Chapter 36
How to Save a Life
"Okay, Jeff, wake up," Artie said through the door, "You will have to get up a bit earlier now that
you can't use your legs."
Jeff grabbed the bar and managed to fall into his wheel chair and get to the bathroom.
"Okay, I am ready to go," Jeff said about 30 minutes later.
"Perfect timing," Artie's dad congratulated him.
They got into the van and got to the school about a half hour early.
"Unfortunately the only ramp getting into the school is in the back, by the gym," Artie said, "I'll meet you inside."
Jeff got to the ramp when he heard some football players coming out of the locker room.
"Shit," Jeff mumbled under his breathe.
"Hey look who it is. The school's new cripple," the largest of the three said.
"Ha ha," Jeff laughed as he tried to hurry up the ramp.
"Here, let us help you," one of the boys grabbed the handles of the chair and rolled it away from the ramp and towards the bleachers.
"When will you people realize you have to grow up? I'm fucking handicapped and you are still bullying me. What are you going to do? Lock me up on the football field?"
"No, we are going to do what we do to every new cripple," the third one replied.
It was then that Jeff saw where they were taking him. A port-a-potty that probably hasn't been cleaned since before the last football game a couple weeks ago.
"Can't we reach an agreement? What ever happened to bullies and lunch money huh?"
"We get free lunch," they got to the horrific smelling toilet and shoved him in it sideways.
"Well, at least they didn't tip it."
He spoke too soon. About five minutes later, the thing began to shake and tilt until it was finally horizontal.
"CRAP!" Jeff screamed as he felt a liquid touch the bottom of his pants.
"Hey you guys," Alajandro greeted when he reached Alyssa, Naomi, Alajandra, and Rosa, "I just got my schedule."
"Have you guys seen Jeff?" Artie asked when he came around the corner.
"No, wasn't he with you?" Rosa asked.
"I told him I would meet him inside and now I can't find him."
"Hey, what's up?" Alegandra questioned when she and Bella got to the group.
"The usual, Jeff is missing and probably beat up somewhere," Naomi joked sarcastically.
"Where is the ramp to get in to the school?" Alyssa asked Artie.
"Nobody knows the troubles I've seen. Nobody knows my sorrows," Jeff sang trying to keep his mind off the mysterious liquid that was gradually creeping up his pant leg.
"JEFF," Alajandra called out once they got to the ramp.
"Thank the lord," Jeff pleaded, "I'M OVER HERE!"
The door opened and he was blinded by the light.
"You're always getting in trouble," Bella said as they worked together to get the port-a-potty upright.
"Yeah, I do seem to have a knack for that," Jeff agreed. when they finally got him out.
Just before the bell rang, Jeff called Ivan Flores and met him at his car where he grabbed his secret pair of pants that he hid in the trunk incase a situation like this one ever happened. Once he was finished changing he went to class.
After school
"Mr. Schue, I would like to sing a song," Jeff said, and Mr. Schuester gave him the floor, "I am sure that you all know what has happened recently, and this song sums up my feelings right now."
Jeff: Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And pray to God he hears you
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
How to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life
Just after the last line of the song his phone began to ring.
"Hello? REALLY? OH MY GOSH! THANK YOU! QUINN IS OUT OF A COMA!" Jeff squealed and rolled out of the room.
"Umm, where is he going? He doesn't have a car," Alyssa said after the room was out of shock.
They all walked outside and saw Jeff rolling down the street
"He is really going to wheel down the street all of the way to the hospital?" Alajandro asked.
Update 4/9/2012: They picked Jeff up on their way and rushed into the hospital to see Quinn.
"Quinn, are you okay?" Jeff asked once he got into the room and saw her sitting up in the hospital bed.
"I am fine, but you aren't looking too good," she answered, looking at the wheelchair.
"What about your legs will you be able to walk?" he questioned.
"They are a bit weak from being in a coma, but the doctor said I should be able to walk after some physical therapy.
"That is so great," Jeff tried to act cheerful, and to hide his jealousy, "Quinn, I have a song I'd like to sing to you."
Jeff: Guess this means you're sorry
You're standing at my door
Guess this means you take back
What you said before
Like how much you wanted anyone but me
Said you'd never come back
But here you are again
'Cause we belong together now, yeah
Forever united here somehow, yeah
You got a piece of me and honestly
My life would suck without you
Maybe I was stupid for telling you goodbye
Maybe I was wrong for trying to pick a fight
I know that I've got issues
But you're pretty messed up too
Either way I found out I'm nothing without you
'Cause we belong together now, yeah
Forever united here somehow, yeah
You got a piece of me and honestly
My life would suck without you
'Cause we belong together now, yeah
Forever united here somehow, yeah
You got a piece of me and honestly
My life would suck without you
"Jeff, that is sweet, but I am not ready for a relationship right now. Maybe someday, but not now," Quinn said after a moment.
"I understand, but just remember that I am here for you if you need anything."
"Thanks," the doctor came into the room and cleared everyone out for her first session of physical therapy.
"Artie and I better get back to the school so that his dad can pick us up," Jeff said.
"I can take you guys," Ivan Flores offered and everyone worked together to get both of the boys into the back seat of the Scion.
When they got back to the school and got them out of the car again Jeff noticed a blonde boy standing out front with a clueless look upon his face.
"Who is that?" Jeff asked Finn.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him before."
"He looks familiar."
"That is the boy I was talking about at lunch," Naomi interrupted, "He looks like Sam, but doesn't have the giant lips."
Jeff rolled over to the boy, who was around five six, and the closer he got the more he felt like he knew him. Once he was close enough to talk to him it hit him. It was his cousin Jarrett, who lived in Minnesota.
"Jarrett?" Jeff asked the boy.
"Buddy? What are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same thing."
"Well, I don't know what I am doing here. So your story is probably a lot more interesting than mine."
"Not really. I have been here for quite a few months now, but I don't know why I am here either. Why don't you come meet my friends?"
"Sure, but what are you doing in a wheel chair?"
"I was in a car accident the other day and now I can't walk."
"Oh, that isn't good."
"No, but I can't do anything about it now. Everyone, this is my cousin, Jarrett. Jarrett this is, Alajandro, Alajandra, Alegandra, Naomi, Ivan Flores, Ivan Chavez, Alyssa, Bella, Rosa, Finn, Rachel, Puck, Sam, Mercedes, Kurt, Blaine, Mike, Tina, Artie, Brittany, Santana, and Rory."
"That is a lot of people."
Update 4/11/12: "Yeah, and there are more at a different school," Jeff said.
Artie's dad pulled up with the van and Jeff said goodbye as he and Artie got in.