The Day We Met

The Day We Met Part 1

   Another September has arrived, and the first day of school is in full swing. The only problem you ask, I didn't want to go. Why you ask? Because this was the first year, and the only time I had been redistricted to a new school, a school I've never been to, nor knew a soul. I actually tried getting out of going, but my mother wasn't having it, she demanded I go to school, because she was starting her new job, and we needed the money. 

   So, after getting ready and getting a bite to eat, I went outside to wait on the bus, which pulled up just as I got to the curb. It was one of those small buses that had a wheelchair lift on it. It was full of special education kids, who were all as nervous about their first day as I was, but they weren't going to high school like I was, they were on their way to a special learning center, not the high pressures that I would be facing.

   I secretly hoped that I would be dropped off dead last, but no such luck, the bus went straight to the high school, and I was the first one to be dropped off. My nerves began to shoot through the roof, as the bus pulled in to drop me off. The aid on the bus came back to unhook my chair from the little brackets that held me in place during the ride, then he lowered the lift to roll me out onto it. As soon as I locked my brakes, the lift slowly lowered me to the ground, where I rolled off to go inside.

   "We'll be here at 3:30 to pick you up Mike." The aid said as I rolled toward the building, "Have a good day." 

   "I'll try." I replied.

   I went inside, going to the main office first thing to get my schedule, and my locker number, which one of the secretaries gave me. As soon as I got both, I went to my locker first to put my jacket away, then headed to homeroom. When I got there, the teacher saw me come in, smiling politely to me, she saw I was in a wheelchair, then came to help me get into my desk, by pulling the chair out from it so I could roll underneath.

   "There you go Mike." the teacher said politely, "Sit and relax for a few minutes until the bell for first period rings, it shouldn't be long."

   I nodded to the teacher, waiting patiently for the bell to ring. As I sat there, bored out of my mind, I heard a voice beside me.

  "Psst, hey you, are you nervous too?" the voice asked.

   I looked to my right, to see a dark haired girl, with glasses talking to me.

   "You could say that." I replied.

   Just as I said that, a boy who got up to sharpen his pencils for the day, randomly went by after sharpening them, then kicked my wheelchair for no reason, then smacked me on the back of my head.

   The girl next to me who had just spoken to me, got up to confront him.

   "Do you mind?!" she yelled as the boy sat down.

   "Now Jamie, that will be enough!" the teacher demanded.

   "But that boy just--" Jamie said.

   "I don't want to hear it Jamie, now please sit down." the teacher said.

   Jamie sat down in a huff, I could tell right off the bat that she didn't like what had just happened. I could also see how frustrated she was, because a boy had just gone by me and kicked my wheelchair, without me so much as saying a word to him. I also could tell how concerned she was, she looked at me with complete worry.

   "Are you okay?" Jamie asked.

   "Yeah, I'm used to it. It happened at my other school too, being bullied just seems to follow me wherever I go." I told Jamie.

   "Well, just wait until I talk to that brat later, he didn't have any right doing that to you, you didn't say a word to him! By the way, I don't think I caught your name." Jamie said.

   "I'm Mike." I replied, "And you're Jamie?" I asked.

   "Last time I checked!" Jamie joked. 

   I could tell Jamie was trying to lighten the mood a bit by the joke she tried to pull off, that I could tell, she didn't think quite got off the ground. I still couldn't help but chuckle though. The bell for first period finally rang. Jamie and I decided to walk to class together, especially after finding out that we had EVERY SINGLE CLASS together, what are the chances of that happening?

   In our first period class, Jamie and I ended up sitting next to each other, because the history teacher put us in alphabetical order by our first names. There was no "K" or "L" names in our class, so that's how we ended up next to each other. We were in our first four classes for 50 minutes each, and then, it became lunchtime.

   Jamie and I entered the cafeteria, where Jamie said she'd get us a table, since she brought her lunch from home, and I went to buy mine. I got in line to get my food, which moved pretty quickly, then as I came back out the other door, that same stupid kid who picked on me in homeroom, saw me, then walked over, swatting my tray of food all over the floor. Thankfully, the principal saw what happened, and demanded the kid, whose name was Julian, pick up the food. However, since I had no money left to buy lunch, I had to go back to my table without eating.

   When Jamie saw me come back empty handed, she let me have half of her sandwich, and split her potato chips with me, since she said her mother overloaded her anyway, so at least I got a little something in my stomach. She was very angry that Julian had done what he did, but glad that the principal was there to stop, and scold him for his actions.

   "I can tell already, we need to get you a bodyguard." Jamie said.

   "Like that would do any good." I told her.

   "Oh, it would if I introduced you to the person I know." Jamie told me, "Believe me, NOBODY would pick on you then."

   "Who do you have in mind?" I asked.

   "His name is Aaron Banks, he's on the football team, I haven't seen him today though, but he did tell me he would be coming here this year, so he must be sick today, or maybe missed the bus or something." Jamie said.

   "I don't get along with football players." I told her, "All the football players I knew, always hung out with the same people who bullied me, it made me a little apprehensive about even talking to them."

   "Did you even try?" Jamie asked.

   "No." I replied.

   "Then how do you know they wouldn't have helped you?" Jamie asked.

   I showed Jamie my wheelchair, "Because of this stupid thing!" I told her.

   "So let me get this straight." Jamie said, "You're going to use your wheelchair as an excuse, as to why you think someone wouldn't like you, or help you with your problem? That's ridiculous!"

   "I just don't have good luck with people." I told Jamie.

   "Have I been mean to you?" Jamie asked.

  "Well......... no." I replied.

  "Then why do you think Aaron would? You haven't even seen or met him! I've known him since last year, and he's always been such a sweet guy to me, in fact, he's the most popular guy here!" Jamie said, "I'm going to try to set up a meeting between you two tomorrow if he's here, I want you to meet him."

   "Whatever you say." I replied.

   After lunch ended, Jamie and I went to our last classes of the day, then waited until our buses came to pick us up. When the buses pulled up, I hugged Jamie, telling her I'd see her tomorrow. During the bus ride home, I was nervous just thinking about who this Aaron guy was. I was suspecting he'd be one of those smaller guys, who did all the running with the ball, and got hit by the bigger guys, so I didn't think I'd get much out of meeting him.

   Boy, would I ever be wrong!

TO BE CONTINUED...............................................................................................................................