word count is 1738.
***

"Mitch! You took a wrong turn!" Scott laughed as he looked up at Mitch.

Mitch giggled and stopped.
"Sorry! It's just fun. It's like pushing the cart at the grocery store." Scott snorted and shook his head.

"So you're saying I'm just a bunch of food." Mitch rolled his eyes and leaned down to Scott's side.

"Don't be ridiculous, baby... Of course that's what I'm saying." Scott pushed him away, causing Mitch to laugh
"I'm kidding, sheesh! You way as push as a bug."

"You're calling me a bug!?" Scott sarcastically asked. Mitch turned Scott around and began pushing down the hall again.
"You're crazy, Scott. Which way?" Mitch asked.

Scott gestured toward the left, which was his algebra class. Mitch nodded to himself and turned to the left. After a few seconds, he was in front of the door.

"Alright, we have arrived! Please get your bags and exit quickly."

"Are you saying I have bags under my eyes?" Mitch groaned in annoyance, Scott laughing and shaking his head.

"If you don't stop with that--!" Mitch started, only to get cut off.
"I'm just messing around, let me live!" Scott defended.

Mitch walked in front of him and leaned down to kiss his forehead.
"Don't colour in class this time. If you fail this test then you'll never hear the end of it from your parents."
Scott rolled his eyes and put his hands on the wheels.

"I won't, I promise. See you later!" Scott said. Mitch smiled and began to walk backward for a few steps.

"I love--... goodbye."
Mitch whispered to himself as Scott wheeled into the class, immediately getting greeted by Kevin.

Mitch sighed and turned, walking toward that class he knew he'd be late for.

But he didn't regret. He never would, not for Scott.

***

"When are you going to tell him?" Kirstie asked Mitch as they walked slowly down the halls as the last of the classes began to get out.

Mitch huffed and shook his head.
"It's only been two months. He's gonna be... mad." Kirstie rolled her eyes and giggled.

"You're ridiculous. Who would be mad at something like that? Don't sweat it, babe. It'll be fine. Listen, i have to get home and help my mom clean the house before my aunt comes, but you'll tell me how to goes later?"
Mitch nodded with a sigh. Kirstie gave him an encouraging smile before kissing his cheek and walking away.

Just as she walked away, he saw his Scott wheeling down the hallway with Kevin walking beside him.

Kevin was laughing at something Scott had said, and made Mitch smile to himself. He walked quickly to catch up to them.

"Hey! How did it go?" Mitch asked hopefully, looking down at Scott.
"I think I did okay. I hope so, at least." Scott replied.
Mitch nodded and smiled.

"I'm sure you did great, you studied super hard." Scott nodded, but he still smiled nervously.

"Well... I mean, even if you did, that doesn't guarantee you got a good score. For instance, my sister once was up all night studying for her test and she got an F--"

"Kevin!" Mitch interrupted annoyedly. Kevin blushed and looked down.

"Sorry. Don't have a filter. I bet you did great, Scott. I'll see you guys later." Kevin walked away, Mitch rolled his eyes and walked behind him.

"Eh, don't listen to him. He's just... so Kevin." Scott chuckled and look up at Mitch.
"Hey, don't worry. I can wheel myself." Mitch nodded and stepped back, going to stand next to him.

"I need to get my chemistry book from my locker, Doctor Geod apparently has a 'very difficult' exam or something." Mitch nodded and walked beside him as he wheeled.

The locker was only a few feet away, so he only pushed a few times.
He opened the locker, and struggled to grab the book that was in there.

Mitch frowned and stepped forward, noticing his struggle.
"Do you want me too--?"

"Mitch, I got it."
Scott snapped.

Mitch furrowed his eyebrows at Scotts tone, and crossed his arms.
"Okay?" He mumbled confusedly.

He was able to knock the book down, and it fell onto his lap. Scott cringed since it was heavy, and Mitch spoke again worriedly.

"Oh, are you--?"

"Mitch, I'm fine!"

Mitch's arms dropped to his side and he pressed his lips together. 

Neither of them said a word as they left school.
***

Mitch got picked up by his stepmom outside, not saying goodbye to Scott as he quickly got in.

"Hey, Mitch! How was school?"
She asked as she smiled kindly at him.
Mitch was still getting used to her since she'd only moved in a few weeks ago, but she was kind, and he felt somewhat connected to her.

