Janice’s heart pounded every time her phone chimed with a new message from Colin. Their connection felt real, deep, like something she had never experienced before. But a terrible fear loomed over her: she was blind. And she hadn’t told him.
As their first date approached, the secret weighed heavier on her chest. How long could she keep it from him? How long before he realized that the world she lived in wasn’t the same as his?
The room was dark, except for the soft glow of my computer screen casting shadows on the walls. I sat at my desk, my fingers hovering over the keyboard, my heart beating faster as my screen reader’s robotic voice echoed in the quiet.
“Message from Colin: I love that author. One winter, I read nearly ten of his books. ‘Love is War’ is my favorite. What about you?”
I smiled, picturing the message in my mind. Colin always spoke about books with so much passion, and it made me feel connected to him in a way I hadn’t with anyone else.
“Dictate a message,” I commanded.
“Good choice,” I began, my tone light and warm. “I might’ve picked that one too, but I really loved ‘The Princess’s Favorite.’ I remember bawling at the ending. I couldn’t stop crying for hours.”
“End message. Send.”
The familiar warmth of excitement spread through me as I waited for his reply. Talking to Colin had quickly become the highlight of my days.
We had met online weeks ago, bonding over our love of books. Late into the night, we exchanged thoughts, favorite passages, and even silly debates about which characters deserved better endings. But our conversations didn’t stop at literature. We talked about life—our dreams, our fears, even small, insignificant things like our favorite pizza toppings.
There was only one thing I couldn’t bring myself to tell him.
Twice now, Colin had asked to meet in person, and each time, I had hesitated. I had made up excuses about work, errands, or just being too busy. But the truth was much simpler: I wasn’t ready to tell him I was blind.
The robotic voice of my screen reader interrupted my thoughts.
“Message from Colin: Wait, you listen to books? You love audiobooks? That’s interesting—I just can’t get into them. I need to hold the book, feel the pages, smell the paper. That’s how I really enjoy a story. Don’t you feel the same?”
My smile faltered. My fingers curled slightly over the keyboard. Of course, he didn’t know. How could he? But his words stung in a way I hadn’t expected. They reminded me of everything I couldn’t do, of how different my world was from his.
“Dictate a message,” I whispered, my throat tightening.
“Colin, I have to confess,” I began, my voice shaking. “I’m blind. I can’t read regular books, so I rely on audiobooks.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and raw. My hands trembled over the keys. What if this changed everything? What if he saw me differently after this?
“Delete message,” I said quickly, panic gripping me.
“Message deleted. Dictate a message,” the voice prompted again.
I swallowed hard. “I just love listening to books while multitasking,” I said instead, forcing my tone to sound casual.
“End message. Send.”
As the message sent, I leaned back, pressing my palms into my face. I couldn’t keep hiding this forever. But I was too scared to tell him the truth.
Another chime broke the silence.
“Message from Colin: You keep surprising me. Hey, I have tickets to a movie premiere this weekend. Want to come with me?”
My breath caught. My fingers hovered over the keyboard. This was it. I couldn’t keep avoiding him. But the fear was still there, clinging to me like a shadow.
“Yes, I’d love to,” I finally typed. The message sent, and I leaned back, my stomach twisting in knots.
The day of the date, I arrived two hours early, gripping my white cane tightly as I listened to the echoing footsteps and chatter of the bustling mall. The movie theater was inside this massive, unfamiliar space, and I knew I had to prepare.
Approaching a security guard near the entrance, I forced myself to speak calmly. “Hi,” I began. “Could you help me find the theater? I’d like to practice the route before meeting someone.”
The older man gave me a kind nod. “Of course. Let me walk you there.”
His voice was patient as he guided me. I whispered his directions under my breath, committing them to memory. “Twenty steps straight, then a right turn, fifty more steps to the escalator…”
After a second trip back and forth, I felt more confident.
“Good luck, miss,” the guard said as he left. “You’ve got this.”
I wasn’t so sure. How was I supposed to hide my blindness during a date? What if I tripped or bumped into something? What if Colin noticed?
I stood outside the mall, sunglasses on, cane discreetly tucked away in my bag. My heart pounded as every second crawled by.
Then, a warm, friendly voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Janice?”
I swallowed hard, forcing a bright smile. “Colin!”
Smiling, I opened my arms for a hug, relieved when he stepped forward and embraced me.
“It’s so great to finally meet you,” he said. Then, after a short pause, “But… sunglasses? On a cloudy day?”
I forced a casual laugh. “Oh, my eyes are really sensitive to light. I wear them all the time.”
Colin shrugged. “Not a problem at all.”
As we walked inside, I focused on counting my steps while keeping up with our conversation. But when we reached the escalator, I hesitated, my confidence crumbling.
“Wait!” I blurted, panic creeping into my voice.
“What’s wrong?” Colin asked, concern in his tone.
“Uh, I just feel a little dizzy,” I lied. “Could you help me to the theater?”
“Of course,” he said, slipping his arm around mine. The warmth of his touch steadied me, but guilt weighed heavily in my chest.
Finally, we made it to the theater. The movie began, and I struggled to follow the story through sound alone. Loud explosions and action scenes made it hard to tell what was happening.
“Isn’t that shot amazing?” Colin leaned in to whisper. “See how they angled the camera?”
I forced a nod. “Yeah, it’s… stunning.”
“What stands out to you most in this scene?”
I hesitated. “Uh… hard to say.”
Colin chuckled. “Don’t think too hard. Just say the first thing that comes to mind.”
“Colin,” I whispered. “Let’s talk after the movie, okay?”
When the credits rolled, he turned to me. “So, what did you think?”
“It was good. Lots of beautiful visuals.”
Colin’s smile faded. “There wasn’t a boat, Janice.”
I froze.
“Why are you lying?” His voice was quiet but firm.
Tears welled up. “Colin, please—”
“No,” he said. “I thought what we had was real. But now… I don’t know.”
He walked away, and my heart shattered.
Then, a few moments later, I felt someone sit beside me.
“You’re blind, aren’t you?”
I turned toward him. It was Colin.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was scared,” I admitted. “I didn’t want to lose you.”
Colin sighed, then smiled faintly. “No more secrets?”
I nodded, hope flickering inside me. “No more secrets.”
