Those stupid boys think I can’t hear them behind me. Being blind has refined my sense of hearing, but even if I wasn’t, they were being obnoxiously loud about their intentions.
But, everyone is so timid and shy around me. This could be exciting.
I can tell this guy doesn’t want to do this, but I can also hear the hunger of his growling stomach. I grabbed my own stomach, remembering that feeling all too well.
After his friend left, the boy gently took my arm and led me across the street. I had fun playing into the helpless blind-girl act and made sure to stumble a few times. He opened the door for me and I clicked my cane on the ground ahead to find my seat. Like I don’t have every inch of this restaurant committed to memory.
“Hey, Mara!” Cora yelled from across the dining room. “Who’s your new friend? He’s a cutie by the way. If you didn’t already know.”
I smiled shyly. “He hasn’t told me his name. But bring him the biggest plate of cheeseburgers and fries that we have. He saved my life earlier and I need to say thank you.”
I pushed the bowl of crisp green apples that we have in the middle of every table closer to him. “Here. Have as many as you like while we wait.”
Cora came over to the table as I heard his teeth crunch into one. “You should really quit taking walks on your own, Mara. It always makes me worry things like this will happen.” She stood quietly for a moment. Undoubtedly giving me a stern look. “So what’s your name then? Or should we just call you Mr.Hero?” Cora chuckled at her own joke.
The boy laughed nervously. Probably feeling guilty for being praised for a lie. “My name is Ben, ma’am.”
“Well, Ben, thanks for saving our little sister. I may not know the situation, but it’s nice to know there’s still some good people out there.”
Me and Ben sat in silence, aside from the sounds of people walking by the window and the crunching of every apple in the bowl, while Mara cooked up the food. I was pretty sure he’d eaten every single one down to the core. And as soon as the heaping plate hit the table, he started devouring everything on it too.
“Slow down, Ben. You’ll get a stomach-ache.”
He coughed a little. “Sorry.” He picked up his drink and took a long swig.
I laughed and picked at the fries. “It’s okay. Just take your time. There’s no rush.”
I heard a small grunt. “Well, I sorta have some kids I need to get back to.”
“Oh, you have a family? That’s so lovely.”
“Not really family, miss.” He said simply. Most people whimper or get angry when speaking of family now, but he seemed calm.
“Like everyone else’s, my parents died in the war. I just try and keep a few of the smaller ones alive,” Ben continued.
“So you're not just my personal hero then?”
I didn’t need eyes to tell he was blushing. “Please, allow me to send you home with food for them.” I turned toward the kitchen and hollered for my sister again. “Cora, please make twenty cheeseburgers to send home with my savior.”
Cora poked her head out. “Whaaa? Twenty? I don’t know if your life is worth that much.” She walked away laughing.
“So, why are you dressed like a boy?” Ben asked.
My hand shot up to my mouth with an exaggerated gasp. “I’m dressed like a boy? No one told me that!”
I let him stir silently for a moment then giggled. “I’m sorry. Just a joke.” I picked up another fry, noting the pile was considerably lower, and nibbled at the salty end. He must have really been starving.
“It’s dangerous enough being outside, alone, and blind, but adding female to the mix makes it much more needlessly frightening.”
I waved an arm, gesturing to my clothes. “I can’t see myself, so I have no vanity to worry about.”
“Oh,” was all Ben said. Was he disappointed in the lack of amusing story, or at the fact that I wear men’s clothes in general?
I let out another girly giggle and tipped my head to the side. “Do I look that bad?”
“No!” He accidentally shouted, then cleared his throat. “I mean, no. You don’t look bad at all. I was just surprised is all.”
I heard the crinkling of the take-home bag being held out in front of him. “Here you are,” Cora said, handing it to him. “And if you ever want more of these, maybe you could come take Mara here for walks sometime. I’d gladly pay you in food for a little piece of mind.”
I couldn’t tell if she did it because she was actually worried or maybe she really did think he was cute and wanted to continue to see him, but I was grateful for it either way. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of him as well.
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