Chapter Three--A rough first day back---Angels Among Us/The blessing
Chapter 3
A rough first day back
The next day, Mrs. Fowler gave Mike and Vanessa a ride to school; and it was awkwardly quiet, both of them thinking about yesterday. Mike couldn’t believe that Vanessa hadn’t told him about her Mom earlier. Vanessa was embarrassed that Mike had seen her cry.
When they got to school, Vanessa helped Mike out and then left for her class, not saying anything. Mike was worried about her. He, however, had more to think about when he saw that people were just ignoring him. It was as if nothing had happened; now or before. Of course, they didn’t know about the thing before, but they certainly knew about what had happened to Max’s most recent victim. Nothing that Max had ever done to people had ever landed someone in the hospital. Much less for a week. Nor had anyone’s long-term physical condition for the rest of their life been affected. At lunch, after being ignored and not spoken to for two periods, Mike wasn’t expecting anything different but as he was approaching his favorite spot, he saw someone already sitting there. It was Vanessa. She was silently eating, but when she saw Mike she smiled. Then, she saw the expression on his face,
“Rough first day back?”
“Rough?? More like terrible. Is it the wheelchair that drives people away? Because people have been avoiding me like I am horribly disfigured or something.”
“Well,” Vanessa pondered, “Max’s damage has never been this bad before. To tell you the truth, not one of Max’s victims have even had to go to the doctor. People are just now realizing that being beat up can cause serious injuries.”
Mike sighed,
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
Vanessa put a hand his shoulder,
“Mike, I know that I am right.”
Just then, Vanessa looked at her watch,
“Mike, I have to go. My science teacher has to update me on a project that the class started.”
“That reminds me, “Mike said, “You didn’t have to stay home from school with me last week.”
“But I wanted to. Listen, I really have to go. I’ll see you later; and hang in there, okay?” Vanessa put a hand on his shoulder again and smiled. Mike smiled back and a warm feeling of acceptance spreading throughout his body. Vanessa patted him on the back and picked up her bag. Then, she left the cafeteria; and she threw Mike one last smile.
That smile gave Mike the inner strength to get through the last two periods of school without getting tied up with the thought that no body could see him. He just thought of that smiling face until the bell rang. He got out of the classroom and, right outside the room; Vanessa was standing, waiting for him.
“Did I tell you what my last class was?” Asked Mike, startled.
“Yes.” Vanessa replied innocently. Then, she opened her eyes wide and stared at him. Mike laughed and they made their way out the main doors and, almost immediately, they located Mike’s Mom.
“How was your day back?”
Vanessa, knowing from the previous lunch conversation, knew that, at first it hadn’t gone to good, so she kept silent.
“Mom, can we talk about it later?”
“Sure.”
When they got home, Vanessa stayed for a glass of juice and she and Mike went out on the patio; where they could watch Sparky chasing squirrels. At first, no one talked and all they could hear was Sparky’s barking and the chattering of the angry squirrels. Then, Mike turned towards Vanessa,
“Vanessa, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“I know, and I think that you know, that I should be all right in about two weeks.”
“Yes.”
“But there is something else going on in about two and a half weeks. The Snowflake Ball.”
Vanessa looked at Mike with wide eyes. She was almost positive of what Mike was going to say next.
“Yes.”
“Vanessa. . .I was wondering. . .would you like to go with me?”
Vanessa thought that she had heard Mike wrong,
“Pardon?” Mike had to repeat it again; and then again, before Vanessa was able to realize what Mike was saying,
“Yes, Mike. I would absolutely love to go with you.” They turned back in silence. But they were both secretly in shock. Mostly Mike, because he had just asked the prettiest girl in school and she had said yes.
The next week was kind of awkward for Mike and Vanessa. Mike was getting better and that brought peace to Vanessa’s heart. But one day, Vanessa walked up to Mike during lunch.
