If you love...

Blind. Janet Stone was blind and in love. Now, unlike every other story out there, she literally was blind, and she would never be able to conquer the darkness. But somehow, she had managed to fall in love with someone she couldn't see; someone who she would never see. For all she knew, he was a fake. Someone who frowned when he said, "I love you", or someone who was with her for her family's wealth.

"Mike? Is that you?"

She stood up from the sofa and trace the all too familiar walls. When Mike saw her stumble towards him, a smile traced his lips. He had tried to convince her walking alone or without her stick was a terrible idea, but she had managed to end the conversation by telling him she did it for a reason. He still didn't know the reason.

He watched her as she waved her hands in the air, searching for Mike. All it took for her to find him was a chuckle escaping Mike's mouth.

"There you are," she said as she traced her fingers up him arms.

The smile on his face turned into a grin, and before she could say anything else, he pulled her into a hug.

"Always fun watching you stumble through the dark to find me," he whispered.

She pulled away and looked at him, well, in the direction she thought he stood. 

"I'm in the mood for slow dancing," she smiled. "Dance with me Mike Henderson."

"We're supposed to be working on our assignment."

"It's due next week," she replied instantly. "Now dance with me."

He laughed and led her in to the living room. On a small brown desk sitting close to television, was a vinyl he had gotten her for her birthday. 

"What song?" He turned to look at her and shook his head when he saw her already dancing to... nothing.

"One of Janis Joplin's songs or anything you feel like listening to."

The song that played a few seconds later made Janet smile. That afternoon, they danced over and over again to Janis Joplin's song - To Love Someone. 

               ***

"My parents will be home in any minute," Janet said, trying to get rid of her stubborn boyfriend. "Go before my dad ruins that handsome face of yours."

He rolled his eyes and kissed her goodbye. Hours passed before her parents came back home, and the next thing she knew, she was lying in bed.

"Goodnight sweetheart," her mom said before closing her door shut.

She lay still for hours staring at nothing but the darkness that followed her around. Deciding that her eyes wouldn't close any time soon, she decided to write.

Yes, Janet couldn't see but she could still write with a pen and paper. Her work was pretty clumsy sometimes but for a blind person, it was quite neat. She opened her notebook, counting each paper until she reached the last number she had gotten to the day before, and wrote on what she believed what the very top of the page: Charlie

She sighed before she continued writing.

It's been five hundred and sixty two days since we've been together. Five hundred and sixty two days since I've started writing you these letters which I will most probably never give you. Anyways, uhm... I don't know what I should write about today. I've written about your smile, how it would look like if I ever had the chance to see it; I've written about how you would look like; I've written about a lot of things. Maybe I should write about something different. Actually, I do have something in mind.

Do you know what the deadliest fear is? No, it's not the fear of dying or failure, it's love. Love is the deadliest fear. It kinda sounds stupid, doesn't it?

Tell me, Mike, don't you ever fear that you'll lose the people you love? That you'll fall out of love, that you'll become sworn enemies, that you'll love even if it costs you, or that that love that you have will easily make you break? You do, don't you? You have the same fear billions of people have. 

Love comes with a price. Wait no, it's not a price, it's more of a... what word can I use? It comes with a consequence. Yes, love comes with a consequence. For as long as you shall love, you shall fear. 

But you know what's funny? For as long as I'm in your arms, in the arms of the ones I love, I'll live with that fear. I'll cherish it and give it space in my heart. That's true love. That is what to love someone truly feels like.

Love,

Janet.

                 ***

The next day, Janet held the letter she had written the night before in her trembling hands, ready to hand it over to Mike. 

"Are we at school yet?" She asked her Mom for the umpteenth time.

"No," Mrs. Stone laughed. "We're almost there, just a couple of feet away. Literally."

And then, before Janet could have any last thoughts, her mind went blank. Everything just went silent.

When she opened her eyes again, she could see a blurred version of Mike. He looked terrified.

"I need to help her!" He yelled at someone.

He couldn't help her. She was already gone. However, she didn't want to leave just yet, so she summoned all the strength that she had left.

"My pocket," came out the croaky whisper. "Reach for the pocket on my t-shirt."

Mike was confused but he obeyed. He found a folded piece of paper written 'Mike' on it.

"Go." 

He shot her an incredulous look. "I'm not leaving you."

"My legs are stuck and the car is going to explode, you don't have time. Go."

She watched as Mike was roughley pulled away by someone. He was fighting, refusing to leave Janet in the capsized car. 

"Mike!" She heard a faint voice yell. "You have to move away..."

A loud noise filled the air and then a terrible silence followed. She was gone.

                   ***

Ten years later.

It was dinner time at the Henderson's, and like every other family, a spicy auroma filled every corner of the house, and the sound of laughter and small talk was present at the table.

That night, when it was time for all eyes to close and all minds to wander, Mike sat on the porch outside and clutched a piece of paper in his hands. He was dreading the words written there, good or bad.

Years had gone by and he still had not summoned enough courage to open the folded piece of paper and read it. What was he afraid of?

And so he finally did it. He set the piece of paper on fire.