You must be the Kelleys?"[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]Brian had to glance down at his gut before the realization hit him that the woman was speaking to him. While he hated to consider himself fat, the beer certainly wasn't proving any points. He glowered her way and kept a safe hold around his daughter now that he had her. Judith was somewhere in the familial embrace, wiping the streaks and tears off of Evelyn's face.

"While I appreciate the gesture, would ya kindly leave him out of it?" Brian sneered. "I don't want anythin' to do with the boy, look at what he's done here."

"Brian, that's enough!" Judith screeched over her daughter's head. There was nothing the teen could do to escape the arms of her parents. Even if she tried, there was no other place she'd rather be. The comfort of warm flesh against her skin made her feel safe, protected, and she curled instinctively into her mother as if she were beginning to crouch into a fetal position, finding a place back inside her mother's womb. She didn't know what to think or feel after the onslaught of media asking her a wide range of questions, all of which related back to her encounter with Brackston.

Somehow, they'd managed to not only find Evelyn's home, but learn things about her. A few of the paparazzi had commented on her sight, others her dog. It gave the general vibe that they knew she was blind and that Brackston had taken her home as some kind of charity, as they'd claimed. She refused to believe it could only be for his personal image. Brackston had honestly cared for her the entire way home, and had he been so inclined, all he would've had to do to sever the connection was up and leave. Evelyn was blind, she wouldn't have been able to see it anyways. That wasn't the case however, Brackston had gone so far as to lead her right up to her front door and knock on the wood.

He'd had his chance to run, and Evelyn wanted to believe in his inherent good. Brackston hadn't fled. He didn't tease her or mock her for being sightless, no. He bravely stood at her side and held her hand in order to see to it that one girl, just one soul in the masses of all of LA, made it home safely to see her family again.

"Yes, we're the Kelleys." Judith answered for the family of three, separating from the huddle in order to shake Genna's hand. "But how did you, never mind. I won't ask how you found us. They seemed to be able to find us without much difficulty."

Brian reluctantly followed his wife's lead and stuck out his hand, giving a firm shake to the new face. That only left Evelyn, standing in the living room with her arms around herself with her eyes straight forward. As they always looked, she appeared to be focusing on some distant place, both her mind and physical eyes clouded over with a fine mist. She didn't bother to try to introduce herself. There was no question that Genna knew who Evelyn was, the now popular Evelyn Kelley.

She did try to wipe her face to at least attempt to appear friendly instead of disheartened and afraid, but she was unable to hide the redness around her eyes that proved she'd been crying only moments beforehand. The ordeal had shocked her, terrified her really, into submission and tears after being at the mercy of the media.

"You probably already know me." Evelyn cocked her head to the side, tucking the disarray of red hair into a smooth curtain around her head. "Evelyn, the blind girl. Brackston's new girlfriend, the lucky girl, the victim of his personality. Is this all because of yesterday?"

"Evelyn, come 'ere, why don't ya sit down." Brian ushered the frazzled teen onto the couch, and focused on consoling her instead of routing his energy into sending pangs of irritation to Genna. His daughter's emotions were more important than his own anger. Evelyn leaned into her father's chest, curling up her feet on the couch and submitting into the man's chest. He held her tight, and whispered words inaudible to the two women just in the entryway.

"Thank you, Genna." Judith sighed. "You at least got them out of our lawn, thank you. Now, is there something you needed, honey? I hope Mr. Banks isn't too upset over yesterday, I honestly feel bad about the whole thing, we all do. Well, there's not much we can do about it now, it's not as if we run into celebrities every day...oh look, I'm rambling now."[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox=Genna Ritter; Flamboyant Friend, silver]"Blah blah blah, yeah. I get it. You don't have to be all formal. I'm not some rich prick." Genna pulled out an electronic cigarette from her sparkly purse and began smoking from the cylinder, plopping down in a great chair by the window and letting her feet rest on the ottoman before her. Nothing about her aura suggested she was a stranger in a foreign environment.

Make myself at home, right? That's totally what they meant to say.

"Listen up, Kelleys. Bracky came back to his apartment all grumpy about how he was treated here. Now, I know he's got some anger issues, trust me, I know more than anyone, but ya gotta give the poor guy a chance. He's been through some real shit, know what I'm sayin'? Real stuff. Things the movies can't even dream of." She took a breath of her tobacco and let the smoke release through bright red lips.

No one knows him better than I do. I want to protect him.

"Anyway. I think he really liked miss Sightless over there and he probably would like to see her again. I think you should. God knows the guy needs something to ground him. Normally I wouldn't prescribe a girl for the pain because girls are awful creatures, but this is a different circumstance! The guy's twenty-six. He ain't gettin' any younger and I'm sick of telling people that they can't go out with him. It's boring and he doesn't like bleach blonde fake tan bimbos only looking for a sugar daddy. Okay? Okay. It's settled. Here's his number. I'll get ya a pen."

Genna shot up from the chair and crossed the homey little room, entering the kitchen and snatching a pen and notepad from the counter. She returned to the living room and tossed both items to the Kelley mother, applauding as she caught it with shocked grace. "Smooth! There's his number. Let me check my phone for a nice restaurant that won't be swarmed by paparazzi for your date, blue eyes." She pulled out her phone and took a matter of thirty seconds to find somewhere suitable. "Okay. Acabar, seven-thirty on Saturday. Done. No parents though! Jesus, the girl is clearly old enough to make her own choices. Brackston'll be there early. Blind date, hehehehe. Ahem. Okay. This place smells like beer and it's gross. I'm leaving."

In a flurry of words, hardly giving the Kelley family any time to interject, she opened the door and waved to the blind girl. "Bye Evie! See ya soon."

And then, she was gone.[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]Are you sure you want to go?

