Chapter 34 - "Did you say something to Max?"

Friday morning, Courtney stood in front of her mirror, getting a perfect view of her ensemble: bright summery outfit, one floral tennis shoe and one black and white polkadot. The mismatched shoes looked jarringly terrible and Courtney couldn't keep the smile off her face.

She posted her photo with the caption: Power clashing on another level. Subtitle - This girl can walk again!

"You sure you don't want to try a different shoe of mine?" Heather asked, leaning on Courtney's doorframe and eyeing her sister's footwear with uncertainty.

"Nope! I don't want to stretch out your shoes with my brace. I'm fine stretching out this one because let's face it, it was not a style I felt really worked on you."

"I bought it on a whim. It's a reminder why I don't buy things on a whim."

Their mother poked her head over Heather's shoulder. "What did you buy on a- Cory, why are your shoes mismatched?"

Courtney took a step back and performed a high-kick. Though she would admit it wasn't the most perfect high kick since she hadn't stretched. Still, it was one of her best since she hadn't been able to do one in weeks.

"I can walk!"

"I always knew you could manage it," her mother said. "After seventeen years I'm proud you no longer have to crawl."

Courtney grinned, feeling a little like she was being buoyed around by the lightness in her chest. Though maybe that came from not being weighed down by crutches.

"I hate to pop your happiness," her mother said. "But you're taking your crutches to school."

"But I can walk. You just praised me for my accomplishment."

At least her mother had the decency to look like she felt bad for backtracking on her praise. Seventeen and finally able to walk, a day to mark in the history books! Better yet, make it a national holiday! Let all of America feel Courtney's happiness!

"I know," her mother said. "But what happens if your ankle gets tired halfway through the day? Are you going to risk straining it again?"

Courtney crossed her arms and took up the most defiant pose could manage while still looking adorably cute in her bright colored outfit. She wasn't sure how convincing it was.

"You know your logic is really bringing down my mood," she said.

"I know," her mother said, kissing her forehead. "You have my permission to hate me until you're in your thirties and realize I was thinking only of you."

"Deal. I will now proceed to hate you."

Her mother cupped her face, beaming. Which made it extremely difficult to muster up an adequate amount of hatred. Can't a girl hate her mother without her mother making it so difficult to do so! What have these times come to?! The state of society was atrocious.

"Don't push yourself," her mother said. "It's okay to take your time."

Taker her time? She'd already taken weeks! In the lifespan of some insects that was centuries. Not the strongest argument.

"Okay," Courtney said.

At least she had the delight of carrying her crutches down Mount Everest instead of them carrying her. It was an exhilarating descent and one that should have been captured with photographers and reports at the bottom. The only person at the bottom though was her father and he didn't even notice her, his focus entirely absorbed in his tablet.

"Your shoes are mismatched," he said as Courtney headed towards the door.

"And you look like a hobo."

"Have a good day at school."

"Don't burn down the house."

"That is my general goal in life."

"I feel like you need more every day goals."

"That is my everyday goal and- Periwinkle! Of course! It sets off the entire thing while bringing a cohesiveness that was lacking! I should have realized this. Okay that means that everything has to be rearranged. Lauren, I solved it!"

Courtney watched as her father continued to talk to himself as he strode into his office. Not a hobo, a mad scientist. Courtney left the house before she could contemplate what that would make her as his offspring. She could not admit to being as weird as him. Nope. Definitely not.

Okay...maybe a little.

At school, Courtney parked and pushed her door open. If she stepped out of her car with more flair than was warranted for the morning, well, it couldn't be helped. She was a girl who could walk and that should be acknowledged in even the smallest of ways.

She would say celebrate the small victories but this wasn't small. It was placing gold in the olympics. It was winning a Grammy. It was unexpectedly finding twenty dollars in your pocket. And so it should be celebrated as such.

