A Meadow Full Of Oak Trees

Chapter Four: Used to It Now

Cass's PoV

After the incident with Mia, I drifted through the next few days of class, in a sort of daze, my mind still only focusing on my best friend. Thinking maybe this episode would be quicker? Maybe she'll be getting better?
I sigh just wanting this day to end and just then the bell goes, finally, signalling the end of the day, I grab my textbook and go to leave but Mr.Silas calls out "Miss. Dales can I have a word with you please?"
I turn around, shouldering my rucksack higher up on my shoulder, "Of course Mr. Silas."
"Casey, have you heard from Miss. Herrera? Do you have any idea where she is? She hasn't been here for the past week? I'm worried about her falling behind."
"She's... uh... she's not very well. I'm not sure when she'll be back but I can take the work from the last few lessons for her so she doesn't miss out." I say not sure how to explain it.
"Please do. I don't want her to fall behind like last year." Mr. Silas says with a smile.
He hands me a folder of work and I put it in my bag before heading to the yard to meet Jackson. I met Jackson two and a half years ago at a café in the nearby village, I was sat reading my book in the corner when a deep voice said to the lovely waitress, "I'll have a chai latte and a pumpkin muffin." He glanced at me and then said "And a triple chocolate brownie as well."
Greedy, I thought, returning to my book and my fictional boys who open doors for you and buy you roses.
But then the dark haired, broad shouldered, and I'm not afraid to admit it, sexy boy walked over to me, sat himself in the chair opposite and slid me the brownie with a smile.
"Hi, my name's Jackson."
"Hi, my name's Jackson, I'm I don't care." My sarcasm comes out when I'm nervous.
"Oof. Harsh. I'm sorry I brought you the brownie." He said looking hurt.
"Look I'm sorry. I just, I'm nervous."
"Nervous? Why?"
"You." I whispered.
"Well how about we take a walk and I can make you less nervous?"
And so we took a walk and we laughed and things progressed from there. Lee would tease me constantly about him, saying we flirted all the time so why weren't we doing anything about it.
Then six months later we finally got together. We've been together ever since.

