I Tried to Hide My Blindness during a Date, but I Had No Idea How My Secret Would Spill

The room was dim, my computer screen casting faint shadows. I sat at my desk, fingers on the keyboard, smiling as my screen reader spoke:

“Message from Colin: I love that author. ‘Love is War’ is my favorite. What about you?”

I laughed softly, imagining his message, and typed back:

“Good choice! But I loved The Princess’s Favorite—I bawled at the ending.”

As I hit send, warmth spread through me—talking to Colin had become the highlight of my days.

We met online weeks ago, bonding over books, dreams, and even favorite pizza toppings. But there was one thing I couldn’t share: I was blind. Twice, Colin asked to meet, but I’d made excuses. The truth scared me—how would he see me after knowing?

Then, Colin’s message came:

“You love audiobooks? I can’t get into them. I need to hold the book.”

His words stung, reminding me of my limitations. I typed:

“Colin, I have to confess, I’m blind. I can’t read regular books, so I rely on audiobooks.”

But I deleted it. Instead, I sent:

“I just love listening to books while multitasking.”

I couldn’t keep hiding the truth, but how could I tell him?

Later, Colin invited me to a movie premiere. Nervously, I accepted, though I hadn’t told him about my blindness. I arrived early, practiced the route to the theater, and kept my cane hidden in my bag. When we met, I lied about wearing sunglasses due to light sensitivity. As we walked, I kept track of my steps, but I stumbled at the escalator, asking him for help.

The movie was hard to follow, but I pretended to enjoy it. When Colin asked about a boat scene, I lied again—but he caught me.

“Why are you lying?” he asked. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

Tears filled my eyes. “Colin, please—” But he walked away.

I stumbled out, calling for him, but he was gone. Desperate, I admitted to a stranger that I was blind. Then, I heard Colin’s voice.

“Do you need help?” he asked.

I turned. “I’m blind… I can’t see.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked gently.

“I was scared,” I whispered. “I didn’t want to lose you.”

“You wouldn’t have,” he replied softly. “But lying almost cost us everything.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “Can we start over?”

He smiled faintly. “No more secrets.”