Heterochromia

HETEROCHROMIA
By KZBPascual

A/N: This long short story is dedicated to all of those who believe in fairytales—like me—and those who value intrinsic beauty more than its counterpart. This is also dedicated to the following people: Frankie Torres, for reminding me that I do believe in fairytales and for inspiring me to write a short story; Esther Suson, for being a supportive sister-friend like Frankie and for putting up with me most especially during these beautifully tragic times; and to Padre Salvi (aka Green), for unknowingly being my muse.

To all of my readers, I hope that not a single one of you would ever give up on love. Remember that love is one of the things that make you more than just a human.

Word count: 4,234

--

“If I’d tell you that I can see through you, would you believe me?” Camilla asked Jeffrey in a soft, almost inaudible voice. Jeffrey halted to a stop and let go of his girlfriend’s cold and small hand.

“Jeff… would you?” She asked again.

“Enough, Camilla.”

“Wow. It has been ages since you last called me that.”She told him and judging from the look in his eyes, she might have hit the wrong nerve. And so she silenced herself for a while.

--

Camilla Pappas, a doll-eyed seventeen-year-old from Finland, just transferred to St. Benedict Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio a few days ago. Though new, she has been the word of mouth of most of the students in St. Ben and this has already been a concern among the school administrators. Every time her schoolmates see her, they look at her with scrutinizing eyes and they whisper amongst themselves—some chuckle afterwards, others utter no sound. Camilla, feeling helpless, just bows her head down from the hostile welcome she was receiving from this new community she’s supposed to call home.

One lunch time, she headed for the comfort room to change to her gymnastics attire for her PE class after lunch. The moment she entered the comfort room, the other girls looked at her—some with shock, others with sympathy. Camilla, however, was already used to this kind of treatment. Back home in Finland, right after recovering from the accident that caused her older brother’s death, their neighbors feared her and they accused her of being cursed. This was the reason why she and her parents migrated to Ohio. Unluckily for her, she did not know that Ohio would be no different from Finland.

Camilla entered the last cubicle and locked herself up and all she did was sob. She cried hard enough that thirst has dawned on her on the first couple of minutes she was crying. She unlatched the lock and went to the lavatory to wash her face that warmed up because of her tears. Thank goodness, no one else was there. ‘Stop crying, Camilla. Cincinnati is your new home and St. Ben will shortly be your new sanctuary. People will soon get tired of talking about your—‘, she chose not to complete the thought and just proceeded to wash her face, not wanting people to make more fun of her if they see the physical manifestations of her weeping.

She looked at herself in the long rectangular mirror mounted on the wall and combed her sultry, waist-length auburn waves. She leaned forward, her face now very near the surface of the water-stained mirror. She studied her face and looked at her own eyes—one platinum gray, the other a deep, albino red.  How unnatural they look on her.

Her doll-eyes used to be bright and glimmering. She has been the talk of the town because of them—hers were said to be the prettiest in all of Finland. People have grown fond of her and they have all loved her not just for her beauty, but also for her wit. She was Finland’s official representative to the Annual International Orators’ Summit. ‘More precious than platinum’, as so they have claimed her to be. However, those were all before the accident, just a month ago, that changed who she is—completely.

It was a bleak Sunday afternoon and Camilla was waiting for Stefan, her six-foot-five older brother, to pick her up from Sunday school. Stefan always used to pick her up not just because he feels very protective of his sister but also because he loved the attention given to him by Camilla’s female classmates. He sure liked watching the young infatuated girls blush whenever he looks at them with his deep-set amber eyes. He was always amused at how girls can be swept off their feet by a mere ‘hello’.  Camilla once teased him about him being a ladies’ man.

“Why are we using the Ninja?” Camilla immediately asked after Stefan took off his helmet that matched the charcoal-black motorbike.

“Something’s wrong with my car’s transistor. Dad’s repairing it with Uncle Jim.” Her brother answered with a smile and assisted her onto the bike. As always, Stefan winked at one of Camilla’s classmates. And as expected, the girl squealed and blushed. How surprising. “Stop playing with their hearts, Stefan. Stop or I’d tell mom about it.” She threatened her brother and waved at her classmates goodbye.

