Chapter 11
Quinn looks up as Artie wheels into the room. He smiles weakly and she looks away. He stops just before her bed.
"Hey, Quinn." Artie says. Quinn doesn't answer. "Just came to see how you were. I would have been here yesterday but my brother had a baseball game and a promised I would go watch him play."
"I'm not surprised it's you." Quinn says. "They told you, didn't they?"
"Mr. Schue told us." Artie says. "Your mom said it would be okay apparently. And then I thought it would be good if I came and talked to you."
"Well, I don't want to talk, Artie." Quinn says. "I don't want to hear what speech that you have planned. You're used to being in a wheelchair, sure you're still sad about it some days but you've..."
"adjusted. You've gotten used to it and nothing you can say will make me feel better about where I am right now. Just a little while ago, I was normal, I could walk and dance and even just stand." Artie cuts her off. "I don't want to hear that it gets better. I don't want a pep talk, I just want my legs back." Quinn looks at him, speechless. "I know the speech, Quinn. When I got in that crash, my parents brought a friend of theirs who was in a wheelchair to talk to me and that's almost exactly what I said to him. I'm not here for a pep talk, Quinn. I'm here as your friend and I just want to know if there's anything I can do to help you right now."
"I don't know, Artie." Quinn says.
"And that's okay." Artie says. "I'm always going to be here to help you. And I promise I will do my best to teach all the cool wheelchair tricks I know for performances." Quinn smiles.