𝖑𝖎𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊 [nochelle & richola]

ten.

i'm sitting in the back of lola's mum's car, with lola in the front alongside her mum. she's tried making small talk, but i'm too nervous to say much. i've stayed at lola's so many times before, but not since her sister's injury. i've not seen lydia since then either.

the car crunches a halt outside lola's four bedroom house, and lola jumps out the car. i hop out after her and follow her into the house. we go into the living room and i see lydia perched on the sofa, her eyes fixated on the tv.

"hey," i say, smiling gently.

lydia's head perks up. "richelle!" she exclaims. five months ago she would've ran and jumped into my arms, but now she just flings her arms open and beckons me over. i sit next to her and she throws her arms round my neck, "i missed you!" she squeals.

"i missed you too, little nugget," i giggle. when lydia pulls away from the hug i see that she's even tinier than i remember. she's the spitting image of lola, but half the size.

"lola's been talking about you sooooooo much," lydia giggles, "so i thought you'd be here soon. are you staying for tea?" lola blushes a reddish pink.

"she's sleeping over, and you shut up," lola snaps.

lydia laughs, "whatever. lola can you get my chair?"

lola sighs and grabs a sparkly pink wheelchair from the hall. she pushes it over to lydia who manoeuvres herself into it using her arms. "hey, richelle, watch this," lydia says, smiling. she pushes on one of the wheels with her hand, causing the chair to spin around. "the doctors told me i wouldn't be able to dance, so i'm gonna prove them wrong. i just did pirouettes, in a wheelchair!"

i laugh lightly and smile. positivity basically leaks out of her, lighting up the entire room.

"alright," lola whines, "stop entertaining my friends. we're gonna go get food, 'cause i don't know about richelle but i'm starving." she grabs my wrist and practically drags me to the kitchen, collapsing into a bar stool next to the breakfast bar.

"i'm sorry about lydia, she's really annoying," lola mutters.

"no, she's adorable," i giggle, "i can't believe she's so positive about it all."

"she isn't all the time," lola shrugs, "most of the time she sulks in her room because she's not able to dance."

"i'd be sulking in my room too if i couldn't dance again," i reply, biting into an apple.

lola peels an orange, "that's a fair point."

we're just eating when we hear a sharp scream coming from the living room, most definitely lydia. lola and i both bolt through. lydia's very visibly shaking.

"what's happened?!" lola asks frantically.

"i wiggled my toes!" lydia shrieks.

"what?" lola asks confused, "you're not hurt?"

"no, look!" lydia squeals excitedly. she points to her bare foot, and wiggles her toes ever so slightly.

"oh my god," lola whispers. i'm getting the idea that this is the first time lydia's wiggled her toes since the accident, "do it again."

lydia wiggles her toes again on her left foot, and then the right.

"mum! come here!" lola yells, and her mum rushes down the stairs.

"what's happened?" lola's mum asks frantically.

"i can wiggle my toes!" lydia exclaims excitedly, showing her mum.

lola's mum looks just as shocked as the rest of us. "i'm gonna call your physio therapist, okay?" she says, hurrying away.

i crouch next to lydia, who's still in her wheelchair, and hug her. "well done, lyds, you'll be dancing in no time." i know it's not true, but it's hope for an eight year old.

lydia uses her arms to manoeuvre herself onto the couch, and i sit down next to her, with lola on my other side. we switch the tv on and lola jumps up and sticks the first harry potter dvd into the dvd player. she returns to the couch and we all get comfortable as the film starts playing.

about twenty minutes in i feel myself subconsciously rest my head on lola's shoulder, and she rests her head on mine. we stay like this until the credits roll.

as the film ends, we find that lydia's fallen asleep. lola picks her up and carries her to her room, which used to be a dining room but has since been converted into a girly bedroom so lydia can sleep downstairs. lola tucks lydia into bed and gently closes the door. "i guess we should get to bed too, we've got school tomorrow."

i smile softly, "yes, that's a good idea."