Prologue- Taunting Beginnings

*WARNING: TRIGGERING SCENE AHEAD*

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[] T H I R D    P E R S O N []

4 Years Earlier

Clara is having a rough day.

Just a few minutes ago, her boyfriend dumped her in the middle of the school cafeteria, that too during lunch time. If that wasn't embarrassing enough, she had to wheel herself away from the taunting stares, then awkwardly wait for the elevator to come down to take her to the main floor.

Then when she left the school, she contemplated whether to call her chauffer or not. He was a good man, but she knew the moment she called him, her mother would also find out about her. For once, she didn't want that. So Clara did a courageous thing.

She decided to take the bus.

Once at the bus stop, she paused and thought about what had just went down in the cafeteria. Her boyfriend of seven months had just announced to the whole school that he simply stayed with her out of pity. However, he just couldn't deal with not being able to have sex with a crippled girl. And as his friends and many others laughed at her, she couldn't do anything but wheel herself away from the situation.

Thinking about it again, broke her further.

This broke her to a point where she realized she just couldn't take it anymore. It was time to execute what she wanted to do since she landed in this wheelchair nearly five months ago.

Clara is going to end her life today.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, she did what her psychologist kept telling her to do the moment she gets stuck in this flunk: Think about her loved ones.

So she did.

She thought about her mother, with her pretty brown hair and matching eyes. She thought about how good her hot cocoa tasted on a rainy day. She thought about her smile and how it was enough to brighten anyone's day.

Then she thought about her step-father and his warm, crinkly eyes, and how they sparkled every time he got to tease his wife, her mother, just to get a reaction out of her. She thought about his wise words and how they could solve the greatest mysteries of the Earth.

Lastly, she thought about her brother and his hilarious jokes. His smirk that had nearly every girl melting, but to her, it just looked like he was constipated. She thought about his brotherly hugs, and his warm heart.

She thought about how if it weren't for them, she would've given up a long time ago.

But she knew that today, none of it would be enough.

Her mother's cocoa won't comfort her.

Her father's words won't fix her.

Her brother's hug won't mend her.

Today, nothing can change her mind.

Suddenly, the bus pulled up in front of her, and she patiently waited for the driver to lower the ramp. She noticed the stares she received as everyone waited for the slowest ramp in history to finally come down. When it did, it took her another few moments to fully get onto the bus. Once she got on, she realized she didn't have her bus pass. In fact, she didn't have anything but her old cellphone in her lap.

"I- I'm sorry," she nervously said. "I d-don't have my card."

The bus driver sighed and let her on anyway. She slowly wheeled her way down the aisle and noticed that the driver was waiting. Feeling conscious that it was because of her, she didn't notice when she jammed her wheelchair right into a pole.

Now, her palms were sweating.

She tried pulling herself out, but the wheel grounded itself on a little curvet behind her. All the while, people either looked out of their window, pretending not to notice, or they stared right at her without a word. Not knowing what else to do, Clara let out a few frustrated tears.

Amidst her frustration, Clara didn't notice that the bus door had opened and another person had entered.

Amelia Harrison was late.

Her best friend had already left the house to meet her at the City Centre shopping mall, which was only a measly ten minutes away from her place. She on the other hand, had just left the school. Another thirty minutes to go for her.

She quickly ran to the bus stop, pumping her legs as fast as they could take her. She noticed the bus wasn't moving from her spot, and she grinned in victory when she reached the bus door. Heaving from running so fast, Amelia slowly pulled out her bus pass from her wallet and glided it across the card holder. She nodded to the bus driver and slowly peered around her surroundings for an empty seat.

All the while, the grin never left her face.

Before she could go any further however, she noticed a girl in a wheelchair trying to pry herself out of a little sticky situation. Amelia being Amelia, went around the girl's wheelchair to look her straight in the eye. Her blinding smile had the girl in the wheelchair back up slightly in surprise. But after seeing her smile was nothing but friendly, she relaxed.

"Hey, it's okay. You're just a little stuck. Is it okay if I help you out?" Amelia asked with a polite smile.

Hesitantly, the girl nodded.

Amelia then went around to the back of her wheelchair and pulled her out from the place she was stuck in. Out of courtesy, she wheeled her over to the 'Disability' seat. She glided her wheelchair easily, then proceeded to lock the chair in place. Once she saw that the girl was comfortable, Amelia smiled and finally took her hands off of the wheelchair. Then, she plopped herself down on the seat in front of the girl and took a deep breath.

The bus driver finally kicked the bus into gear, and everyone sighed in relief as the bus was finally in motion again. Amelia regained her breath and sent a quick text to her friend that she's on her way.

Clara took a look at the preppy girl in front of her. She was wearing normal clothes and a backpack was slung over her shoulders, indicating that she went to the public school nearby. Her brown hair was long, reaching nearly down to her waist, and her warm brown eyes were crinkling as she smiled. When she came in, many heads had turned her way, probably admiring her beauty.

'This girl is no joke. She's pretty and humble,' Clara thought.

Clara thought of possible words she can say to thank this stranger with all her heart. Before she could say anything however, the girl looked up to her with a pleasant smile.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Clara."

"Well Clara. My name is Amelia and we might never see each other again, so if you want, you can tell me a bit about yourself?" Amelia asked, biting her lip in excitement.

