Chapter 3- Seeing old faces

Brenna's POV-two days later

I feel everything. My pants being ripped off, the pressing sensation on my chest, and my heart pounding.

"NO! STOP! PLEASE!" I screamed.

The person only laughs at my cries as his lips suck on my neck.

Next thing I knew is my legs being crushed.

" AH!" I scream as I suddenly sit up. I breath heavily as I rub my stumps when my room door opens. The person runs over to me and wraps me hug.

" Honey are you alright?" said person as I realized it's Helen, my adopted mom. I'm still not ready to call her mom yet.

" Fine, bad dream." I mumbled as she releases me.

" Maybe we should take you to that psychiatrist….." she started.

" No. I'm fine" I insisted.

" It'll help you cope with it, instead of keeping it inside like a boiler."

" I'm fine!" I yell.

I hate the idea of people prodding me with questions and giving me their forced smiles. Then telling me it's alright to have a mental breakdown just so they can have a fat paycheck.

" Ok" she said sadly. " Well now that you're up, let get you ready for the appointment."

Shit. I suddenly remember that I have an appointment with the physical therapist today. I also remember that we're picking up this one kid from the hospital at same time. Apparently Helen is going back to fostering kids again.

I pull on a sleeveless olive green shirt, and a pair of black jersey shorts. I tie my long black brown hair in to a ponytail. I don't have much of bust and I know without having to look a mirror that might be mistaken for a really small guy, which is fine by me. I don't care that I look like frankenstein as long people don't stare at me.

I pull on these white stockings on my leg stumps, which are suppose to act like liners for the prosthetics, but I like them cause it feels so soft and warm on my stumps. I leave them on without putting the prosthetics on as Fishlegs, A.K.A Freddy, comes in with his brown winter coat and a plaid red plaid knitted cap with a puff ball on. All ready to brave the Colorado weather.

" Hey Mom. I finished cleaning out half of my room for the new guy." he said.

" Thank you Freddy." she said.

" Anything else I can do?" he asked.

I hold my arms out like little kid and said " Carry me."

" You know I shouldn't be carrying you forever If you intend on walking again." he complained

" It's just to the car. Give me a break Fishlegs. My stumps hurt like hell" I complained.

" I still can't believe you came up with nickname that of all things Brenna" he said as he picks me up.

I came up with the name Fishlegs for Freddy after a little incident with a fish tank at the school. Needless to say, all of our friends call him Fishlegs now

" I'll put the prosthetics and the walker in the trunk. Then we'll run you over to school Freddy." said Helen as she grabs the items and starts heading towards the front door.

"Thanks Mom." he said still holding me.

He carries me to the mudroom where my winter stuff is and sets me down on the bench so I can put them on. I put on a navy blue cotton heavy coat that has silver buttons going down the front. Then I put on my pale orange scarf and black leather gloves. I quickly swipe on my favorite dark grey knitted beanie on my head, wrapped a throw blanket around my lower half, and I was ready to go.

When he carries me to the car, I see some kids passing by my house staring at me and was pulling out their cellphones. They immediately start texting and I know it's about me. I used to be embarrassed of being carried around like a little kid, but I got used to it.

Helen drives us over to Berk Public High school to drop off Fishlegs. I used to go there everyday with, but ever since my injury I stopped going. I haven't been going for four months because of what doctor said about my depression. I'm glad I have this excuse because no one has to stare at me, but I secretly miss my friends though.

As soon as we pull up to front of the school, a group of teens walk over to our car. Helen gets out to talk to one of her neighborhood friends. Fishlegs gets out with his huge backpack and walks over to talk to the group. I look out the window only to instantly recognize my friends. I haven't seen them since the incident. I want more than anything to avoid them actually. It's not that I don't like the company. I just don't want to be stare and questioned.

" Hey guys" Fishlegs waved.

" Hey Fishlegs, How was your weekend?" asked Astrid, a blonde haired that is packed full of stubbornness and is the only person besides me and Fishlegs that has common sense.

" Good, My mom is taking on another foster kid…." he rants on about others thingd….ya di ya ya….. But Astrid notices I'm in the car.

"Brenna is that you!?" she asked looking through my window.

" No way! It is her!" said a pair of twins named Tobin and Robin. However we called them Tuffnut and Ruffnut.

I looked down at my hands hoping they would go away, but they continued talking.

" Her legs look weird." Ruff said.

" I know it's like a magic trick, like when we made Lar's skull replica disappeared." Tuff said. I'm really irritated.

" Will she alway look like that? " said Shane who is called Snotlout for not keeping his trap shut.

" Uhh guys…." Fishlegs helplessly said.

" Maybe we should called her Weirdlegs now or Stumpy…" Tuffnut said.

" SHUT UP!" I screamed in anger through the window and for once they did.

All but Astrid went in to the school. She gesture me to open the door. I take a breath and open the car door to let her in.

I always envied her pretty looks and her tough exterior. She has her hair in a french braid style with a leather headband around forehead. She wears a red toggle closed coat that looks great on her over her skinny jeans and black combat boots. She isn't named Astrid for nothing. She's the girl I can never be, but she can be kind once you get to know her very well.

" It's nice to see you again" she finally said.

" Yea" I muttered.

" I'm so sorry about those idiots, but it has been hard on them too believe or not. They just don't know how to handle it." She said.

" I know." I muttered again.

" Hey" She said to get me to look her. " I really want you get better and be able to hang with us again. In fact, it's not option in my book." she laughed and I give her a small smile back.

" See?" She said pointing to me. " That's what I want to see, is you being happy again. Now do me a favor and let us hang out with you soon, okay?"

" Okay" I said with a nod.

" Alright, call me soon" She said as she leaves the car. She waves bye to me as Helen comes back into the car. She starts the ignition and off we go to meet the new face.