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CSLimeWriter

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            The view from where I sat that evening in the park was beautiful: the golden sun setting in the midst of a pink sky with red and purple clouds, all reflected in the calm river below it.

            But the beauty of all this nature around me seemed dull compared to the beauty of my lovely best friend, Grace. She was tall and slender with long, curl blonde hair framing a face set with a small mouth and nose, and two wondrous grey eyes, always looking but never seeing.           

            Grace was blind.

            I looked up from my book suddenly to see her walking down the path, dressed in a sleeveless top and jeans. I smiled and watch as she strolled slowly down the path, but my smile vanished when I saw her carefully climbing down the hill that led to… the river.

            What was she thinking? I raced down the gravel walkway and reached the hill just in time to see Grace loose her footing and start to roll down the hill, with a loud cry for help.

            “Grace!” I yelled, throwing myself down the hill. I managed to go fast enough that I wouldn’t stop but not too fast to fall in after her. Grabbing her arm, I stopped us just before she would’ve rolled into the water.

            After catching our breath a few moments I helped Grace up and demanded, “What were you doing?”   

            She gulped but didn’t answer.

            “You couldn’t have planned a better way to get yourself killed!” I yelled, still breathing hard. I took here by the shoulders. “What were you thinking?”

            “I-I just wanted to feel the water.” She blushed. I couldn’t believe it; she’d risk drowning in a river she only wanted to touch?

            She continued, “I’m sorry I scared you.”

            I let go of her. “I wasn’t scared,” I lied, making her grin. I didn’t return it. She could see right through all my lies, lame or not, with sight or without; she could see through me. She knew me completely.

            So I changed the subject. “Want help back up the hill?” I asked, not wanting to see her fall again.          

            Grace thought a minute and then said, “No, I’m fine here.” She carefully felt the ground around her with her feet, sat down, and leaned against the hill. “I’ll just stay here for awhile.”

            I stayed standing, hands behind my back and for the hundredth time since I’d known her I was glad she couldn’t see me staring at her. She was so beautiful.

            “Are you going to keep standing or are you going to join me?”

            Smiling, I did sit down beside her. Whether her eyes could see or not, she always knew what I was thinking. Well, almost always…

            She could obviously sense that I was staring at her because she shifted uneasily, facing away from me. After awhile she said, “Seth, may I… feel your face?”

            The question almost surprised me but I gently took hold of her hands and placed them on my face. She slowly traced the outline of my closed eyes, my nose, and when she got to my smiling mouth she smiled back. Then she worked her fingers back up to my hair – and immediately pulled her hands away.

            Laughing she said, “Got enough gel in your hair?”

            I laughed too, and ran a hand through my spiky gelled hair.

            After another moment I whispered, “Grace?” She turned to me but instead of saying anything I stroked her warm cheek. She shifted positions, unsure of what else to do, and I firmly but gently kept hold of her face. Leaning forward, I brushed my lips against hers and tasted the love I’d longed for.

            She gently pushed me away just enough so that she could wrap her arms around me. I embraced her back, overjoyed to be holding in my arms my blind love.