Like Gold

01.

01.

I LIMPED THROUGH THE HALLWAY, my bad leg struggling to keep pace with my right one. Each step sent a jolt of sharp pain through the ankle and shin and I struggled to bite back my winces.

Normally, my legs worked fine, but this week had taken its toll on me. The humidity flared up my old injuries, and I'd pushed myself too hard riding my bike to school each day. I had no room to complain, though. This was my own fault.

Beside me, Piper carried my books, chattering away about some school gossip she'd overhead at lunch that I'd zoned out from ages ago – when we'd started walking and my leg started aching.

Even if she pretended not to notice, I saw how she slowed down for me. I noted her excuse to carry my books for me and the worried glances she kept sending me when she thought I wasn't looking.

I pursed my lips, trying hard to straighten my back and appear nonchalant, but my next step only hurt more than the last and my lips were pulled back into a grimace.

"That's him," Piper said suddenly, her voice dropping to a whisper. She stopped in front of me and I stumbled to a pause, narrowly avoiding clashing with her back.

I blinked, returning my focus to her. "What?"

Piper sighed dramatically, sending me a dangerous look that clearly said weren't you listening? – although being almost a foot shorter than me, it wasn't that threatening.

"The new kid," she said exasperatedly.

She nodded over my shoulder and I turned, following her gaze.

He walked down the hallway towards us. At first glance, he looked like your average high school kid, with messy brown hair and a frown tugging at his lips.

But then he stepped forward and his crutches trembled under his weight like he was new to using them. He avoided people's eyes, though it was obvious everyone was watching him. It wasn't every day we got new students in the middle of a semester.

I frowned, watching him stagger forward. It reminded me of myself, last year.

I remembered the ache in my arms. The frustration. Throwing the crutches to the floor in a tantrum. The worried looks people shot me. The whispers. Did you hear about Amber Liu and Jasmine Ali?

I shook my head, shoving those thoughts away.

"I wonder what happened to him," Piper whispered. She followed him with her eyes, frowning, and I knew she was picturing me in his place.

"What's his name?" I asked Piper, suddenly curious.

She quirked a brow at me. "Could it be? Jasmine taking an interest in something? It's a miracle."

"Shut up," I shot back, rolling my eyes with a smile. "I used to have plenty of interests."

Before the accident.

Piper, sensing the words missing from the end of my sentence, cleared her throat. "Jace Wilson, I think. He's a senior like us."

A senior on crutches transferring in the middle of the school year? I narrowed my eyes at him. It was too familiar. Too similar.

A lump began to grow in my throat. I felt myself spiralling, descending down that dark trail of thoughts – the trail that lead to Amber.

Suddenly, the boy's – Jace's – eyes dragged up from the floor, locking directly onto mine. I stiffened, my heart faltering at the sudden eye contact.