Light in Your Eyes

04 | hired

11 years later

Kellan, age 20
Layla, age 19

L A Y L A

I kiss my grandma's cheek while she's swaying back and forth in her rocking chair. "I made a chicken soup for your breakfast and put it on the dining table. I gotta catch the bus."

A smile forms on my grandma's lips. Before I can step away to go to the front door, she holds my hands in hers, stopping me. Although she can't see me because of her vision loss, she tilts her chin up to look at me.

My grandma has glaucoma causing the loss of her vision due to her age and diabetes. It has been happening for two years now.

She sighs. "Where are you going? How about that college application? You haven't told me anything about it." Curiosity is laced in her voice.

I swallow and laugh nervously. If she could see me right now, she would probably figure out that I'm about to lie. "All set, Nana. Don't worry about it."

Guilt immediately washes over me because what I said was far from the truth. At the age of nineteen, I'm supposed to have already signed up for college. I probably should have been a sophomore this year. But it's not happening anytime soon.

I don't even know if I'm ever going to college. I can't afford it. We can't afford it.

But my Nana doesn't have to know. I don't want to see her crushed.

"I just have to go to the restaurant again for an extra shift this morning, but I'll be back for lunch," I squeeze her hands to assure her.

"You're still taking that part-time job?" Nana raises her brows. "I know that they pay well, but you work too hard. Now that you're going to college soon, you need more time to study--"

"Ssh." I kiss my grandma's cheek again, silencing her.

Every time she talks about my future, my heart sinks even lower because I know how much she dedicated her life to raising me.

"I know, Nana." My cheerful voice echoes, contrary to the turmoil in my heart. "I'm going to quit soon."

I mean what I said. I'm going to quit this job, but it's not for college. Instead of going to college, I'm going to find a new job, one that is far more rewarding because we need more money.

Nana, however, seems satisfied with my answer. She has no clue about what is going on.

"I'm going to be late. I have to go," I chirp, letting go of her hands and rushing toward the front door.

While I'm passing the living room, my eyes widen at the sight of the billing documents still scattering on the coffee table. Nana can't read it, but--

"What's that?"

I snap my head toward the source of the voice, and just as I was worried about, Archer emerges from the stairs.

Archer is my younger brother -- 14 years old -- and I love him dearly. He and Nana are the only family I still have.

I snatch the papers and abruptly shove them into my sling bag. "Just some college stuff." I grin sheepishly.

Archer yawns. "Did you get in?" he asks, still sounding sleepy.

"Absolutely," I pretend to brag, gripping the door handle.

I want to escape this conversation as soon as possible. My brother is too young to have this burden. He's been such a good boy, helping me and Nana without causing the troubles that most boys in his age would. Sometimes, he didn't spend some of the money I gave him -- which is way lesser than his friends would have -- just so we could buy more groceries. I'm really grateful to have him and Nana in my life.