The quiet hum of music coming from Geoffrey's headphones blended in perfectly with the repetitive tapping of his fingers over the raised dots of the Braille book.
His lips moved from time to time as he took in the words beneath his fingertips, and his brows were slightly furrowed.
Learning to read in this new way, seeing the world through touch instead of sight, was a newfound pleasure. He was so focused that he didn't notice the person who had quietly entered his study or heard the door creak open.
In front of him, Tiana stood still and observed. She tilted her head and watched him with silent awe, a warm grin curling her lips. The way his black, slightly disheveled hair framed his face, the strong angle of his jawline, and those penetrating green eyes that, despite their lack of sight, yet had a depth that unnerved her, all contributed to Geoffrey's easy attractiveness.
Her heart clenched slightly as she thought, "Too bad those eyes can't see." She swayed slightly from side to side subconsciously while rocking on her heels. She bit her bottom lip playfully to contain her laughter as she continued to stare at him, blushing. His earnest appearance, as though the world depended on the pages beneath his fingertips, had an attractive quality. Then—
"You know, I can feel you staring." Geoffrey suddenly spoke, his voice vibrating through the room. He had come to and sensed Tiana's stare.
She tensed, feeling caught in the act.
With a look of amusement, Geoffrey tilted his head and slowly removed his headphones. "Your breathing is excessively loud."
Deciding to play dumb, Tiana folded her arms and scoffed. "No, I'm not!"
"You are," he declared with assurance, his grin growing. "How long have you been standing there? Several minutes ago? Admiring my good looks, I guess?"
Tiana rolled her eyes, "Mr. Smith, you should not brag. I simply wanted to see how you were doing. It is my job to do so.
"Oh?" Leaning back in his chair, Geoffrey pretended to be deeply thoughtful. "You honestly mean you didn't come here merely to gaze at my face?"
Heat began to rise to Tiana's neck. "Obviously not! I was simply—"
With a tongue-click, Geoffrey mocked, "Busted. I understand, don't worry. Aren't I quite the sight?"
Tiana groaned in frustration and walked across the room to slap his arm. "You are so self-centered!"
For a minute, Tiana merely found herself observing Geoffrey as he laughed. He laughed heartily. Real. A far cry from the icy, sulky version of him that most people were familiar with. She took a step back and remarked, "You know what? Some fresh air is what you need."
Geoffrey's eyebrows went up. "What if I decline?"
"Well, I didn't ask," Tiana stated with a tone of finality.
Outside the Mansion, the cold evening air hit their skin, giving a pleasant sensation as they walked along the garden path. The scent of freshly cut grass and blooming jasmine filled the air, while the distant chirping of crickets quietly accompanied the night's melody.
Finally, they listened to the tranquil sounds of their surroundings while sitting side by side on a wooden bench beneath a large oak tree. They were silent for a moment. Then suddenly Geoffrey let out a sigh.
"What's the matter?" Tiana turned to face him and inquired.
With his fingers idly following the grain of the wooden seat, he paused before responding. "I regret not knowing what you look like. Since my senses were heightened after the accident, I use it as a coping mechanism, but not being able to see you…I feel sorry for myself."
Startled, Tiana blinked. She couldn't think of anything to say.
Geoffrey went on in a hushed tone. "It's odd. It's the first time I've had a female friend, someone I'm interested in. It's just my bad luck that I am unable to do something as basic as seeing her face."
Tiana's chest tightened as she gazed at him. It was his first time, referring to her as a friend. Feeling overwhelmed, she grabbed his hand and softly brought it to her face. "Then sense it," she said.
Geoffrey tensed. In an attempt to lighten the situation, she mocked, "You boast about how sharp your senses are. So use them."
As his fingers tentatively touched heseeingheek, a tiny smile appeared on his lips. He touched lightly, as though he was worried about breaking something. Tiana felt her heart pounding on her ribs as she closed her eyes.
His fingers traced down to the shape of her nose after trailing up to outline the gentle curve of her cheekbone. Before his hand abruptly retreated, his thumb briefly hovered over her lips.
Tiana's eyes opened. "Geoffrey?" she whispered. "What made you stop?"
He gritted his teeth. "You're too gorgeous for a blind boy like me," he said.
There was a heavy hush. Tiana's throat constricted. She wanted him to know that she didn't see him as merely a blind youngster and that his blindness didn't diminish him.
But Geoffrey got up abruptly before she could. "Let's return inside." Now his voice was walled off, far away.
Tiana watched him leave while swallowing hard. She felt as though she was witnessing him slipping away for the first time since they had first met. She wanted to say something, anything, to stop him. However, it was hard to think of the right words to console him.
Nevertheless, she ran after him as he wasn't holding his guide cane, and he could fall, but her phone rang at that moment. Seeing that the call was from her father, she quickly answered it. She was about to tell him to call her back when her father informed her that her brother had a crisis and had been rushed to the hospital.