Asked the same question a dozen times, Evelyn had only repeated her answer. Yes, yes, and yes. Her mother had some idea of why Evelyn wanted to see Brackston, but it wasn't a conversation she dared to have with her father. At the mention of the dinner date he grew pale, and his anger sealed his lips out of overwhelming hatred for the selfish actor. Evelyn persisted, meeting with Brackston the least she could do was apologize for the horrible evening he'd had to suffer through at her home, or at least the small fraction of an hour he'd sat at their dining room table. A father would always worry about his daughter, blind or not, when she went to meet a boy.

What are you going to wear?

That was always a tough question. Evelyn let her mother do most of her shopping for her, and the teen was lucky enough to have a mother who at least paid attention to the popular trends. She was by no means a fashion expert, but Judith would never send her daughter out of the house looking anything less than acceptable in her blind state. There wasn't a single frumpy sweater in Evelyn's entire wardrobe. Anything too complicated to put on was out of the question, and if Evelyn couldn't see the low cut to adjust it, she wasn't allowed to wear it. Heaven forbid a mother send her daughter out into the world flashing them, ignorant to her immoral and impromptu show. Mini skirts were also a banned item of clothing.

Although Evelyn couldn't see the classic dress her mother had put her in, she could feel the fabric as she twirled her hips from side to side. It brushed just around her knees and made her back feel barren. Besides that, her chest felt a little more exposed than usual, but her mother wouldn't admit to the lack of coverage being intentional. Judith could only promise that she looked beautiful, and she'd said it a hundred times. It was a good time for mother and daughter to bond. She pulled up Evelyn's red hair into a messy up-do, using all the bobby pins in her arsenal. Evelyn felt every tug and tear into her scalp, but never uttered a word of complaint as her mother played dress up.

Are you sure you don't want me to wait outside?

"Now, Evelyn, call me when you're done and I'll pick you up, alright?" Judith asked as they sat, waiting at a red light. Evelyn nodded her head. "And if anything goes wrong, you call me anyways. Even if Mr. Banks is sitting right at the table, I'm your mother, and I'll come get-"

"Mom, it's okay." Evelyn laughed nervously.

She gripped the walking cane in her hands. Thor wasn't allowed to come with, especially not after they'd looked up the restaurant Genna had picked. If that dog so much as licked a dinner plate, they'd be out thirty bucks. Judith didn't want to take any chances, well trained as he was. The Kellys already had enough problems when it came to Brackston Banks.

Judith parked across the street from the restaurant. Even though it was late, by only a relative measure of time, the place looked packed full of people in outfits meant more for clubbing than fine dining. Hesitantly, she walked around the car and helped Evelyn cross the street. She debated on the way over whether or not to simply wait with her daughter, but the girl from before, Genna, had been rather mocking about not having parents along for the ride. A mother could respect her own daughter's date, but leaving a blind child was another matter entirely. The very least she could do was lead her inside.

"Hello, and welcome to Acabar. How many?" A polite, black haired waitress asked.

"Actually, I'm waiting for someone." Evelyn answered. With the cane in hand, and the blank stare that looked straight on, she figured the woman might've clued in to her blindness.

"We can certainly seat you right away, and let your guest know that you've arrived when they show up! Right this way..." The waitress sounded further away. Judith let go of Evelyn in order to get her attention. As quietly as she could, she explained that Evelyn was blind, and the waitress raised a hand to cover her face in embarrassment. After they established that Evelyn literally couldn't see what the waitress wanted, they were finally able to explain that they were waiting for someone. This was language the waitress could understand, and she motioned to a bench against the wall.

Judith came back to her daughter's side. "Do you want me to wait?"

"No, that's fine, mom, I've got my phone." Evelyn waved her mother away. "Go on, I bet dad's worried. Tell him I'm having a blast."

She heard a sigh, but Judith didn't argue. Evelyn was old enough to make her own decision. It felt wrong to leave her there alone, but Judith reminded herself once again that Evelyn was an adult. She gave her daughter's shoulder a squeeze, one last look over the shoulder, and then returned to her car for the short ride home.

...what if he doesn't like me?[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
Brackston grumbled colorfully under his breath, buttoning the center of the black tux jacket with an aura of frustration about his every fiber. He ran his fingers through his hair and slipped his feet into shined shoes, all while frowning and casting glares in Genna's general direction. She had set him up in this most puzzling conundrum and he wasn't very excited about the entire ordeal, much less that he was forced into it. Genna did not miss his anger.

"What?" the girl asked at last, lifting her arms in a casual shrug. "What're you all pouty for?"

"I can't believe you did this."

"Did what?"

"Set me up," he replied with a bit of force. "Twice."

"Oh, come on. Don't be a pussy. Is it gonna kill ya to take a nice girl on a date? You need someone to ground you, Bracky, and to be quite honest the girl's a damn angel. Perfect for you. And even if it doesn't end up romantic, you can make a friend!"

"She doesn't even know what I look like." Brackston pushed out a sigh as he examined himself in the mirror. "If she had sight, I bet she wouldn't be attracted to a guy like me."

"What, a black guy?" Genna retorted bluntly. She was never one to censor herself, even if it meant easing a blow. "Shut up. You're hot. And it doesn't matter anyway because she can't see. It's not like she knows your race by the sound of your voice."

"She could. People do all the time."

"Could not. Stop it." The woman rolled her eyes and poured herself a glass of scotch straight from the bottle, and sipped it as if it were water. "You go. I'll be here binging on Netflix and drinking this yummy stuff. I deserve it after everything I've done for you."

"Everything you've--ugh." Brackston scoffed. "I would hardly call this a favor, but whatever. I'll go only because I owe that girl an apology, no other reason. Not even because you--"

"Okay! Bye bye Bracky, tell the blind girl I said hi!"

"Yeah, yeah." He took his wallet and keys and left the apartment without another word, trying to calm himself as he entered the hallway elevator to make his descent to the street level. Could he blame Genna for her actions? No, not at all. He knew that he was a lost soul, searching the vastness of an empty world for something he felt he could never quite grasp, but to be thrust into a situation he wasn't entirely prepared for made him extremely uncomfortable and he wished Genna had at least asked his permission before making such a bold move. Consent was key in Brackston's case. Still, there was nothing to be done about it now.

