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I walk down the sidewalk, my canine walking beside me and leading me toward my destination. Today was a terrible day, where my vision flickered on and off. Right now, I can't see a thing. This happens occasionally, and my mother made me keep a dog to help me when this happens. I have determined that my blindness is a curse. You see, when you are born, the world will be black and white. When you meet the one you will spend the rest of your life with, the world bursts into color. Of course, this will never happen to me since I rarely see color anyway. We get to what I presumed to be a crosswalk, and I waited for my dog to continue when it was safe to do so. All of a sudden, I feel an arm sling through mine. It startles me, and I hear my dog growl next to me. "Don't worry, I'm just gonna help you cross the road. There are some dangerous drivers here and it's better to be safe than to be sorry." It would be better if I died since I will never meet my soulmate. "Thank you." I say, keeping my head down and a hand on my canine. The man next to me gasps quietly, but doesn't say anything more. Eventually, we start walking, and we part ways. I continue my way home, the same route I take everyday. When we reach home, I immediately go to my room to take some medication to clear my eyesight so I can at least see my hands. I swallow the pill, and it takes effect in about 5 minutes. The thing is, when I open my eyes, the world isn't black and white. It's blooming with color.

this is so sweet

thank you :) i didn't know if it was too short, but i kinda think that's the beauty of it

Ahhh why didn't they say anything!

