Seeing Blind

3| It's A Thing.

Ashton and Rosie had been going out for three years this Wednesday, it all started when Ashton had a crush on her when they were fifteen. And now, well, now they were known as Ashton and Rosie. Rosie and Ashton.

"I can tutor you if you want?" Annie's voice was subtle and average, yet every word she spoke made Luke practically explode inside. Why did she want to tutor him? Luke's hands had gone clammy and sweaty and he could feel his sandwich starting to lose its structure.

"I wouldn't if I were you, he's a pain in the ass. D'you not have any other plans?" Ashton interrupted Luke's thoughts, which couldn't have been a better save on his part. Luke could finally have a bite of his food, allowing it to calm his nerves.

"No, I don't really do much." Annie shrugged, finishing off her meal and looking to Luke for an answer.

"Well- I mean- if it's ok? Ok with you I mean..." Luke's gulp was deafening and the only thing he could hear. Annie definitely heard it and she definitely thought he was a weirdo.

"Yeah, sounds good."

"Good, it's a date-" the words fell from Luke's mouth like a poison. "Well, not a date but- Y'know, a thing." He knew he couldn't fix it now, he may as well stop talking, "Not a date... a thing." He just kept talking.

"It's a thing." Annie chuckled, biting her lip as Luke just buried his head in his arms, no longer feeling as if he deserved food for the embarrassment he had gone through.

-

"Hey, Ashton, do you want Luke and I to just walk home so you can go straight to Rosie's with her?" Annie asked as all three of them left the school doors.

"It's up to Luke, I don't mind." Ashton commented, resting a hand on Luke's shoulder as they wondered down the steps. Luke knew that he wanted to go with Rosie, of course he did, but he couldn't help but admit he'd feel a little lost without Ashton.

But Luke owed it to him, Ashton's done so much the last three months that he deserves this one thing. Luke can do that. And anyway, it's only Annie, he can trust her, right?

"Uh- It's fine, of course, yeah. Yeah, spend some time with Rosie out of school." Luke's smile was genuine, a gentle tap on Ashton's shoulder reassured the shaggy haired boy, before he gave Annie a quick nod then went to his car.

Luke thought she would just stand next to him or maybe even place a hand on his elbow and guide him slightly. What he didn't think she would do would be linking arms with him. His whole body froze, like completely and utterly stopped working.

"Are you ok?" Annie sensed there was a problem, but she didn't realise that she was the problem. Even if Luke was blind, he still moved his head in the direction of her hand, pretending that he could see it almost. Maybe she had manicured nails or painted nails or chewed nails.

"Huh? Uh- yeah. Sorry." Luke shook his head, knocking his sunglasses slightly but quickly adjusting them with his spare hand, the one with his walking stick strap around the wrist. Making him look even more like an idiot, the end of the walking stick poked him in the face, causing him to jut back in fear. He looked like an absolute idiot.

"Did you want me to put that in my bag? I'll help you," Annie's left hand- the one that wasn't linked with Luke- was steadily placed on his arm too, settling his nerves instantly.

"Um, if that's ok with you? If you don't mind..." Luke knew this was quite risky, she might not know to point out the curbs or the dints or the people walking their way. She didn't know to point out the dog shit or the puddles or the bikes even.

Her hand ran down his right arm, taking the straps of his walking stick in between her fingers, taking away his one piece of familiarity. She folded it down, something he never thought would have been needed until now, and placed it in her bag.