Tender (Book 1 - Complete)

Chapter 13 - Lynn

The news spread like a virus throughout the entire community. It was as if everyone was in mourning for the events that had taken place just a month before. I haven't seen Jamie since before the accident, but I heard he was released from the hospital nine days after being admitted, and spent nearly three weeks recovering from home.

The gossip now is that he'll be returning to school for the first time today, and I can't help but feel just a little unsettled with the idea. Sure, I'm curious. People say he lost his entire left leg, so sure, of course I'm curious. But, I'm also nervous because I'm not sure how to respond to him now. He must be struggling physically, emotionally, and psychologically. There's no way he's not having a difficult time dealing with the loss. My worry is that I'll pity him and he won't want that. And yet, how can I not feel sorry for him?

My morning routine goes as normal. My mom fixes an elaborate breakfast, as always; makes me clean up her mess; and then kisses me on the cheek before ushering me out the door. I hurry down the walkway and swing my bag into the passenger seat before jumping into the vehicle.

Galena High stares at me with daunting eyes as I watch it appear in the distance. It's beckoning me closer even though I'm yearning to both obey and refuse its lure. School had finally returned to normal a few days after Jamie's accident, but it feels as if his arrival back will only shake things up. I'm not ready for that tension again. I'm not ready to see him, no matter how badly I find that I want to.

I park my car and make the quick walk to the main entrance. It's time to gather all the guts I possess and get this over with. Once I see him, it won't be so bad. And knowing Jamie, he's most likely joking around with his friends. He's never been one to let circumstances tear him down... not that I know of anyway. This might just be one of those situations that breaks him. I'd understand if it did. I know that if I were in his shoes, I'd be handling all of this horribly.

I push my way through the halls in search of Justine or Rosa. The bell will be ringing at any moment, and a selfish part of me really hopes it rings before I see Jamie. Just the thought makes me feel like a terrible person, but I'm honestly just so scared.

I round the corner, just steps away from my locker when I spot him a few meters down on the opposite side of the hall. He's got a smile on his face as he chats away with his friend Dillon. Both boys appear normal, but I'm most shocked by Jamie's expression. If I didn't already know what happened, I'd have no idea that his whole world had just been ripped out from underneath his feet—or, should I say, foot? How can he possibly handle this with such grace?

Individuals and groups of people keep stopping, some just welcoming him back, other's a little more curious about the details of the accident and his surgery. He handles their questions with ease, seeming to enjoy the attention, even though he's clearly exhausted.

Pulling my locker open, I sneak another glance in his direction, the hall's still too busy to get a full view of the damage done. I can see some students eyeing him as they gossip about his life. Either he's a genius at blocking things out, or he honestly doesn't notice the stares and whispers. I feel guilty for being one of the many people gawking at him, but I can't help it. I assume that out of all the people already watching him, there's no way he'll notice me. But I'm wrong.

I see him glance up quickly and then do a double take when his eyes skim over me. His face is relaxed and I can't tell if he's bothered by me watching him or if he's just curious as to why I'm attempting to hide behind my locker door. Choosing not to be the jerk that my mind is coaxing me to be, I wave my fingers at him, a small smile on my lips. Instead of the expected grin that I've grown so used to, he just nods before returning his attention to Dillon.

I'm not sure how to handle this discreet rejection. Maybe it was me who handled the situation wrong. Maybe he'd been expecting me to walk up to him, hug him—like I'd seen myself do in my imagination a hundred times before—and then promise to meet him during free period. Instead, he shunned me in the most polite way possible.