I'll Lead You To Love

I walked with Kyle towards our houses, I hadn’t talked much since I found out Caleb was blind. I’ve been thinking about it since he told me, and I can’t stop.

“Skye, I know I’ve only known you like three days, but what’s wrong with you? You haven’t talked since we left the skate park.” Kyle asked as we got to our apartment building. I sat on a small patch of grass outside the apartment complex, and he followed suit, I pushed my bangs out of my face and looked at him.

“I feel like I’ve known you longer…weird, and I’m fine, just thinking.” I replied plucking a piece of grass, and ripping it up.

“Liar.” He mumbled, and turning his body so he was facing me.

“No, really, just thinking.” I let me head drop a bit, and sighed. He was blind, what would it be like to be friends with a blind guy? I’ve never even met a blind guy.

“It’s about Caleb, I know it.” Kyle said, and I stood up smiling, before a quick red blush spread on my cheeks. I ran up the stairs with Kyle on my tail, I stopped in front of my apartment, and turned to him quick as he came up the stairs.

“Bye Kyle.” I mumbled as he came running up to me, I went into the apartment and shut the door behind me before the conversation got further.

My mother was sitting on the couch reading a book with soft jazz music playing from her computer next to her. I smiled at her, and scurried off to my room before she could question anything.

---

The next day I woke up to my phone buzzing quite closely to my head on the bed. I groggily turned it so I could see who was calling, and I saw it was a number I’d never see before and decided to pick it up.

“Hello?” I groaned into the phone flipping onto my back still lying in bed. I looked at the clock next to me it read 9:30 am.

“Skye?” I heard a guy ask on the other end of the phone, I sat up quickly.

“Depends on who this is.” I got up from my bed, and went to my iPod taking it and turning it on quietly.

“Depends on who you want it to be.” They said back, and I sat on the edge of my bed, crossing my legs.

“Okay, I hate games. Who are you?” I asked getting impatient, I heard them chuckle a little bit, and I still couldn’t pin-point who it was.

“Someone’s a bit cranky, Its Caleb.” I heard them say, and I fell off the edge of my bed with that statement, and gasped as I shot up from the floor.

“Oh, hey.” I mumbled, not knowing what to say.

“Hey, Just thought maybe you’d want to hang out with a bunch of us today.” He questioned, and I heard someone in the backround, I recognized that voice, and knew it was Kyle.

“Uh- sure, I need like an hour to get ready though…I kinda just woke up. Are you guys all at Kyle’s?” I asked going through my clothes and picking out an outfit.

“We’ll give you half an hour and then we’re coming over, and yes we are all at Kyle’s.” He replied, and I heard a bunch of guys chuckle in the backround.

“Then I need to go- I’ll see you then Caleb.” I said, and was about ready to hang up but he wasn’t finished yet.

“Oh, Skye! Wear a bathing suit, we’re going to the beach. See ya.” The phone rang in my ear, and I shut it as I tossed it onto my bed and ran into the shower.

About twenty minutes later I managed to pull together an outfit, do my make-up, and I let my hair dry naturally and do whatever it wanted. I then decided to change my belly button ring, since I had it, I would never wear a belly button ring two days in a row if going out.

I guessed my mom was up all night reading again last night, she read a lot to get her mind off of what was going on in life, like my sisters death. I wrote her a note, and stuck it to the fridge as I walked to the front door. I stood leaning against the wall next to my door, and saw Kyle, Caleb, Dylan, Ryan, and Eric walk out from Kyle’s apartment. I thought Devin would be going, I thought wrong.

“Hey Skye!” Kyle said, taking Caleb’s elbow and leading him towards me. I guessed that’s how he got around, Caleb that is, by people leading him by holding his elbow.

“Hey guys.” I said smiling, as they stopped in front of me. I saw Kyle’s face drop, in a fake way though.

“Forgot my phone, be right back. Caleb hold Skye’s elbow.” He said, and Kyle put Caleb’s hand on my elbow, I blushed a tiny bit and saw Kyle run towards his apartment.

“Did you guys plan that?” I questioned, and they all just laughed. Kyle ran back out, and as he went to go past me, I put my foot out tripping him, he fell to the ground. I smirked, and started walking and felt Caleb link his arm with mine. I smiled a bit, and he turned towards me. I instantly blushed, he was so gorgeous.

---

“So, Skye, do you have any hot sisters?” Eric questioned as we sat on the beach, everyone except him, Caleb, and I had gone surfing. I was still in my clothes and sat on the beach towel Kyle brought. I felt my heart stop for a second when he asked that, and fought back the tears fighting to make a grand entrance behind my sun glasses.

When I didn’t answer Eric looked at me weird, and I felt Caleb’s hand on top of mine.

“Sorry, I have to- uh- go for a walk.” I said, standing up, and running away from where they were sitting. I stopped under a pier, and collapsed to the ground, tears ran silently down my cheeks. What was I supposed to say to him? Not anymore? Yeah, but she’s dead.

“Skye? Are you okay?” I heard a voice ask from next to me, and I looked to see Caleb. I stood up, and wondered how he got over here without anyone. I saw his foot imprints right on top of the ones mine had made.

“uh- I’m fine.” I mumbled, wiping the tears away as soon as they came. Caleb reached out and touched my cheeks with the back of his fingers gently.

“You’re not fine...now, you can tell me and it’ll make you feel better, or bottle it up and have this happen more…obviously something bad happened to a sibling of yours or something…I won’t tell anyone.” He said, and I just sat down, pulling him down with me.

“I don’t feel comfortable telling someone I only met yesterday.” I mumbled, and I saw him feel around until he found my hand, and he held. He looked in my direction, and smiled slightly.

“If you tell me, I’ll tell you how I became blind- and that’s not easy for me.” He said, and I could tell by his face it was heard wrenching. I decided it’s better to tell someone.

“Fine, but if I start bawling again, I’m sorry, I’ve haven’t talked to anyone about this either.” I said, and he just squeezed my hand tighter in his, and nodded his head slightly.

“About a month ago- my sister- Jamie, she was 19, she went out to a party at her friend’s house. Me and Mom we are used to this, so we didn’t worry, she was always home by three in the morning anyways. Well, I woke up and went to find her to ask her to drive me to dunkin donuts, and when I didn’t find her in her bed I thought she just slept over a friends house. The next day I woke up, and heard voices coming from the living room, I walked out to find my mom crying, with two cops standing in front of her-“ I stopped to wipe away the few tears running down my cheeks, and Caleb squeezed my hand.

“I asked my mom what had happened, and she just began sobbing harder. The cops turned to me, and explained how my sister was driving home, and a drunk driver hit her- killing her and him on impact…they then gave me her wallet, and left. I never really set in that Jamie wouldn’t be coming home. I still haven’t opened her wallet, or talked to anyone about it, but she was my best friend…” I said, and the tears ran freely down my cheeks. Caleb pulled me into a tight hug, and wouldn’t let go.

We walked back to the group in silence, he still had me in his grasp, but I led him towards the group. My eyes were no doubt bright red, but I didn’t care right now.

“Thank you Caleb.” I mumbled as we got closer to them.

“That’s what friends are for.” He said squeezing my hand a bit, and smiling towards me.