May 12 Tuesday.

*sigh* the start of freshman year. Yay. Now I know what your thinking “ OH MY GOD, high school! Why aren’t you happier!?”. Well that’s because I’m starting high school... without legs. Yeah... that’s a story I’d rather not get into.

I lost my legs last summer. It’s been almost a year and I’m still not used to it. My arms get so sore from rolling myself around all the time. My older brother Will and his friend have always helped me but Will just graduated and is on his way to collage. It’s a good thing his friend Carter is still here, I’d be a goner if he wasn’t. He’s a sophomore so he’ll be here a while to help me if I need it.

Going down the halls of the school is terrifying. I’m so low down being in a wheelchair, it feels like I could be crushed at any second. One kid almost runs right into me and doesn’t even apologize. Just walks off like nothing happened.

“Hey! Max!”

I turn and see the friendly face of Carter running towards me. “Hey!” I say beaming ,all of a sudden feeling safer. I mean I am 2 and a half MAYBE 3 feet tall so having him beside me to make sure no one tramples me is good.

3:30pm

School wasn’t that bad actually. Just weird/pitiful looks which I’m used to so that didn’t bother me. Now I just cant wait to get home and PLOP myself on my bed. MY ARMS ARE KILLING ME!! I wouldn’t let Carter push me at all today cause I didn’t want to feel incapable. Uuuugggghh! Now I wish I had. Now my arms feel like they’re about to fall off!

I start rolling home with a pained look on my face while Carter talks to a few friends from the baseball team. I don’t want him pushing me home everyday. I want him to be able to hang out with his friends, not be stuck wheeling me around all the time.

I was so lost in my thoughts, I hadn’t even realized someone was pushing me. I look behind me only to find... Carter? Wait... what?

“I... I thought you were going with your friends?”

“You look exhausted. You’ve been rolling yourself around all day. ‘Wasn’t bout to lets you roll home too. Your arms must be dying.”

They are. But I wasn’t gonna tell him that.

“*sigh* i- i feel bad.”

“Wha- why?”

“Ever since Will left for collage you haven’t really left my side, and i-i just don’t want you to feel like you HAVE to help me.”

After I say that, silence. And then he sighs and i stop moving. Both me and my chair. I’m barely even breathing. I look up right in time to see him walking around to look at me. He gets down on his knee and looks up at me. He’s smiling a soft, faint smile but his eyes look so sad. Oh no. I hurt his feelings!

“I’m not doing anything I don’t want to. “

I... I know I just - i cant wait till I’m older and I can get legs and that way you wont have to babysit me anymore. “

“Eh. That wont change anything. I’ll still have to babysit you then. “

“What? Why?!”

“Someone’s gotta keep you outta trouble.”

“Uh! I’m sorry but whose freshman year was full of noting but detention?!”

“ hey! It’s not my fault they don’t allow skateboarding inside the school!”

“ or fighting with other students. There were countless times Will had to fix you up from getting into fights. That you clearly LOST by the way. “

“I did NOT! And that guy was an asshole he deserved it!”

“Uh huh. “

“Oh that is it!”

After he said that i started FLYING down the sidewalk. I was going so fast I probably needed a seatbelt. But I didn’t care, i was laughing so hard i almost forgot i was upset a few minutes ago.

To be continued...