The bells are ringing....(Claire and Alyssa)

Lunchtime. The time when she was most vulnerable. The time...when she tended to break down the most. Alyssa usually would prepare something in her room, but today she had nothing which meant that she had to go to the cafeteria. She edged around the cafeteria carefully and got some assistance from the servers when she "read" the braille signs that said what the dishes were.

She took her food and looked around the room, her eyes covered completely by her dark purple bangs. She noticed an empty table and began to move in that direction when her bell on her right ear rang softly. She saw a presence in that direction and turned as the girl approached. And asked the question.

Bell's mouth opened up and a small squeak came out before she replied. "N-n-no. I-I d-d-don't. B-b-but th-thank y-y-you...."

Alyssa sighed. "S-sure...y-you c-c-can sit n-next to m-me. I-I'm Al-Alyssa." She saw Claire wave her hand in front of her face and sighed. "I-is it th-th-that ob-obvious that I-I'm b-b-blind?" She sat down and took her fork and spoon and said a quick prayer before she began to eat. Like a normal person.

But that waving of the hand in her face made her withdrawn more. There would be tension at the table for sure this meal. This is why she hated eating here...

Alyssa ate in silence and looked up at her. This is why she never wanted to come here. She wanted to just retreat into her shell and never be bothered by others again. Sure there were a few interactions that she needed to do, but just outside...where she wasn't safe...that was what made her how she was. She felt on the verge of tears as Claire said she could be rude. "P-p-pleas...j-just st-stop." The girl began to cry. She was just feeling very overwhelmed and she put her hands on her face. "P-p-please...."

Alyssa took the towels and wiped her tears away before looking up at Claire and then back down. "It isn't th-the s-s-same. I-I-I g-get t-t-teased for b-being b-blind." She looked up at Claire, her lower lip quivering. "Being ma-made f-fun of f-for y-your p-power and f-f-for y-your di-dis-disability."

She looks down and then smiles a little bit. "M-my d-d-dad m-made these h-headphones f-for m-me. S-s-so I c-could f-f-filter out s-s-some s-s-sounds." She smiled at her and reached out to touch her hand. She gripped the hand and looked at her. "S-sorry f-f-for cr-crying."