ANOTHER CHANCE

another story

Austen's POV

We were sitting at the ice cream parlor. How it pained me to see Ella move in a wheelchair. The girl, who couldn't sit in a place for barely 10 minutes, who was always too excited to go anywhere was lost......... all I thought at that movement was that if I would have picked her up for school that morning like every day, this terrible accident wouldn't have happened. It's my fault. Why did I go to school with my group?

I couldn't imagine when Liana came to meet me in the locker room. Not that she came to the locker room 'to meet me' for the first time, she always came to meet me with El, but this time I was really happy to see her. From the past few days Liana was ignoring me. Whenever I asked her about Ella, she just walked away or replied in a cold voice, "I don't know."

'How was it possible that Liana, of all the people did not know where Ella was????' was the thought that came to mind after the cold treatment. I was sure, it had to be something terrible; otherwise El is not a type of person who doesn't pick up phone calls or replies to messages. I just hope she is fine; all I wanted at that time was, to see her. And then, opportunity knocked on the door.

"Hey Austen." Was all Li could mumble out. I looked at her and smiled, finally she was back to normal and not planning of doing any 'cold treatment operation' on me. "Hey Li. Long time no see, anyway where is my girl?" I asked scanning the area behind her. "Well, coming to that, Ella wants to meet you at the Rims Park today at 4:30." A smile appeared on my face. "Finally" Li stared at me as if I said....... something wrong. "Just remember to understand her......OK." That caught me off guards. "For your kind information, I understand her, but at the precise moment I have full rights to be angry with her." I shouted trying to understand her previous statement and making everyone in the room stare at us. "That was loud enough. I need to go time for next class. See you around." She went out of the room, then peeped in, "and don't be late." then disappeared again.

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I was waiting impatiently for the school bell to ring. I kept looking at the clock on the wall and thinking 'ring, ring, ring, ring.' And there it rang.

I went to the locker and dumped everything I had in my hand. I took my car keys and went straight to the car. I was craving to meet her. I wanted to hug her. I sat in my car and drove to the Rims Park thinking what I would tell her or how I'll shout at her for being irresponsible.

I arrived at the park. I went towards the entrance and started searching for her as if she was a lost treasure.

'she is your treasure' my conscience told me.

I walked forward searching for her. 'Where is she? Is she not done with her hide and seek game yet?' and then, I saw a girl sitting on a chair in her golden brown hair which came till her waist. She was wearing a peach pink summer dress tied at her waist showing her lean body and highlighting her curves perfectly. The dress came till her knees. I stopped where I was and looked at her scanning the surrounding. Her eyes suddenly fell on me; I walked forward and saw a small smile creeping on her face.

I went towards her and couldn't control my anger. How could she do this to me? Why didn't she reply to my calls or messages? I wanted to ask her everything.

I opened my mouth to talk and there came all the emotions. "What the hell is wrong with you? You don't pick up any of my calls nor do you reply to my messages. Its been more than 2 weeks since we meet each other. For a moment I thought that something happened to you. I came to your house to see you, but then my luck, there was no body at your place. Its only been 2 months since we started dating and you grew tired of our relationship so fast? Now, just look at you, you don't care about me, do you. If yes you wouldn't be sitting like this on this....." then my gaze fell on what she was sitting. OMG is that a wheelchair. What is wrong here? Is that really a wheelchair or what? I knelt down in front of her to see into her black eyes. "Why are you sitting on this chair? Just get up. I can't stand seeing you sit on this chair any longer." I cupped her cheeks with my hands, she shifted a little.

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El swapped her hands in front of my eyes. "What are you thinking about?" she asked raising one of her eyebrows. "I was just thinking............, never mind that, can you spend tomorrow with me?" she gave a smile. "Is that a new way for asking on a date?" a grin appeared on my face. "If that's what you want then, ummmmm yes." She blushed. She looks so cute when she blushes. I couldn't take off my eyes from her. One of the loose strands of her hair came on her face. She slowly pushed it behind her ears and then her brown eyes met my golden brown ones, making eye contact. "Yeah, sure I'll come with you. But wait, first I need to get home. I am really tired." She smiled at me.

Oh god! That smile of hers kills me. I got up from my chair and went behind hers. "Austen can you bend down a bit?" she called to me. I got surprised. I bent down and she kissed me on my cheeks. "Thank you Austen." I stared at her.

"Let's go!" was what I managed to tell. She nodded her head and sat comfortably.

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We drove back in silence. Actually that's what I thought. I mean it was not that we didn't have anything to talk about, well we did have a lot of it but, when I made Ella sit in the passenger seat and opened the door of the seat behind to keep her folded wheelchair, I saw in the rear view mirror that she already slept. I went to my seat and started driving. Every now and then my eyes would wander to her side to see her sleeping.

She looked angelic with her eyes closed. Her long eyelashes touched her cheeks, as if the sea touches the sand on the sea shore. Her pink lips were like still piece of rose petals and the blowing cold breeze touched her hair gently making them play with the wind. Defining her beauty was a task which no writer could do perfectly.

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We reached at Ella's place. I got out of the car and went towards where Ella was sitting. I opened the door. I wanted to wake her but my heart was in no mood of waking up the sleeping beauty in front of me.

I picked her up in my arms and walked towards her house. I felt so complete with Ella in my arms. It was the perfect moment. The moment I had been waiting for from past two weeks.I knocked on the door and a voice came from inside. "Coming." After a minute a lady opened the door.

"Oh My God! Is she alright?" she asked as she took me in. "No need to worry she's fine. She's just asleep."

A satisfied look came upon the lady's face. She showed me the way to Ella's room.

I went into her room and laid her down on her bed. Her room was just as perfect as her. The lady came in, "So, you are?" she eyed me from my head to toe and then back. "Oh! I am Austen Dawson." I replied as I gave my hand for a handshake. The lady looked surprised and took my hand. "So, you are the guy my daughter keeps talking about."

"Maybe, if you say so." Was all I could reply. I was surprised that the lady standing in front of me was none other than Mrs. Riesa Robert, Els' mother. "Let me tell you, my daughter has made a right choice." She told pointing towards me. I smiled and then left the house to return to my own.

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'Tomorrow is another day, another morning and another chance with Ella.' I thought as I entered my house.