Popular to Paraplegic

Chapter 1

Arden Aster sat in her wheelchair, looking out the window of her room. The sun was shining, but she couldn't find it in herself to feel happy about it. It had been six months since the accident that had left her in this state, and she was still struggling to come to terms with what had happened.

Six months ago, she was at the Hartford College football game, as she usually was on a Friday night. She had started to make her way down the bleachers to go get a drink when she tumbled down the stairs at speed, landing on her lower spine. She was in a coma for a month and when she finally woke up, she couldn't remember anything before the age of 12 and she had lost her ability to walk.

Arden worked hard in rehabilitation; she was able to get her memory back. It now became clear who her real friends were and apparently, that was no one.

Today was her first day back at school. It should make her excited to see all of her old friends again but she only felt hollow. The accident changed her and the once "It Girl" was nowhere to be seen.

Coming to terms with not being able to ever walk again made Arden realize what really mattered in life. The fashion, the popularity, the status, and the money that were once pivotal in importance to her, she no longer cared about. However, when going to a school like Hartford College that is the only thing that the other students care for.

Hartford was an extremely exclusive school. She was on the waiting list for the school before she was even born and her parents paid a very high price to send her there, all in the hopes she will get into an Ivy League college.

"Arden," Her stepmom, Rose calls out from the car for her. "Hurry up! We don't want to be late for the first day!"

She rolls her eyes but nevertheless grabs her bag and rolls her way out to the minivan. Her parents bought the car to make it easier for her to get around in her bulky wheelchair.

Rose wasn't like the evil stepmoms you read about in books, she had always been quite nice to her, especially when Arden pretty much had the whole town of Bayview at her feet. However, after the accident, Rose has struggled to adapt to the changes and the major part she has had to play in them. She never signed up to be a full-time carer, but that is the role she has been cast into after Arden's accident.

Once her step mum has loaded her into the back of the family van using the wheelchair lift, she casts her eyes over to her half-sister Sunny. She has that glimmer of hope and innocence radiating out of her bright blue eyes. "How do I look?" Sunny asks her nervously twirling her golden blonde curled hair.

Arden casts a look over her outfit. She's wearing a matching Marc Jacobs pastel pink set. "You look lovely," Arden says to appease her sister but she couldn't care less about something so trivial anymore.

It's Sunny's first day of middle school which happens to be connected to Hartford College. Sunny has always wanted to be popular. She used to worship Arden when she had all of Hartford College in the palm of her hand.

Arden ties her brown hair up in a messy bun and puts a tiny amount of lip balm on her makeup-free face. She would have never left the house looking like this a year ago.

As they start the drive to school, Arden feels her stomach drop as they drive past Bennett Robinson's house. She hates him, but of course, he lives right around the corner. She hopes she can avoid him at school today.

Rose pulls up to the traditional-looking castle that Arden calls school. It looks as picturesque as it always has with green vines running up the side of the building and perfectly manicured lawns, decorated with rose bushes on the edge.

Arden takes a deep breath as some of the students begin to notice her. She was nervous about being back in this environment again. Her eyes scanned the crowds of students rushing past her, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity. Everything had changed since the last time she was here.