On The Scale Of

Chapter 12

"He seemed awfully close to you."

"He's my cousin!"

"Still."

Good grief. The oh-so-happy couple from behind me just kept going on and on about who fucked who, while I, a valued customer, simply wanted to stand in this aisle for fifteen minutes to choose which brand of popcorn to buy without having to hear high-pitched male screeches caused by their caveman-like tendencies.

"What about that guy I saw you with last week at the gym?"

"That was my brother!"

Never thought I had this strong of an urge to shoot someone pointblank in the face just for being annoying. I pushed my cart across the shiny-tiled floor and picked up two liters of Coke from a nearby shelf. I was in a hurry not to stay a second longer here. I don't know what's more painful; the bickering duo or the store's broken speakers playing a crude KPOP song on loop. I paid for the items and carried them with me to the lot.

It was about seven PM when I arrived at our house. It was after I dropped off the Alfa Romeo at Zoom's Garage.

The dark skies have already loomed over the city so various lights have been turned on from all around the neighborhood, our house's entrance included. I keyed in our door and entered. The undeniable smell of meatloaf cooking hit me full force, and the face to greet me while at it was Daniel's. He had such an adorably resting bitch face.

"Didn't I tell you to pick up the glasses from the shop?" He demanded.

"Yeesh, hello to you too." I stepped in the living room where Nat was picking out a movie from Netflix. "I slept in. I had too good a dream to give up." I carried the bag of food with me to the couch. I can help with cooking, but Catherine insisted a little too forcefully that she'd rather I just 'stick to cleaning not the cooking'. I can't help but think that there must be nicer ways of putting it.

"...Where is it..." Nat muttered with determination as she flicked through the selection, not at the very least acknowledging my presence. Rude. Meanwhile, Mr Lawyer walked to the mahogany drawer near me and picked something up.

He glared me down, holding a gray rectangular case toward me. "I had to go there to pick it up. It was a terrific experience meeting with someone I had just rejected. Thank you for that. Now, try it on."

I withheld a smirk and opened the case. A new pair of dark-rimmed glasses that I had picked out were found inside. I went to stand in the front of the mirror that was hung beside the family portrait from the wall behind us. I weighed the eyeglasses in my hands before gingerly putting them on.

I shut my eyes close and pulled on the hair that got stuck behind my ears. I fitted the frame to my face and finally opened my eyes. Blinking a couple of times before completely adjusting to the change, my head flashed an ache and my vision shook a bit before coming into focus.

Clear.

Everything suddenly became utterly, magnificently clearer.

What sorcery is this? I know this is what eyeglasses are supposed to do but damn, son.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, shamelessly dazzled by it. Not because I was vain, but because of the vivid colors I was able to see! My face was streaming in HD. My hair appeared to be a flaming red color, wavy and almost curly, hanging down my shoulders. Dark eyes accompanied by dark circles underneath them contrasted my pale face. But who the hell cares! I can actually see shit!

I did a turn and a new world was before me, and as dramatic as it sounds, it is what it is. Everything was just so much clearer - details that I wasn't aware of before appeared before my eyes. The living room was not as tidy as I had thought... But I was too happy to cringe. It was so disassociating at first, but after I caressed my gaze on every surface it can graze upon, it was starting to make sense. Holy shit, was I blind or something? It's the most bizarre feeling. My eyes then settled and became fixated on the man before me. I can barely make out what he mumbled under his breath upon seeing me do so. But the fact that I actually saw his mouth's small movements amazed the heck outta me.