Courtney ducked into her backseat to retrieve her crutches. She'd store them in the Council room, close enough in case she needed them but out of sight. At last. As she set them against her car, she spotted Blake cutting his way through the rows of cars towards her.

Perfect, someone with arms. She leaned into her back seat, stacking the two brown bedsheets there and retreating.

"Cory-"

"Here, put those muscles to actual use," Courtney said, pushing the sheets into Blake's arms.

He took them, dumbfounded. It was a better look on him than the smirk. It felt more genuine. Diving into her backseat one last time, she tugged out a tote bag with an odd assortment of items along with her backpack.

"Okay, follow me," she said.

She shut her door, grabbed her crutches and headed off. Despite the dumb portion of the dumbfounded look, Blake got the message and trailed beside her.

"Did you say something to Max?" he asked.

"Yes. Many things. Is there anything in particular that you're referring to?"

"About me, I mean."

"Oh! Has the bad boy fallen for a girl and she's now running away with your heart?"

Blake responded with a flat look. Well a girl could hope he got a taste of his own medicine but clearly not now.

"You know Blake," Courtney said. "Maybe she'd decided that having a guy being condescending to her in order for her to feel like she needs to prove herself to him isn't worth it. Maybe she's realized that a nice, genuine guy who cares about her as a person is better."

"No, she seemed pretty taken with the whole bad boy persona."

Courtney stopped at the doorway to the Council room and peered up at Blake. Everything about him was curated: from his tousled styled hair, fit appearance, tight but not too tight clothes.

"Have you ever wondered if you keep this whole persona thing up it's who you'll become for real and that kind, lovable, a little geeky boy will be gone?"

Blake shoved the sheets into Courtney's arms. "I hope so. That boy was pathetic. He never would have made it in high school."

He walked off and Courtney watched him, feeling pity for the boy she'd known.

"Blake say anything interesting?" Max asked, walking up to Courtney.

"No but it sounded like you might have."

Max shook her head. "I haven't. Ever since we talked Wednesday I haven't answered his messages. I thought about what you said and realized you had a point."

Wow she said that without a hint of hesitation or embarrassment. Miracles do happen.

"Oh! I was right. You did realize that a nice, genuine guy was better than a bad boy?"

"Yeah. After thinking about it I saw that someone like Micah is better than Blake."

"Exactly! Someone like..." Hold up! What? "Micah?"

Max smiled fondly. Which was not a look Courtney expected to see the Angry Biker Girl's face. And one she didn't want to see. At least not attached to Micah's name.

"It's kind of funny because Micah was one of the first people I met at this school but I didn't realize how cute he is until lately."

Of course you didn't see it because you are blind as a door! But other people saw it!

Breathe, Cory. Also shut up.

"If you hadn't talked to me about Blake I don't think I would have started to notice how kind and funny Micah is." Max nudged Courtney's arm with her fist. "Thanks for talking to me. Blake is not worth it."

Oh, I caused this. Great. So great. I mean I can run around shouting to the world how great it is. Not only did I help Micah's appearance so Max noticed him but my words actually pushed her in his direction.

I'm amazing. I really am, I'm so amazing I want to bang my head against a wall because this type of amazing really shouldn't be out in the world, I could yield it for evil. No one should have my type of amazing power. Because it's simply amazing amazing amazing.

The bell rang and Max smiled at Courtney.

"Are we still working after school?" Max asked.

Working? After school? Those are words. Pretty sure I've heard them before. But what are words?

"Uh. Oh cheer coaching." Yes. Another thing I'm helping Max accomplish in her life. Wow, no way to turn this amazing off is there. IS there?! "Actually since we have an away game tonight, let's skip for today. But make sure to keep doing your stretches."

"Got it, Coach."

How Courtney managed to smile easily was a feat that should be written in the history books because she was almost certain steam was seeping out of her ears. Though it shouldn't be because after all this was the result she'd not only expected but had been working towards.

Max noticed Micah. Max liked Micah.

She was amazing, so amazing to have made this happen.

