Melanie's pov
I bought pasta while Mark took a hamburger with French fries. He must like that; he ate the same thing yesterday. The calm and cold air which circulated between us somewhat made me uncomfortable.
Okay, he had a quiet personality like me, but right now the silence seemed heavier. Somehow, I wondered if he was mad at me because no words escaped his mouth since the incident earlier.
He stuffed his mouth to its limit like how JB ate. Same friends same habits I guessed. I kept analyzing his gorgeous and interesting face: thick dark eyebrows, dark eyes, long Nubian nose, a beauty mark under his left eye and another one on the right side of his upper lip... and heart-shaped cherry lips. All gathered in a unique narrow face. Handsome. He felt I was looking at him...
"You keep looking at me right now..." He smiled.
"Huh... um," I mumbled. "Are you mad at me or anything?"
"No," he replied while shaking his head. That silence killed me for an unknown reason. We were both quiet today.
"I thought you were angry at me. You don't... talk."
"No. I'm usually quiet."
That explained the endless silence between us, but perhaps he hid his dissatisfaction toward me? Despite all the commotion I provoked few minutes ago, well more like a little one, I heard no thanks from him.
After taking a bite of his hamburger, he continued, "I'm quite spontaneous."
"Ah okay." I nodded with my mouth opened. I wondered how he looked like in an excited mood.
"I guess you are the same as me, you don't speak a lot either."
"Yeah, I'm also a quiet person. In high school, I had a lot of friends. I was the happiest then. In College, my silent temper surfaced once again."
"What happened?" he asked out of curiosity.
"Uh? I don't really know. I would like to know too..."
"You still have your friends, don't you?"
"Uh? I..."
His question flustered and wanted to hide myself. I ended up having deep thoughts about my social life. The true is I don't have a lot of friends. I have people I know, talk to, but who to call friends? I don't know. I somewhat lost them after high school. That situation when everyone had to go to different Colleges to pursuit their studies. In the end, we naturally became distant and forget each other.
When I first came to study here, I made friends, but again, some dropped out or changed school. Our lives were different. Was it an excuse to stop contacting each other? I wanted to keep in touch with them. I was always the one calling them and do things together. Nobody called me; I ended up being the one to make the efforts. Naturally, I quit. I still had three to four friends I talked to in random days.
"You've said that you were the happiest in high school because you had a lot of friends. That's why I'm asking..."
In only one phrase, he had to make me feel uncomfortable. Why did I start that conversation? I felt embarrassed; I could not tell him that I mostly was a loner?
A weak smile formed itself on my face while I watched Mark waiting for my response. He tilted his head in a slow motion to hear me clearly I guessed. His expression slightly changed when the wait extended.
He told me in a gentle tone, "We can change the subject if you want?"
I gulped and nodded or shake my head, not knowing what I wanted to do. I looked so vulnerable right now. Oh my God!
"You know I can't see if you nodded or shake your head right?"
I had forgotten. It was a habit for me since I did not talk a lot. My father even complained when I only moved my head to give him an answer. Mark was... different, I should make an effort.
"Sorry, I-I... um, yeah uh... no it's okay." What was that?
"Hm, I'm not sure to understand."
"I'm okay; we don't need to change the subject." Oh, what I did there uh? I will make a fool of myself. I paused before continuing, "I don't have a lot or friends now. We have lost contact after high school and I absolutely regret it. It's too late now. We're not the same people we used to be." I lowered my tone as I start to feel a little emotional.
"It's sad. High school friends are precious. I still see mines and I don't know what I would have become without them."
My eyes became watery as I agreed to his words. I suddenly felt so sad and lonely. Good thing he could not notice my tears flowing down my cheeks. I tried to make no crying noise, but my nose betrayed me when I sniffled loudly.
Mark lifted his head slowly like he sensed something. "Oh, are you... crying?"
I hurried to take my things and wiped away my tears with my hand, "I'm okay." I saw Jackson. I needed to vanish from this place right away. I stood up and glanced at Mark one last time, "I'll go now. Jackson is coming now. Bye."
"Melanie..." I heard him pronounced my name in a concern tone. I just had to go.
***
Mark's pov
No more words of Melanie. She left me here leaving an ounce of her sweet scent in the air. Guilt took me; I had made her cry? Why would I talk about my friends like that in front of her? She must think I'm an insensitive guy. Babo!(idiot!) Like JB would say. Then, I heard Jackson's voice...
"I just saw Melanie, what happened? Her eyes were full of tears she kept wiping them away. You made her cry?"
So, she was really crying... I felt sorry.
After Melanie disappearance, Jackson just babbled to me but my mind was somewhere else. She cried because of me right?
"Hey! Hello? Why don't you answer me?" I heard him scream next to me.
"Huh? Oh, sorry what did you say?"
"I know you're blind, but are you starting to be deaf too? What's wrong? You're thinking about her?"
"I don't know. I think she's feeling lonely."
"Lonely? In which sense though?"
"We were talking about our high school friends, how she lost contact with them and now she doesn't have a lot. And, when I mentioned mines, I think that's when she started to cry."
"For real? Ohhh..."
"I noticed she's been with us since yesterday. If she had friends, she would be with them or talk about them, no?"
"I guess, but that's not the problem. We can be her friends! I don't mind having a friend like her. She looks like Beyoncé!"
"Like Beyoncé? Are you for real now?" Knowing how Jackson boasted about her, how she's so popular and so pretty I wish I could see how Melanie looked like.
