Chapter One
The fresh air helped to keep down Collette’s breakfast. She wondered if she’d ever get over being carsick. A warm September breeze blew over her face, bringing the scent of fresh cut grass and honeysuckle. Usually, it was hard to pick up on the aroma of nature in a city as tightly packed as Washington, DC. Even without her sight, Collette could feel how narrow the streets were; feel the pressure from other cars traveling so closely. Today, the earthly perfume overpowered the usual stench from the city. She leaned further out of the window, basking in the fragrance.
“Your head’s gonna get knocked off, if you keep hanging out the window like a dog.” Ally laughed.
Collette ignored her friend, and her unsafe habit of flicking a cigarette lighter while she drove. Ally didn’t smoke, but the moment Collette had climbed into the car she heard the familiar click of the canister and the pop of the flame.
Settling back into her seat, she instantly felt queasy. Ally made several turns that had Collette disoriented. She knew the route to school by heart, and they were not headed to either of their schools. Just as she was about to ask where they were going, Ally slowed and pulled the car over.
The passenger side, back door opened.
“Hey Al. Hey, Lettie.”
Collette recognized Dean Sacchetti’s voice as he climbed into the backseat. Suddenly, she didn’t know what to do with her hands. She raked her hair, fussed with her top, and finally, gripped her folded cane like she wanted to wring juice from it.
“Thanks for picking me up. My car should be running by Monday. Sucks that I won’t have it all weekend.”
“No sweat,” Ally said. Her voice was all smiles.
“I think your dad’s working on it, Lettie,” Dean said. His voice was right at her left ear like he’d leaned forward between both seats.
“Is he?” Her pulse raced as she tried to sound casual. She wanted to pound on Ally’s head for springing Dean on her. She hated surprises.
“Doesn’t Lettie’s hair look awesome today?” Ally asked.
“Yeah,” Dean said. “It looks great, but Lettie always looks great.”
Collette’s face heated. She was glad Dean was seated behind her.
“Thank you.”
Ally made a noise under her breath that Collette ignored. Dean Sacchetti was a nice guy, from what Collette knew of him. He was seventeen, like her, and according to the other girls around he was, “totally hot.” He seemed too nice to be that cute. At least in her experience, most guys who were considered totally cute were total jerks. But what really got Collette’s interest was that Dean never treated her like a blind girl or someone mentally slow because she couldn’t see. It always amazed her when people talked loudly or spoke slowly like she had a hard time understanding just because she couldn’t see. Dean never did that.
When they pulled up at her school, Collette gathered her backpack and cane. She heard Dean get out of the car. The high school he and Ally attended was only three block from Bradford Academy for the Blind. She assumed he’d gotten out to climb into the front seat.
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Dean said.
“That’s okay. I know the way.”
“I want to.” He took her arm gently. “Ally, you can go, I’ll walk from here.”
“Um…okay,” Ally said. “Be back at three, Lettie.”
Collette flipped Ally the finger, confident that her friend saw the gesture when Ally hooted a laugh as she drove way. Dean and Collette had only taken ten steps when he guided her off to the side.
“I wanted to talk to you about my party tonight. Did Ally tell you about it?”
“Yeah, she told me.”
“So, you think you’ll come? I know your dad doesn’t usually let you go to stuff like that, but…”
Collette really wanted to touch his face, feel his expression, but she only did that with people she was comfortable with. Comfort and Dean didn’t go hand in hand.
“I want to come. I don’t know if I can, though. I mean, my dad is pretty strict about that kind of stuff, but I’ve been wearing him down all week.” She smiled.
“Good. If it’ll help, you can tell him I won’t leave your side.”
She swallowed. “Actually, that might make him lock me up for good.”
Dean laughed and Collette’s right hand shot to his face. She had to know what he looked like. He stopped laughing.
She snatched her hand away. “Sorry. I just wanted to know...”
“It’s okay.” Dean took her hand and placed it against his cheek.
His skin felt cool and smooth. Her fingers moved up to the ridge of his brow, finding it defined. She traced his strong jaw line, free of stubble. As her fingers brushed over his lips, he sucked in a breath. She’d wanted to do this ever since she realized all her friends thought he was gorgeous. Dean removed the cane from her left hand and guided her finger to his face. Now both her hands glided over his features. She ran them through his silky, short hair, knowing it was black from what Ally told her. It brought back a memory of a group of giggly girls calling him an Italian Stallion. At the moment, Collette didn’t think the nickname was so silly.
Ally said Dean’s hair was jet black, not just black. Collette only understood the color black. It was what she saw all the time, but she still didn’t understand the difference between black and jet black. Her skin was brown, but she couldn’t comprehend that color either.
Just as she was about to pull her hands away from Dean’s face, he moved closer, and slipped his hand around her waist. He smelled like Dove soap and maybe a hint of a spicy shampoo. Her sense of smell was so sensitive she really liked when people didn’t over do it with cologne or perfume. Dean smelled just right. She could feel his breath on her face, and then his lips were on hers. A soft brush at first, but then he pressed harder, sweeping his tongue out gently to meet hers. As fast as it began, it ended and Collette stood wondering what the hell had just happened.
Dean pulled back and cleared his throat. She reached out for her cane with a trembling hand.
“Um…I’ve got to get to class…so…”
“I’ll see you tonight, right?” Dean asked a bit huskily.
“I hope so.”
His lips brushed her cheek, and it startled her slightly. She giggled and immediately wanted to run away before she did something truly mortifying like rip off his clothes with her teeth.
He squeezed her hand. “See you later, Lettie.”
“Bye.” Collette dragged the tip of her cane from side to side across the pavement, making her way into school.
“My first kiss,” she whispered, smiling like an idiot.