Stefan handed Camilla his helmet, and started the engine. “Hold tight, Cams. This will be a bumpy ride.” Stefan teased with a smirk. Camilla rolled her platinum eyes, wore the helmet, and chained her arms around her brother’s waist.

Stefan loved to show off his Ninja and he would always drive it fast as it gives him the ‘blood rush’ only speed can give. ‘The Flash Wannabe’, Camilla would always taunt him.

But that Sunday afternoon, as the sun was on its way to rest on their side of the world, Stefan drove Ninja twice as fast as he used to. He seemed to be in a hurry; he would not slow down. When they reached the intersection and when the traffic light turned orange, he sped up. Camilla held on to her brother tighter, fearing the speed as his brother was literally trying to beat the red light. Because of Stefan’s speed, he did not see the blue coupe that was turning right at the intersection. Wheels shrieked and hard metals banged against each other in full might.

Camilla was knocked back to reality as Principal Evans held her arm in concern.

“Ms. Pappas, I’ve been observing you for more than three minutes now. You seem…lost. Are you feeling well?”

“Oh, yes. I’m okay. Thank you, Principal Evans.” Camilla wiped her face dry quickly and headed towards the exit. Apparently, she was staring at herself in the mirror for quite a while already and Principal Evans may have thought that she was a lunatic who escaped the mental hospital.

“Oww! Look at where you’re going, miss!” Camilla looked up and saw a tall, olive-skinned Asian looking back at her with his small, almond-shaped black eyes that were filled with dismay.  “I’m sorry.” She apologized and went on her way.

“It was nice bumping into you”, yelled the attractive Asian with an English accent. Camilla turned her head and gave the Asian a shy smile.

--

But she was too persistent—she wanted an answer.

“Jeff, I need you to answer that question.” She slipped her hand into his and pressed it. She stretched out her other arm to cup his face with her free hand and she looked directly into his eyes. “Please.”

He took her hand and pressed it to his lips. “I love you and I accept you for who you are.”

“Jeff, you don’t, don’t you?” It was not really a question—it was a statement.

--

The next day, at the cafeteria, the Asian tapped her shoulder. “Hey! You’re the one who bumped into me yesterday, right?” He asked Camilla with a warm smile. Camilla looked at him and bowed her head down immediately as if she didn’t want him to see her. “Uhm… Yes. Hey, I’m sorry for what happened”, said she.

“Nah, it’s okay. I’m Jeffrey Vega. And you are?” He offered her his hand but she refused to accept it and just looked into his eyes. At that very moment, Camilla kind of thought that she saw right through him—she saw that what’s beyond the warm smile was genuine interest—but that’s quite impossible. Nevertheless, she saw that beyond those beautiful black eyes was sincere curiosity. He was not judging her unlike her other schoolmates.

He waved his long and bony hand in front of her smooth but stricken face and  surveyed her, “are you okay?”

“Oh, oh! I’m fine. I’m good. Thanks. I mean I’m sorry.” She swiftly turned her back at him to hide her embarrassment for blabbing. Jeffrey noted the interesting accent. It was, to him, unfamiliar—exotic. “You have an amusing accent, miss. I assume you’re not American.”

Camilla felt strange when she heard him call her miss. “Yeah, I’m not. I’m Finnish. My name’s Camilla. Camilla Jesouielyn Pappas.” She unconsciously stretched out her hand to him. He took the cue and shook her hand gently.

“And I’m Asian.”

“With an English accent”, she pointed out, witty.

--

“Of course, I do.”

Jeffrey looked into Camilla’s doll-eyes but all he saw was gray and red. She, however, knew that he lied. But she wasn’t mad at him. No, she can’t get mad at him because he had every right to be scared. And at that moment, she remembered a dream—or a hallucination, instead.

The sky was purplish and Camilla saw a group of people huddling and clumping together, making buzzing noises like bees whose beehive was struck down onto the ground—she heard others talk amongst themselves as some were gasping for air. She followed the spectators for curiosity was burning her—it was as if there was a need in her to see for herself what the commotion was about. Curiosity was too much of a gravitational force and she felt that she did not have a choice but to submit to it.

“Excuse me, sir.”  She tapped one spectators’ shoulder, “but have you an idea of what’s happening in there?”

“Nope. But in a few moments, I will.”

