"Umm... 'bout what ?", I asked, cautiously, because I'm treading on thin ice.

"Bout anything... Tell you what, I'll let you start", she said.

"Start what?", I ask, genuinely confused.

"Something serious that you've wanted to ask me for a while but never did", she says.

I guess there's only one question that's been on my mind for the past 3 months. I never asked her because I didn't want to poke my nose into things that weren't mine to do so. But you know what, I never expected us to become friends. Never expected us to become so close. Never thought I'd ever actually even like her for a friend cause she's so different. So you know what, I'm gonna take this shot.

"How did you um... become blind?", I asked slowly.

"Ah that's an interesting question", she starts. "What do you think happened?".

"Uh... I don't know. Why would you ask me what I'm asking you?".

"Take a guess Joshua", she says again, raising her hands to wildly slap me.

"I don't know you crazy woMAN GET OFF ME!"

"Okay, okay", she giggles. "I'll tell you".

"So basically, about 9 and a half months ago, my parents and my little sister got into a car accident. It was bad. My parents got out with a couple of bruises and stuff. Iris though got worse than that. The main glass broke and shattered all over the car, a lot of the glass fell right into her eyes and scratched her cornea badly. She became completely blind".

"Woah... that must have been horrifying", I said. "Where were you at that time?".

"Home... doing homework I guess I don't remember".

"Hmm... then what happened?".

"Well, someone contacted me and told me that my family was in the hospital. We have no relatives close to us so it was just me. I got to the hospital as quickly as I could. My dad was unconscious and mom was, well, in a lot of pain. But the second I heard about Iris, I had to do something. So... I told the doctors I was willing to donate my cornea. Both my cornea".

"Why both?", I asked, concerned. "Surely it would have been fine donating one right?".

"It would have probably. But the glass already penetrated deep in through the cornea and was already going to do more damage to the eyeball if they didn't get it out immediately. And when they found out I was willing to donate, they were more or less relieved. They initially refused to take both corneas but Iris was suffering. They also wanted to ask both my parents for consent but couldn't. But technically, being 18, I'm legally an adult and have my own rights and opinions and whatever".

"Wow", I muttered.

"Yeah so anyway, I was put through immediate surgery. By the time I woke up, my whole family was beside me, all of us on beds in the same room. But I couldn't see them. By the time my parents figured out what happened, they were yelling at me. I was yelling back. The room was in chaos. Iris was crying because she found it difficult to open her eyes without the pain. Mom was in hysterics. Dad was the angriest. Doctors were rushing in and out of the room. A few of them got a good many curses from my dad as well. Finally, after things calmed down, I explained it to them. And thank God, they stopped screaming".

"I'm so sorry Sel".

"I'm not... Have you ever noticed Iris' eyes?", she asked.

"Yeah... it's absolutely beautiful... with the green and the blue and the specks of golden amber", I said. I really had noticed her eyes. They were most striking.

"Exactly... that makes it worth it. I'm content that I gave it to her. She's barely seen anything in this world. I saw the world for at least 18 years. I'm good with that".

I was astonished. She was the most selfless person I've met in my entire life. I mean, to give up the ability to see?! For her little sister, was amazing. She has so much love in her. I found myself staring at her so intently while I was trying to figure out how someone can be so perfect.

"Stop", she says.

"Stop what?".

"You're staring at me".

"How can you even? Come on! Don't tell me you can smell my gaze", I said indignantly.

"I just know Joshua", she said, grinning. I smiled.

"So... that's me", she said.

"You're a state of the art you know that Sel?", I said, genuinely.

"Thanks, man", she replies. Probably just my imagination, but I just got friend-zoned. How does it feel you ask? Pathetic, it feels sadly pathetic.

"Ok my turn now", she says excitedly.

"Okay shoot", I was willing to tell her anything at this point.

"Well, what happened to your parents?", she asked.

"Ah the delightful question", I said, cringing at myself.

"Ooh sorry, you don't have to answer that".

"Nah I want to", I said, I figured, she's probably the only person I trust.

"Really? Ok then, tell me", she says, curious.

"Well, I had a pretty normal childhood. Actually, I had a great one. My parents were as loving and sweet as yours Sel. They did everything with me. Midnight picnics, random beach visits whenever I felt like it... you get my point. Anyway, when I was about 9 years old, my dad was diagnosed with leukemia. He was put on treatments, medication, chemotherapies, you name it. But, unfortunately, he didn't recover. He passed away just a few weeks after my 10th birthday. I was devastated. But no one was more devastated than mom. She couldn't bear the idea of living without Dad. She got into depression, drugs and eventually, took her own life when I was just 11 years old".

"Oh Joshua", I heard Selene sigh. "How did she-?", Selene choked out.

"Hung herself. I saw her limp body hanging by a rope from our ceiling. It was horrifying. Traumatizing. I took a long time to recover from all that".

No response from Selene. I looked over at her. She looked like she wanted to weep.

"Aw don't cry Sel", I said.

"What happened after that?", she asked slowly.

"Well, social workers considered putting me into foster homes. But then, Jane pops out of nowhere and lets me stay with her instead. I don't really know which would have been better honestly, cause at this point, the only reason I'm at Jane's is to sleep in a bed. I hate Larry and that stupid dog", I said, half angry.

"Well, you wouldn't have been in this school. You- you wouldn't have met me..."

"Well, that's true", I said, looking over at her. I would never have met her. I'm definitely better off right where I am.

"Do you- do you think what your mom did was justifiable? Like... you know, she couldn't bear the thought of living without your dad... I guess she was absolutely shattered", Selene asked.

"No actually, I don't think it's reasonable at all. Everyone goes through loss and faces grief. But that's what it shows about you. Sometimes you just have to pick yourself up and move on. I'm not for all this Romeo and Juliet shit, it's stupid if you ask me, just because of the sole fact that it shows that you're weak", I said, anger rising up again.

"Love is not stupid Josh...", came a soft reply.

"It's not stupid. But being in love doesn't give you the right to drop everything and leave. Being in love should make you stronger, and braver. Being in love should have made my mom stay with me. But all she could think about was herself. How she would not be able to live without Dad. She didn't take one moment to think about me. That's not love. Love does not abandon. I didn't ask for much. I knew she was grieving. Still, all I wanted was for my mom to stay with me because dad couldn't. Yet she left me alone anyway", I said, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"I'm so sorry Josh...".

She scoots closer to me, and puts both arms around me, enveloping me in a side hug. I was confused at first, cause I didn't know what to do. But then when I just relaxed, and put my arm around her, it felt so real. So magical.

This was the first time I realized for sure. I like her. I'm positively, head over heels, have a major crush on her. Well, this is awkward...

Andas the fireworks started and she was gazing at the sky, clapping, all I couldlook at was her...

____________________________________________________

A/N HEYY SO THAT WAS CHAPTER 12! A lot of backstories, I know :P

Hope you liked this chapter. It gave a little insight into their lives and how they live.

Until the next chapter... :)

<3 -H