Lou never looked anyone in the eyes. He couldn’t. It didn’t matter if it was a family member, friend, enemy or even a total stranger for that matter. He never looked them in the eyes. He couldn’t. He was too scared to.

All he ever saw was red. Bloody red. It didn’t matter what the persons eye color was all he ever saw was red. It was his least favorite color. He saw enough red he ever wanted to see in his life time. When he was born his body was lacking blood. The doctors had to give him tons of blood to even have a chance of living. Even after that he wasn’t safe though, His body didn’t produce red blood cells like healthy teens his age. Even a simple cut could cause him to die of blood loss, so he lived a sheltered life.

He all ways wore his sunglasses. Day, night, sunny cloudy and any season he would where them. It was the only way he could look at people. Every time he looked in some ones eyes he saw them red. He couldn’t look at them with out flinching. So he wore sunglass so he could look at people, and to hide his own eyes too. It read ‘LOU’ on the left ear lance.

He never tried to live like everyone else. He wore his sunglasses to school no matter what and when it was time for gym he would just sit in the corner for the whole period until it was time to go.

Lou was back to school Tuesday morning and greeted with extra attention, which he didn’t want. “Morning Lou” Said his first period teacher. “Did you get any good news from the hospital yesterday?”
He didn’t answer. Just nodded yes, fixed his sunglasses and took his normal seat. Lou didn’t want to be in school. He started counting down the minutes until he could walk back home. The rumors about him in high school were getting worse. While the teacher was writing attendance he could here noises.
“Why’s he all ways out?” one person said.
“What’s with those glasses? Should we tell him it not cloudy out today?” another said in the back. Lou started tapping his pen trying to mute them out.
“What’s wrong with him?” A girl whispered to another in the far right corner off the class room.
“I don’t know but he’s all ways at the doctors. Maybe he’s sick.”
“I bet he’s contagious.” That was the line. Lou got up but then the teacher started talking about the worksheet for the day. Lou took his seat. They had a choice of working alone or with a partner. Lou worked alone like last time.

When the bell rang Lou went straight to his next period class, ignoring everyone who wanted to try his sunglasses on for fun. Second period went fast. On his was to third he ran to make it on time until he fell on the ground. Terrified he checked his head, hands, legs, face and ribs. No blood which meant he wouldn’t go to the hospital early. As he was on his knees checking for blood other students passes by giving him an either pitiful or hilarious look. He looked at one of the students. He saw his bloody red eyes and crawled to his sunglasses on the floor. The bell rang and he was late for third period. The teacher didn’t care. All the other periods were fine except gym. He just sat in the corner until the bell rang. Lunch was fine. He mostly spent them near his locker alone.

Ninth period was all ways the worst for him. He hated his teacher Mrs. O. He never bothered to learn what the ‘O’ stood for. Everyday she asked the same question when he walked in.
“Lou could you take your sunglasses off please?” She said in an unfriendly tone. Lou didn’t answer. “Lou. Give me your sunglasses.” She said this time more angrily. He looked at her and nodded no, but she took out her papers and pen. He knew one note would send him to detention and he was on thin ice still.
“Can I keep them near?” He asked.
“I don’t see why not. Just see me after class.” She said. He didn’t like the sound of it but he just put his sunglasses at the edge of his desk and avoided eye contact.
“Hey Lou are you blind or something?” Asked a student.
“Hey Lou you look sick, put the glasses back on.” Said another while others chuckled.
“Enough!” Was all the teacher said to make them stop. Some of them did.
When she turned around one student whispered “You guys are to worst.” To the ones still laughing. Lou looked at her. She smiled at him and so did he, until he saw her eyes. The sight of red made him turn his head away.

‘Why couldn’t this end? One period left. Hurry clock.’ Was all he thought about. When the bell rang he jolted out of his seat so quick that he knocked half his stuff to the floor. He raced to get all his books while Mrs. O was talking to him.
“I’m concerned for you Lou.” He was too busy getting his books to listen. “You seem scared like someone is out to get you. You can’t live a sheltered life forever.” Lou didn’t listen until he heard the sound of something breaking. Mrs. O lifted her foot and Lou’s glasses were broken. The lens popped out.
“Look what you did!” he yelled. “You broke my sunglasses!” He said getting all the pieces.
“I didn’t mean to.”
“Yes you did! You hated my sunglasses so you broke them!” He went on impulsively.
“I’m not done with you. Now look me in the eyes when I’m talking to you.”

He didn’t listen. He ran out the door with his broken glasses in his hands. He couldn’t stand her. Now all he’s ever see when looking at someone was their red eyes. Just the thought off red made him shiver. He wished he could have saved his glasses, he wished he didn’t have her as a teacher. He couldn’t believe it. Maybe if he closed his eyes he’d see his glasses weren’t broken. He closed his eyes until he heard the sound of a car horn which missed him by inches. He panicked and turned around. While he turned around he stepped on his shoe lace and fell backwards on the cement sidewalk, hard.

Now he never wanted to wake up. The pain was excruciating and the sidewalk was painfully uncomfortable. He felt light headed. With all the energy he had he managed to say “help.” Softly. Lou held is sunglasses even tighter then before till he heard the sound of foot steps towards him.

“Oh god.” A voice said. Lou opened his eyes. It was the girl from ninth period.
“My head” Lou managed to say. He put his other hand on it. It was bleeding. The feel of it made him shake.
The girl was on her phone telling the 911 people that my head was bleeding. Just the sound of the word ‘bleed’ made him sick. Lou tugged her pants to get her attention. When he got it he asked “could you hold my sunglasses please?”

She nodded. Lou handed them to her and closed his eyes, but the girl was shaking his shoulders. “Lou. Stay awake. The ambulance will be here soon.” She said look at him.

He looked straight into her eyes and couldn’t believe it. They were blue. Light, azure clear blue. They were amazing. He never saw anything like it.
“Blue eyes.” He told himself.
“Just keep looking at them till help comes okay?” She said. He stared at them until the ambulance came.

Lou didn’t remember much. He went unconscious when they came. When he woke up he was back in the hospital. He felt light headed but the blood was finally washed off him. He took his right arm and felt the back of it. He felt stitches. He tried his left arm but it wasn’t moving. He turned and found it hooked up to a bag filled with blood. He turned away. He decided to sleep until it was over.

When he woke up it was finally over. His head was still stitched in the back and his arm had some bandages on them but he could use both arms again, and from the feel of it had new blood flowing through his entire body. He noticed something on the table to his left.

His sunglasses, and they were fixed too. It even had his name still and a note on top that read ‘I fixed them. Get well soon.’

He put them back on and the doctor came in. “I see you’re finally awake.” He said. Lou nodded. “You’re lucky too. If you lost enough blood out there well… lets not think about it.”
“Sure” He agreed. “Hey Doc, could you hold my sunglasses for me a second.”
“Sure” Lou handed him his sunglasses. “You look better with them off.”

But Lou didn’t listen. He was to busy looking into the doctors eyes.

They were dark brown.