The spectator looked quite familiar to her. ‘Twas like she and the charming dark-eyed young man have known each other before.

“Oh, I see. Thanks.” She sounded disappointed.

An ambulance was fast approaching and behind it were two vans of news networks whose passengers were most likely going to report about whatever incident it may be. More people were hurrying to witness the commotion and a flock of them even pushed her because she was blocking their way. And so she fell into the stack of needles. Only being five-foot three, ‘vertically challenged’ as her brother would always tease her, she had to exert the extra effort and stood on her toes, trying to see whatever the people were fussing about.

Then she saw what it was. And how pitiful was it.

She saw a young lady whose hair was auburn, wearing the same clothes as her—white balloon-sleeved polo, now soaked with blood, tucked in a long, straight-cut denim skirt—gasping for air. Camilla could not help but look at her own clothes; hers were clean, though. Beside the girl was a tall young man in a black leather jacket, lifelessly lying on the road. His body, contorted. It was, indeed, a horrible sight.

The Asian guy, the spectator she kind of talked to, looked at her strangely. Camilla saw the expression in his small, eyes—he was stunned; no, he was scared.

“That’s you! You’re…her!” He said aloud—loud enough to make a scene apart from the horrifying scene in front of them—and pointed to the dying lady. The pool of people looked at him, concerned and scrutinizing at the same time. “Child, who are you talking to?” Asked an old woman.

Like the Asian, Camilla was in so much confusion. Was she invisible? No, it cannot be—the Asian guy saw her after all.

‘Am I…?’ No, that was impossible.

But at that very moment, she recognized the locket the girl was wearing. It had the same intricate details as hers—and it had the ruby stud. But then she remembered that Stefan told her that her locket was custom-made for her.

‘Oh my God.’

Her lips parted open.

She was jolted back to reality when Jeffrey cupped his hands on her face and he looked rather distraught. “Cams, did you hear what I said?”

--

“So, what’s your next class?” He asked Camilla.

“Uhm…Physics with Dr. Santiago.” She replied with a smile. It was comforting for her to think that there is at least one person in St. Ben who was not welcoming her with an uncanny attitude.

“Great, you’re my classmate!” Jeffery told her enthusiastically. And she could tell the excitement from the tone of his voice and from the way his black eyes glimmer. He was a genuine person—and Camilla was certain of it even if she has yet to know him at a deeper level though she knew from that instant that they would click as friends.

“Really? That’s good to know.”

“Of course it is!” That comment caught her off guard that she instinctively looked at Jeffrey, with her eyes popped out. Jeffrey, on the other hand, smiled at her and caught her gaze. “Your eyes…” He told her in a voice almost inaudible, “they’re pretty.” Camilla rolled her eyes at his remark; fake—that was what she immediately thought. She was obviously offended, but she wanted to hide that feeling; she did not want to lose this friendship she was building with the attractive Asian. She looked straight ahead, avoiding his eyes, and told him, “Thanks, Jeffrey. I appreciate your kindness.”

He looked directly at her pupils—a look that would seem like he was seeing her soul, her deepest thoughts and secrets through them—and said, “I meant it.”

“They’re strange to look at, aren’t they?” She asked him and shifted her eyes from the group of kids seated around the table nearest them to meet Jeffrey’s.  “Amusing, you mean.” He corrected and locked eyes with Camilla’s gray and red.

“Tss.”

“Why? Has no one ever told you that before?” It was an innocent question—she figured that out from his eyes.

‘Wait, did I just…?’

--

And he started to walk away from her.

‘Lord, please do not let this happen. I beg you. Please don’t.’ She looked up to the sky, waiting for her Savior to redeem her.
Into the dark street he went, slowly disappearing from her sight. Camilla was getting more worried with every step he took—not because she was afraid that she would lose him. Rather, she was afraid of what might happen to him without her by his side. But she knew that there’s nothing she could do to stop him from taking a step further into that abyss. She cannot stop him.

Camilla has seen this happen before—in a dream more real than reality.

“Jeffrey, if I tell you that I can see through you, would you believe me?” She asked him, her eyes searching his soul for the answer he might conceal from her.

“Why are you asking me that?” He looked at her with his questioning black eyes and let go of her hand. His voice, filled with disappointment instead of curiosity.

