A Summer To Remember

Where's The Elevator?

I'd never been so nervous for anything in my life. I wasn't sure if it was the combination of going back to school or seeing Jade. It was the first time since meeting at the hospital and while I felt I was confident on the phone, I wasn't sure how confident I was in person.

I'd had girlfriends before the accident, most just lasting several weeks. I was too focused on sports and working out that I never had, or found, time for a relationship. Things were different now and my priorities were more realistic.

Jacob had a light schedule and was able to get out of class for a while to help me with mine. I wasn't left handed so I needed him to take notes and write down things for me. I also needed help with the stupid wheelchair. I still hadn't figured out how to keep the thing straight. It was starting to piss me off.

He sighed as he got out of the car and walked to the trunk for my wheelchair. He'd parked in the back, as he usually did. Normally, I'd have complained but with the attention I was about to receive and the fact that I didn't have to walk the distance, I didn't mind.

Without making eye contact, he helped me into the chair and swung my backpack over his shoulder. I usually never saw him with a backpack. Normally, he just tossed his book in the backseat of the car. All of this was probably pissing him off, the longer he was around me.

I didn't blame him.

Like I'd expected, people were staring. They stopped moving, talking, breathing even. You could hear a pin fall, even in the loud parking lot.

I was sure my face was bright red but there wasn't much I could do about it. I couldn't heal myself, I couldn't run from my problems. I had to deal with them head on.

One of Jake's friends, Ryan, fell in line with him. "Hey, Dylan."

"Hey." I'd never talked to Ryan before. Jacob and I were only a year apart but we didn't share friends. He was smart and so were his friends. Mine, or ones I did have, were jocks. I wasn't sure they'd still be my friend after everything that happened.

"I heard Jake gets to hang out with you all day." He said with a laugh.

"Yeah. Tenth grade was missing him."

"Biology and Algebra two sound so nice." Jake said with a monotone voice.

"You could help him with his homework. Get him a 4.0 GPA."

"I could do his homework in my sleep."

"I might have to take you up on that." I mumbled.

Ryan laughed and held the door open for us. He grabbed the second door quickly and nodded his head at the security guard that stood at the front of the school.

I kept glancing at my phone, hoping Jade would text me. But she was at her own school and the nuns were strict from what she'd told me.

"I'll see you guys later. I have to talk to Mrs. Lopez about some homework." Ryan said before jogging down the hall to the math classes.

Jacob sighed. "Where to first?"

"Mr. Grant for English."

"Do you know where the elevator is?"

"No. I've never had to use it for."

He started pushing me down the hallway. "Don't kill me if we're late."