An Impossible Love (ON HOLD)

Chapter 10

Hadley's POV

Tomorrow came quickly, and soon I was waking up to my alarm. I shut it off and smiled. My mom walked in to help me get ready. She helped me shower, then get changed, and lastly wheel to the table to sit in one of the chairs to eat breakfast. This routine felt so familiar and yet foreign at the same time, even though it had only been a week since the accident first occurred and I'd only been home not even two days.

"Maisie said that she's coming to pick you up and will be here in about ten minutes," my mom told me. "I already packed you school books, and it is sitting by the front door."

"Thanks, mom." I said, quickly finishing my strawberry pop tart. "Um. Am I going to have to be in a wheelchair for the whole day?"

My mom looked at me sympathetically. "Unfortunately you do. The nurse said that your legs probably won't be strong enough to stand on for a while yet, and I don't want you falling and injuring yourself further."

I sighed, frowning. "I guess." Then a thought struck me. "Is Nathan okay? Was he out of the way in time before the car hit?" I felt terrible for not thinking or asking about him sooner.

"He's fine," my mom reassured me, putting her hand on my head. "He has a couple bruises and a sprained wrist from landing on it, but it's mostly healed since it was only a minor sprain. He came to see you after it happened, but you were still unconscious, and then he wasn't able to go see you after that because of the homework he got."

I breathed a sigh of relief at the news that Nathan was okay. I was glad and thankful that he wasn't seriously injured. "I guess I'm gonna talk to him later today anyway."

Just then the doorbell rang, and my mom went to get it while I scooted myself from the dining room table and into the wheelchair that was locked in place beside me. I wheeled myself to the door to see Maisie step inside the house. I grinned at her and received one from her in return.

"Good to see you back home and not in a hospital bed," she said, unable to stop beaming.

"I'm glad I'm not there anymore," I responded, incapable of wiping a goofy grin off of my face.

"You ready?" she asked, taking my schoolbag from my mom, who had picked it up off the floor where it laid.

"More than ready."

My mom stepped back from the door to let me wheel through. "You two drive safe and have a good time at school, okay?"

"Will do!" Maisie and I replied simultaneously. We looked at each other and started giggling.

"Glad something hasn't changed since I've been gone," I said after getting my laughter under control. "We should get going though. I'd rather not be late on my first day back." With that, we headed to the car and managed to get me in without any incident. My mom helped Maisie get the wheelchair into the back of the car, and then Maisie and I were off.

When we arrived at school, Maisie parked then walked around to the back of the car, pulling out and opening up my wheelchair. It hadn't even been a day and I was already sick and tired of it. It was just a big nuisance. I got in and slung my backpack behind me on the handles of the wheelchair. Then, together, Maisie and I went into the school.

I put some books into my locker then headed to my first class of the day, which was biology.

The morning passed in a blur and soon it was lunch. Matthew and Nathan sat by us in biology, but we didn't have time to talk as they had to get to their next class that was on the other side of the high school.

Maisie and I entered the cafeteria and went through the line to get our food, which didn't look all that appealing, but it was food that wasn't from the hospital, so I wasn't going to complain too much. We sat down at a table and were soon joined by Matthew and Nathan.

"Hadley! You're here!" Nathan exclaimed, surprised. Matthew looked just as surprised since it was the last school day of the week.

"Hey, guys! What's up?" I asked, smiling at them.

Nathan looked at me, and I could tell he felt a guilty about what happened. "We're okay. The real question is: how are you? I'm sorry I wasn't able to come visit you at the hospital while you were awake." He swallowed. "I wanted to say thank you for saving me, and I'm sorry that you got hurt because of it."

"Hey. Don't worry about it, okay? We are both okay and I'm going to be back to full health in a couple of weeks, so don't feel bad. There was nothing you could have done to change anything that happened, so there's no reason for you to feel bad about it." I gave him a small smile.

Nathan let out a deep breath. "I guess. Thank you."

"On another note," Maisie said, breaking the tension, "Matt and I wanted you two to be the first to know."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Know what?" I could somehow tell that Nathan was also looking at the two curiously.

Maisie and Matthew looked at each other before Maisie blurted out, "We're officially dating! Matt asked me earlier today." She grinned.

"Well it's about time!" I said, making both her and her new boyfriend blush. "You two are cute together."

We all spent the rest of the lunch period catching up. The mood was ruined by a certain annoyance named Carter who apparently hadn't gotten over me. He walked up

"Hey, Hadley. Glad to see you're back," Carter said, the annoying smirk spread across his face.

"What do you want?" I asked through gritted teeth, even though I knew exactly what he wanted; I was just hoping I was wrong.

"Well, since you're back and had some time to think about us, I came to ask you if you'd go on a date with me?"

"Just because I'm temporarily in a wheelchair, doesn't mean I can't kick your butt. And even if I can't, I have a cop father who will gladly do it for me. I don't understand why you can't take 'no' as an answer! I am getting tired of you constantly asking me out, but no matter how tired I am of saying 'no,' I will never say 'yes!'" I growled, extremely irritated by him. I could tell I was reaching my patience limit quickly.

Carter clenched his fists, obviously trying to control his anger at my refusal. I could practically see the steam coming out of his ears, but I didn't really care. I wheeled around and rolled out of the cafeteria, taking my tray with me to dump it's appropriate bin.

As I wheeled away from Carter and the cafeteria, I could feel my own temper rising. Why couldn't he just leave me alone? I swallowed hard and prepared myself for the rest of the day ahead, already ready to be done with it.