“Would you, Jeff?” She asked again but her attempt proved useless. Jeffrey slowly walked away from her and headed to the dark street. He did not even turn his head to face her.

How weird was it that his short steps were taken slowly and yet he was swiftly disappearing from her sight. Her eyes suddenly saw a familiar, charcoal-black motorbike in the middle of the street. And it was then that she realized that Jeffrey was heading towards it.

She knew what it was—and what it meant.

“Jeffrey, stop! Stay right where you are!” She was yelling but he continued to walk towards the motorbike. He ignored her pleading so she yelled again but nothing happened. She was muted.

Her eyes focused on Jeffrey who was just a few more steps away from the motorbike when she heard a loud honk from an automobile fast approaching. She wanted to pull him out of the street but she was too far away from him. Neither could she tell him to move away.

“Jeffrey!”

But the long, vociferous honk overpowered her reticent call.

--

‘Yes, I just did.’ That, she realized only now.

“I mean, I’ve never seen someone who has both complete heterochromia and ocular albinism“, said Jeffrey as he took his food tray from the rack. “As I’ve said earlier, they’re strange.” She said in an as-a-matter-of-factly tone. “Ah, but they’re pretty on you. That makes all the difference.” He winked at her and she laughed at how slyly witty the Asian can be.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking if—“

“I was born with it? No, if that was what you were gonna say next. It was all because of an accident. An accident, just a month ago, that killed my brother and completely altered who I am and how people treat me. And that, too, was the reason why my parents and I transferred here in Ohio.” She looked at him and saw how uneasy he was after hearing what she just told him.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Camilla. It was wrong of me to ask.” He looked at her straight in the eyes and she saw sincerity beyond the words. Camilla smiled, taking the matter as lightly as possible and said, “it’s okay. Accidents are inevitable and God probably has a reason why he let it happen to me and my family.”

“You’re a Christian too?” Asked Jeffrey who immediately lit up in a snap. “Yes, I am. “ Camilla proudly answered. Knowing that her new found friend has the same faith as hers made her more comfortable with him—it made her feel more connected to Jeffrey.

“Amen!” Jeffrey yelled aloud and everyone in the cafeteria gave him a weird look. “What!?!” He yelled once more and saw Camilla laughing at the corner of his eyes. He turned to face her and remarked, “why are you making fun of me? You should’ve helped me out, you know.
Knowing that we’re both Christians...”

“I never thought that persecutions are still prevalent even up to now.” She answered and continued laughing.

“That’s why Christians like us should keep close to each other. Or else they’ll persecute us one by one.” He whispered to her and directed her to look at the other St. Ben students. “But wouldn’t it be easier for them to persecute us if we’re together?” She asked, testing his military tactics and winked at him. “Ah, we Christians in St. Ben make it a must to go together as couples. That way, it’d be harder for them to identify us and exclude us.” He proudly answered and she saw enthusiasm in his almond-eyes. “Wait. By couples, do you mean…?”

“Yes, that’s what I meant.” He gave her a nod, winked at her once more and walked straight ahead towards the counter to pay.

Her jaws dropped open and she laughed at how flirtatious Jeffrey can be. ‘Impressive. What suave way to persuade a girl and make her your girlfriend using wit’, Camilla thought and followed the Asian, with her tray already filled with food.

--

The moment he took her hand, Camilla was shaken back to her consciousness. She looked at him, her eyes filled with wonder, his with sincerity. Seeing him safe and alive in front of her, she gasped and swathed her arms around him tightly and he responded to her action. Even if he didn’t know what happened to her or what she’s talking about, he held her tightly as she said, “thank goodness, you’re safe.”

“Of course, I am.” He let go of her embrace and brushed a streak of Camilla’s auburn hair away from her eyes. She gave him a warm smile and he felt relieved after seeing the sparkle back in her two-colored eyes which engulfed him the moment he first saw her.
It was in that very night that he realized that she was more than special—in a way that others may find strange—but he, nevertheless loved her and accepted her. Though he only knew her for two years now, he was sure of what he was going to do. It may seem too early for it but he was sure that he’d keep his promise. After all, he once told her when they were alone, ‘love’s never too early for two people who have found themselves in each other’.