Don't stand there like an idiot, Cory, do something.

Right, do something.

Oh look a wall! Wasn't there a task I needed to do involving that?

"Look at you standing there without crutches!" Lynn shouted as she clapped.

Right, my ankle.

"Hey, you okay?" Lynn asked, eyeing Courtney.

Yup, totally fine. Excuse me, I have a date with a wall. Breathe, Cory. Focus. Get a hold of yourself.

"A lot on my mind," Courtney said.

"Do you need to talk it out with someone? Because I'm here."

Where to start? How to start? Is there a start? Do I even know the starting pointing? Bleeehhhh!

"Thanks. Can you oversee everything today, I'm going to go work on covering the columns."

Lynn studied Courtney but nodded. "Yeah, of course. I'm here if you need me."

"I know." Need to leave. Need space. "Can you tell Miguel to get a couple of guys to carry the columns into the gym?"

"Sure."

"Great, they are in the set room in the arts wing."

Courtney dropped her backpack inside the Council room, along with her crutches and headed off. A task. She needed a task to focus on. And facts. She needed facts in her life. Logic. That couldn't hurt to have as well.

In the basketball court, Courtney set down her tote bag and sat on the bottom bleacher. Facts. Facts of life. Facts of this situation. Micah liked Max. Max liked Micah. Micah had asked Courtney for help to get Max to notice him. Courtney had done such a fantastic job that it would be known for generations.

Facts about Courtney. There were none other than she helped Micah, that's what she'd supposed to do and that was all that mattered. She helped Micah. She was simply the plus sign in the Micah and Max equation, she wasn't a factor bigger than that.

When the doors to the basketball court opened, Courtney stood up. Sweet relief, a task to do.

"Thanks," Courtney said. "Set them right here in front of the bleachers."

Only when the columns were set down did Courtney notice Micah was one of the pair carrying a column. He smiled at her. Why did he have to have a good smile? What was wrong with him? Wasn't have a good personality and curly hair enough for him? Completely selfish.

"Thanks guys," Courtney said, waving at the leaving Council members.

"Can I keep you company with whatever you're doing?" Micah asked.

NO!

"Yes." Leave you adorable human being! "You can stay."

What are you saying, Cory! Shut up! You're making everything worse! Though how you can do that when you made everything amazing before is unclear.

Courtney removed a staple gun from her tote bag and picked up one of the sheets. Standing on the bleacher, she attached one end of the sheet to the top of the column and pressed on the staple gun's handle. But it didn't work and Courtney tried again.

"Hey! You don't have your crutches," Micah said.

What? Oh, right. Ankle doing better. Super happy about that or whatever. Yippee.

"Yeah, the brace is helping," Courtney said, squeezing the stiff trigger again.

Oh unstable girl with weapon, this is not good.

"Do you need me to do that?" Micah asked. "You look like you're struggling."

Stop being considerate Micah, it's annoying and endearing.

"Sure. The sheet just needs to be attached to the top of the column."

As Courtney stepped down from the bleacher, Micah stepped up and took hold of the staple gun. Oh look, he knows how to easily work a staple gun, that's attractive.

If anyone found that attractive they would be extremely weird. And Courtney wasn't weird. Her father was weird. Though with how heredity worked that meant she was half her father. And following that logic it meant she did find it attractive.

Brain, please stop working right now. Just shut off. Go cold turkey, I can survive. Go ahead and prove all the blonde jokes true, I can take it.

"I saw you talking to Max earlier," Micah said. "What were you talking about?"

Oh, nothing big. She likes you now. I'm amazing. And you two will live happily ever after. All good things.

Tell him, girl. What was the mission from the start? Max. Max noticing Micah. The impossible mission was accomplished. Take the win, Ethan Hunt. Give him the message. Or you will self destruct in fifteen seconds.

"I'm helping coach her in cheer."

Slow clap. Beautiful, Cory. Well done, you wimp.

