The Day We Met

The Day We Met Part 3

   Before we went outside, the gym teacher told me to go on out on the step, then Julian would be out in a second to help me down to the field. So I waited on Julian...... and waited..... and waited, but he never came out, at least not until the rest of the class started to come outside. So there I sat with no one to help me get to the field. Finally, Julian came out, already in line, he stopped, gave me his usual dirty look, then told me to take myself down, and kept walking.

   Thank GOD Aaron saw me when he came out! As soon as he saw me, he stopped, looking confused.

   "Wasn't Julian supposed to help you down?" Aaron asked.

   "He told me to do it myself! How can I do it myself, without KILLING myself?" I asked Aaron.

   "Not to worry little buddy, I'll get you down there, leave it to me!" Aaron said. 

   Once I showed Aaron the best way to get me down steps, you would've thought this guy had been handling a wheelchair all his life. He handled my wheelchair like a pro! He took the wheel down the step nice and slow so it wouldn't hurt me, then as we got to the grass, he knew there was no way I'd get through the grass by myself, so he helped me the entire way down to the rest of the class.

   "Thank you Aaron." I said.

   "Not a problem pal. In fact, I'll talk to the coach and see if I can be the one to take you out every day, that way Julian won't be an issue, I don't trust him with you either." Aaron said, giving me a fist bump before going to join the rest of the class. 

   Aaron made sure he parked me in a spot where I could see everything, but also so I was out of danger if anyone went running by me. As class came to an end, Julian was the first one to go by me, he gave me his trademark snooty look, then walked on into the gym. Aaron was the next one to come up to me, ready to help me get back inside.

   "Ready to go bud?" Aaron asked.

   As I looked at Aaron, he was really sweaty, and looked really hot from the heat.

   "Are you sure you can do this big guy?" I asked.

   "Yup!" Aaron assured me, spinning me around slowly so he could get me back to the building.

   Sure enough, the heat didn't stop him at all! He got me the whole way back inside the school, then let me go once we were inside, so I could wheel myself on my own. While I waited inside the gym for the bell to ring to go to my locker, Julian approached me.

   "You know, you're getting to be a real suckup." Julian snarled, "You don't really like Aaron, you're just using him as your own little personal chauffer! I really hope one day he turns his back on you!"

   Just then, Aaron himself walked in the gym, having heard every word Julian said.

   "Excuse me?" Aaron asked, "I don't think Mike is using me at all, and I'd appreciate it, if you would get away from him, and leave him alone, you've given him enough problems already!"

   "And if I don't?" Julian unwisely asked.

   When Julian said those words, Aaron got as close to Julian as he could, and his face changed to pure anger, "Don't make me demonstrate........" Aaron growled, "I've had enough of you Julian, you're not going to do to Mike what you've done to everyone else you've bullied in this school. I won't let you. Mike has enough challenges as it is with his disability, he doesn't need you adding on to it?"

   "What disability?" Julian asked, "You know he's faking it! He's just pretending he can't walk, so people will feel sorry for him!"

   That was the straw that broke the camel's back. Before Julian could even blink, Aaron had his hand around Julian's throat, ready to choke the life out of him! With one arm, Aaron lifted him nearly SEVEN FEET in the air, and was ready to do Julian significant harm, but upon hearing Julian squeal in fear, he brought him back down, letting him go.

   "That was just a warning, next time, you don't get a warning, now if you're smart, you'll get away from me and Mike." Aaron said.

   No sooner did Julian take off running, Aaron was back to being the gentle giant he was when I met him, you wouldn't have known anyone angered him. He came over to the bleachers I was parked beside, so we could chat until the bell rang. Once the bell rang, Aaron walked with me to my locker, while Julian went running in the opposite direction, then the principal yelled at him for running in the hallway, so Julian got in trouble after all.

   Once I was finished putting my books away, Aaron walked with me out to the buses. My bus was already there, but Aaron's hadn't shown up yet, so he did me the honor of helping my bus driver help me onto the wheelchair lift after she lowered it. After Aaron got me on the lift, he stepped off, staying beside it, with his hand on my chair so it wouldn't roll forward. Once the lift stopped, as I pulled myself into the bus, I heard my bus driver tell Aaron he was hired, then I heard Aaron chuckle.

   As I got myself in position to be locked into place with the wheelchair locks, Aaron boarded my bus to say goodbye to me, even helping my bus driver lock my chair in so it wouldn't roll around while the bus was in motion. It was a Friday, so Aaron told me he'd see me on Monday, but then, he gave me a piece of paper with his phone number on it. 

   "I don't have practice tonight, so if you want to, call me over the weekend if you want to, I won't be going anywhere." Aaron said.

   Aaron gave me a hug, then hurried off the bus so we could leave. Then his bus showed up, so he hurried to his bus, boarding it for home. After my 20 minute ride home, I went in the house once I was off the bus, telling my mom about my day, then she broke some news to me.

   "I have a problem we need to discuss." My mom said.

   "What is it?" I asked.

   "Well, I was just informed by my boss, that I have to work this weekend. You can't go to your aunt's, because she, your uncle, and your cousins are in Hawaii until Monday, I don't have anyone else to look after you, so you may have to come with me." my mom said.

   "What if I get my friend Aaron to come over?" I asked.

   "I've never met your friend." my mom said, "I think it's best you came with me."

   "There's nothing to do there mom, I don't want to sit down there for 8 hours waiting for you to get off work, with nothing to do, I'll be bored to death! Can I just please call Aaron?"

   My mom finally gave in, and let me call him. She agreed to let him spend the night, but was a little hesitant to let him stay with me.... that is until she actually saw him.

   Aaron was at my house, once he got directions, in literally ten minutes. Once he knocked on the door, my mom answered it, and needless to say, she was not expecting Aaron to be as big as he was.

   "Oh my goodness!" My mom shouted!

   "Yeah, I know, I get my size from my dad, he's the same height I am." Aaron said with a grin.

   It was at that moment, that my mom felt much better about Aaron being around. She ended up having no problem allowing him to stay with me while she was at work. It was a good thing Aaron was around too, because the following day, after my mom would leave, things would get a little hairy.

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