“Jeffrey, what are you doing? Stand up, please.” Camilla asked hysterically after seeing Jeffrey kneel on one knee and smoothly take her hand. He slowly reached for his back pocket with a smile on his face. Camilla, for the first time, saw him teary-eyed and that made her tears well up in her eyes quickly. A tear rolled down from her red eye and Jeffrey wiped it dry with his thumb. After having done so, he opened an antique, intricately detailed brass jewelry box before Camilla and said, “I know that I’m just twenty and we’re still in college and I probably can’t feed you right now using my own money but Cams, I want you to know that I really love you…”

“Jeff…” She could not say anything more—she was too flustered to think of the best words to say.

“Camilla Jesouielyn Pappas, will you wear this promise ring as a sign of my love, loyalty, and commitment?” Jeffrey looked at Camilla, awaiting her reply.

“Like I have another choice.” She teased him more by exhaling with a sigh.

“Cams, I’m serious.”

“I know.” She laughed.

Jeffrey rolled his eyes and held both of her hands. “Cams, I’d repeat the question. Will you wear this promise ring as—“

She did not let him finish the question anymore and she did not let go of him; neither did he.

--

“You know, I felt like I’ve met you somewhere before. I just can’t remember where and when.” Jeffrey told her as he walked towards an empty table. “Really?” She asked and followed him to the table.

Jeffrey sat down and said, “yeah. Maybe I ran into you before. Or maybe… I don’t know.”

“Perhaps in a dream?” She suggested while cleaning her utensils. “Maybe.” Jeffrey commented as the creases on his forehead started to appear.

They ate lunch silently—primarily because Jeffrey was thinking deeply. He looked like he should not be disturbed so Camilla went on eating her bacon with honey mustard sandwich. “Hmm. This is good”, she commented. Still, Jeffrey could not hear her and he was staring into space. She was watching him think and she could see how adrift he is. All of a sudden, he jerked as if he was shocked and Camilla was too surprised by his sudden action that she dropped her sandwich.

“Shoes! That was a good sand—“ she was cut off when he held her tightly by the wrist. And from the look in his eyes, she could read that he figured something out.

“I think I now know where I saw you.” He said, eyes focused on Camilla’s pupils.

“Where?”

“In a dream—in a dream that seemed to be as real as reality.” He answered.  “A hallucination, you mean?” Camilla asked in a very low voice, almost too impossible to hear.

“I’m not sure. But coming to think of it, it’s more than just a dream or a hallucination.”

“Then what’s it about?” asked Camilla in an interested and mystified tone.

“You might not want to hear about it.” He told her and she saw a hint of worry in Jeffrey’s small, black eyes.

“Come on, tell me. It’s just a ‘dream’, after all.”

Jeffrey told Camilla what the ‘dream’ or ‘hallucination’ was about and it made her jaws drop open. At the middle of his recounting, she realized something that made her jump to her feet and she ran out of the cafeteria, bumping into other students as she rammed her way out.

‘Oh my God. This couldn’t be. It can’t be real. I couldn’t be—’

At that moment, it all became clear to her.

--

“But Jeff, tell me, do you believe that I can?” She asked once more, her eyes engaged on his. But Jeffrey did not answer—he looked like he really didn’t want to, and she knew it but she insisted still—instead, he huffed and kissed her forehead.

“Shh.” He shushed her but she still would not let go of her question. It was so important to her for a reason they both do not know—yes, even she could not understand why it was very significant for her to know if he does. Maybe it would serve as her redemption for the death of Stefan.

“Cams, do you trust me?” He asked her with his pleading beautiful black eyes. “Of course, I do...” She answered and kissed the back of his hand. “…why did you ask?”

“So that you wouldn’t ask me that question anymore.” He answered, sadness wrapping his irises.

“I’m sorry”, she told him and from that moment, she kept her silence.

Maybe it was wrong of her to ask; but she felt the dire need to know. Maybe she didn’t trust him as much as she should; but she does—it’s just that the curiosity in her continued to build up every time he tried to escape her inquest. Maybe, to her, that would be the measure of his love—if he loves her entirely even if she’s not exactly normal. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t anymore’, she thought to herself, ‘after all, he said that he does love me completely’. And that was the end of it.

“But for the record, I don’t. Because I chose not to.”

Hearing that has set all things clear. And she now understands why.

.~*FIN*~.