Blank Girl - (Book One)

Chapter 4 - Warm Welcome

Greg

"Cassandra Black to the administration office please." I heard the announcement over the speaker system.

Damn. What a wasted opportunity. She was so cute, all mumbling and babbling. What does the dashing hero always do in sappy rom-com's? He kisses the girl so she stops talking. It would've been perfect too.

Now I'll have to give her duffle back and find some other excuse to keep talking to her.

"Gregory Castle to the administration office please."

"I was going to give you your bag back, but seems like we're going in the same direction."

"Can you tell me where the bus parked? I can get us to the office from there."

"Uh sure. We're in a parking lot with logs as curbs. There's a big building just straight ahead of you and a trail behind it."

"If you turn around is there a bench surrounded by wildflowers and another trail leading off to a smaller building."

"Yeah, exactly."

"That smaller building is the office."

She started to walk towards the smaller building. I jogged after her. Cassie was remarkably quick and sure-footed for a blind girl. "Hey. Just don't trip over the-"

I watched as she stepped effortlessly over one of those logs that marked the parking lot boundary. How does she do that?

"So are you sure that you're not playing a prank on the new kid?" I asked, semi-seriously.

"What do you mean?"

"You are blind..." You did not just ask her that, Greg. Pretty sure that's far beyond politically correct.

"Yes."

"You can't see at all?" Yep, just make it worse.

"Nope. Not since my fourteenth birthday." She lost her sight on her birthday? Harsh. She doesn't seem bothered by my hugely inconsiderate line of questioning either. Impressive.

"So how do you keep stepping over obstacles."

"Good hearing and a good memory. Plus Jack helps a lot."

"But he's not even on one of those special leashes."

She laughed. "You caught me. I really am a sighted person. Just yanking your chain."

"No, I'm pretty sure you are blind."

"Make up your mind Greg." She laughed again, but there was a nervousness there. Like she had some secret to hide.

"No, seriously. If you could see, you would have said something about me by now."

"What are you talking about?"

"Girls always ask about my tattoos or sigh dreamily, like they're in a movie."

She frowned, looking more than a little disgusted by my statement. "You aren't actually that shallow."

"I'm not trying to be conceited. It's just that you're not even affected by how I look." I threw my hands up. "For fuck's sake, three of your girl classmates have slipped their number in my jeans since I arrived at the school this morning. You seem to be able to see where litter is, but you don't see me at all."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." She hurried to the building. Then, she walked straight through the doorway without even pausing, like she knew the door was open. "Sonia?"

"No it's Claire here Cassandra." Claire, the woman sitting at the desk facing the open doorway, was a slightly overweight woman in her fifties. Her hair was greying and in that "sensible" pixie cut that older women seem to obsessed with. She had glasses on and a pressed button up white shirt. All in all, she had the office lady look down.

"Oh, hi Claire. Where's Sonia?"

"Maternity leave."

"Oh wow. Tell her congratulations from me."

"I will." Claire paused and looked upset. "Listen honey, I've got bad news."

"Okay."

"You're going to have to leave Jack at the cabin for your stay with us."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Mrs. Banks found out that Jack isn't a registered seeing eye dog and you're not allowed to bring him inside any of the buildings or on any of the trails. There's a protected gecko or something and Mrs. Banks is "championing the cause". They got a dog house in so he can sleep in the backyard of the cabin, but that's it."

I watched as her eyes fell.

"But I can't see without him!"

"Honey, you're lucky they let you bring him at all. He's just not registered. Which means you're not entitled to that section of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He needs to be on a leash at all times in the common outdoor areas and if you take him in any of the buildings, the Banks' will ask you to leave."

"But I-" She started to protest again but must've decided against it. I saw her flip her sunglasses back down and she sped out of the building. Jack was right by her side and she didn't miss a step.

"I do feel sorry for the poor girl. You know she found that dog in the woods that first summer she was up here? Purebred Akita out there just sitting on a stump. You know those dogs cost thousands of dollars sometimes? And he was just sitting there, like he was waiting for her. She put up flyers, went to the rescue shelter and everything. No one claimed him and he's been her best friend since. They've been inseparable... I really shouldn't gossip though." Claire sighed and seemed to snap out of her story-telling. "You must be Mr. Castle?"

Man this woman sure can talk.

"Yes ma'am."

Her voice was suddenly very serious and somehow she managed to look down at me, even though I was standing and she was sitting. Even at her full height, I doubt she could match my 6'2. That trick must be something they teach at office lady school.

"Even though you enrolled late, the Banks are showing their hospitality by allowing you to be up here. Read through your orientation pack and be aware that any funny business will be handled within the strict guidelines of the school's policy and local laws. You're in Cabin 19. The key is under the flower pot."

"Kind of a weird speech to give isn't it?"

"Not really, considering..." Her voice trailed off.

"Considering what? My being asked to leave my last school? You do know there were never any formal charges."

"All I know is that there was a "mysterious" fire and you, and another boy, walked out unharmed. I also know that if anything like that happens here, it will be handled with handcuffs." Claire huffed and dismissed me.

Nothing like a warm welcome.

Author's Note:

So Claire is a major workplace gossip (obvi), but what do you guys think about gossiping?

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