Besides, he thought as he got in his car, revving the engine to life. If I really didn't want to go, I wouldn't. That's gotta say something.

Acabar was one of the top-tier restaurants in the Los Angeles area, attracting plenty of celebrities and high-profile guests from Hollywood and Beverly Hills to a Mediterranean-style paradise. Brackston had been there before a few times before, though why Genna had told Evelyn to go to Acabar of all places was a mystery to him. Would the extravagance frighten her, even if she couldn't see it? Would the popularity be something she could sense? Wealth was never something Brackston was insecure about, yet in the "sights" of Evelyn Kelley things were foreign and different. And he hated it.

Or at least, he did, until he saw her sitting there.

Evelyn's fiery hair was piled atop her gentle head in a most elegant of fashionable buns, a classic Hepburn-style dress gracing her curvy and slender figure. Her skin was ivory and porcelain and soft to the touch, or so he imagined, and Brackston was stolen entirely off-guard by the sight of painted lips and lashes, gracefully dark liner shaping her icy blue eyes. Her expression beamed contentment. Brackston felt a small trace of warmth rise in his chest.

I can't even take her home, he thought sadly, because Genna is there. I bet she did that on purpose.

She didn't want me to spoil this, did she?

"...Evelyn?" he asked softly so he didn't startle her, crouching low upon his approach so he might seem less intimidating. Brackston couldn't explain the sudden desire to ensure her night was a good one. "Hey, uh. It's Brackston. Glad to see you made it. Sorry I didn't get here before you, that's awfully rude." He gave a little chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "You haven't been waiting long, have you?"[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]Evelyn cocked her head more towards the sound of Brackston's voice. He seemed close, but she didn't realize he was a mere foot from her face before sticking a hand out to find him. Almost immediately her fingers collided with his chest, and she flinched back in surprise. "Sorry." She blurted.

"It's not rude, no." Evelyn shook her head, sending the bouncing curls in a scarlet dance of their own. "I'm blind. You could be late every time, and I'd never know."

She smiled brightly, flashing a set of pearly whites, in the hopes that a bit of humor might lighten him up a little. It was easy to joke about her situation now that she'd been living without her sight for nearly twenty years, and there was no point in being shy about it. Blind was blind, and if she wanted to deny it, she'd be stumbling around in mismatched clothes with eyes shadow on her cheeks and lipstick on her eyes.

"Are you ready to be seated now? Lovely, follow me." The same waitress from before asked. Evelyn couldn't figure out where the woman was, what with all the background noise in the air. People chatted at tables, plates and silverware clanked together, laughter, the sizzling of oil from the kitchens, on and on. She knew how to block out the amplified noise, but finding one head in the crowd was impossible sometimes. The waitress was far out of reach, and Evelyn did the only rational thing she could and clung to Brackston's coat with her cane in her opposite hand.

"She's gone, isn't she?" Evelyn frowned. "I swear, you think she'd stop for a blind girl..." The last part she mumbled under her breath. Only those close enough nearby could hear a word she said. Brackston was kind enough to at least accept Evelyn's arm and lead her through the noise. A conversation about rent passed on her left, a whispered argument on her right, then finally the familiar voice of their waitress addressing them to a table unseen to the teen.

After navigating the maze of a dining room, a chair graced Evelyn's backside. The plush square of fabric let her sink gracefully into her seat after being pushed in close to the table. She would've sworn it was as if heaven itself had taken the form of a chair. Never in her life had she sat in something that was both entirely supportive of her back, and yet engulfed her into the soft seat. What kind of restaurant is this? Of course, the teen had no idea she was sitting in one of the most prestigious and popular places in all of LA to eat. Where celebrities went to be seen, and the rich went to see them. In the middle of it all was one oblivious red headed girl.

"Here are your menus, did you want anything to drink right away?" The waitress asked kindly. She felt a menu being pressed into her outstretched hands, and she struggled to figure out how to hold it. There was a plastic cover, where she assumed the items were listed, but it was like that on both sides. So, possibly double sided? Evelyn traced her hands along the surface to examine it as inconspicuously as she could.

"Just water...thanks." Evelyn responded shyly.[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
There were so many little things he'd forgotten due to the numbness of muscle memory, endless amounts of tiny gestures and objects and motions of habit that Brackston was used to with his gift of sight. Evelyn wouldn't have such an easy time. He lifted his eyes from the menu to watch her slender fingers fumble over the plastic in search of braille or something legible that she could sense, and the actor felt his frigid heart sink. He hadn't thought about the menu, the damn menu. Was she old enough to drink the wine he wanted to order? Had he even asked if she was allergic to seafood?

I'm a pretty dumb date.

"Waiter?" he inquired, holding out a hand to gently brush the arm of the nearest uniformed man that passed. "Do you have a menu in braille that she can use?"

The employee took one look at Brackston and another at Evelyn, before instantly offering rushed apologies. "Oh, of course! I'm terribly sorry, Mister Banks, I'll bring one right away. Apologies, ma'am." He was gone, and returned moments later with a menu for the blind, which he placed gently into the woman's hands. "There you go, Enjoy your meal."

I'm gonna have to remember things like that better.

Brackston sat rather awkwardly after the waiter made his exit, entirely unsure of what to say to break the ice. He couldn't talk about the weather--she couldn't see it. He couldn't ask her what her favorite flowers were, her favorite fashions, cars or jewels or other useless shit that most women talked about when they were around him. Evelyn had an entirely different understanding of the world, one he wasn't used to and frankly was quite uncomfortable with. He cleared his throat and took a sip of his water, setting the elegant menu down as he'd decided what to order.

Well, he thought gruffly, I may as well get this over with.

"I want to apologize for the way I acted earlier this week," Brackston told her with an air of much greater confidence, now that he was in an environment that better suited him. "I stormed out of your home and said some rude comments that I regret. I never treat women like that, it's against everything I stand for and I didn't mean to make that kind of impression on your or your mother." Brackston lifted his eyes to look at her, glad that she couldn't see how much he struggled to form the words.

