Hearts and Other Breakable Things

chapter six ✔️

stevie hopkins
- november 13, 2017 -

I HOBBLED DOWN THE HALL using my newly acquired crutches the best that I could. I remember when Ryan was on crutches for months and he complained non-stop. Now I understand why. I thought he was being a child at the time, but crutches were the literal worst.

            Everywhere I went I was hitting someone or something, it was terrible. Half the time I was on the verge of just throwing them in the dumpster and damning the consequences. It was crazy that I even had to use the stupid things. I barely even fell. I was practically a twist of the ankle. How it did so much damage, I'll never understand.

            I couldn't get comfortable doing any of my hobbies. It was awkward to go anywhere. I'd been held up in my room for days now. This was how people went inside. I'd already caught up on every single homework assignment, plus the ones my teachers gave me after begging them for something to do.

            My math professor gave me a sudoku book to work through... Finished it in one night. He refused to give me another one.

            Gimping passed the bulletin board, I stopped. Slowly, I moved backwards to scan the different flyers. Maybe I could simply find something else to occupy my time. There was this bright yellow flyer for the poetry club right up front.

            An image of men in tights flashed through my head. Actually, an image of Xavier in tights went through my head and I cringed. The last thing I wanted to do with my time was spend it in a musty, old library listening to people talk about the sun and Shakespeare as if they had any more meaning than they actually did.

            Maybe finding another wasn't all that bad as long as I kept my grades up and if it could look good on applications, that was always a plus. I could tutor someone in math. That would look good for someone majoring in Education and Mathematics.

            A shadow appeared over my shoulder, "Thinking of joining?"

            I jumped, fumbling over the crutches. I turned around and stared at a girl who laughed, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," she smiled and held up her hands, "I mean, not anymore than it seems I already have. I'm sorry about your foot by the way."

            "It's no big deal, really." I cleared my throat, "I'm just out of commission for a little while is all, plus it wasn't your fault." I stared at her and there was something in her eyes... Hope maybe? I couldn't tell. People were far too complicated.

            My heart pounded in a strange rhythm... More like a flutter than an actual heartbeat. She had this faraway beauty about her that was so captivating. I blinked a couple of times and tried to look at anything that wasn't her or her face.

            "Well, come on then," she gestured with her head down the hallway.

            My eyes followed her and a smile slowly grew on my lips, "Where are we going?"