Do you know what was great about being blind? There was no race and it was a blessing. That means I didn't know from beauty. I knew people from what it came out of their mouth and what was in their heart. That was how I knew people and I thought it was much better like this.
If I would talk about Beyoncé, for me she was beautiful; the sound of her voice and the way she talked. For me, that was beauty. I didn't need to know her skin color, her nationality, how tall she was, how big or small she was either. I don't care. However, the opinions of your sight friends could influence in a good proportion.
Melanie was the same; beautiful. The sound of her voice and the way she talked tickled my ears. It brought a smile to my face. And her perfume sent shivers of joy in my soul. Somewhat, I felt guilty to feel this way toward her. If my girlfriend could hear me now.
Jackson continued his speech, "Yeah, for real! She has that milk chocolate skin, and the curves, and the thighs. Maybe she can dance well too. Hey! Why don't we invite her at your birthday party next weekend, huh?"
"Well, it sounds good to me."
"Maybe, I'll get to dance with her? Aaaaahhhhhh!!!" he squealed of happiness making me jumped on my seat. That kid was way too excited!
***
JB's pov
Just arrived at the College, I hurried to take my things in the locker before classes. I saw Melanie. She grabbed all her stuffs out.
"Hi!" I grinned as I felt lighter with her presence. More like I was in a good mood since I had more sleep hours.
She flinched before facing me. Her eyes were all wet and red, and a runny nose. She cried?
"Something happened?" I asked feeling preoccupied, but I tried to hide it. My happy mood faded away seeing her like that.
"Don't worry I'm doing okay. I'm going now, bye!" She faked a smile and then left.
What happened to her?
I waited patiently for my class to start. I studied in the cinema field and I liked it. I had to make a choice between cinema and music.
Lost in my daydream, I thought about Melanie. Her face earlier. She was crying, why? When I noticed the sadness on her face, it was as If I received a punch right into my heart and it hurt. What is that Jaebeom? Keep yourself straight! I slapped my face.
"Hey, Jaebeomiiie! How are you? I'll take the seat next to you!"
Pamela was a nice and kind girl, only when she wanted to. She was always nice to me. Her high popularity with guys was well known; well, she could be a model. Very pretty. However, she had no effect on me. Well, her appearance attracted my eyes like for every guy, but her shallowness annoyed me.
I was nice to her and it ended there. My heart had a place for only one girl.
"Hey, how your summer break has been? I see you have tanned a little."
She blurted out, "I had a great summer! I went to Brazil for the FIFA. It was sooo cool! I've done a lot of things. I went with some friends. The food is so good out there. I've learned some dance moves and I've met some great guys. But I've thought about you too. How do you like my tan? I know you like tan girls!"
Whoa?! She spoke just too much! And she thought about me? Just, whatever...
"Yeah, your tan looks great. But, you should've been more careful. Too much is not good for the skin."
"You're right! I'll be more careful from now on. You're so nice, taking care of me. So, have you met someone this summer?" Her tone became more serious this time.
"No," I bluntly expressed, not interested to speak about it with someone like her.
She smirked. "For real? Ah, next time I guess." I could see her satisfaction and I needed to add something, breaking any hopes with me.
"However, I already have my mind set on someone." Her face appeared in my head. You know who right?
"Well, it's good. It's a start I suppose. It can always change." She made a face and turned herself to the front to listen to the teacher.
After the end of the lesson, the teacher explained us a project we had to realize for the next two months. We had to be paired in teams of two people and guess who I ended up with? Yep, Pamela.
She asked me if we could visit some places together to know where to start filming and get some ideas. I agreed to her suggestion since I liked to be organized.
***
Melanie's pov
You don't know how much I envy you Mark...
I headed to my locker still crying. I just wanted to leave right now. I won't attend my afternoon class. So, I decided to pack my things. Then, I heard someone and jumped out of surprise.
"Hi!" a joyful voice said. I turned back, making eye contact with a handsome JB smiling at me. Somewhat, his smile faded away when he noticed my face.
"Hi," replied and then returned to what I was doing so he could stop staring at my face.
"Something happened?" He sounded worried or am I mishearing? JB showed concern for me.
"Don't worry I'm doing okay. I'm going now, bye." I smiled so he could less worry about me. If he did worry. I left him there still staring at me as I was walking away. I can't really tell you my worries JB, since we're not friends.
I decided to take some fresh air since as I didn't want to return home too early, plus I had nothing to do. What could bring joy to a depressed girl? SHOPPING! Since I had lost weight my old clothes were too big for me. I needed to refill my wardrobe.
I took the bus and headed to the Mail Champlain where I will have plenty of choices! I already felt a lot better. I walked aimlessly forgetting it was a weekday. I bought one pair of skinny blue jeans, two printed tee-shirts, a snapback and Addidas sneakers. I felt peckish, so I went to the restaurants area to buy me some food. They were a lot of people and... a lot of couples.
A lovely couple sat not too far from me; they gave food to each other with loving eyes. I smiled at them. They whispered things and laughed together; they seemed so happy. Another young couple hugged each other while giving sweet pecks. Next to an entrance door, a couple just arrived and already started to tease and tickle each other. My smile turned into a bitter one. So envious.
When will it be my turn?
My body couldn't take it anymore. Frustrated, I just headed back home. I've lost my appetite...
I didn't know what was the worst; having no real friends or to never have been in a love relationship? I should be happy at 22 years old.
***