"I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me."[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]Evelyn accepted the menu with a quiet muttered thanks. She set it down on the table in front of her in order to establish a good feel for what was around her. Her hand automatically searched for other objects with a practiced wave, able to move without disturbing any of the glasses set out between them. There was a cloth covering the table which felt coarse against her skin. To her immediate left, a wrapped set of silverware was left unopened. Am I supposed to put the napkin on my lap? On her right, a small dish she assumed was meant for any incoming appetizers. Evelyn moved the plate a smidgen away from the edge of the table in case she knocked into it, but it was the only adjustment she needed until the water was on the table. More likely than not, the blind girl would end up knocking something with her hand and causing a scene. She accepted it for a fact.

"It's alright, I can understand. We were being pushy, and my dad needed to be more polite, especially because you were our guest. For that, I should be the one apologizing to you. Nobody deserves to be judged on anyone else's word." Evelyn responded coolly. "But, you don't need me to forgive you. It's my mother, but I'll pass along the message if it makes you feel any better. But, if you see her, it'd be best to tell her, yeah?"

As if she hadn't given the man an important piece of advice, Evelyn found her braille menu and began to read. It gave Brackston a minute or two to let the words sink in, intentional words of wisdom or not, he'd have the time to ponder her subtle meaning. The menu she received was much thicker than the simple plastic page from earlier to make up for the long lines of raised dots. It had multiple pages to flip through, all of which had descriptions of the individual dishes and their complicated names. Kumamoto, Kusshi? Her fingers danced across the pages, the menu like a movie before her eyes as the patterns began to reveal all their secrets to her unseeing eyes. Once she reached the end of each line, Evelyn felt a set of numbers.

Eighteen dollars for a salad? That has to be a mistake.

Yet, as she continued, the trend didn't stop. Twenty, thirty, forty, the cheapest thing she could find was an assorted dish of olives which sold for six dollars. Her eyes bulged out of her head in horror as the realization hit her that she'd need to pay for her meal. If only her family had the thought to preview the menu online before visiting the establishment, and she would've avoided the awkward problem. It wasn't like they didn't have a computer to look up the items on, it would have been a simple fix through Google.

She pulled at the purse draped around the back of her chair and rummaged for a small wallet she carried with her. Inside was a set of bills, each folded in a particular way, which to the naked eye made a mess of paper which appeared unorganized and incredibly inefficient to carry around. As it was though, each fold had a meaning, and she was able to count out approximately how much she could afford to dine on. She didn't carry a credit card because it was too easy to lose, and too hard to read. Her nimble fingers quickly sorted through the pile, calculating the total in her head without a word.

Okay, Fifty three, I have fifty three on me.

The worry appeared on her face whether she wanted it to or not. Her brow wrinkled, the corner of her mouth perked up giving only the left side a small dimple. It was the first of many tell tale signs that Evelyn Kelley was panicked. There was no way to cover her face without it being apparent that was her intention, so she placed her hands back down onto the menu and tried to find something appropriate for her wallet.

"Octopus?" She gasped when her fingers touched the word. "Brackston, have you ever tried it before? That's the one with the tentacles, isn't it? The suction cups?"

Her face lit up with excitement at the recognition of the animal. In her mind, it was the source of a nightmare. An unshapely head with a beak, sharp and able to cut through other fish easily. Not only that, but it was squishy and slimy with eight sickening tentacles sprouting out of its body. To Evelyn, it may as well have been akin to a potato with too many buds sticking out of it and a set of eyes placed on either side of the central mass. It moved by reaching out with its long arms and pulled itself through the ocean current. In actuality, some people found the aquatic creature to be cute, and in the scientific culture it was fascinating. Evelyn would never be able to understand what people with sight found so interesting about it. That didn't mean it didn't taste good.

In that moment, Evelyn was almost normal, excited over the prospect of trying something new. No less, she'd be trying it with the kind stranger she'd met days before. She was a giggling teen with a menu in her hands and a pretty dress to make her feel special. Painted lips, thick black eyelashes batted against a cloudy background on a face made of porcelain. If not for the eyes, it would have been perfect, but she hardly noticed, she hardly cared.[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
As an actor, Brackston was well-trained in the art of observation. Evelyn was a goldmine of opportunity. He watched the way her delicate fingers traced along raised bumps he couldn't decipher, an entire language oblivious to his sightful knowledge. Her expression lit up though her eyes were distant. She fumbled through her wallet and felt a series of folded bills, each of a different size, and while it was curious to Brackston at first the purpose of their design suddenly clicked. She feels the folds to know what type of bill they are, he thought with a broadening grin. That's crazy clever. I never would have thought...

There were many things that would surprise him about Evelyn Kelley.

Her outcry of octopus made him outright laugh, a rare feat for anyone to accomplish. His smile was bright and irresistibly genuine, even though she couldn't see it. "Octopus, yeah. Long tentacles and a bulbous-like head. Look damn ridiculous, if you ask me." He wondered for a moment what she imagined it to look like. "They, uh. They kinda feel slimy, like a slug, but a bit more solid. I think you can pet one at a water park somewhere in town."

She's fucking cute, he couldn't help but think, in a weird way. I'm normally not attracted to girls like her...

I can't explain it. She's different.

"Tastes good too, though. Deep fried with butter and seasoning, it's one of my favorite things here. You might like it. Crunchy..." Maybe she'll like the texture. "Kinda like fried chicken, but with seafood. I don't know. I really like it."

Brackston folded his hands in front of him, resting them both atop the table. Evelyn's smile was honest and enchanting and he was captivated by it, though he couldn't help but be thankful she was unaware to his emotion. She couldn't see it so she couldn't understand it. That was how it worked, wasn't it? He found himself wondering if she would need help eating, what if she knocked over a glass? It was something he couldn't get angry about. Accidents happened.

Just how many, though, remained a mystery to him.

"Do you like seafood, then?" he inquired. "What do you think an octopus looks like? I've gotta know."[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]"An octopus?" Evelyn repeated.