“Mike, you don’t have to give me a ride home today. My Dad is coming to pick me up.” Mike nodded,
“All right.”
That afternoon, after Mike had left, Vanessa went to the corner and waited. Pretty soon, the city bus pulled up and she boarded. After a while, it stopped near the mall. Vanessa got off and went into the mall. She felt bad about not telling Mike that she was actually going to the mall to look for a dress. But she had to get a dress because the dance was a week away. She walked into Dillard’s and to the petite section. Then, she saw it. It was a beautiful magenta dress with silver sparkles. It was a V-cut halter. She looked at the price; sixty dollars. She tried it on and let down her hair that flowed down her back. She loved it. However, just for the heck of it, she wanted to look at others. She asked the lady to keep it for her and she went to look for others. But none captured her interest and she kept on thinking about the magenta dress. Finally, she went back and bought it.
Back at home, Vanessa showed her Dad. He loved it as much as she did. But as she was looking at it, she took a magazine and looked a hairstyle that she loved. It was shorter that the one she had now, but she really liked it. She talked to her Dad about it. As Mike was riding home that same day, he was thinking of what he would have done if Vanessa hadn’t approached him that one day. He had bought the dance tickets that day and he was looking at them. He still couldn’t believe that Vanessa had said that she would go with him and not Chad. She had been his inner strength and renewed his self-confidence that he had lost the year before.
“Mike?” Mrs. Fowler asked, “Why so quiet?”
“Just thinking, Mom.”
“Well, you do know that we are going to the doctor tomorrow?”
Mike’s head snapped up, “Already?”
Mrs. Fowler smiled,
“Yes. But I talked to your doctor yesterday. He said that he would check if you could put any weight on your leg. If you can’t put all your weight on it.”
“Will I have to keep on the using the wheel-”
“No, maybe a walker. He doesn’t know yet. Can you put any weight on it yet?”
“Some, but definitely not all.” Mike replied.
“Well, we will just see what he thinks tomorrow.”
Mike nodded and went back to thinking about Vanessa.
The next morning, Mike went to the doctor and tried, for the first time since the cafeteria accident, to put even the slightest bit of weight on his leg. But, for some reason, that day, he couldn't. Even though he had said that he could, he was startled when he almost fell over when he stood up. He looked at the doctor and he wore a worried look on his face.
“What? What's the matter?” Mrs. Fowler asked franticly, worried that the damage would be worse than expected. She was right.
“Sometimes there can be a complication when an old injury can grow worse. Mike, you did say that you could put some weight on it, right?”
Mike nodded.
“Then,” the doctor said, taking a cane/walker out of the closet, “You will probably need this.” He handed it to Mike.
“How long?” Mike asked, trying to imagine taking Vanessa to the dance with that thing.
“Perhaps forever.” the doctor said.
Mike closed his eyes and exhaled. He could already see Vanessa hearing what the doctor had just said and deciding that she wouldn’t go to the dance with Mike anymore. The next day, Vanessa came over to Mike’s house, wondering how the doctor’s appointment had gone. Embarrassed, Mike told her about what the doctor had said. Vanessa, however, didn’t seem to care.
“Mike. It doesn’t matter to me.”
“I-I just thought that you wouldn’t want to...”
“To go to the dance with you?” Vanessa finished his sentence for him and Mike nodded. “Oh, come on.” She said exasperatedly. “I wouldn’t ditch you just for that! Going to the dance with you is going to be great. I have seen what you have gone through. You don’t have to worry about anything.”
“Oh. I just thought that you would be embarrassed to be seen with me.” Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, right. Me; embarrassed by being seen with you. You can’t help it. Your leg, I mean. Just because you have a hard time walking doesn’t mean my life will be over if I am seen with you. Sure, we might not be able to dance together, but just going with you will be great.”
Mike smiled and Vanessa smiled back. Then, she added the most interesting comment, quietly. Almost in a whisper. “Actually, just having you in my life has been a blessing in itself.”
