What It Seems | Wattys 2023

Chapter 55

As I was sitting on the x-Ray table, the radiologist held my foot as she stretched my leg in and out. She took at least three x-Rays to see how my leg was now that she had removed my cast.

Now that it was off, I felt cool air hit my skin, and I finally felt circulation beneath my right knee.

As I watched her stretch my leg out, I spotted a long, yellow scar running up my leg, starting from the top of my ankle up to the bottom of my knee. I cringed and sighed, counting this as the (estimated) five-hundredth scar on my body since my spine surgery.

The radiologist took one last x-Ray of my leg and then turned off the machines. I stood from the table and slid my sandal on. I honestly could not get over the amazing feeling of cold air hitting my bare leg.

After getting situated with the paperwork and such, I walked to the waiting room where my brother was sitting.

The expression on his face set me in a state of confusion and I laughed at his grinning face.

"You have two different toned legs." He began laughing and I slapped him on his shoulder.

When we reached the car, I grabbed my book bag and retrieved a bottle of my lotion and rubbed it on my leg.

"Why are you putting lotion on your leg?" he asked as he brought the engine to life and back his big truck out of the parking space.

"Umm, because it stinks to me. Duh?"

"Your legs look like hotdogs." Aiden cackled at one tan leg and the other one, which was a shade or two lighter.

"Oh, shut up Aiden."

I crossed the seatbelt over my chest and locked it. I twisted the volume knob on Aiden's radio, making the song, Animals by Maroon 5, blare. Since it was only 10:45, I decided to go back to school since I wouldn't have to catch up on more assignments.

It took a few minutes to get to school due to the hospital being all the way across town. The traffic wasn't bad at all since every high schooler that drove was at school and people were at work.

About ten minutes later, Aiden pulled up in the school's parking lot. I grabbed my bag from the backseat and opened the door. Luckily, Aiden's truck wasn't high off the ground like Baylor's old Jeep was. I was a bit nervous to put a lot of pressure on my right leg because I feel like my leg is on the verge of breaking again, albeit it was good as new.

"Bye hot dog," Aiden smirked.

I grinned and used the nickname I used to call him. "Bye Band-Aid."

I shut the door and walked to the building that the front office was in. I opened the door and walked up to the front office to retrieve an excused tardy slip.

Baylor had texted me, saying that he was gonna meet me in the main hall. If this wasn't a free period of his, I would've taken the long way to English so he wouldn't get the chance to meet me. Now that I know that he's going to be applying to colleges pretty soon, I've been pushing him to do more of his work so he can get his credits in order to get accepted.

I entered the main hall and began strolling pass the science, math, and social studies wings so I could reach the English wing. I spotted Baylor leaning against a cemented pole. He was tapping away on his phone and then I saw him shove his phone in his pocket. My phone vibrated in my hand and I glanced at the words on my screen.

Baylor: are you here yet?

"Yes, I'm here." He turned his head at the direction of my voice. A smile lit up on his face and he began walking towards me.