Everybody Lies
Chapter Sixteen
I slept the rest of the day, and the next day.... And most of the next. Paul stopped by periodically. The doctors said he was free to go, but he still spent every night on the couch in my room. Andy was responding to treatment well, and the doctors said she'd be free to go in less than a week.
At the end of the day on monday, I got some visitors.
"Ritchie!!!!"
"Hey guys," I said as Chelsea, Rain, Kristen, Charles and some other people walked in.
"You're looking good," Chelsea said. I laughed at that.
"They had a special assembly for you today in school, about drunk drivers," Rain said.
"That's embarrassing," I mumbled.
"No, not at all," Rain said.
"Are you kidding me?" Chelsea said. "I'd be mortified if there was a special assembly for me..."
I blushed. "Can we change the subject?"
"Of course," Chelsea said. "So, when can we officially call Paul your boyfriend?"
I took a deep breath. "Not yet." I realized if it was official, I would be cheating on him with Joey, the same way Joey was cheating on Chelsea with me.
"Well, keep us updated."
"So are you coming to school tomorrow?" Rain asked.
"Yup, I'm gonna try," I said. "I dunno if I'm gonna be able to use crutches though.... But hey, wheelchairs are pretty sexy."
"Oh, that sucks," Chelsea said. "But we promise to help you out."
"Thanks, guys," I said. "But if I really am going to school tomorrow, I'm gonna need some rest."
"Alright, bye Ritchie!"
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"Oh my gosh, Ritchie, I'm so sorry, do you need any help with your bag?" some random person asked as I struggled out of the car on tuesday morning.
"Um, not now," I said to the stranger. "Thanks, though."
"Ok Ritchie sweetie, you call me if you need to get picked up," my mom said as she lowered me into the wheelchair.
"Yes mom," I said, and wheeled myself over to the auditorium.
They mentioned me in assembly, and everyone turned and saw me in my wheelchair at the top of the stairs. I blushed. I hated having people stare at me.
First period, I had Spanish. Great, Sean was going to see me looking like a freak. No big deal, or anything.
As the door of the elevator was closing, a hand appeared and stopped it.
"Ritchie." It was Joey.
"This elevator is only going up about 15 feet. If you have something to say, you better say it fast," I said, trying to make room for him in the small space.
"I don't have anything to say," Joey said, and as soon as the doors closed, he leaned down and, putting his hands on my face, kissed me. When the elevator "dinged," signifying our arrival, I gently pushed Joey away.
"Here are your books," Joey said, as the doors opened.
"Thanks," I said, placing the books softly on my right leg. Joey pushed me out of the elevator as the bell rang.
"I have to get to class, think you can make it from here?"
"Yes, Joey," I said, smiling.
I wheeled myself down the hall. Everything was going smoothly until I dropped all my books on the floor. I swore loudly. I tried bending over to get them, but I was still sore.
"Here, let me get those," someone said from behind me. He bent over, and when he stood up and handed me the books, I saw it was Sean. I smiled at him, but he glanced at my books with a strange look on his face.
"Here you go," Sean said, giving me the books. I then understood why he looked at them funny. On my spanish book was a sticky note, with a big heart, signed by Joey. "Need anything else?"
"Um, I'm all set. Thanks a lot."
"Here, I'll wheel you to class," he said with a charming half-smile. "That's a nasty cut on your head."
"Goes nicely with the black eye, doesn't it?" I said. He laughed.
"I wasn't going to say anything about that."
"It's nothing compared to my leg." I lifted up my skirt, just enough to show the huge bandage. I realized what I was doing was pretty awkward, so I pulled my skirt back over it.
"Pretty brutal," he said. He looked at the sticky note briefly, but I covered it with my hand. "Joey? Who is Joey?"
"Oh, he's nobody, I-"
"Do you mean Joe Simmons? Chelsea Adams' boyfriend?"
"Listen, it's not what you think, I can explain."
"Hmmm?"
"I... I'm supposed to give that note to Ch-chelsea when I see her," I said, stuttering.
"Right... You're not a very good liar, Guadalupe," Sean said, using my spanish class name again like he usually did.
I looked down at my books. "Please don't tell anyone," I whispered. "It's not a big deal."
He looked unconvinced, but he nodded as he pushed me into the spanish room to my seat, and sat next to me.
The rest of the day was ridiculous. Random people I had never spoken to in my life kept offering me help. I hated all the attention. It was such a relief to go home and take a nap. I did some of my homework, then watched TV the rest of the night.
The next day at school wasn't much different, except I learned to embrace the help from certain people, like Sean. Jimmy Ramsey even helped me out getting to study hall. He wheeled me over to where Chelsea was sitting alone, with her head down on her arms.
"Hey Chels," I said, poking her.
She looked up. He face was stained with tears, and her eyes were puffy.
"Whoa," I said. "What's wrong?"
"I think... I-I... I think Joe-Joey is going to b-break u-up... Break up with me!" she stuttered, then broke into tears. I patted her on the back gently. I glanced at Jimmy, who was watching us.
"It'll be okay... What happened? Do you want to talk about it?"
"Well, he called me last night. And he started saying... Well. It doesn't matter. But we were yelling at each other. I mean, it's not like we've never fought before. But this time we were shouting. For three hours! He said we had to talk today..... I'm so scared. He's the greatest boyfriend ever."
Oh, no. That feeling... That aching, bitter feeling of guilt. It had finally consumed me. I couldn't stand being a relationship ruiner.
"Chelsea... I have to tell you something."
Ugh, this is so frustrating. I know exactly how it's going to end, but I can't make it interesting until then. Anyways. Hope it isn't terrible...
Everybody_Lies