A rough first day back
The next day, Mrs. Fowler gave Mike and Vanessa a ride to school; and it was awkwardly quiet, both of them thinking about yesterday. Mike couldn’t believe that Vanessa hadn’t told him about her Mom earlier. Vanessa was embarrassed that Mike had seen her cry.
When they got to school, Vanessa helped Mike out and then left for her class, not saying anything. Mike was worried about her. He, however, had more to think about when he saw that people were just ignoring him. It was as if nothing had happened; now or before. Of course, they didn’t know about the thing before, but they certainly knew about what had happened to Max’s most recent victim. Nothing that Max had ever done to people had ever landed someone in the hospital. Much less for a week. Nor had anyone’s long-term physical condition for the rest of their life been affected. At lunch, after being ignored and not spoken to for two periods, Mike wasn’t expecting anything different but as he was approaching his favorite spot, he saw someone already sitting there. It was Vanessa. She was silently eating, but when she saw Mike she smiled. Then, she saw the expression on his face,
“Rough first day back?”
“Rough?? More like terrible. Is it the wheelchair that drives people away? Because people have been avoiding me like I am horribly disfigured or something.”
“Well,” Vanessa pondered, “Max’s damage has never been this bad before. To tell you the truth, not one of Max’s victims have even had to go to the doctor. People are just now realizing that being beat up can cause serious injuries.”
Mike sighed,
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
Vanessa put a hand his shoulder,
“Mike, I know that I am right.”
Just then, Vanessa looked at her watch,
“Mike, I have to go. My science teacher has to update me on a project that the class started.”
“That reminds me, “Mike said, “You didn’t have to stay home from school with me last week.”
“But I wanted to. Listen, I really have to go. I’ll see you later; and hang in there, okay?” Vanessa put a hand on his shoulder again and smiled. Mike smiled back and a warm feeling of acceptance spreading throughout his body. Vanessa patted him on the back and picked up her bag. Then, she left the cafeteria; and she threw Mike one last smile.
That smile gave Mike the inner strength to get through the last two periods of school without getting tied up with the thought that no body could see him. He just thought of that smiling face until the bell rang. He got out of the classroom and, right outside the room; Vanessa was standing, waiting for him.
“Did I tell you what my last class was?” Asked Mike, startled.
“Yes.” Vanessa replied innocently. Then, she opened her eyes wide and stared at him. Mike laughed and they made their way out the main doors and, almost immediately, they located Mike’s Mom.
“How was your day back?”
Vanessa, knowing from the previous lunch conversation, knew that, at first it hadn’t gone to good, so she kept silent.
“Mom, can we talk about it later?”
“Sure.”
When they got home, Vanessa stayed for a glass of juice and she and Mike went out on the patio; where they could watch Sparky chasing squirrels. At first, no one talked and all they could hear was Sparky’s barking and the chattering of the angry squirrels. Then, Mike turned towards Vanessa,
“Vanessa, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“I know, and I think that you know, that I should be all right in about two weeks.”
“Yes.”
“But there is something else going on in about two and a half weeks. The Snowflake Ball.”
Vanessa looked at Mike with wide eyes. She was almost positive of what Mike was going to say next.
“Yes.”
“Vanessa. . .I was wondering. . .would you like to go with me?”
Vanessa thought that she had heard Mike wrong,
“Pardon?” Mike had to repeat it again; and then again, before Vanessa was able to realize what Mike was saying,
“Yes, Mike. I would absolutely love to go with you.” They turned back in silence. But they were both secretly in shock. Mostly Mike, because he had just asked the prettiest girl in school and she had said yes.
The next week was kind of awkward for Mike and Vanessa. Mike was getting better and that brought peace to Vanessa’s heart. But one day, Vanessa walked up to Mike during lunch.
“Mike, you don’t have to give me a ride home today. My Dad is coming to pick me up.” Mike nodded,
“All right.”
