Owen

Moments

Turns out Max's parents were awesome. I'd met them a couple times, at his uncle's restaurant but now I was sure. I was slightly apprehensive about going to their house for the bbq. It wasn't like most homes were handicap accessible and I figured I'd be stranded outside for the party, in pain. I was wrong, his dad built a ramp on their back deck, Max's idea, so I could get in the house.

If I hadn't already considered Max one of my best friends, I would have then. The gesture choking me up slightly as he awkwardly explained how he didn't want me to feel left out.

I wasn't sure I deserved a friend like Max.

Scratch that. I knew I didn't.

Which was why I was trying my best to hide that I felt like my body was trying to kill me. I apparently wasn't hiding it well though because Mina appeared in my line sight with a question. I hadn't noticed she was even at the bbq yet.

"Scale of one to ten." She said.

My eyes met her green ones and I must have looked pretty rough because she just nodded her head.

"Want me to take you home?" She asked.

Yes.

"No, I'm alright."

She gave me a flat look. "Max will understand."

I didn't say anything back, clenching my jaw as pain shot through me. Mina let out a sigh, glancing back over her shoulder at the gathering of people. It was mostly Max's parents' friends but Alec, Bre, Chelsea and Kyle were there also.

"You look miserable Owen. How long have you been in your chair?"

She seemed more frustrated with me than normal. But if I hadn't been hurting so much I would have celebrated the fact that she was actually talking to me again. Without being forced.

"A while." I confessed.

I wasn't going to tell her that I'd basically been in it all day. Not that there wasn't days that I spent the majority of my time in my chair but the days when my pain flared, sitting stagnant all day did nothing but make it worse.

"Come on." She didn't wait to see if I'd follow.

But of course I did.

I wheeled myself up the ramp Max's dad built and into the house, trying my hardest not to bump into anything. It wasn't until she was walking down a hallway that Mina glanced over her shoulder at me. I rolled myself to a stop as she pushed open a door.

"Guest room." She clarified. "You can at least move around, relax without an audience."

I took the room in, light and bright and untouched seemingly. A TV mounted on the wall across from the bed that sat higher than normal. It was going to be a bitch to get in.

"I'll leave you alone." Mina called as she headed for the door.

"Wait, Mina." I nearly shouted, my heart hammering instantly. "Please. Stay."

I watched as she looked everywhere but at me, mulling over my words in her head.

"We don't have to talk." I offered. I'd offer anything to get her to stay. "Please."

She let out a sigh, shaking her head. But she closed the door to the room quietly behind her, sealing us in together. I let out my own breath, relief flooding me. I hadn't scared her off completely.

"Come on, let's get you out of the chair at least." She said, jumping straight to business.

I was more than ready to get up. Nan's brownies were good, they definitely helped but the lingering pain was exhausting and irritating.

I unbuckled myself once I positioned my chair as best as I could against the enormous bed.

"Stand, pivot, sit." Mina told me as I stared at the height difference between my chair and the bed.

I nodded my head, reaching for her shoulders as she bent forward in front of me, her arms tucking under mine.

Unlike Jase she didn't tell me at the count of three. It was second nature. And so on three, I pulled myself upright with Mina as my support, probably a little too forcefully.

"Sorry." I mumbled as I stood straight at my full height, looking down at Mina.

"For what?"

A lot of things.

"For leaning on you." She was definitely holding a lot of my weight on her shoulders at the moment.

She was looking up at me, her eyes soft and inviting even though minutes ago she was annoyed and frustrated with me. This was one of those moments.

"You can lean on me." Her voice low.

I'm not sure what sparked this moment we had fallen into. But I wanted to stay there forever. And even more than that I wanted to kiss her. My eyes traveled down to her lips on their own accord, my pain momentarily forgotten.

"Ready...to pivot?" Mina asked at a whisper.

"Not yet." I mumbled, bringing my eyes back to hers.

It felt good to be standing. It felt good feeling Mina's hands on my hips, helping to keep me steady. And it felt good to not be looking up at her finally. To appreciate how petite she was, how if my balance and motor skills were better I could have tucked her under my arm. Or how if I did kiss her, she'd have to reach up on her tip toes to help close the distance between us.

I had a rush of courage blast through me as I raised one of my hands off Mina's shoulders. Her ponytail must have been in since she woke up this morning, all the pieces around her face wild and loose. I gently let my fingertips brush her skin, electricity coursing through them and up my arm before striking my heart and sending it on a marathon. I didn't take my eyes off her as her lashes fluttered shut while I tucked some of the strands behind her ear.

I could live for these moments.

"Owen." Mina whispered, leaning into my touch ever so slightly. "Please, don't."

                                 ———————

Oh Mina would you just love the boy already!

I stayed up until like 11:30 trying to make a website (I'm struggling but thanks to a ridiculously long YouTube video it's starting to come together, sort of. Thank god for whoever created YouTube.) and then when I finally was like holy shit I'm exhausted I should go to sleep, I stayed up at wrote this chapter and most of tomorrow's. I'm super tired now but at least you get updates!