Chapter 1
It was just a normal day...the day we met Karenna.
She walked-or rather, rolled into our English class, looking slightly nervous. She was sitting in a manual wheelchair, a sturdy black one with pink swirls all over it. Her eyes were hazel, and her light brown hair was pulled back in an elegant bun at the nape of her neck.
"Is...this Mr. Lancer's class?" she spoke quietly. Mr. Lancer turned around, a little startled. He hadn't realized anybody had come in. His expression of slight surprise was replaced by looks of shock, curiosity, and pity. In that order.
"Why...yes it is!" Mr. Lancer spoke rapidly, embarrassed, and a little uncomfortable, around this handicapped girl who was currently gazing up at him with an expression that I couldn't distinguish on her face. Anger, maybe? Sadness? A little bit of both?
"Take a seat." Lancer started, but stopped as he realized there was no desk wide enough to accommodate Karenna's wheelchair. Finally, after gazing helplessly at his class, most of whom were staring at Karenna's chair, Lancer started to speak again.
"I didn't get anything about a new student...I'm afraid there's no desk big enough for your...your..." he seemed to have trouble saying the world wheelchair. Karenna's face slowly darkened until it resembled a thundercloud. Her eyes flashed angrily and glared at poor Mr. Lancer, who was still stuttering away.
"Just say it! Just say wheelchair! Is that so hard!" Then, without a backward glance, she turned herself around and wheeled out of sight.
I stared after her for quite awhile. I didn't even know this girl...and yet somehow I felt connected to her. Finally I raised my hand. Lancer stopped in the middle of a sentence.
"Yes, Miss Manson?"
"May I be excused?" I asked. Lancer nodded.
"Yes, you may. But next time, kindly wait until I'm finished with my sentence." I barely heard him. I was already out the door, jogging in the direction that the girl had gone.
I found Karenna crying in the nearest girls bathroom. One of the stalls was slightly caved in. It was obvious that she had tried to get into the stall, but found her chair couldn't fit.
"I suppose Lancer sent you? To check on the little crippled baby who can't take care of herself?" she snapped at me. I gaped at her for a second, taken aback.
I finally closed my big mouth, and told her "No. I came because I wanted to." Karenna was silent for a minute, then spoke.
"Why can't people-and society-accept me the way I am? Why are there people like Mr. Lancer, who seem unable to comprehend that there are imperfect people in this world? Why are there never desks wide enough? Why are there never stalls big enough? It's like people are trying to pretend we don't exist!" She started crying harder than ever. I sat there, feeling guilty because I couldn't think of anything to say. Finally she stopped crying, took a deep breath, and asked me "So...what's your name?"
"Sam Manson." I replied. She smiled.
"I'm Karenna. Karenna Clockwork." And that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
A/N: Well, I'm making a new story! I'm at a bit of a loss w/ Halfa All the Way, don't know exactly what I want to do w/ it. Set A Course for Freedom will probably be updated soon, just uploaded Ch. 6. Circle of Light I've kinda lost interest in, but will continue anyway. Crippled Body, Treasured Soul I've kind of got writers block on. And I think those are all my stories you need to know about! Please review and tell me what you think of this story!