Finding My Feet

Chapter Four

"So," I tell my best friend over our video chat the next day. "I think I wanna start some leg therapy."
"Really?" She grins at me through the screen.
She's sitting in her schools cafeteria since its lunch there and only six in the morning here. Today was my first day in my new school. I was dreading it. People don't do too well with people in wheelchairs.
That was the main reason that I wanted to start walking again, and also because of what Avery said. We happened to stay at Starbucks until ten into the night, we were friends now and she said she would fetch me for school.
"Yeah. Avery is actually the one that talked a bit of sense into this thick skull," I smiled back.
"You have no clue how proud I feel right now," she laughs. "I feel like you're my first born child and you just got into the best school in the world or something."
"You're so dramatic," I sigh playfully. "What should I wear? It's pretty chilly here."
"Well firstly, do you have like literally all your clothes?" She asks.
I wheel myself over to my cupboard, facing the screen of my phone inside the cupboard so she can see.
"Alright then," she giggles. "You remember those thigh high black socks I gave you? Get those. Okay, now that silk black skirt. Yes. That black and white striped sort of shortish sweater? Yes, that one. Can you put that on as quickly as you can?"
I do as she says and flop myself onto my bed, pulling the socks up onto my legs, then pulling the skirt up over them and tugging the sweater over my head. I pick up my phone again, showing her how I look while laying down.
"Wow, I'd do you," she jokes. "Okay now that really really thin brown belt. Like put it right where the skirt and shirt meet. Fantastic. Beanie time, you know how I love my beanies. The black one, yes. For shoes, hmm. Show me what you look like."
I sit up, pointing my screen to my mirror so it shows most of my body.
"Oh wow, I wish I could look like you do in these clothes," she sighs. "Well since you won't be walking at all today, you can wear those beautiful ankle boots that your aunt bought you from Italy. Oh my gosh, I should've stolen them before you moved."
"You're terrible," I laugh, zipping up the boots as I look at myself in the mirror. "I wish I had your fashion sense. I wouldn't of ever been able to match these things together."
She shrugs as I hear a bell ring.
"Well I guess I gotta go now," she says. "Talk to you later."
I say bye and hang up the phone, putting it back onto charge. I wheel myself over to my dressing table and pull a brush through my hair a few times before doing a slight smoking eye and dark lips.
I pull the beanie over my head once I'm done and pick up my black shoulder bag, putting it into my lap.
"Well I'm gonna wait outside for Avery," I tell my mom as I wheel myself into the kitchen.
"Okay, honey, have a great day. And don't give a shit what that terror says," she kisses my cheek.
"I won't, love you," I roll myself outside and onto the sidewalk and wait for Avery to show up.
I really hope I had some or all my classes with her. I didn't know what classes she took though.
Soon, a red Mini Cooper pulls up in front of me and Avery honks the hooter.
"Get in mofo!" She screams.
"Well I need help, mofo!" I laugh at her.
"Oh right," she mutters, killing the engine and climbing out.
She wheels me around to the passenger side and I heave myself in then she shoves the wheelchair into the boot. She then climbs in and speeds off.
"If that thing is broken by like next month because of my vicious ways, I will buy you another, I promise," she says to me.
"It would be unnecessary because I'll most probably be out of it by then," I inform her,
She grins from ear to ear.
"Did I inspire you?" She says in a dreamy way.
"Well sort of," I shrug. "You made a very good point to me. Like I guess being here is a new start so I should just get it over with. Like how will it be at prom, you know? So I'll do it."
"Do you even know where to go?" She asks.
"Not a clue," I laugh. "But we'll find it. There should be a rehabilitation center close to a hospital."
She nods, pulling into the school gates. This school was a lot more prestigious than my old school. We didn't have fencing or security guards around campus back there.
This school had its own parking lot and as Avery pulled into a parking, I saw signs with people's names on them in front of the parking.
"Everyone gets their own parking?" I ask, shocked.
"Yeah, it makes things a lot easier. They have a parking for every single student and then some. And you can decorate your board however you'd like. See, mine I turned into a sort of chalkboard and everyday I write something new," she explains.
"Oh wow," I say, amazed. "Do you think I would have a parking?"
She nods, walking up the row of cars as I follow behind.
"Your name starts with A so you'll be in this row because it's in alphabetical order. Here's yours," she gestures to a parking that's empty. "Amber Tryland."
The board just simply says my name in capital block letters with an open space under it. I nod.
"Well, let's get going," Avery says.
I wheel myself next to her and am soon confronted with three steps to get into the schools doors.
"Here, I'll help you," she says as she tilts the wheelchair up and manages to sort of shove me up.
Another reason to start walking again. This school is completely filled with stairs.
Avery doesn't let go of the handlebars and continues wheeling me to where, I'm guessing, is the office. A few people turn to stare at us as the wheels make a squeaking noise against the varnished wood floors.
"This is why we came earlier. There's not as many people," Avery says.
"Amber."
I have never heard that voice in my life, never met this person or even seen a picture but I know exactly who it is. I turn my head to look at her.
"Kelly."