The Grace In Darkness by Melissa Andrea Page B

feel, but this you ’ re vague on? ”
    “ I don ’ t know what you want me to say! That ’ s all that happened. ”
    “ What did he say? What did you say? I ’ m dying here! ”
    “ Okay, but you have to swear you won ’ t freak out. AND... ” I said, raising my voice as I heard her start to protest, “ and you won ’ t interrupt me until I ’ m finished. ”
    “ Fine, ” she grumbled and her head dropped against the desk in a full-on pout.
    I could feel my face heating up. “ He said... he said he wanted to take me out even if that meant having you there too. I told him I wasn ’ t ready to date yet. ” She let out a loud dramatic whimper but didn ’ t add to it. “ He made me promise when I was ready, he would be the first to know, and then he walked me back to our room. ”
    She waited a few seconds before she mumbled into the table. “ Are you finished? Can I talk now? ”
    “ If you must. ”
    “ Are you crazy? ” she asked, popping up from the table. “ Pierce is a great guy! What ’ s stopping you? Ryland? ”
    “ No. Yes. I love him, Mak. I only left him because I didn ’ t want to ruin his life. I would have if I stayed. I just wish I knew if he still feels the same way about me. ”
    “ Would it change anything if he did? Would you leave Madison to be with him? ”
    “ I... I don ’ t know. ”
    “ If I tell you something, do you promise not to get mad at me? ”
    My curiosity was piqued. “ Okay, I promise. What? ”
    “ He was here… Ryland. ”
    I frowned. “ What do you mean he was here? When? How? ”
    “ It was a few months after you started. He was in the hall, looking for you. I found him. Mind you, I didn ’ t know who he was at the time, but I brought him to you. You were dancing and he looked... he looked like a guy still in love with you. ”
    I was shocked. Stunned. I didn ’ t know what to say as my mind spun. Ryland had been here? Looking for me? Why hadn ’ t he said anything? Why hadn ’ t he tried to talk to me? If he was still in love with me like Makayla said, why had he left me here?
    “ I didn ’ t know... I wish I had known. ”
    “ I ’ m just saying maybe you shouldn ’ t be so quick to assume it ’ s over between the two of you. ”
    “ But he didn ’ t try to talk to me... Why? ”
    “ Maybe you should ask him. ”
    She was right. Maybe I should.

 
     
    “ H ave we talked about the possibility of regaining your sight, Araya? ” Dr. Peterson asked, shining his little flashlight from one eye to the other. I pulled back. His sudden question held my complete attention.
    “ What? ”
    The light was gone with a click and his clothes rustled as he walked away from me. My air went with him. I waited for him to respond, but he was busy flipping through papers. I wanted to scream at him, but I didn ’ t want to give him a heart attack before he had a chance to tell me.
    “ It says here in your chart that your last physician talked to you and your aunt about the full extent of your condition, but I don ’ t think we ’ ve discussed it yet.
    Nina. Somehow I managed to be surprised. What else had she kept from me?
    “ No, we haven ’ t. Is that a possibility? Regaining my sight?
    “ I can ’ t guarantee you ’ ll ever regain your sight one hundred percent, but the tests we ran on you your first week here show some slight improvement since the accident. It is a possibility your vision could become a little clearer. You may even start to see some color. I don ’ t want you to get your hopes up, though. ” He was quick to cover his tracks. “ The progress was minimal and probably not even noticeable to you. ”
    I swallowed hard. “ The accident... was so long ago. I was so overwhelmed by everything that happened. Could you remind me of what my condition is exactly? ”
    “ Of course. ” He cleared his throat. “ In your case, where the infection obstructed your eyes, they weren ’ t able to do anything on their end. However, eyes are