Wheels

Chapter 19: New Friend

          I'm rolling down the hallway by myself because Rory is at a doctor's appointment. I see a group of students surrounding someone so I hesitantly go over to them.

          "What are you guys doing?" I ask, looking up at them. "Just getting to know the new girl" One of the girls says and smirks, taking her book bag from her, causing her sweater to rip. I sigh and take my phone out of my pocket, calling Coach O'Connelly.

          "Hey Marley. Everything okay?" He asks. "Not really. Can you come to the hallway by the home ec. room?" I ask him. "I'll be right there" He says and hangs up.

          One of the guys takes the girl's glasses and breaks them. Coach O'Connelly runs down the hall and instantly grabs the four students that are surrounding the girl, dragging them to the office.

          "Are you okay?" I ask the girl and go over to her. She nods and stays curled up on the floor. "Here" I say and take off my jacket, offering it to her. "Thank you" She whispers and I see scars on her wrist when she reaches up to take the jacket.

          "I'm Marley" I say and smile softly. "I'm Norah, but some people call me Emerson" Norah says quietly and puts on the jacket. "Both names are beautiful" I say and hold my hands out to her.

          "Thank you" Norah blushes slightly and grabs my hands, getting up. She stumbles slightly since she can't see now, grabbing onto my chair. "Come here" I say and giggle softly, pulling her onto my lap.

          I take my glasses out of my bag and put them on Norah, softly brushing her dark brown hair out of her face. "Thank you" She says and smiles shyly, looking down.

          "What class are you supposed to be in?" I ask, picking up her book bag from the floor. "Gym, but I really don't want to go" Norah says and shyly gets off of my lap, putting her book bag over her shoulder.

          "I skipped gym too. Let's go outside" I say and smile at her. She smiles shyly and follows me outside. We go over to a bench under a tree and Norah sits down. "So, you're new here?" I ask, looking at her.

          "Yeah, I just moved here two days ago" Norah says quietly, crossing her arms. "By yourself?" I ask, moving my chair in front of her. "Yeah... I got moved to a new foster home..." She whispers, looking down.

          "Is everything okay there?" I ask softly. "Yeah, so far. It's kind of lonely there though. Ms. Ellis is always working and the other two kids ignore me..." Norah whispers, sighing.

          "I can come over after school... If you want" I say and lightly touch her arm. "I'd like that" Norah says and smiles, looking up at me. "I'll see you after class then" I say and smile. We go to our last classes of the day and I get a text from Rory, say that she can't hang out after school.

***45 minutes later***

          Norah and I walk to her house, going through the back door where there isn't stairs. The two foster kids, Macon and Dani, ignore us when we go through the living room to Norah's room.

          It's a small room that doesn't really have any color. Norah sits on her bed and puts on her extra glasses, giving me mine back. "Thanks" I say and smile, putting them back in my book bag.

          "Do you want to sit on my bed?" She asks, looking at me. "Sure" I say and smile. I take off my armrest and start to slide myself from my chair to the bed. I forget to lock my brakes, so my chair moves and I land on the floor.

          "Are you okay?" Norah asks and gets on her knees in front of me. "Yeah. I'm okay" I say and smile. "Here, wrap your arms around my neck" She says and puts one arm under my knees, the other around my waist.

          I wrap my arms around Norah's neck and she picks me up, setting me on her bed. "You've had to do that before, haven't you?" I ask and giggle softly. "Yeah, my brother at my last house was in a wheelchair" Norah smiles slightly and sits next to me.

          "Do you guys still talk?" I ask, looking at her. "No... Um, he died last year..." Norah whispers and looks down. "I'm so sorry..." I whisper and grab Norah's hand. She smiles slightly and holds my hand, biting her lip.

          "I love your outfit by the way, it's really vintage" I say and smile. "Thank you. And that actually reminds me..." She gets up and grabs her sewing kit, getting her sweater out of her book bag.

          "You can sew?" I ask, looking at her, slightly surprised. "I learned a few years ago" Norah says and smiles, starting to sew the tear in her sweater. I smile and watch her.

***2 hours later***

          Norah and I talk about unimportant things for a while and then she walks me home. She starts to take off my jacket to give it back to me, but I gently grab her arm.

          "Keep it, it looks good on you" I say and smile. "Thank you" Norah says and smiles back at me, putting the jacket back on. "I'll see you later" I say and smile up at Norah.

          "Yeah. See you later" She says and smiles back, hugging me. I hug her back and go inside after she starts walking home. I go to my room and change into pajamas, getting out my sketch book.

          I get in bed and start to draw a picture of Norah, taking my time on her deep violet eyes and her black glasses; even drawing the top of her white lace dress and gray sweater. After I draw her, I make designs in the background with different shades of purple.