The Season of You & Me Read Online Free Page B

days were alike. I was a rock star with the kids—at least I had been, at fifteen. Keeping them safe had never been an issue—I was always alert and did head counts, and a lot of the time we were in the building anyway. But hearing that people had concerns made me second-guess myself. Fuck that.
    “Stick to the plan.”
    He smiled. “I had a feeling that’s what you’d say.”
    “Anything else?”
    “Nah. Hey, remind your dad if he wants to go fishing tomorrow, the boat’s pulling out at four thirty a.m.”
    “You guys are nuts,” I said, turning my chair to leave.
    “Have a good weekend; rest up—you’re gonna need it!”
    As I wheeled down the hallway my phone started blowing up in my backpack. I waited until I was out by the Charger before taking a look. Tori. The girl next door. Friend. Meddler extraordinaire.
    Where ru?
    Liv’s last nite!!
    Do NOT bail!! We need u!
    No, actually, they didn’t need me. Liv would be leaving whether I showed up or not. We didn’t need an awkward good-bye with buffalo wings and forced smiles, although I didn’t think it was her doing. Much ado about nothing was classic Tori, wanting us all to get along. I replied.
    Me: Tired.
    Tori: Huh? From sitting all day ;)
    Me: Yeah. :p
    Tori: Wimp
    Me: Later
    Setting the phone to silent, I tucked it away into the zipper pouch of my backpack; then I opened the car door and transferred to the driver’s seat. After my accident, the Dodge Charger had been my incentive, my reason to get out of bed. I’d been working on my probationary driver’s license and had my eye on it before I got hurt, but when the full impact of how my life had changed hit me, it hadn’t been the first thing on my mind.
    After a particularly rough day in physical therapy, my father told me about the car—that the fish fry at the VFW hall had helped pay for the adaptive controls and some of the paperwork. When I was ready for instruction, the lessons were waiting for me. The car was an extension of me now as much as my wheelchair. I loved it and the freedom that came with it.Learning how to transfer into the seat and adjust everything so I could break down my chair had taken a lot of practice, but now it was second nature.
    I popped off one wheel from my chair, then the other, before folding it up and stowing it away, over my shoulder and into the backseat. I pulled the front door closed and revved up the engine with the hand control, turning up Neck Deep on the stereo to obnoxious.
    I peeled out of the lot, nose toward home, grinning at the guy I’d cut off as I made my right turn. The population of Crest Haven had tripled since Memorial Day. Tourists.
    To him I was just a douche in a car.
    I loved it.
    The closer I got to home, the more I ignored the burning feeling in my gut that I was, in fact, wimping out. It was too late to turn around, and going there, well, what would it prove? I was tired—that was a fact, not an excuse. But if I was being honest with myself, it had more to do with self-preservation. Was it awful to admit I was relieved Liv would be gone for two months? That maybe the time apart would give our friendship a reboot.
    Liv had been Liv, always there in our group of friends, hanging out, catching air from a wave or joking in the halls at school with the rest of the guys. She was hot in a tough, take-no-shit kind of way and had a great smile, and when sheasked me to prom I said yes. Mercy date or not, it was nice to go. Normal.
    We hung out for the month after. Nothing serious, hooking up a few times. Things got weird between us when she invited me over to watch a movie. Going over to people’s houses was always a challenge because of stairs and space and carpet. Although I was more practiced at getting around, not every place was prepped to have me as a visitor. Liv had a finished basement right off the garage complete with a forty-two-inch screen and leather recliner couch. It was kind of cool to have a place to chill and watch a movie.