"You can't force her to do something she isn't comfortable with. If she doesn't want to see me yet, then that's her decision. It's fine, really," Lynn insisted as she wheeled into school with Lexi's boots clicking along beside her. Her sister's red jeans and white tank made Lynn's running shorts and t-shirt seem even more drab than usual, but she didn't have the energy to care.

Even though she really wasn't heartbroken about the break up, she'd still spent most of the night thinking about all the memories that were basically down the drain. She'd spent so much time with a guy who in the end really didn't understand her. He was trying to help when he hovered and insisted on doing everything for her, she knew that, but he didn't realize that what she needed was to do those things on her own and for him to treat her like she was still whole. He didn't understand that, so maybe that meant he never really knew her.

"It's been almost two months and she hasn't talked to you once Lynn. Doesn't that piss you off?" Lexi searched her sister's face for even the slightest bit of annoyance and couldn't help but get annoyed herself as Lynn continued to methodically retrieve books from her locker.

"Anna blames herself for the accident, and she blames herself for what happened to me. I don't blame her, and I've left messages telling her that, but unfortunately it won't erase her guilt. She needs time, and it isn't your job or place to rush her," Lynn explained carefully as she locked her locker and turned to her sister.

"Your logic is a pain in my butt," Lexi grumbled before ruffling Lynn's short hair and strutting down the hallway. Lynn watched as the eyes of guys and girls alike followed Lexi as she passed. She was a force to be reckoned with and everyone knew it.

Lynn's shoulders dropped as she situated her backpack on her lap and shoved off down the hallway for another day of exhilarating education. She too received stares, but for very different reasons. She used to like school, and she never cared if people thought that was lame. She liked learning and talking to people about interesting topics. She liked her teachers and practically every person in that school, and all of them couldn't help but like the bubbly, sweet, compassionate, beautiful, perky girl that never hesitated to help them out or brighten their day in the hallway.

These white hallways just weren't the same anymore.

***

Lexi was in the middle of a passing period flirtation with the goalie of the soccer team when she spotted him. He was leaning against the lockers down the hall talking to some girl. Without saying anything to the guy who was clearly hoping for even the hint of a chance with her, she stalked down the hallway towards him.

"Erick a word?" Lexi latched onto his sleeve and pulled him a few feet away.

"What's wrong? Is Lynn okay?" his eyes filled with concern, which only angered her further.

"You don't get to do that. You don't get to dump her right when she seemed to be getting happier and then the next day act like you care," she spat at him.

"You think that break up was easy for me? Have you lost it? You of all people knew how much I cared about her. Ending things sucked. I didn't even plan to end it but—"

"You said you wanted to break up, but didn't mean to end it? Do you realize how crazy that sounds? You're making excuses, and I can't believe you cared about her if you would do something like that just when—"

"Lexi," Erick placed a hand on the lockers on either side of her head, boxing her in. For such a mild guy he looked livid. "I thought she would fight for me, for us. I thought she would say that being with me was still what she wanted because you know what? I thought she did still want it. She said okay. That was her answer. Okay. It was practically mutual, actually no I think she wanted us to breakup more than I did, but I was the one who said it out loud. She doesn't want me anymore," Erick's eyes were filled with that anger from before, but now the grief pooled in them.

"You jumped to the next girl pretty quickly," Lexi knew she was in the wrong, but her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to let it go or stop the bite from entering her voice.

"Lexi that's enough."

Lexi and Erick spun around to see Lynn sitting there in her wheelchair looking fed up.

"Nice to know you have so much faith in me Lexi. I'm out of here," Erick practically bolted down the hallway. His ex and his ex's sister who currently hated him was too much to handle at once.

"Lexi when are you going to understand that I'm okay?" Lynn's voice was flat.

"You chucked a picture, your favorite picture, and the necklace you wore practically every day out the door," Lexi threw her hands up in frustration.