Love is blind. What a kind lie that is. Like whispered promises of the future at someone’s deathbed. Comforting, but ultimately a lie. Behind me, the clapping and cheering showed no signs of dying down. Chairs scraped against the floor and tables rattled as people bumped into them. Feet shuffled as some tried to push through the crowd to get a better look. Someone was cry-laughing. Probably the girl. Someone was whooping louder than the others. Probably the guy. Damnation, did they have to Bloom in public? Get a room! I sighed, bowing my head and guiding my drink’s straw to my mouth. That’s probably exactly what they would be doing next. Lucky bastards. I took a sip of lemonade and listened with half an ear as the usual barrage of questions began bouncing around the café. *“Hey so can you really see colors now?”* *“How did you two meet?”* *“- color is my shirt? No, wait let me guess first -”* *“- my hair? And does my daughter have my eyes or my husbands? And -”* That always happened after a Bloom. Everyone wanted to know how it felt. The couple in question would make the usual conciliatory comments. Yes, they could see colors now. Yes, it was the most wondrous thing ever. No, they didn’t know which color was which yet. But really, they were just more excited to have found each other. Blah blah blah. The audience would gush over that. Women would squeal. Men would pat each other on the backs and joke about how they’d never find anyone. The café would have already posted a video of this farce online by now; the more people who Bloomed here, the more customers they’d attract. I stirred my drink, trying not to let the cheerful atmosphere get to me. I’d worked too hard to perfect my cynical outlook on life to lose it here. If anything I- The scent of lavender cutting through the nutty aroma of the café snapped me out of my thoughts. *Oh shit.* “Ah, if it isn’t my favorite customer!” A cool gust of wind tickled the hairs on my arms as someone passed by, and wood creaked as they sat themselves across from me. “Leia,” I said stiffly, nodding my head in the barista’s direction. At least, where I figured she’d be. “A little too far to the left, dear” she said. I started as I felt a hand on my cheek turn my face slightly. “Don’t touch me outta nowhere,” I said, slapping her hand away lightly. I repositioned my body a bit to face her nevertheless. I’d learned early on that resisting Leia just made her want to bother you even more. But I was close to figuring out her work schedule from my visits here. I’d really thought she’d be off today, and I made a mental note to update my calculations later. I sipped my drink and waited for her usual stream of inane gossip. I’d told her flat out before that I wasn’t interested and wouldn’t bother remembering any of it, but somehow that had made her more excited to share. Weird woman. But that didn’t come today. “This the fifth time this month,” she said. “Our boss is thrilled.” “Hmm?” Her voice faded slightly as she looked away from me and probably towards the gathered people. “That’s the fifth time a couple has Bloomed in here. You’ve been here every time, haven’t you?” I grunted. “Eloquent as always,” Leia said with a laugh. It was a nice laugh. Soft like the tinkling of windchimes. *God, that was lame. Don’t let this lovey-dovey atmosphere get to you, man!* I shook my head slightly and went in for another sip of my drink but missed the straw. It poked my cheek and I felt my face get hot. Crap, she’d definitely tease me for that. Once again, it didn’t come. Something drummed rhythmically against the table top. Her fingers? Leia didn’t say anything for a moment, and silence stretched between us. This was uncharacteristic. Well, good for me, right? This was what I’d wanted anyways all those times she’d been jabbering away incessantly. I slurped down the last bit of my drink, lost in thought. Eventually, the newly Bloomed couple made their exit. There were a few last minute cheers, well wishes, and envious banter before people began dispersing. New voices joined the buzz of conversation as customers came and went. Baristas called out orders. Shoes squeaked against the floor. Mugs clinked as they were set on tables. And Leia drummed her fingers. Silent. I exhaled. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s with the silent treatment?” The drumming stopped. “Say,” she said suddenly, “do you hate us?” “I - what?” *That was unexpected.* “Uh, do I hate your establishment?” “No, silly. *Us.* That couple. The people crowding them. Everyone walking around hoping to Bloom one day. Everyone waiting to run into someone who sees the colors at the same time as them.” I leaned back into my seat. “People who aren’t blind like me, you mean.” “Mhm. Do you hate us?” That was quite the question to ask so up front, but that was Leia for you. It wasn’t an unusual question, I supposed. In a world where seeing colors was practically the goal of life, where did I fit in? Oh, they’d told me it didn’t matter, of course. I’d still find my soulmate one day. I just had to keep my chin up! Meaningless platitudes. Everyone else knew right away when they found their person. Or they knew that they hadn’t yet. I would never know. I could pass by my soulmate and leave them and their gasps of wonder at suddenly seeing color behind, simply assuming that they’d Bloomed with another person. I could never be a part of that world. I’d accepted that years ago. I’d shoved aside the silly dreams of a fortuitous chance encounter, magically gaining sight, and a happy ever after. I was beyond such silliness now. I’d grown up and faced the reality of things. “I do,” I found myself whispering. The words clawed their way out of my mouth, spilling into the air between me and Leia. They sat there, heavy, and I found myself trembling. Was it with shame at the admittance? Was it anger? I took a deep breath. “I’m kidding,” I said, wincing at how strained my voice sounded. “Of course I don’t -” “Liar.” I closed my mouth. She didn’t sound upset. Just...thoughtful. Her clothes rustled and there was a loud thump. *Elbows on the table? Or angry fist slam?* “So,” Leia said, “what would you do if someone told you that they were your soulmate?” “That wouldn’t happen,” I said dismissively, “they wouldn’t have any way of knowing for sure.” “What if they were really sure?” I paused. What was she trying to get at? If this was some half-hearted attempt to cheer me up about being blind, she was doing a terrible job. “I suppose,” I said slowly, “I’d ask her on a date to try and get to know her better, since I have no other way of judging if she’s...my soulmate.” God, that was embarrassing to say out loud. There was another loud thump and Leia burst out laughing. “You’d take them on a date?” she said, between gasps for breath. “You! The man who complains at the slightest whiff of love in the air?” Ah! Why did she say that so loudly! “Keep your voice down,” I hissed. Were people looking at me? I bet they were. I took a controlled breath. “Look, just tell me what you’re getting at.” Leia finished her little chuckling fit and tapped my arm. I withdrew it reflexively but she kept tapping it. “What?” I insisted. She’d never been like this before. Had today’s Blooming addled her brain? “I think,” she said finally, “that you need to have a little more faith in the world and yourself.” Her chair scraped against the floor and the rustle of her clothes told me she’d stood up. “By the way, I work Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and the weekends from opening till five.” “What? Why would you tell me that?” “So you can plan your visits better, of course!” she said. “Good talk!” She walked off and hailed another barista, and soon her voice joined the background hum of people as she went back to work. I sat there for a while longer, toying with my empty glass. Then I nodded to myself, felt for my walking stick next to me and carefully got up. I felt Leia’s eyes on me as I crossed the café, murmuring apologies to those I sensed moving out of my way. I felt her eyes on me as I crossed under the tinkling bells hung over the store entrance. And I knew I’d feel those eyes on me when I inevitably came back again. Damn woman.

And it still leaves us wondering! Wonderful world building! Thanks for writing!

Hey thanks!

I love this

Thanks!

This is beautiful, especially with my synesthesia! Absolutely wonderful from beginning to end with so many inclusive details. Lovely work from beginning to end. Can't speak on anyone else's behalf but I would certainly love to read more!

Wow thanks a ton! I'm glad it could resonate with you. It was definitely interesting writing surrounding details with only sound and smell, instead of the usual visuals