Paigel

Chapter One Part 6
          I take in a deep breath. “When I was in my mother’s stomach, they couldn’t get me out. The only way was to cut off my huge feet. My mom and dad didn’t know they did it until I was already out. My mom was on medication and was ‘sleeping’ and my dad wasn’t allowed into the room. Three days later my mother died because they still couldn’t get my partial leg and feet out of her. So, that’s how it happened.”
          Dustin dug out my best kept secret. His hand touches mine, I almost push it away but decide that I like it. “I am so sorry.” 
          Donald calls, “Time’s up, people.” His clapping hands deafen the room for a moment. “Goodbye, see you next week!”
          We stand. Dustin wraps his arm over my shoulder. “Want to hang out tomorrow?” I lose words for a moment and nod. “Good, see you at Winot Coffee. Eight thirty.”
          He goes out the door and doesn’t turn back. I stand there for a moment waiting for Sam, until he pops up behind me. 
          “Sam! You scared me half to death!” I giggle. Sam laughs with me as we head down the street to our houses. I make sure that I don’t mention Dustin.
          Once I leave him at his house I prance down my neighborhood and finally approach the house. I lay on the grass and scream out of joy. My first date. 
          
          -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------AN: That's chapter one! When I figure out how to really put it on, I will! This is all my ideas! Thanks!

Chapter One Part 5
          I hold my breath. He was who I was afraid of getting. The guy I freaked out on? This is a nightmare. “Dustin Brooks.” I say. I carefully fold the slip of paper and put it in my back pocket. Donald searches through the names and takes mine out of the pile and quickly runs over to give it to Dustin. He returns and outstretches his arm to give Sam a turn.
          After reading it carefully, Sam stutters “Tammy Brooks.” Two Brooks in a row. How uncanny is that?
          Once everyone has gotten a partner Dustin comes to sit by me. “Hi. I’m Dustin” he says confidently. 
          I pull a piece of hair behind my ear. “I know, I mean I’m, uh, Bonnie.” I pause and know that I’m blushing. “Sorry, I’m not good at the ‘making friends’ thing.” I smile and he laughs, not at me. But with me.
          “Me neither.” Dustin shakes his head. His tone is manly but soft. “So what’s your favorite book?”
          “Uh..” I stutter. “I don’t have one. These things you see on my head keep me from reading. It is hard to concentrate when your head hurts all the time.” I laugh and glance at him to see his reaction. He still smiles and stares at me.
          “You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.” Dustin blurts out. He doesn’t even look embarrassed to say it.
          “What?” I blush. “That’s not true, if anything I’m the ugliest.” He smiles and shakes his head.
          “Beautiful.” he says. 
          “Why would you say that?” I tell him softly. I know how people can tease, I get it a lot. 
          He wears a puzzled expression. “Why not?” I shrug and nod. “How did it happen?”
          I stare at him for a moment. “What? You want to hear about how…” My voice trails off. “Are you sure?”
          Dustin nods. “Yes, of course. I would love to hear my new girlfriend’s story.” 
          I am shocked. Girlfriend?  “Girlfriend?” 
          “Well of course.”

Chapter One Part 4
          Donald introduces himself and then chooses me to go first. “Say your name and favorite, uh, ice cream flavor. Go.”
          I stand up and pull down my sweatshirt a little. “I’m Bonnie Johnson. My favorite ice cream flavor is cotton candy.” I hear some snorts from the older kids when I said ‘cotton candy’. “So, yah.” I blush and plop down in my seat.
          Sam stands. “I’m Sam Tennet. My favorite ice cream flavor is vanilla.” He nods his head and sits.
          Next goes the Diane, Drake, Luna, and Ferrel. The boys who snickered were Raymond, Hunter, and Garrett. An old lady then stands and her name is Evanna. Next is the boy with the red jacket.
          “I’m Dustin Brooks. My favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry. Hi.” Dustin waves. As he sits I get butterflies in my stomach. 
          A girl his age stands up. Her short, dyed red hair glimmers in the light. Her blue eyes are as intense as a storm. She wears tight black leather pants matching her jacket and boots. Everywhere on her I see skulls and cross bones. She wipes off some of her thick mascara and eye liner. “I’m Tammy Brooks.” She pops a bubble with her bubble gum. “I don’t have one.” She sits and crosses her legs. I don’t notice that I’m staring until Tammy stares back at me, cruelly.  
          I look down until the rest of the people are finished. Mr. Donald stands to greet the newcomers. But not me. I’ve been here forever, I don’t need a ‘Hello’.
          Once Donald sits down he says, “I know I said we wouldn’t do anything today, but we have ten minutes so we’ll do a meeting exercise. You’ll pick out a name from this hat and grab your partner and talk about things you have in common. Like your favorite book or movie.” He grabs the hat behind his chair and comes over to me first. 
          I reach into the hat and pick out a slip of paper. I open it carefully. Below I read:
                                             Dustin Brooks