She paused in thought. Certain animals she'd given more time to think about than others. Dogs for instance, seemed very clear in her mind after spending so much time with her own adorable mutt. Cats seemed like smaller dogs. Whatever a hamster was, Evelyn was only scared she'd step on it, as people often described them as being very small. An octopus though, that wasn't an animal she'd spent a whole lot of her free time wondering about. Elephants, lions, at least she could identify them by a noise and gain some sort of idea of its size, but she couldn't hear something that was behind a thick pane of glass. Her mother had told her about fish though. Strange things.

"Well, it's kinda like..." Evelyn held out her hands, together at first to form a small ball with her two fists. "A circle or something, and then...it has all those tentacles, so they just kind of pop off at odd angles so it can swim in different directions." She laced her fingers together and wiggled them comically in order to simulate a full arsenal of little legs for her imaginary octopus. "The eyes are just on the sides, and the beak is somewhere in the middle."

She put her hands back down and unwove her creation out of thin air. What she imagined the aquatic creature to look like, and the actual thing, were nothing alike, but what did she really know? It could've had a second head for all she knew, and it wouldn't have been obvious until someone told her so. She relied on that truth from people in order to establish little things like that. Looks, colors, people, it was all she could do to focus on finding the truth of the matter before making shapes in her mind. Even the rudimentary circle had to be explained to her as a child.

"Oh! And it's slimy. There's no way it can't be dripping in goop." She added as an afterthought. "Am I even close?"

Even though it sounded disturbing, it would be an experience she'd not get to have any time soon. Evelyn traced her hand over the line again, and tapped her hand along the price at the end. Cost be damned, she told herself, the longer they talked about the octopus, the more she wanted to try it and satiate the curiosity growing in her mind.

"Seafood is good. There's a lot of different textures to fish, I like it." Evelyn answered his earlier question. "And that settles it. I'm getting the octopus. How can I not?"[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
"A beak? Is that what you said?" he inquired almost instantly, his entire expression falling at once. "You think it has a beak? Like a bird, right? No, no. Oh god." Brackston chuckled, hoping his amusement wasn't something she would find ridiculously offensive.

Though, she probably did with his luck. Brackston's sense of humor certainly wasn't the strongest.

"An octopus doesn't have a beak. It's round, like you said, but all of the tentacles come out of the bottom, not at random sides. It's not covered in goop either. A bit slimy, sure, but not...goopy. I don't want to think about what that's like." He chuckled and took a sip of his drink, picturing what an octopus would look like with a toucan's beak. "I guess that's pretty imaginative though. Maybe if you describe it, someone will draw it. Like an artist or something. Then it could be in one of those abstract art museums and you'll make millions in profit. Doesn't sound like a bad idea, right?"

Brackston looked up to the approaching waitress then, thankful that it wasn't the same woman who had so carelessly led Evelyn into the nearest obstacle. He swallowed his words about misshapen sea creatures and art museums. "Have you two decided?" she asked with a friendly smile.

"Yeah, actually. I'll have the rib-eye, medium rare with a potato on the side, and she'll have the octopus special."

"Okie dokie. Anything else for ya this evening?"

"Not yet. Thanks."

"Great. I'll be out with your orders in about twenty minutes," she stated, taking their menus and flashing them a polite beam. The waitress exited from the table then, leaving Brackston and Evelyn alone in awkward silence with thoughts of beaked octopi dancing in their heads.

How do I make conversation for twenty frickin' minutes? The actor shifted uncomfortably in his seat and looked around towards the Mediterranean atmospheres. It was a true shame that Evelyn couldn't appreciate the luxury that his own eyes greedily drank in. Maybe it sounds luxurious to her in ways I can't understand. That was a strange thought indeed.

"So, Evelyn. What, uh. What do you like to do?"

This is so awkward. Kill me.[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]Evelyn drew circles on the tablecloth when her menu was whisked away. She liked the pattern there, whatever it was. It was course but still soft under her fingertips, and it gave her some small distraction from all the noise around her. Not that she wasn't enjoying Brackston's company, but it was a new environment for her and it put her slightly on edge. The atmosphere hadn't settled in her mind yet, a picture hadn't formed of what kind of place she'd been sent to. Circle after circle, fine tuning her understanding as she listened quietly.

When Brackston spoke up, the girl smiled knowingly. It was clear he was attempting a conversation, but he had no idea where to start. How could she blame him, a man with sight, to ask a girl about anything normal? They couldn't talk about the scenery, couldn't talk about any of his movies, they'd be hard pressed to find a topic of conversation which both the blind and those blessed with sight could chat endlessly about. It was awkward, but so was every other conversation Evelyn had with a stranger. They were always so fine tuned to her blindness that a conversation couldn't be born outside of it.

"Well, I know it might seem hard to believe, but I really like reading." Evelyn grinned, wondering if he looked confused or not. It wasn't a common interest for the blind to enjoy something such as reading, which typically required at least decent eyesight, but there were ways for her to gain access to popular novels. "I know this may be news to you, and that waitress," She mumbled the second part so only Brackston could hear her taunt, "But, I am blind. I listen to audio books, and sometimes I can find braille books if I'm lucky. It kind of helps me get an idea of what the world looks like, if that makes any sense."

She stopped tracing circles and instead folded her hands neatly onto the table. Would he think her strange? Probably. It was hard to envision a world without color, but that wasn't entirely what Evelyn was accustomed to. She lived in a world where nothing, not even color, was reflected back into her clouded eyes. Other sensations, touching, smelling, tasting, hearing, all of those senses allowed her to have her own world, but the canvas on which to paint her picture was still blank, void of anything but the other four natural senses.

"I know my hair is red, and while I don't know what it looks like, I know that people also describe apples, sunsets, flushed cheeks, lips, and anger as being that color. Reading helps, because everyone describes things in a different way. I have to reevaluate the images I have constantly." Evelyn chuckled in embarrassment, she'd rambled far from the original question. "Sorry, I kind of went off there."

