Janice’s heart fluttered every time Colin sent her a message. Their budding relationship felt like a beautiful dream, but there was a lingering truth she couldn’t ignore: Janice was blind. With their first date looming, she felt a wave of nerves. Would she manage to keep her secret, or would Colin discover the reality of her world?

Sitting in a dim room, the soft glow of a computer screen brushed against the shadows of the walls. Janice’s fingers lightly touched the keyboard, a gentle smile hinting at the corners of her mouth. A mechanical voice from her screen reader disrupted the silence.

“Message from Colin: I deeply admire that author. One winter, I devoured nearly ten of his novels. ‘Love is War’ is my favorite, what about you?”

Janice chuckled softly, visualizing the words in her mind while letting her fingers hover over the keyboard, carefully locating the buttons to craft her reply.

“Dictate a message,” the electronic voice instructions continued.

“An excellent choice,” Janice responded, her tone light and inviting. “I might have selected that one too, but ‘The Princess’s Favorite’ truly touched me. I cried my eyes out at the end and couldn’t stop for hours.”

“End message. Send,” she concluded as she sent the reply, feeling a warm sense of connection spread through her.

Meeting Colin online a few weeks back had sparked an instant connection. From their first exchange, their conversations felt natural. They shared and debated their favorite books deep into the night, but it wasn’t just about literature. Dreams, fears, and quirky topics like pizza toppings filtered into their dialogue.

However, one detail about herself Janice couldn’t muster the courage to share. Twice now, Colin had invited her on a date, and each time she backed out with various excuses. Work was hectic, errands piled up, or she was just too busy. But the real explanation was a secret she held close: she wasn’t ready to reveal her blindness.

The robotic voice chimed once more with a new message from Colin.

“Wait, do you listen to books? You enjoy audiobooks? That’s interesting. I never got the hang of them. I need to hold the book, feel the pages. Isn’t that the real joy of reading?”

Janice’s smile faded slightly at the reminder of her limitations. Even though Colin had no possible way of knowing her reality, his words stung. She felt like they underscored every aspect of life she missed.

“Dictate a message,” urged the screen reader.

Taking a deep breath, Janice began, “Colin, there’s something I need to tell you.” Her nerves flowed into her words, and her voice wavered. “I’m blind. I rely on audiobooks because I can’t read the printed ones.”

The confession felt frightening and unfinished, each word hanging heavy and raw over her. For a moment, she thought about how this might change everything with Colin. Could he see her differently?

“Delete message,” she said hastily as a sharp sense of panic gripped her.

“Message deleted,” the computer confirmed, awaiting further instructions.

Steadying herself, she dictated, “I just love listening to books while multitasking.” Her voice remained steady, masking the emotion beneath.

“End message. Send,” she added, her voice just above a whisper, resting back into her chair.

Janice felt worn. Still, she couldn’t evade the realization that eventually, she needed to reveal the truth to Colin. She hadn’t experienced such a meaningful connection in years, and the notion of losing it made her hesitate.

Another notification broke the stillness.

“Message from Colin: You keep surprising me. I have tickets for a film premiere this weekend. Would you be interested in coming with me?”

Her breath hitched with anticipation and apprehension. This marked an ultimatum; Janice couldn’t continue to sidestep Colin. Yet, the lingering fear of revealing her true self weighed heavily on her spirit.

“Yes, I’d love to,” she finally replied. Sending the response, Janice fought a swirl of excitement and dread. She understood that concealing the truth couldn’t last forever; maybe, just maybe, things would align positively.

Janice faced many challenges since losing her sight years ago but gradually mastered tasks she once found daunting. Feeling her way through the familiar city streets offered her a sense of independence, but Colin could introduce her to something new: the vast, unfamiliar corridors of a bustling mall.

Reaching early, Janice clutched her white cane, taking determined steps with her senses attuned to the chatter of shoppers and rhythmic footsteps.

The large building echoed with noises that seemed to bounce off vast walls. At the mall’s entrance, Janice cautiously requested assistance from a nearby security guard. “Hi,” she began, her voice firm despite her nerves. “Could you help direct me to the theater? I’d like some time to memorize the route before meeting someone.”

The guard, an older gentleman with a kind demeanor, agreed without hesitation. “Certainly. Please allow me to accompany you,” he offered, guiding her with patient precision.

The journey through the maze of halls and escalators painted a mental map she quietly rehearsed. “Twenty steps straight, then right, fifty to the escalator,” Janice whispered to herself, ingraining the directions into her memory.

Returning with increased confidence, Janice thanked the guard. “Good luck, miss,” he encouraged. “You’ve got this.”

