"Telephone Romance" Rewrite

The Date

       I jog back into the cafe after changing into my artificial legs from my wheelchair. I stand at the height I would be if I still had my legs. I go into the cafe, and sit down. Jennifer and i just stare at each other for a while. I then break out of our little trance when my stomach rumbles. I turn a light shade or red, and grin sheepishly at Jennifer.

      "So...it seems as if I'm hungry. Time to eat. What would you like?" I ask her. She looks down at the menu. Then her eyes light up as if it's Christmas. When I see that look in her eyes I call on the waitress to take our order.

      "I'll have get pasta and a side of fries" I tell the waitress, right as Jennifer is about to order, Tara comes in. My ex, the girl who hurt me right after I was in an accident. I've never told Jennifer about her. I didn't want to, I never wanted to think about her again. I look away from her hoping she doesn't see me. It doesn't help what so ever, she saw my dad's van outside. she know I'm in here. From the corner of my eye I see her getting closer.

      Jennifer is asking me what's wrong. Though all I'm imagining is my ex seeing me and causing a scene, as she always does. I sigh focusing my attention on Jennifer. She has a curious look on her face. Before I can tell her it's nothing, Tara happens. Tara makes her way over here. 

      "Oh, look here, it's you. Why are you out with someone like her? She's way out of your league.  She can actually walk. Shouldn't you be with someone you won't burden? Someone like you?" She asks me. I was right, she did break up with me because I'm an amputee now, I think to myself. I look away from her. As I do so I see a look of shock and anger on Jennifer's face, and a bunch of people stop moving. They have all sorts of looks on their faces, shock, anger, disappointment, though I'm not sure who it's aimed at.  I look down out of embarrassment. I then hear a chair screech across the floor, it startles me.

      "How dare you say such a thing about him? He lost his legs, that's nothing to be ashamed of. People in the world are born deaf, blind, or with a disability, but they don't let that stop them from being someone in the world. They fight through thick and thin to survive in this harsh world of cruelty, from people like you. So what if he can't walk without artificial legs, or get around without a  wheelchair sometimes. He's still him, that doesn't change just because he lost a part of himself physically. He isn't a burden on anyone. And I like him not because of his physical appearance but because of his personality, though the looks are a bonus. You should be ashamed for ever thinking that." Jennifer rants out in anger to Tara. 

      Tara has a look or disbelief on her face. She looks around the cafe and storms out, mumbling to herself. I see my dad on the steps. He must have come down from all the commotion. He looks proud. I hear everybody start to clap and congratulate Jennifer for saying that nice speech. I look up and  turn to face Jennifer.

      "Thank you." I tell her. "For sticking up for me."  I see the waitress start to tear up a bit. I share a panicked look with Jennifer before asking the waitress what's wrong.

      "It's just that, I have an older sister who is an amputee. She got bullied and became an outcast during her high school years for something she had no control over. No one ever stuck up for her during that time. So it's nice and heartwarming to see a fellow amputee being stuck up for." She says while tears start to stream down her face. My dad comes and hands her a handkerchief. She then goes to get our order after Jenifer orders.

      We continue with our date, it goes great. We just never seem to run out of things to talk about. I tell her a little bit about my accident which lead up to me needing two artificial legs, and how I coped with the change. Seeing her smile and laugh I've forgotten all about my ex coming into the cafe. We have so much fun together. We finish at the cafe and head to my basketball game.

      While I'm playing I hear my dad and her cheering me on. I've never smiled so much in one day. I make the game point bringing my team to victory right as the whistle blows. As we leave the building I think about my day. How Jennifer the girl I have a crush on stood up for me in front of so many people. I think of how what Jennifer said is true. My personality doesn't change just because my body does. I'm still me, just new and improved. I didn't think like that when the accident happened. With Jennifer I think my thought process will change. I'll start to take some risks. I'll become a better person and appreciate the life that I still have. Even if I can't walk without my artificial legs that's better than dying. I need to get it out of my head that I was the only one affected by the accident. Jennifer can help me do that.