Chapter1: Getting to know new people
"Mom...have you seen my pink and green hat?" I yelled from my room while I was looking for a pair of cute earrings.
"It's down here on the chair" She yelled back
Today is the first day of school. My mom, my brother, and I just moved over the summer and now we are headed off to school. My brother is in the 8th grade and I am a senior at degrassi high school. I was so excited because I like to meet new people and make new friends. I had lots of friends at my last school and I was sad to leave them all but ready to make new ones.
"Taylor Renee' get your but down here, we're going to be late" my brother yelled at me "no we're not David" I said as I was coming down the stairs.
"Ok you two do you have everything?" mom asked as she walked in to the living room.
"Yes mom" we both said at once.
"Ok I love you two. Drive carefully Taylor"
"I will," I said and we left.
"Good morning" Mr. Simpson said as the bell rang
" Uh huh" everyone said tiredly
"Oh come on it cant be that bad" he said
"Why does the first day of school have to be on a Monday, it should be on a Friday" I heard someone in the front say
" Well Paige I don't know I don't make the rules I just enforce them" Paige looked at the girl sitting next to her and rolled her eyes.
" I saw that" Mr. Simpson said, " I see everything"
"Oohhhhh" everyone said.
" Ok, ok now are there any first timers at degrassi here?" I looked around and no one else raised his or her hand. I was a little nervous but I raised my hand anyway.
"Ok could you stand up and tell us about yourself?" he said to me
"Ok" I said and stood up "well my name is Taylor Renée summers ummm… I have a little brother who's in a wheelchair. His name is David. I live with him and my mom. My dad died when I was 12. Ummm… my favorite color is red. And I have 3 dogs their names are scooter, lucky, and shady."
" Okay are there any questions?" Mr. Simpson asked the class someone in the back raised their hand. " Ok jimmy go ahead" I looked back and to my surprise jimmy was in a wheel chair.
"Is your brother going to ever walk again?" he asked
"Well he has to go through a lot a therapy but he will and eventually he will be able to play sports again also."
"Okay" Mr. Simpson said "thank you Taylor have a seat."
I was reading in the library when I was interrupted bye a familiar voice
"Hey" I herd and looked up to see jimmy from Mr. Simpson's class.
" Hey jimmy," I said with a smile " what can I do for you?" I asked
" Well" he said, "u said you brother like to play sports"
"Yeah"
" What dose he play?"
" Basketball, well everyone in my family plays basketball. Its kind of in our blood."
"Oh" jimmy said as he looked down with a sad face
"What's wrong?" I asked
"Basketball"
" Yeah what about it?"
"I love basketball well I did before I got put in this stupid chair"
" Oh, I see" I said with a heavy heart " can I ask how u got in that thing?" he looked up
"I was shot in the back."
" Oh. Wow."
"What?"
"Last December my best friend got shot in the back…" I paused for a second " but she wasn't as lucky as you."
" What do u mean?" he asked
"Well the bullet pierced the back of her lung and she lost a lot of blood so she died" he had a surprised look on his face like he didn't know what to say
" Who shot her?"
"Her boyfriend" it was silent for a minute. I couldn't believe I told him that he is partly a stranger and know he knows more about me then any of my old friends did. I never told anyone that before
" Jimmy" I said to break the silence
" Yeah"
Are you ever gonna walk again?" He didn't say any thing for a minute then he told me.
"Well at first the doctor said I wouldn't but then he said it would take a lot of intense therapy but…" he stopped for a second " I don't think I can do it."
"Why?"
" Because … it's going to be to hard"
" Well I have known you only a few hours and I know you're a strong person. You have to be to put up with that wheel chair."
"Well yeah but."
" But nothing if you don't start therapy as soon as possible you'll never play basketball again. And I don't know about you but if I couldn't play basketball I would kill myself."
" Well I would to but it's hard you wouldn't understand"
" I wouldn't understand? Oh please my brother is in a wheel chair to and I know how hard I is to put up with it."
" Yeah but u aren't the one in the wheelchair its a lot harder then you think. I'm am a lot worse off then you"
" Ok. Then tell me if being that wheel chair is worse then nearly loosing your brother, losing your father, and your best friend and having to move just I could get away from the place that almost killed me." I shut my book and stood up
" Taylor wait"
"Why should I? You're so selfish you think just because you're in a wheelchair everyone should fell sorry for you. Well I don't. Since your never gonna walk again you gonna need to learn to take care of yourself" I turned around and left.
" Hey honey how was your first day?" my mom asked when I walked in the door.
" Oh, fine" I said
"Did you make any new friends?"
" Yeah but no potential Best friends yet."
" Oh ok"
" Yeah umm im gonna go take a walk and see if I can find the hang out in the town"
"Ok just be home for dinner ok"
" Ok" I said " bye"
"Bye"
"Welcome to the dot, what can I get you" I looked up
" Ummmm… well…I just give me some water. Spinner" I said as I looked at his nametag
" Just water?"
" Yeah I didn't bring much money with me."
"Ok" he said, " ill be right back."
" Ok" as he walked away I realized I recognized him from school, I seen him in the hallway.
"Here you go" spinner said as he sat my drink in front of me.
"Thanks" I said and then took a drink.
"What's your name?" he asked
"Why"
"Well you know my name so I think you should tell me yours"
"Well I think you should get back to work" he looked at his watch
" Well im in luck im on break"
"Lucky you"
"So."
"What"
" Are you gonna tell me your name?"
"Taylor"
"Nice to meet you Taylor"
"Yep"
"So… what grade are you in?"
"12th"
"Cool… what about you?"
"Well." He said, " I should be a senior to but last year I was expelled."
"What for?" I asked
"Well one of my friends and I kind of…." He stopped and looked down.
" Kind of what?"
"Well we picked on this guy and one time we really embarrassed him w/ paint and feathers, don't ask, and he shot one of my other friends" he was quite for a minute.
"Why did he shoot your friend?"
" I don't want to tell you."
" Why?"
"Cuz you'll hate me just like the rest of my friends."
" No I wont, I promise"
" Well… when the guy we picked on went to the bathroom after what happened we fallowed him and told him it was jimmy's idea."
"Jimmy?"
" Yeah my ex friend"
" I know who he is he's in a wheelchair."
" Yeah that's him, is he in one of your classes or something?"
"Yeah."
" Well Taylor it was nice talking to you but I have to get back to work."
"Okay, I need to head home anyway." I started to get the money out to pay for my water but he stopped me.
" Its on the house"
" Thanks" I said as we both stood up
" Well I guess ill see you tomorrow." I said
" Okay."
"Bye."
"Bye."
When I was walking one I saw someone on the front porch at the house next to mine. I haven't met my neighbors yet so I didn't know who it was, but as I got closer I could see that it was jimmy. I hoped he wouldn't recognize me but he did.
" Hey Taylor." He yelled as I was walking up my front porch. I ignored him and began to open the front door. But he came over to the bottom of the steps.
" Taylor wait." I turned and look at him.
"What"
" Can I talk to you."?
"Why?"
"Can I just talk to you please."?
"No."
"Why not?"
" I have to help my brother get downstairs for dinner"
" But…"
" I have to go." I walked into the house and closed the door.