A nervous smile graced her lips. She hoped her unease wasn’t evident. While feeling more confident after rehearsal, the prospect of maintaining her secret loomed large, and when she finally heard Colin’s voice, Janice told herself, “It’s only a matter of time.”

“Janice?” a warmth filled the air in Colin’s voice, drawing her from her rattled thoughts.

“Colin!” she replied, wrapping her voice in feigned excitement amid her internal panic. Having never heard him before, she hoped her act could carry them through.

Pretending familiarity, Janice raised her arms for a hug, finding solace in Colin’s returned embrace. “Finally, meeting you is great,” he said, cheerfully. But then came a pause. “But… your sunglasses? It’s not that bright out.”

“Oh,” Janice fumbled for words. “My eyes are super sensitive to light. I wear them often; I hope that’s fine.”

“All good,” Colin reassured, swatting away her excuse easily, his easy acceptance relaxing many of Janice’s nerves, albeit not all.

As the pair stepped onwards towards the mall, Janice counted her steps meticulously, trying to engage in conversation with Colin about the movie, yet somewhere in the journey, her thoughts floundered, losing track midway.

They arrived at the escalator where her confidence faltered, making her briefly hesitate. “Could you help me to the cinema?” she asked, trying to hide her moment of uncertainty behind a fabricated dizziness.

“Certainly,” Colin responded with a reassuring presence, placing a comforting arm through hers. This kind action offered Janice some stability, even as guilt collected inside her like mounting waves. Would Colin discover the truth soon?

At the theater, they settled into their seats, and Janice calmed momentarily. Whether Colin noticed her earlier blunder remained a mystery, but her focus was on keeping composed.

The movie unfolded in a cacophony of noises and action sequences difficult to follow with just sound. During a quieter moment, Colin leaned in, sharing his enthusiasm, “That shot is incredible, isn’t it? Notice the camera angle?”

“Yes, it’s… amazing,” Janice muttered, hoping her lack of specifics wouldn’t prompt more questions.

“What strikes you most here?” he persisted, excitement lacing his words.

“Uh… I’m not sure. Hard to say,” she replied, uneasy under Colin’s genuine curiosity.

Understanding the complexity of the moment, Janice tried to manage, “Colin, let’s chat after the movie, alright?”

“Okay,” Colin agreed quietly, a hint of disappointment echoing.

With credits rolling, Colin turned, eager, “So, what did you think?”

“Oh, it was wonderful. Visually stunning,” she replied, choosing her words gingerly.

“Do you recall the scene when he makes it out of the basement?”

“Oh, for sure,” she assured quickly, blushing with the omission.

“And the boat escape afterwards?” he questioned.

“Yes, the boat,” she echoed, feeling her face flush with perturbation.

Colin’s voice turned firm, yet calm. “There was no boat, Janice.”

“Why are you lying?” he asked gently, yet with a firmness that pierced through her defenses. “And why won’t you face me during our date?”

“Colin, please, it’s not what… you think,” she earnestly tried to assure.

“Then, what is it?” Colin pressed, reflecting his frustration. “This feels more like avoidance than honesty.”

Overwhelmed, tears welled in Janice’s eyes. “Colin—” she tried to begin.

“I hoped our connection online was real—but now, I’m not sure you even wanted to be here,” he surmised, standing abruptly, walking away, than asking the questions unable to respond.

Stumbling from the theater, Janice reached a wall for balance. “Colin!” she called out, her voice shaky.

“Do you need some help, ma’am?” came a voice that was gentle, nearby.

“Yes,” she expressed, desperation lacing her words. “I’m searching for the man I entered with, his name is Colin.”

“Could you describe him?” they inquired, looking to assist her persistently.

“I… I don’t know his appearance. I’m blind,” Janice confided, her voice breaking.

The voice led Janice outside, offering assistance. Yet, in vain, Colin was nowhere glimpsed or heard.

Fear-filled, Janice raised her voice again, “Colin!”

No response met her call.

Dejectedly, she collapsed onto a bench, burying her face in her hands, tears cascading down. The collapse of expectations shredded her composure.

Suddenly, a presence beside her startled her.

“You’re blind, aren’t you?”

It was Colin, now understanding the story unheard until now.

“Yes,” Janice admitted, her voice above a whisper.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Colin asked gently.

“Fear,” she confessed, emotions betraying the edge. “Fear of losing how you’d see me.”

“That’s something I’d never do,” Colin confessed. “But the hiding—it almost cost us.”

“I’m sorry,” Janice murmured, tears unabated. “Can we start again?”

Colin’s smile brought warmth, “We can begin anew, as long as everything is upfront.”

“Agreed,” said Janice, rekindling hope for newfound honesty and clarity.