Chapter One Part 3
          “I do not like him.” I tell him. He smiles and laughs hysterically. “Shut up.”
          Mr. Donald opens the door to let the flood of people outside to their session. We all gather in one tiny room. There must be close to fifteen chairs. In the middle there is one special chair, for Mr. Donald.
          Mr. Donald is a humble man. He has jet black hair and hazel eyes. He reminds me of Patrick Monahan, the lead singer of my favorite band, Train. He is very encouraging and has known me since like Kindergarten. I just finished 9th grade. I remember when I first saw him I really did think he was Patrick Monahan. Back then I didn’t have my mechanical legs, I just had a wheelchair. He taught me how to use the wheelchair. Everything I know must’ve been taught by him, and I am ever grateful.
          We all take our seats. Sam is by my side. Sitting next to me, a lady that smells like her clothes were left in the washing-machine for 3 days sniffles and wipes her nose. I scoot toward Sam. 
          “Alright everyone!” Mr. Donald exclaims. He is wearing his usual green fedora and scarf over plain plain black clothes. “You may know or not know who I am. Either way I bet your parents have always told you to trust strangers.” He glances around the room as many chuckles fill the space.
          “Okay.” Donald sits down in his chair and folds his hands in his lap. “Today, all we will do introduce ourselves.” He pauses. “Also because I am tired.”
          Again, chuckles fill the room. Donald smiles and sits ‘criss cross applesauce’ on his king of a chair. Actually I remember a lady a few years back gave it to him for helping her child. I remember I resented that child, so did Donald. But that was just between me and him.

Chapter One Part 2
           I finish and blow on my fingernails softly. I grab my backpack and tell Dad goodbye. I rush down the porch in a flash, luckily my legs do not fall off.
          Donald’s Physical Therapy was only one block away, so I didn’t need to rush. My session started at seven, and it was only 6:50. I see Sam my best friend farther up the path. Today, he wears his usual polo shirt and khaki pants with glossy, smoothed back black hair. 
          “Sam!” I shout catching up with him. He turns around, his dark brown eyes showing pleasure. Sam smiles and wraps his arm around me. Sam doesn’t have anything wrong with him, but he still comes to class with me, so I have someone to talk to.
          “Bonnie. Guess what?” Sam exclaims. “Let me just tell you, I got into Mullen High’s Science Camp! Isn’t that great?” Sam pauses for a moment to catch his breath. He looks at me with a smile stretched across his face.
          I gulp and reply. “That’s great Sammy. You deserve it.” We continue to walk down the path in silence until we reach the old brick building. Lots of kids and adults line up outside the door. There are very few I know and probably around ten that I don’t. 
          Sam and I stand at the end of the line, behind a tall boy that is probably my age. He turns around, wearing a Bronco hat over his eyes and a dark red leather jacket. His hat comes off to reveal a boy with messy, dirty blonde hair and bright green eyes. 
          “Excuse me, but do you know who teaches the 7:00 session.” the boy says tilting his head, he was looking at me.
          “Uh…” I stutter, breathing heavily. “Mr. Donald himself.” I shrug awkwardly, Why am I doing this?
          “Thanks.” He says as he turns toward the door again. Sam looks at me with surprise. I roll my eyes because I know what he is thinking.

Chapter One
          I think it all started in the room at Donald’s Physical Therapy on Friday in the beginning of summer. While everyone sits in a circle, introducing themselves. Donald has a special way of teaching, it’s actually fun.
          Over the years I’ve watched kids and adults leave. I will never. My legs will never get fixed. Yes, I’ve learned how to use it but I will never be the same as others. I wonder how it would be like to walk. That’s all I dream about.
          Let me backtrack, my name is Bonnie Johnson. I have no legs, I was born without them. Miranda and Molly are my mechanical legs that I control with two small silver plates on the outside of my head. The wires connect to my legs, twisting and turning through my clothes. It looks awkward but I’ve gotten used to it.
          That morning I placed my blue glasses over the bridge of my nose, making my brown but almost hazel eyes hard to see. My glasses were luckily not thick, adding a point to my pretty side. I try to imagine what I would look like without my silver metal plates attached to the sides of my head. I pull up my silky, thin blonde hair into a ponytail, causing me to lose my train of thought.
          I pick out some baggy black sweatshirt that has the Colorado University symbol on it. I find jeans and hiking boots and put them all on. I yawn and glance at the clock. It was half an hour to seven. 
          Rushing over to my bright green nail polish, I trip causing one of my plastic legs to fall off. I sigh as I roll up my jeans to adjust my padding inside my mechanical leg. I screw it back on to the metal covering between my real stump of a leg to my fake one and stand again. This time, I walk very slowly. Grasping the nail polish I plop to the floor. I slowly brush on the polish, sending a nice cold chill through my body.

Prologue
          	Love is strange. It blossoms into beautiful flowers. Considered everlasting perfection. In fairy tales it seems as if it could last forever. Although I knew that I should have known what will come next. I don’t know how to tell our story. I will try, for him.