More Than Wheels.

Chapter 2

One of my earliest memories of this thing was my inability to balance or stand still for more than five seconds. It made me feel dizzy. I would sway like I was on a boat. Constant exercise and use of my muscles has taught me to control it...to an extent. Thanks to Ethan, working out is part of my daily routine. Even now, as I'm laid on this stupid Pilates bed that costs more than a car, at a stupid angle. Looks more like a torture device if you ask me. Ethan sits beside me with a book, that he's not reading. Just using it as an excuse to silently observe me. "Extend your leg further."
"What's the point in having a book, if you're going to make it obvious you're watching me?"
"I'm not watching you. I'm correcting you." He looked up from the book and smiled. I rolled my eyes, but did what he said. My leg losing balance slightly. Wobbling. I focused my core and steadied myself. "There you go. Perfect." Far from it Ethan. Far from it. "Switch legs." With a scowl, I switched. "Your right side is stronger than your left. Which is common."
"I'm not common. None of this is common." I harrumphed, to fall flat on my back.
"No, your right Mae." Ethan rose to his feet and bent over me. "You're rare. One in fifty thousand to be precise." He gently grasped my foot; his fingers wrapping entirely around my ankle, and bent it towards me "Rare is beautiful. You are unique, despite what you believe. Now stop feeling sorry for yourself. No one likes pity parties." I forced a fake smile. He could see it had sarcastic intentions. We had this battle every single day. I'd be a realist. He'd be a pain in my ass. On the plus side, he never sugar-coated things. Kept me in bubble wrap. Doctors, nurses, my Mum. They all coddled me until I felt suffocated. Anything to keep me happy. Ethan didn't care about happy. He cared about progress. "That reminds me, grocery shopping." 
"How does that remind you?" He shot me a glare but continued "I was going to do it online, but we could go grocery shopping together."
"Nope."
"Mae."
"No. Not happening. If I wanted people staring at me, I'd join the circus."
"People don't stare at you."
"Yeah right." I rolled my eyes "I think they want me to do a trick or something."
"Well if you did, we might get a store discount."
"If I could kick you, I would." I narrowed my eyes. He smiled, closed his book and leant back. Smug little grin in tow "So do it. Kick me."
"You know I can't."
"There's a difference between can't and won't. Remember that. It's your nerves that are not working. By not moving your muscles, you make them weaker. Weaker than you actually are."
"I'm working out and doing what I'm told aren't I?" He hit me on the head with the book. It made a dull thud "Ouch! I'm brain damaged already. I don't need anymore."
"Don't give me that. And don't give me the I'm doing it crap. We both know your only doing it because of your Mum. And if I wasn't here to push your bony ass, you wouldn't do anything."  True. I'm not going to lie. I just don't see a point in all this. There's no treatment, no cure. No nothing. I just take vitamins and work out...Allot. In hopes that it will slow it all. It all seems meaningless to me. "And you're not denying it, because it's true."
"Never said you were wrong."
"You've been this way ever since I've known you, and that's fine, that's you. But it's not going to stop me voicing my opinion."
I rolled my eyes automatically "clearly."
"Life is short-"
"Shorter for me."
"That may or may not be true. But if it is, don't you want to live. See the world in all its technicolour glory? Go to university and make something of yourself?" The silence was deafening. I didn't know what I wanted anymore. I've spent five years being defined by a disease. "Life is short. Not just for you, but for all of us. No one wants regrets at the end of it all. This bubble that's been built for you is nice and comfortable, but it's not living. And deep down, you know that. Just remember this, ok?"
I wanted to nod. I knew that. Fucking obviously. I wanted to be out there doing wild things. Skydiving, swimming in the ocean, horse riding...Fall in love. But all those things were impossible to me now. Out of reach. Instead, I changed to conversation. "After my reflexology, I'll cook lunch for us." I know Ethan would take my words as an acknowledgement to his. Reaching out in my own twisted way I guess. He gave me a warm smile. A real one. A smile that read 'I know your trying...Somewhat.' And as nonchalantly as possible muttered "Yeah, that sounds good." Then went back to the book he was pretending to read. Whilst I carried on with the exercises I was pretending to care about.