Micah rotated around the column. "Really? I didn't know she wanted to cheer."

She does and she also wants your heart. She's going after it all.

Tell him, Cory. He deservers to know. Correction, he has every right to know.

"Yeah. People are full of surprises."

Micah finished the first column and hopped down. He smiled at Courtney and she stared back. Tell him. Just say it. Blurt it out if you have to. Tell him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his smile slipping into something unsure.

Courtney pressed her lips together. Say it.

"It looks like you want to say something," he said. "You know you can just say it, right?"

Yes, I can but not while looking at you.

Courtney dug into her tote bag, grabbing a box of safety pins and returned to the sheet covered column. Pleating a section of the sheet, she pinned it.

"Cory?" Micah asked.

"You know it's actually really good news for you," Courtney blurted out. "Like great news. Some might even say amazing news. And I can't fault them since it's the type of news that we have actually wanted from the beginning. Because it's how everything started. Naturally, that means I should tell you since it involves you."

Courtney rotated around the column blocking Micah from her view.

"I talked to Max and well, wouldn't you know! She finds you kind and cute. Which is great, so great. Because after all that means the work we put in to updating your look paid off. How great is that?"

Don't look at him. Keep working, don't you dare look at him.

"You should think it's great because again that's what you wanted. It's why you talked to me. It's why I've been able to get to know you. It's why we've hung out. And honestly, I wouldn't take it back. I wouldn't change the fact that I offered to help you and you asked me for help. These last couple of weeks have been so great getting to be your friend."

Courtney furiously gathered up another section of sheet and pushed the pin through it. She yelped in shock as the pin stabbed her thumb.

"But you know what!" Courtney said, holding her injured thumb. "I don't think it's actually that great. I don't. I really don't. And you want to know why?"

Micah remained silent as he sat on the bleacher. I'll take that as a yes!

"Because Max didn't see you, okay." Courtney waved her arms out. "She didn't see you. You were standing right there in front of her this entire time and she didn't see you. She didn't see how amazing of a person you were. She got sucked into bad boy Blake's world."

She balled her fists and turned once as if her frustration was trying escape out of her. "Freaking Blake is as boring as a pond of water. But still she chose him over you from the first."

Courtney went back to the column, ready to take on the dragon once more.

"She was blind as a door to the fact that you're a great person. But now that you changed your look and she's realized that Blake is dunderhead she gets to turn her attention to you and you're just waiting there for her. Why? Clothes didn't change who you were? Why should she get to pick you when she didn't even notice you before."

Courtney stopped working and gripped her box of safety pins.

"But you want to know the stupid thing. I knew how amazing you were. I knew it when you helped me after Aiden. When you drove me home. I knew you were a wonderful person without having your appearance changed.

"But that doesn't matter. No, Max was the one from the beginning and so Max it will be. Even though I don't think she deserves you!"

Courtney turned to the column and bunched up some of the sheet, suddenly aware of how heavily she was breathing.

"But I guess what matters is you," she said, more calmly. "What it is you want. Caring for someone means you care for what they want. It means you think of them before you think of yourself." She paused, ducking her head. "And so if that's true, then what I feel shouldn't be what's most important... What you feel is most important."

Taking a deep breath, Courtney let go of the gathered sheet and finally looked at Micah. Do the right thing, Cory.

"There you have it. Max likes you," she said. She forced a smile. "Go get your girl, Micah."

Micah nodded once. "Okay."

He stood up and kissed her.

The box of safety pins fell to the floor.

Oh wow.

When Micah pulled back, it took Courtney a second to open her eyes.

"Cory-"

Courtney held up her hand. "Wait. I need... I need you to do that again so I'm sure it's not some vivid delusion."

Smiling shyly, Micah cupped her face and kissed her again.

Unlike the assurance of the first kiss, the second felt more hesitant as if the bravery Micah had found was retreating.

Courtney slid her arms around his neck, kissing him back with all the wildness of her tangled emotions. Micah wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Again Courtney got the feeling when he'd first held her: she was precious.