The next morning

Oakley's PoV

I blink open my eyes. Useless. All I see is black. Always black.
But I decide I've got to go to school. I can't do what I did last year and miss six months of school and fall behind. Even though my body feels like lead that's being held down by lead weights. My head is foggy and I can't think straight, it's like it's being hammered by a boulder from all directions. But I force myself out of bed, fumbling around in the dark to find clothes and do my hair.
I've done this before, forced myself to do stuff when I'm blinded by guilt and grief. So I learnt to do things with my eyes closed in pitch black conditions. So I pick out an outfit and do my hair before fiddling slightly with my shoes and heading into the corridor.
I use the wall as my guide and find the staircase railing and carefully descend the steps. I reach the bottom and I hear something smash on the floor.
"Emma? Is that you? Are you alright?" I say, worried something's happened.
"I'm fine dear. Just dropped a plate that's all. I can clean it up. How are you?"
"I need Petro." I say.
And Emma goes "Okay, I'll get him from the garden, you wait here okay. I'll inform Leonto drive you as well. And do you want to tell Casey that you're coming in with Petro?"
"Yes, I suppose I should. I'll do that now."
I hear a door open and close and then Emma calling Petro from the garden. Next the pattering of claws comes clattering across the kitchen floor before a furry body brushes against my legs and I reach down to pet him. Petro is a blue and black Australian Shepherd and my guide dog for when I'm like this. He's perfect, trained since he was a puppy, I've had him since he was ready, he's two now and my best friend even when I'm not blind. I kit him up with his harness and lead and collar along with treats, food and water in my rucksack for him throughout the day. Then after being fed by Emma I let Petro lead me to the garage and help me into the car.
Then we drive to school. The noise of traffic and the radio let me know where we are, and the laughter and chattering informs me we've arrived at school. I can feel people staring as the black SUV pulls right into the school yard, no one's allowed to do that. Then the door clicks open and Leo helps me out, Petro by my side.
I hear footsteps and whispers and then someone says "Can I stroke him?"
"No." I say, "He's working so he can't be petted."
Then I hear a squeal from across the yard and I instantly know it's Cass.
Then she takes me hands and hugs me.
"I didn't think you'd be back until next week." She says.
"Well, I can walk when I'm blind but you're going to have to do all the usual stuff in class because I can't see. But I have Petro so I'll be alright from class to class." I say with a laugh.
"Of course, come on we need to beat the crowds if we want to be on time to class and explain to Mr. Silas what's going on."
I nod and let Petro and Cass lead the way to class. The entire way I can hear the whispers of "What happened to her?" and "Is she blind?"
I ignore them, used to people whispering by now, This happens when I force myself out in one of my episodes, people whisper. People whisper and speculate about why I missed six months of last year. No one knows except Cass.
She hasn't even told Jackson, and she tells the guy everything. But she knows this is an extremely private thing for me and sisters never tell secrets.
We enter class and Mr. Silas says "Miss. Herrera, I'm glad you're here today. And who's this fellow?"
"This is Petro sir. Cass here will have to explain everything to me as we go if that's alright because obviously I can't see the board."
"Of course, of course, if you need me to explain anything better or go through something again just raise your hand." He says with what sounds like a smile.
I smile back at him with Cass helping me to my dear and Petro laying down next to my feet.
Maths passed slowly with Cass having to explain everything to me word by word so I can understand it.
Then comes chemistry which should be a challenge because Cass doesn't share the class with me. I say goodbye to her before entering my classroom and letting Petro lead me to my seat. I hear the clicking of heels and then Dr. Jillian says to me "Oakley, if you need help, just let me know okay?"
And I nod in return.
I understand most of it but unfortunately I can't participate in the practical but I still make notes as best I can. By the end of the lesson I have refreshed my memory of covalent bonds and structures along with electrolysis.
I sigh as the bell ends and pack my things into my bag slinging it over my shoulder and picking up Petro's leads before walking out of the classroom and into the corridor, aiming on getting to my next class from my memory.
I turn left and crash into someone landing on my butt, my hands shooting out to soften my fall.
"I'm so sorry." I say to the person.
"Yeah, well you should look where you're going next time."
I blink a few times before just bursting out laughing.
"Petro, come here boy." I say and Petro's tail wags against my leg.
"Why is that funny?" The voice who I've figured out is a guy, who is probably a bit taller than me considering I crashed into his shoulder says.
"Because if you haven't noticed, this dog here is a guide dog. Honey I'm blind."
"OMG I'm so sorry. I'm so unobservant, I was just so focused... oh my word I'm so sorry." He says sounding apologetic.
"It's alright, we both weren't looking where we were going, I should've been listening better to Petro who was probably leading me out of the way and I just wasn't paying attention."
"Well do you think you could tell me where my next class is? I arrived today. I'm Harley Oxford by the way."
"Oakley Herrera, nice to meet you and sure. Who's your teacher?" I ask.
"Miss. Gigia." Harley says after a rustle of paper that I assume is his timetable.
"Oh you're with me. Come on it's the third door down on the next left."
"How do you know where you are?" He asks.
"I made a point of memorising how to get to all my classrooms by memory from other classrooms so for times like these then I don't have to rely on other people to take me from class to class."
"Good idea." Harley says, "well we'd better get going otherwise we'll be late."
I nod before grabbing Petro's leash and leading the way.
We enter the classroom and Miss.Gigia says "Welcome Oakley, you know the deal by now, if you need me let me know. We aren't doing much writing today so you should be okay."
I nod, I seem to be doing that a lot today, then Miss says "Class we have a new student today. Please introduce yourself."
"Harley Oxford. 16, love motorbikes, don't mess with me." He says in a hard voice, completely different to five minutes ago.
Then he takes a seat, the loud scraping of the chair letting me know it's the free one next to me.
I'm normally in study leave by now but because I missed so much last year I do the extra lessons to catch up.
Half way through when we're supposed to be reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, I feel a tap on my shoulder and someone whispers in my ear, "Hey what on earth is Dickens talking about when deceiving all this food?"
"It's just for padding out the story and to give your imagination a good grasp of the surroundings." I reply with a smile.
"But like, it reminds me of Tom Hardy's far from the madding crowd where he describes the front of a house for thirty two pages."
I laugh out loud but quickly look back at my book when Miss.Gigia looks up at me.
Then the bell goes and we all pack up before rushing to the lunch.
"Hey Oakley, mind if I stick with you for the day. Or for lunch at least." Harley asks.
"Sure, come on, Cass will be waiting for me."
"Cass?" He asks.
"Casey, my best friend but I've known her so long she's practically my sister."
Right on cue a voice comes from the door, "Lee, I'm hungry. Hurry up."
"I'm coming Cass. Geez, I'm just talking to Harley."
"Who's Harley?"
I laugh, "If you came in you'd find out."
"But it'd be much easier for you to come out." She whines.
"Fine fine. I give in. I'm coming." I smile and grab Petro's leash before managing to avoid most of the desks before being envelopes in a hug from Cass.
"Hi, I'm Casey. Lee's sister. And this is my boyfriend Jackson."
"Harley." Is all he says.
"Great now all the introductions have been made, let's get food." Cass says before most likely skipping away.