There was a moment of silence, at least for Brackston. The background noises still continued to provide a sensation of atmosphere to Evelyn.

"What about you?" Evelyn reflected the question back on Brackston. "What kinds of things do you like to do? And, Brackston? Don't be so nervous. You know I can tell."

Just as she had back on the streets, she could sense his anxiety. She smiled again, hoping that he might feel more comforted by the fact that her eyes wouldn't be a source of judgement.[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
At the sweet words rolling off her lips, Brackston instantly scoffed, though her assurance made the towers of his anxiety topple over. She was so gentle in the way that she spoke, so kind, that it took him entirely off-guard and he wasn't prepared to handle the situation as he should have. There was silence for a long moment before he spoke again, desperate to find the words, terribly ill-equipped to capture them quickly enough.

It's because of the way she talks, he thought in the back of his shocked mind, lifting eyes to fall on her fragile face. She talks like Mom used to. Her voice is so soft, it reminds me of her.

I didn't think I'd find that again.

It took a moment for Brackston to collect himself again. He pulled off the cloth napkin from the table and draped it over his lap, just to give his hands something to busy themselves with.

"Reading...," he choked after clearing the burning lump his throat. "I, uh. I've never liked reading that much. I was never very good at it, but college put it right when the time came. Lots of studying, lots of tutoring. I still don't like it though." The actor scratched his stubbled chin and looked away from the smiling Evelyn, trying to focus on the scenery of the restaurant rather than the innocent curiosity in her face. It made him a bit uncomfortable to feel her "eyes" on him, so to speak--her sense to his jailed emotion, an intuition that was far too accurate for his personal tastes. Brackston lingered a moment longer in silence before turning to her again as the intrigue had become to powerful to ignore.

"How do you do that?" he asked suddenly. "Know how I'm feeling, what my thoughts are. It's too mysterious for a girl as typically readable as you. Usually it's something someone catches in an expression, but you can't do that. How does it work? It's a nice trick."

I'd like to learn, he left unsaid. It would solve a few of my problems.

The waitress returned in that moment, setting their plates of expensive food before them, but Brackston waved away her offer of wine or other refreshment in total interest of what Evelyn had to say. The woman looked affronted but not surprised, and left without another word.

"How do you do it?" he inquired, "and why?"[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]Evelyn scrunched her nose, she took a small bit of offense being told she was easily readable. Like some kind of open book, her face was a brightly colored page with detailed descriptions of her life and her problems in an easy to understand format. Like a chapter summary for a long novel, titles revealed all the major turning points in her life. She liked to think it wasn't so obvious, and perhaps Brackston didn't mean what he said initially. Just because her eyes didn't allow her to see another's story didn't mean hers was as open as he would've liked.

"To be entirely honest, I don't know." Evelyn replied honestly. "How do you see? How do you react when someone bumps into you, or calls you a name you don't like? You just do, it's just something you know how to do, something you've learned."

There were ways though, Evelyn thought. Small observations even a blind girl could pick up on that maybe someone with sight would override or ignore.

"But...let me try to explain. It's the sound of your voice. Hesitation. Reluctance. The tone you emit when you're nervous, I've heard it a thousand times. People are nervous around me because I'm blind. Of all the sounds in the world, I know that one. Apprehension in your voice, it's there, I can see it plain as day." Evelyn's face dropped slightly from her earlier smile. He was just the same as any other person she'd met. She ever wondered if she'd hear something else when she first met a man. The proof would be in whether or not Brackston could hold up a conversation with her over dinner, if not, she doubted his anxiety had truly disappeared.

At least he doesn't sound too nervous now. Not like the first time we met.

"Other than that, your breathing, sounds when you fidget with your clothes or that napkin in your lap, and then there's just a sense. That's the part I can't explain." Evelyn offered a curt smile, an apologetic expression in response to the answer she couldn't give. "I'm sorry, that's all I can really say. As for why? It just helps me see. I can't read your expressions, you're right. So, I have to do this. It's the only way I can see what's going on around me."

The teen bit her lip, wondering what Brackston might say to that. If he understood what she even meant that would be one thing, how he felt was another emotion. Evelyn didn't usually broach the subject of how she read emotions, it was bitter to think about her futile attempts to see, as it wasn't a guaranteed method by any means. It was based on guesses and the minute pits of information she could pick up from tone alone.

She lowered her eyes in order to give Brackston some privacy from her icy glare. A heat wave rose up to kiss her face from the hot plate of food in her place, she raised a hand to find the edge of the plate and automatically recoiled as soon as she touched the lukewarm surface. At least with food between them, she'd have time to think between bites.[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
The answers she gave both puzzled him further and answered all his questions, only to breed more. Claiming that her ability to read others was only instinct and a part of being blind made sense, yet there was so much more to it that Brackston couldn't wrap his head around. She was ridiculously intuitive to the point where it made him uncomfortable, yet her pure intentions were obvious and his nerves were eased. Brackston had always been a person that asked invasive questions for the sake of gaining better knowledge in a subject. Oftentimes, his words had become offensive and drove people away from his pursuit of better understanding. Abrasive approaches were common. It was all he'd known.

However, as he looked at Evelyn's smiling beam from across the little table, he felt it'd be better if he watched his mouth. Her rose-colored blushes made him chuckle despite himself. He had no desire to offend her.

"You can hear my breathing?" he asked over his food, a bit amazed at that statement. "Over all this, a restaurant full of celebrities? Wow. I guess that makes sense, when one part of functionality is dead the others are increased to make up for it..." Brackston mused over the discovery a moment, scratching his stubbled chin in thought, but the inquiry fell as the scent of steak drifted to his nose and he indulged in the meal without further hesitation.

The unlikely pair chatted about various things over their dinner--the weather, music, animals, books--and time flew peculiarly by as the conversation remained light and amiable. Brackston found that he really enjoyed her company despite his original intentions of a simple apology. Did Genna know that Evelyn's smile would make him feel so carefree, so relieved of a celebrity's stress? Was this a part of her plan? He didn't think such a thing to be possible. It was always spoken of in stories and in the films he'd acted in, but never did Brackston Banks expect to encounter a power like Evelyn's in the real world.

