Kiss Read Free

do it, Ed. So you can stop asking.”
    â€œPlease, Gaia? I’m going to Pennsylvania tonight, so I won’t get to see you for a whole four days. Besides, I promise I won’t laugh this time. I promise.”
    â€œThat’s what you said the last time. And the time before that.” God, why had she ever attempted that stupid imitation? She was just fooling around in the cafeteria at school, and Ed acted like it was the most hilarious thing he’d ever seen in his life. He wouldn’t shut up about it.
    â€œThat was the old me. I’ve changed since then. I swear.”
    â€œThe only thing you’ve changed is your underwear — and that’s debatable.”
    â€œGuy-uhhhhhhhhh . . .”
    â€œOh, sure, whine my name. That’ll convince me.”
    â€œI’ll pay you.”
    â€œYou don’t have enough money.”
    â€œOh, you might be surprised.”
    â€œI doubt it. Seeing as you can’t even afford socks that match.” She gestured at his feet.
    Ed shot her a confused look. “What are you talking about?”
    â€œYour socks. Are you celebrating Christmas a month early? Or did you get dressed in the dark this morning?”
    Gaia had walked a good ten paces before she realized Ed was no longer at her side. She spun around.
    He’d stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and was bent over in his seat, staring down at his feet with a strange, aggravated expression on his face. “Aw, man. You’re kidding me, right?”
    Gaia put her hands on her hips. “Kidding you? You put them on, elf boy, not me.”
    Ed squinted up at her. “Great. Thanks. Make fun of the color-blind guy. Go ahead.”
    Gaia cocked her head. “You’re not color-blind,” she pronounced.
    Ed frowned, crossing his arms. “I think I would be the one to know.”
    Gaia stared at him. Her hands slipped from her waist, flopping at her sides. “Seriously? You’re color-blind?”
    â€œHey — don’t worry. You can’t catch it.” Ed slapped his wheels, gliding toward her once more.
    â€œIt’s just that you never told me.”
    â€œHmmm, that’s funny. It’s usually one of the first things I say to people: ‘Hi, I’m Ed. I’m color-blind.’ I think it’s good to get one’s physical shortcomings out of the way, y’know, up front.” He rolled to a stop in front of her feet, then peered furtively around the park. “Now, uh, Gaia, don’t let this next bit of info freak you out, but . . .” He leaned in toward her, shielding his mouth with one hand conspiratorially. “ . . . I’m also in a wheelchair.”
    Gaia was too busy looking at Ed’s feet to think of a good comeback. One green sock, one red. Could he really not tell them apart? Not at all? She raised her gaze to his eyes, studying them, not sure what she was looking for. They were a dark brown with gold lights. Eyes the color of a double espresso, she found herself thinking. Inwardly she groaned. Guess you don’t need those refrigerator magnets to write crappy poetry. The point was, Ed’s eyes didn’t look color-blind. They looked . . . well . . . like regular, everyday eyes.
    Regular, everyday, annoyed eyes. “Please, by all means, Gaia. Keep staring at me like that. It does wonders for my self-esteem.”
    â€œSorry —” Gaia barely had time to scoot out of the way as Ed blew past her. “It’s just that you’re the first . . . I mean, I never knew a person who was color-blind. What’s it like for you?”
    God, I must sound ridiculous, Gaia thought, stepping after him. Why don’t I just say, Hey, Ed, you can’t see colors, and I can’t feel fear. Let’s start a club!
    Once she was beside him again, Ed looked up at her, amused. “Are you feeling okay, Gai?”
    â€œYeah. Why?”
    â€œBecause you asked me a