"It was... it was fine. How are you, Shante?" He asked. She told him about her day briefly, and asked him if any interesting happened that day.

Mitch shrugged, looking out the widow as he thought about Scott.

"No. Noting interesting at all."

***

The wind was the only thing Mitch was thinking about. He thought about flying off with the wind. He texted after he got home, but Scott didn't reply. He called him, but he didn't answer. And yet he was replying to Kirstie.

Mitch sent him one text and told him he'd be at there spot if he wanted to talk.
Their 'spot' was right by a lake far away from any of the houses or restaurants.

It was peaceful. Scott was the one to show him the nice and usually empty location a few weeks after they met. It was easy for Scott to get to since there wasn't a hill, and it was mostly sidewalk.

He heard the familiar sounds of wheels on the grainy sidewalk. He turned his head slightly and saw him coming.

"Surprised to see you here." Mitch said, looking out at the water. Scott stopped once he was beside him.

"Why?" Scott asked. Mitch scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Don't even pretend like you don't like what I'm talking about. You snapped at me like three times and ignored all my texts and calls. What happened, did I do something to make you upset?"

"I can do things on my own, Mitch. You act like... like I can't do anything because I can't walk!" Scott said defensively. Mitch stood up and crossed his arms.

"What!? That's so not true, Scott!" He replied back angrily. Scott laughed sarcastically.

"When have I ever treated you like that? I have never changed the way I act because if your disability!" Mitch added. Scott shook his head with a scoff.
"You wanna bet? You ask to carry my books or to push me or to to help getting something from my own locker. You feel the need to be around me all the time because you don't think I can do anything!" Scott yelled.

Mitch placed a hand on his hip and looked at him with a frown.
"Has it ever crossed your mind that I want to be around you and help you with something because I love you!?" Mitch retorted.

Scott eyes narrowed at him, and his jaw dropped slightly.
"I don't want to carry your books for you because I think you can't, I just like helping you because that's what I do. I tried and help people, that's what I try and do because that's what my parents taught me! I'm not just... just being nice because you... you can't walk. That's the most irrelevant thing about this relationship, Scott."

Scott continued to stare at Mitch wordlessly.

Mitch simply scoffed and began to walk away. Scott grabbed his wrist to stop him, but as Mitch yanked his arm away, Scott fell out of his wheelchair and onto the ground.

"Oh my god, Scott, I'm sorry! Are you okay!?" Mitch quickly went down next to him.

"Yeah, im good! Think a stick stabbed my arm." Scott said as he tried rolling over.
Mitch frowned and helped him turn.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?" Mitch asked again. Scott groaned but nodded slightly. He began sitting up using his arms and attempted to get back on his wheelchair.

Obviously, Scott couldn't, and Mitch tried to help.
"Mitch, I can do this on my own--" Scott said determinedly. Although Mitch was fuming already, and instantly snapped back.

"Scott Hoying, I'm going to help you get back in your wheelchair and you're not going to get mad at me about it!" Mitch said loudly.

And as Mitch wrapped himself around Scotts torso, and Scotts arm strength, they were able to gently get Scott back in his wheelchair.

"Why do you hate me helping you, why do you get mad at me for trying to help you?" Mitch asked as he sat on his knees in front of Scott, his hands on Scotts knees.

Scott pressed his lips together, and in the moonlight, Mitch could see tears in his eyes. Mitch frowned and moved his right hand and rested it on Scotts cheek.
"What is this really about, Scott?"

Scott moved his hand there too and let his fingers slide through the empty space.
"I don't want you to feel obligated to me Mitch. Scott whispered. Mitch tilted his head slightly.

"What are you talking about?" Mitch replied softly. Scott closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before speaking again.
"What if one day you don't want to be with me anymore but you don't want to break the handicapped kids heart because he can't do anything by himself and he needs you? I can... I-I can do things by myself, I don't need help. When you want to leave, you can leave." Scott finally said.

Mitch shook his head slightly and chuckled softly.
"Scott... I know. I know you can do things by yourself. You can do anything you put your mind to, I know you can. I don't feel tied down or obligated to you in any way. I want to help you because I want to, not because I need to, okay? I'll never treat you a helpless kid, Scott. I promise. I promise you."

Scott didn't trust his voice enough to speak, but simply hugged Mitch tightly.

Scott mumbled into Mitch's shoulder.
"I love you too."

And their sat Mitch Grassi hugging Scott Hoying, his dreams bigger then his disability.

***