I think I like it, he thought, much to his own inner turmoil.

I could get used to feeling like this.

By the time their meal was regretfully over, the restaurant nearly emptied in preparation for the bustling Los Angeles nightlife, Brackston knew it was time to take her home and adhere to the curfew that was set. He paid for dinner and escorted Evelyn out to his car, helping her inside with careful assistance. The drive back to the humble Kelley home was nearly quiet as music and occasional conversation broke the silence, and by the time the suburban neighborhood came into view Brackston found himself regretting that he had to leave her.

I wish I could take her home.

"So, uh...that was fun," he said with a little nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck, one of his many ticks. "I hope you enjoyed yourself. And pass my apology onto your family, yeah?"[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]So he was still nervous, Evelyn noted. However his demeanor had changed entirely through the course of their meal. His particular laughter, masculine yet light, stuck in her mind as being a pleasant sound in her ears. Whatever she'd said at Acabara had loosened his lips and eased the pressure on his mind. Now that they were alone, and in silence, the tension returned.

"I did, it was fun." Evelyn agreed. "The whole place was something totally new. Those sounds, I could hardly recognize some of them. It must have looked incredible, and the people!"

More times than she could count, she heard the sound of jewelry clacking together on wrists and jingling as patrons leaned down over their meals. The light, carefree atmosphere tuned her in to the high society she'd always turned away from. She was born in the middle class lifestyle, but even the blind teen could recognize the expense of where she had dined. Too many times, she'd heard the light echo of crystal in the air. The scent of wine was overpowering.

"You mean you don't want to come in, have my dad yell at you, and then sign another autograph for my mom?" She grinned with all the intention in the world to be as taunting as she could, but her painted lips could only appear so mischievous. The heart warming smile which adorned her lips broke out over her attempt at a taunt. "I'll let them know, but if you ever see them again, you'd be best to say it yourself. It's always better to hear it from the source."

She could feel the car coming to a slow stop before her suburban home. The engine still purred lightly, sending vibrations through the car. The radio was low, a host from some radio station spoke excitedly about a new movie out in theaters, something the girl didn't care much for. She'd tuned out the voice earlier in the car ride when the music had stopped in favor of a long commercial break. Their conversation wasn't as thick as before, not nearly as excited as when they discussed the anatomy of octopus or how she was able to read.

It really was a lot of fun. I want to do this again, but, would he want to?

"I guess I'll be seeing you then." Evelyn stated it more than questioned. "Thanks for the ride. It definitely beats waiting around in the lobby. The cane just makes me look helpless."

Evelyn tapped the rod against the toe of her heel. She hadn't had to use it all night thanks to the generous arm of Mr. Banks, and she appreciated his efforts to help her blend in, intentional or not. It was far easier to be noticed when she waved around a pole in order to see the ground. Walking side by side with a man had never felt so natural.

"Thank you, for dinner, as well. It really was great."[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
"No problem," Brackston replied with a little smile that went unseen by his blind guest. "We should do this again sometime, you know. If you want. If you liked octopus, you'll like some of the other stuff at restaurants around town. If you've got time, that is..."

If you've got interest, too.

He figured he could play the role of the gentleman just this once, especially given the circumstances. Brackston exited his car and moved around to the other side, opening the door for her and helping her out on solid ground. The unlikely pair crossed the street and said their goodbyes on the porch of the Kelley home, and Brackston went on his way, filled with the vision of a blind girl's smile.

His dreams were smothered in them.

---

"Have you talked to her?" Genna snatched the beer from Brackston's hand and took a long drink, passing it casually back to him. "You have talked to her since the date, right?"

"It wasn't a date. It was an apology." Brackston took the glass bottle and set it on the end table. "Besides, if she wants to talk to me that's what she'll do."

"Do you know nothing about dating? You've gotta make the first move or she'll think you aren't interested."

"Who said I was interested?"

"That smile," Genna replied, "the night you came home."

Shit. She had him. It had only been four days since the actor took Evelyn out to a night of luxury, but it felt like a painful lifetime ago. In truth, Brackston was itching to see her again but he'd rather drown than admit it to anyone, even Genna. Initiative was rare for him when it came to women. "...I'm not going to text her. I don't want to seem pushy. It's fine. She has better things to do than be around me."

Maybe it's for the best.[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]It was Wednesday, and that meant Evelyn had the house all to herself. She had an early start at seven sharp when her father had gone off to his job at a brewery, The Angel City Brewery. He loved his job, and the product created in the aftermath, but there was more to it than met the eye. Brian had his degree in chemistry, and was more involved in the process of the brew than the mixing. A mere hour later, Judith was out the door after a myriad of hugs and kisses for her daughter. Although she didn't look the part, Evelyn's mother was actually a well respected, and very popular, insurance saleswoman. They both worked five days a week, with varying days off in response to Evelyn's needs. Judith often times worked from home so Evelyn would have some company, but there were days where an office visit simply couldn't be avoided.

She was glad for their absence that day. Thor followed behind her as she paced down the long hall from the dining room to the front of the narrow home. When she stopped, so would her companion, ever vigilant in keeping up with his blind master. She couldn't say if it was diligence or a sort of blind affection which kept Thor following her. The dog was smart enough to figure out she was going nowhere, but he never strayed from her side. Her path didn't migrate from the straight line, back and forth, a special made cell phone clutched in her pale hands.

"Text Brackston Banks." She commanded her phone. It took a moment to process before an automatic voice responded.

"Would you like to text Brackston Banks?"

"Yes." Evelyn muttered. She still wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to message him after all. The girl hardly had any money left after an excursion to the store for a pampering for Thor, so a date was out of the question unless Brackston paid it in full. There was no chance Evelyn wanted to put that pressure on him from the start, otherwise there wouldn't be a second date, or a third.

