Dedicated to another person who thinks blind men deserve a chance to be romantic male interests, has a kickass noble and writes her fairytale retold story beautifully. Also, thanks for all the help in this story! You're a great accountability partner, friend and fellow bookworm, long may you live!

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Anthony:

It had been a long day before it even started.

If that statement makes sense at all, then I am in a whole lot of trouble. Regardless, the day had begun like all the others up until I got the phone call from the hospital.

(What? Did someone get injured? -Danica)

My father had finished his shift and wanted to speak to me about "something important".

It was a Saturday, school was not in session and I had not seen him for almost 48 hours.

(How is that possible?-Danica)

Did I want to speak to him? Yes, of course. I was his only son and after mom died...well, it had definitely not been the same in our house. He worked a lot as a trauma surgeon in the public university's hospital ER and missed out on a lot of events in the outside world. He was the kind of man who got his news from the hospital TV out in the waiting room.

He was also the kind of man who could potentially, as a doctor, afford private school for his kid. However, the day we had both gone to a private K-12 near our house was the last time he would let me set foot on the grounds of that school. To quote my dad, "No self-respecting son of mine will go to a school where he is only appreciated based on what grades he acquires whilst at the same time expecting him to represent his race!" as he walked out of the principal's office, dragging my hand behind him.

(Wow. I wish my father was like that. -Danica)

That meant that public school was the only option left as he could not possibly homeschool me with all the work he had and my mother being gone as was the case.

Unfortunately, I also had promised Danica to accompany her to the movies as she apparently had never been. It seemed as her parents had seemingly not let her out before for some unknown reason. Why had they isolated her from the outside world? I guess I would never know.

(Uh...Keep me safe from an evil witch, I presume? -Danica)

So I called Danica and hoped she would pick up, hopefully she would remember how to pick up calls, even in that she was to be trained on. Not that I blamed her, it was just a part of the game! She was a walking contradiction, Danica that is, she was both well-instructed about the world and yet clueless at the same time. Keeping her isolated from the outside world probably did not help her on that account.

(I know right! -Danica)

As the phone continued ringing, I prayed that she would pick up soon and now her voice was on the other end.

"Hello! How are you, Anthony? Is everything alright? I am good as daisies right now.... Actually, the truth is I am absolutely bored and waiting for when it is time to meet you to go to the movies..." she spilled out like chicken noodle soup out of its ladle and into the bowl.

(I am so excited! - Danica)

"The answers are: I'm good. Yes. Marvelous. However, about that movie outing..." I struggled with the right way to say this.

(If he says we are canceling, he is so dead! -Danica)

"We are going to see Maleficent, right?" she asked timidly with reproach in her voice.

"There has been a slight change of plans. My father just finished work and is going to spend time with me which he rarely does so we'll have to reschedule..." I said this with a squeal coming out of my lips at frustration at myself because I truly wanted to hang out with Danica, never mind my father always working for a living and sacrificing himself for me...Why was I so conflicted over this now?

(Well, he has a father that cares about him, unlike me. So maybe, just this once...-Danica)

I knew she would not be happy about this so I started singing a song I knew she liked and I liked as well. It was from her favorite movie, Sleeping Beauty.

"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream

I know you, that look in your eyes is so familiar a gleam"

I paused and waited for a response.

(I love this song!! Should I sing it, but I have a raspy voice. What if he...oh well, here goes. -Danica)

Surprisingly, she sang back the song and at that moment, I swore she had to be an angel with a voice as pure as hers.

"And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem

But if I know you, I know what you'll do"

In a fit of what I called later as ecstasy, I sang along with her and we did a duet of sorts.

"You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream"

(If this is not love, I don't know what is. -Danica)

"I forgive you and yes, we can reschedule. How about tomorrow?" she chirped.

"Alright, the deal is set." I teased.

(He is a player all right! This teasing is way too much! -Danica)

"You can't back away now from this, you hear?" she told me.

"Of course, my dear Pollyanna, we still have the game to play you know."

And with that, I hanged up the phone and dug in my closet to find my shoes.

Soon enough after the phone call, I trudged downstairs to find my father had already let himself in the house to my chagrin and surprise he still remembered he had a key with all those sleepless nights. Honestly, my father needed a vacation. Maybe that is what he meant to talk to me about...

(What is a vacation? - Danica)

"Son, I have a confession to make." My father frankly said to me as we sat down at our kitchen table.

"Your mother was royalty."