She was precious to him.

Breaking apart, Courtney gazed into Micah's eyes.

"You kissed me," she said.

"Yes."

Courtney blinked, coming out of the beautiful dream. "But you like Max."

When Micah laughed, Courtney let go of him and took a step back.

"Cory, if I like Max do you think I would be kissing you?"

That was a solid argument though it explained nothing of what she'd believed to be true for the past couple of weeks.

"Okay, but you did," Courtney said. "And now you don't? When did you stop?"

Bashfully, Micah played with his curls. An action Courtney realized she was completely enamored with. How could someone messing with his hair make my heart do a weird tango dance? That makes no sense.

"It was at your party," Micah said. "I stood there feeling like an idiot while Max talked and flirted with Blake. I was right there and like you said, she didn't see me. But as I stood there I thought about how you did."

Courtney pressed her hands to her cheeks, which were extremely hot. "But this entire time! I've been helping you thinking it was all for Max. Why didn't you tell me?"

Micah made a face, clearly embarrassed by his answer. "I planned to. I almost did when we were at the thrift store that Monday. But I looked at you... And well it seemed like you needed the project. So I didn't tell you." He smiled timidly. "Also the project meant I could hang out with you."

"You could have just talked to me about hanging out."

At this, Micah lost all his shyness and nodded sarcastically. Something that made Courtney smile.

"Talking. Yes, something you know I excel at."

"You do."

"Not back then. I could barely get a full sentence out. Besides, you're one of the prettiest girls I know, I didn't think you'd hang out with me if I just asked."

"Why not? I constantly said how great a person you were."

Micah shrugged. "I didn't know if you were trying to help boost my confidence."

Courtney pushed his shoulder playfully. "Fine, but do you believe me now?"

"A little. But I believe that you believe it and that helps."

Courtney stared at him, feeling as a smile took over her face. Micah returned the smile but ducked his head and scuffed his foot against the floor.

"This whole time I simply thought I was your Wise Ole Sage helping you with your quest."

Taking a step closer, Micah held out his hand and Courtney laced her fingers with his.

"You did help me with my quest," he said. "And now it's complete." He squeezed her hand. "I got my girl."

**********************************************************************

Hey- you know what, I'm gonna give you a minute to scream.

*props feet up on my desk and eats pop corn* Yeah, I'm definitely not going to pretend to be shocked with you on this one. I had this planned for months. I get to be the smug author right now. It's a good feeling.

Oh, are you finished screaming? Need another minute to blow out my eardrums? It's cool, go ahead. I came prepared with earplugs.

*smiles smugly* If you're done killing your vocal cords feel free to wear out your thumbs with your excitement in a comment. 💬🗯💭❣️💃🏽

*sighs* I gotta say, that was extremely satisfying. The kiss? Oh, yeah that was great. But no I'm talking about watching you constantly worrying about the ship sinking and toying with you by always making it look like it was sinking and joining in with your distress over it. It was a true highlight in my life!

Now that we are all on the same page I feel like we can sit down on the sand, drink fruity drinks from coconuts and watch the sunset along with the ship that is sailing smoothly on the sea.

It's such a peaceful thought we won't think about what the rest of the book is going to be filled with. And that a book can't technically just be happiness for the ending. No. We won't turn back and see the bank of clouds slowly forming. Nope, we will live in the utter peace of watching the beautiful scene on the horizon.

Haha face it, you bring this one yourself for not only reading my books but for reading my author's note. I would say I have the power but you also are the ones that give it to me, so really this is on you.

But be happy for now! The ship is sailing and really that's something to be thankful for, for today!

And if this note has stolen away some of your happiness then just reread the chapter and skip the author's note. Happiness restored! You're welcome!

ਵੋਟ ਕਰੋ, ਟਿੱਪਣੀ, ਦਾ ਪਾਲਣ ਕਰੋ (Punjabi)