It's not a date...I just want to hang out, or talk. There's nothing wrong with that. But, he's a celebrity. I bet he's busy.

"Hello, it's Evelyn..." She spoke into her phone lamely, not sure what she wanted to say. "So, I've got a recital tomorrow and I was looking for another set of eyes...I mean ears, wait, delete!"

The phone repeated her mistake of a message and she prompted it to erase the words. She started the process again, and got to the point where she thought she could form a coherent sentence without messing up. Every word out of her mouth was babbled and odd, until Evelyn had drafted three messages in an attempt to contact Brackston. "This is hopeless." She groaned. The phone picked up her words and asked if she wanted to send her message. She groaned again and deleted every draft.

One last time she commanded her phone to send Brackston a message. She breathed in deeply before starting to speak, hoping that this time she could spit out the right words.

"Hey, it's Evelyn. I'm looking for another pair of ears to make sure I sound okay for my piano recital tomorrow. Nobody's home, except Thor. Great ears, not so great for critique. Let me know if you're free."

It'll do.

Evelyn shakily hit the send button and listened to the all but silent noise of the 'whoosh' her phone was programmed to make. Regret and embarrassment hit her like a wave of solid rock. Brackston was a celebrity, she thought again, and he wouldn't have time for someone like her. All the way out in the suburbs, meeting her would have been a pain. There was no way, she reminded herself, no way that a guy like him would make time for a girl like her. Evelyn slipped her phone into her pocket and shuffled to the front room for some distraction.[/fieldbox]

 

[moffnat]

[fieldbox="Brackston Banks; Hollywood Heartthrob, silver, solid"]
"You always think you're the worst guy in the world, Bracky. You're not." Genna blew out the smoke of her cigarette and met him dead in the eyes. "You're not your dad and you're not where you grew up. You're none of that. You're one of the good ones and you need to stop forgetting that." Genna's face became uncommonly serious, and it made Brackston uncomfortable to look at, but she was nothing if not relentless and he knew her words had genuine meaning. "You really gotta stop thinking you're a bad guy. You're not. And good guys deserve good girls, too."

As if on cue, Brackston's phone buzzed. He picked it up and read the text, chuckling at the irony.

"Who is it?"

"S'her," the actor replied. "She wants me to come over and make sure her piano playing sounds good. I didn't even know she could play..."

"Well, what the hell're you waiting for?! Go, go!" Genna's face lit up like the sun, and before Brackston could protest she had shoved his coat and keys in his hands, gesturing wildly to the front door. "You can't come back until you've kissed, that's an order!"

"You're disgusting," Brackston shot back, though the expression on his face was a glow of amusement. He exited the apartment with the thought of Evelyn in his mind, and drove off into the city without a single hesitation.

Who knew a blind girl could play the piano...?

She's full of surprises.

---

When Brackston arrived at the Kelley home, he wondered whether or not this was such a good idea. She did have parents, one which wasn't particularly fond of him and intruding into their home without warning could cause further dispute. He had no desire to offend her mother and father any further, but Evelyn herself had asked and he supposed he should trust her judgment. "Here we go," he told himself as he exited the car and crossed the street, lifting a hand to knock on the wooden front door.

"Evelyn?" he called. "It's me, Brackston."

Please open up. I don't wanna look like a fool.[/fieldbox]

 

[Lillian Gray]

[fieldbox="Evelyn Kelley : Blue Eyes, #80b3d1, solid"]Evelyn was sitting in the front room with Thor when she heard a knock at the door. The animal heard it first though, and bolted to the door in excitement, tail wagging with anticipation. Someone was there, that was obvious by the way the animal leaped up against the wooden door. She wondered if Brackston had actually come. He was a busy man with a busy life, and she wouldn't have put it past him to simply ignore her text and get on with whatever else was more important.

She skipped over to the door and threw it open, a smile on her face. It made up for the ghostly hollow expression in her eyes that she couldn't change, no matter how hard she tried.

"Brackston, hey, you came." She exclaimed with a notable hint of surprise in her voice. "I know, it was short notice, and the-" Evelyn threw her hands towards where she knew the piano was before grinning sheepishly, she moved her hands to wrap around her sides in embarrassment. "Sorry, come in. Come in. How've you been?"

The dog continued to pace around the room with the new guest. Tail wagging like mad, he couldn't stay away from Brackston for too long. Evelyn wondered if Brackston would be bothered by Thor's presence, but didn't say anything about it. She needed Thor to navigate, even in her own household, and putting him away in another room would mean relying more heavily on Brackston's footsteps. Evelyn didn't want to put that kind of pressure on her guest, especially not after he'd come all the way out to the suburbs to listen to her play the piano for a little while.

"It's just me and Thor right now. My parents are at work." Evelyn attempted to display a certain look of disbelief. Her eyebrow raised and the corners of her mouth curved into a smile. "You don't think I would've invited you if my father had been here, do you? You didn't really hit it off with him last time."

Would he have come anyways? I really doubt it...not if dad was here, no way.

There were so many doubts in her mind. Evelyn was still unsure what it was about Brackston that she found appealing, but she wanted him around more and more in the past couple of days. It had taken all her courage just to send a text message. Now, he was standing only a few feet away and she couldn't stop smiling. They'd connected over dinner, just talking about the little things, yet there were a thousand questions she had yet to voice. Would he say the same about her? The most reasonable response would have had to be 'no'.

"Honestly...I didn't think you were going to come." She laughed. "I suppose watching a blind girl play the piano would have to be a little interesting though. Or did you just want to see Thor, hm?"

Evelyn Kelley had a way about her. Even in her nervousness, she managed to smile so brightly the room seemed a shade lighter. The world was a little happier, the room more comfortable with the atmosphere she filled the air with. Tension dissolved around that girl no matter if she was trying to be sweet or not. The blind girl didn't see it of course, the only thing she was oblivious to was just how easy it was to melt another man's heart. She didn't know what she'd done to Brackston Banks, she just wanted to see him again.

He actually came. That makes me kinda...happy? Yeah.[/fieldbox]