It All Started With A Mouse...

1 - "Megara. My friends call me Meg. At least they would if I had any friends."

1

"Megara. My friends call me Meg. At least they would if I had any friends." – Megara (Hercules, 1999)

I stare at the piles of boxes in front of the house. "I didn't realise how much stuff we actually owned!" I groan.

"Oh stop your complaining!" Mum laughs, as she rolls her wheelchair next to me.

We had had to move house from our old one because Mum couldn't get up the stairs. We'd had to move to a completely new town, but I didn't care. I would do anything for Mum.

"Earth to Minnie?!" Mum yells, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Wh-what?"

Mum laughs. "I said, are we going to start moving in or what?"

I fake a pout. "Fine." I pick up a smaller box, and hand it to Mum to carry into the house. I had to haul a bigger one, but I didn't mind.

"Isn't this house amazing Minnie?! It's got a wheelchair ramp so I don't have to struggle over the threshold anymore!" Mum gushes as she rolls into our new house. She's so excited, and I can't help feeling excited for her. This house is perfectly catered for her – I refuse to call it a disability – inconvenience, shall we say?

I plonk the box I'm carrying in the bare living room, also placing Mum's box down afterwards.

Sighing, I wander outside with Mum in pursuit to grab another box. I quickly sidestep out of the way of two removal men who are carrying our settee in, and straight into the chest of someone else.

"Shoot! I am so sorry!" I blush furiously as I look up to see who it was I collided with.

I am not disappointed by what I see.

It's a boy – the hottest boy I've ever seen. He has dark brown, curly hair (one of my weaknesses); cheekbones that could cut glass, and dark smouldering blue eyes. He's wearing a navy blue and black checked skirt, with a grey t-shirt underneath; you can make out his very toned, muscled torso.

Drool.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you." I raise my eyebrows as I look up at him.

His lips curl into a lazy smirk. "S'alright." He sticks out a hand for me to shake and I take it gingerly. "The name's Nathan."

I hesitate slightly. What did Mum drill into me about stranger danger?

Shaking my head slightly, I shake his hand. "It's nice to meet you Nathan. I'm-" I'm cut off when I hear Mum calling my name.

"Mouse? Where have you got to?"

I look up, internally cringing that Mum just called me 'Mouse' in front of this handsome stranger.

I wave at her, "Over here Mum!"

I turn to look at Nathan. He has one eyebrow raised and an amused smirk plastered on his face. "Mouse?"

I open my mouth to explain, but Mum rolls over before I get chance to speak.

"Hello? And who might you be?" Mum asks politely.

To his credit, Nathan doesn't even flinch when Mum rolls up. Normally, people give Mum sympathetic looks, or look utterly bewildered. They then treat her as though she's made of glass – it annoys the hell out of her.

He sticks out his hand to my Mum. "My name's Nathan Gardner, madam. I live next door and I wondered if I could help with any boxes."

He gestures to the house next door, where a woman is stood at the doorway, holding on to an adorable young girl wearing a Snow White costume. The woman enthusiastically waves with her free hand.