"Because I was done. It was, I don't know, closure. This break up will be good for me. I need to stand on my own, and Erick was hurt when I didn't lean on him. This is better for both of us. You'll see," Lynn promised before heading to her next class.

Lexi leaned against the lockers, defeated, as she realized that maybe Erick wasn't the only one that wanted Lynn to lean on them.

***

Two days later Lynn rolled her shoulders back and sat up tall as she wheeled her way into the fitness center of their school. She sighed in relief when all she saw were a few freshmen on the stationary bikes across the room.

She pulled out her phone, hit shuffle on her Beyoncé playlist, and got to work. She grabbed some dumbbells, a mat, and a medicine ball before wheeling over to an isolated corner. Unfortunately she had yet to find a way to get out of her chair alone without unceremoniously tipping it over. Once sprawled on the floor, she realized she also had no way to get herself back into the chair with no one to help her. Great. Why the heck did Lexi feel the need to join the basketball team?

She spent the next thirty minutes going through a handful of the exercises Lexi helped her come up with. The goal was to make sure her arms were strong enough to help her adapt to her new situation.

Distracted, and subconsciously singing along with Beyoncé to Formation, Lynn's hand slipped and the dumbbell fell on her left leg with a loud thwack. Lynn just stared down at the ten pound weight sitting on her thigh. It didn't hurt. She couldn't feel pain, the cool metal, or even pressure from the weight.

She just shook her head as she broke into hysterical laughter. She lay back on the ground laughing at how frankly unnatural this was. She should be crying out in pain, but the fact that she wasn't, soon had her eyes clouding with tears and the frustration she'd kept locked away bursting out of her at the seams. She struggled to pull herself to a sitting position before she picked up the weight and chucked it away from her.

The clatter and bang satisfied her. She'd lost it for a minute, thankfully not in front of her family or friends, but she'd pull herself together just as quickly, she always did. She swiped at her eyes to get rid of the stubborn tears. That was the first time she'd cried since the accident. Before she could contemplate on how she felt about that, a hand set the weight down next to her.

"Sometimes it takes a couple throws for the floor to dent significantly," Cole stood next to her looking mildly irritated, but there was a faint glint of concern in his eyes if you looked carefully enough. Coincidentally with all of her free time, Lynn had gotten good at noticing little things.

"Sorry. I got a little frustrated and took it out on the dumbbell," Lynn pulled the headphones out of her ears and craned her neck to look up at him, another thing she hated, but would have to get used to eventually.

"Don't apologize to me. It's coach you have to watch out for. He's protective of this space like parents are protective of their kids," Cole sat down on the ground next to her and proceeded to gently stretch his hamstring. The grimace on his face surprised her.

"Which coach? I'm sorry, I don't know what sport you play. To be completely honest I didn't know who you were until that first day my sister and I ran into you here. My sister almost went to Homecoming with you, and I had no idea who you were," she rambled. Why was he still here talking to her? From what she'd heard and observed, Cole Werner wasn't exactly the compassionate or small talk type.

"I play football. Well played football. I tore my hamstring first quarter of our first game, so now I guess I just rehab. You didn't know who I was because I just moved here in June," Cole explained.

"How do you like it so far?" Lynn asked as she set a quizzical eye on him.

"Enough. I like it enough. The people are fine and, the school is fine," he shrugged.

"Don't sound so enthusiastic," Lynn managed a small smile.

"I won't," he shrugged again as he stood up and walked away.

Well then what do you think of Cole?  As hard and cold as he appears?  How about Lexi freaking out at Erick?  Wrong or justified?  Do you think Erick and Lynn are actually okay?  Is it actually over between them?  Were they right to break up or are they temporarily insane?  Comment your thoughts and don't forget to vote! 

Oh and I have a book filled with random rants and crazy thoughts.  Some of it is funny, at least I hope so, and I like to think it's realistic and normal, so check it out if you feel like it.  It's on my profile along with my other three books.