That afternoon, after Mike had left, Vanessa went to the corner and waited. Pretty soon, the city bus pulled up and she boarded. After a while, it stopped near the mall. Vanessa got off and went into the mall. She felt bad about not telling Mike that she was actually going to the mall to look for a dress. But she had to get a dress because the dance was a week away. She walked into Dillard’s and to the petite section. Then, she saw it. It was a beautiful magenta dress with silver sparkles. It was a V-cut halter. She looked at the price; sixty dollars. She tried it on and let down her hair that flowed down her back. She loved it. However, just for the heck of it, she wanted to look at others. She asked the lady to keep it for her and she went to look for others. But none captured her interest and she kept on thinking about the magenta dress. Finally, she went back and bought it.
Back at home, Vanessa showed her Dad. He loved it as much as she did. But as she was looking at it, she took a magazine and looked a hairstyle that she loved. It was shorter that the one she had now, but she really liked it. She talked to her Dad about it. As Mike was riding home that same day, he was thinking of what he would have done if Vanessa hadn’t approached him that one day. He had bought the dance tickets that day and he was looking at them. He still couldn’t believe that Vanessa had said that she would go with him and not Chad. She had been his inner strength and renewed his self-confidence that he had lost the year before.
“Mike?” Mrs. Fowler asked, “Why so quiet?”
“Just thinking, Mom.”
“Well, you do know that we are going to the doctor tomorrow?”
Mike’s head snapped up, “Already?”
Mrs. Fowler smiled,
“Yes. But I talked to your doctor yesterday. He said that he would check if you could put any weight on your leg. If you can’t put all your weight on it.”
“Will I have to keep on the using the wheel-”
“No, maybe a walker. He doesn’t know yet. Can you put any weight on it yet?”
“Some, but definitely not all.” Mike replied.
“Well, we will just see what he thinks tomorrow.”
Mike nodded and went back to thinking about Vanessa.
The next morning, Mike went to the doctor and tried, for the first time since the cafeteria accident, to put even the slightest bit of weight on his leg. But, for some reason, that day, he couldn't. Even though he had said that he could, he was startled when he almost fell over when he stood up. He looked at the doctor and he wore a worried look on his face.
“What? What's the matter?” Mrs. Fowler asked franticly, worried that the damage would be worse than expected. She was right.
“Sometimes there can be a complication when an old injury can grow worse. Mike, you did say that you could put some weight on it, right?”
Mike nodded.
“Then,” the doctor said, taking a cane/walker out of the closet, “You will probably need this.” He handed it to Mike.
“How long?” Mike asked, trying to imagine taking Vanessa to the dance with that thing.
“Perhaps forever.” the doctor said.
Mike closed his eyes and exhaled. He could already see Vanessa hearing what the doctor had just said and deciding that she wouldn’t go to the dance with Mike anymore. The next day, Vanessa came over to Mike’s house, wondering how the doctor’s appointment had gone. Embarrassed, Mike told her about what the doctor had said. Vanessa, however, didn’t seem to care.
“Mike. It doesn’t matter to me.”
“I-I just thought that you wouldn’t want to...”
“To go to the dance with you?” Vanessa finished his sentence for him and Mike nodded. “Oh, come on.” She said exasperatedly. “I wouldn’t ditch you just for that! Going to the dance with you is going to be great. I have seen what you have gone through. You don’t have to worry about anything.”
“Oh. I just thought that you would be embarrassed to be seen with me.” Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, right. Me; embarrassed by being seen with you. You can’t help it. Your leg, I mean. Just because you have a hard time walking doesn’t mean my life will be over if I am seen with you. Sure, we might not be able to dance together, but just going with you will be great.”
Mike smiled and Vanessa smiled back. Then, she added the most interesting comment, quietly. Almost in a whisper. “Actually, just having you in my life has been a blessing in itself.”
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