Beautiful Lives

Chapter 25

Chapter 25 - Masterpiece (Andy Grammar)

"Get up! We've got adventures to go on!" Maya's chipper voice rang through the silent room, and my head instantly started to throb. I pushed myself up on one arm and blinked at her a few times before it hit me.

Prom day had finally arrived.

I'd hoped that I would wake up feeling a million times better on the day of prom, but I only felt worse. Still, Maya grabbed my arms and dragged me out of my bed. I very nearly collapsed into a little heap on the floor, but she lifted me under my shoulders and held me upright until I steadied myself.

"Prom, Lex!" she enthused. "We made it, and we're going to have an amazing day,"

"Yeah, it'll be legendary," I said dryly, as I laced my daytime oxygen tank's cannula underneath my nose.

"Come on, you'll feel better once we get moving!" she said, and I shook my head.

"All signs point to the contrary, darling," I told her.

"Come on, we've got a full day booked," she said, grabbing my wrists and dragging me towards my closet. I sighed.

"I don't know if I can handle a full day at this point," I said, dejectedly.

"Babe," she said. "It's your prom day. You deserve to have an amazing time, and we're going to make it happen, but it's not like we're going skydiving or swimming with sharks. Get dressed, and we'll go easy on you, I promise,"

"Alright," I said. Maya smiled proudly, before bounding into my closet. A few minutes later, I was dressed in a pair of leggings, and a fuzzy green cardigan with a brown belt around my narrow waist. I slipped into a pair of ballet flats, brushed my teeth, and wrapped a black bandana around my forehead.

Once we were finally ready, we hobbled down the stairs, and I sank into my wheelchair. My mom walked into the room, smiling nervously as she watched us get ready.

"How you feeling, baby?" she asked, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek. I shrugged.

"Okay," I said. "Not great, not too bad,"

"Well I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a good day for you," she said. "If you need a break, don't hesitate to come home for a bit,"

"I will," I said, smiling as confidently as I could. "I'll see you tonight for pictures?"

"Sounds good," my mom said, waving to us as Maya wheeled me out the door.

She helped me into the front seat of the car, and then folded up the chair and tossed it into the back before starting up the car, and pulling out into traffic.

"Okay, here's the plan!" she said, her eyes fixed on the road but her smile never wavering. "We're picking up Juliet first, then the three of us have appointments at my mom's spa for the day. Then we're going back to my place to do makeup and hair, and getting ready. Also Ragan and Sebastian wanted to split up for the afternoon as well, so Ragan's coming over to get ready with us. Then the boys are coming to my place for five, we do pictures, and we go to prom!" she finished slightly breathlessly, her energy already starting to infect me.

"Sounds good to me," I said, as she pulled into Juliet's driveway.

"Morning beautiful!" Maya sang as Juliet hopped into the backseat.

"Hello lovelies," Juliet blushed as Maya threw the car into reverse. We cranked up some music, and I was surprised to find that by the time we reached the spa, I was starting to feel more and more like a normal person.