Clara looked around nervously at all the people staring openly at her. She would never admit it out loud, but the stares terrified her. Amelia noticed her gaze and shifted a little closer to her.

"Or we can get something to eat or drink? Where are you headed? I'm heading towards the City Centre. My best friend and I are heading there to buy clothes for a party tonight. I'm totally not in the mood since her mushy boyfriend will be there too, but I guess I'll have to suck it up... Ah, it's all for jokes, he's actually like a brother," Amelia rambled.

Clara nearly choked on her spit.

"The City Centre? I'm on my way there too."

Amelia gasped.

"No way! It's like it's fate," Amelia sighed dramatically, placing a hand on her forehead.

Clara chuckled at this strange girl's behavior.

They continued with small talk until they got to the Centre, and once they reached their stop, Amelia wheeled Clara out once again, despite Clara's protests.

"Nope, this makes me look cool," Amelia simply said.

They both then headed for the only coffee shop in the mall and made their way over to a table. Amelia moved a chair over to make room for Clara's wheelchair and then started heading for the counter. Despite Clara's protests, Amelia left to buy her a drink as well.

This gave Clara a moment by herself to think.

She was here.

She was actually here.

With no one to watch over her, to wheel her around, or to tell her what to do. All of it what her family did on a regular basis. She felt free. She felt alone.

What would her parents do when they get the news that she passed away? Would they be sad? Or feel as free as she would? That her child wasn't in pain anymore. How would her brother feel? Devastated? Relaxed?

All these thoughts created havoc in Clara.

She knew the answer. She knew how they would feel.

Irreparable.

She'd imprint a scar so deep that her family would never overcome it.

So why was she here?

Clara snapped back into reality by blinking her tears away. With a small breath, she quickly composed herself. To keep herself preoccupied, she looked around the small café and noticed a family in the far corner.

The mother and father were talking in hushed tones with smiles on their faces, while their kids sat bickering in front of them. Suddenly, the mother spoke up, catching their attention.

"Kids, you're better stop fighting like that if you want to be a good role model."

Both kids stopped at once and turned to face their mother.

"Huh?" they both say at the same time.

"Yeah, you don't want your new sister to be fighting with you the same way," the father said.

"Oh my God!" the little girl squealed, while the boy scratched his head in confusion.

The little girl turned to him and rolled her eyes.

"It means we're getting a new sister, Mason."

The little boy's eyes widen in disbelief and he looked at his parents in awe.

"Really?"

The parents nodded, making Mason excitedly turn to his sister to pull her in for a hug.

"Whoa! I get two sisters now!"

She smiled at the family from afar, feeling a deep longing for her own. Suddenly, this felt stupid to her.

'I shouldn't have been here,' she thought. 'My family is probably worried sick and I don't even know-'

Before she could continue with her thoughts, a cup of steaming hot cocoa was placed in front of her. She looked up just in time to see Amelia joining her on the other side.

"So Clara," Amelia started. "You look like a fine young lady. Who had the balls to make you cry?"

Clara chuckled. For once, she didn't stop to think about what she was getting into. She spoke her thoughts out to Amelia.

"No one. Just myself, I guess."

Clara explained her crappy day to Amelia and how things just weren't going right. Amelia listened intently, only speaking when necessary.

After she finished, Clara let out a sigh. Amelia covered a Clara's hand with her own.

"Boys suck anyway. Who needs them?" she said.

Clara smiled at her choice of words.

"But they failed Clara," she suddenly said seriously. "Stupid people like that couldn't bring you down. You're still here. Alive. Sitting with a stranger and strongly sharing your story. You're alive. So embrace the beauty of that, and let those losers go."

Hearing those words snapped something in Clara. In seconds, she broke down.

In front of a complete stranger. In front of the kindest person she had, and ever, will meet.

Amelia sat with her as Clara quietly cried. She didn't say anything, just held her hand in support.

It was then that Clara had a revelation. One that her psychologist, her family, and her remaining few friends failed to get her to understand.

So what she was in a wheelchair? She still had a chance. She could get therapy. She could walk again. And when she could, everyone that tried to bully her now wouldn't be able to anymore. And even if she couldn't, even if she was stuck in this wheelchair for years to come, it would be okay. Because she would still be breathing.

She would be alive.

It was then that Clara felt thankful for Amelia. For a stranger.

They sat for what felt like hours, but couldn't have been more than fifteen minutes. Slowly, Clara's cries subsided and she looked up to Amelia with a small smile on her face.

"Thank you," Clara said sincerely.

Amelia gave her a bright smile and a final pat on the hand. Then, Amelia gave Clara her number on an unused napkin and told her to call her whenever. She called her a cab as well and set her off to her house.

Unbeknownst to her, Amelia had just saved Clara's life.

After making sure Clara was set off safely, Amelia headed back into the mall with a huge grin on her face. Just then, she saw her best friend on the phone, walking towards her.

When they caught each other's eye, Amelia skipped up to her, while the other girl stayed grounded and glared at her.

"Amelia Harrison! Where the hell have you been?"

And Amelia just grinned further.

Clara came home three hours after her curfew. Unlike the last time she came home this late, no police cars were lined up on their driveway. However, she could see her brother on the upstairs balcony, pacing back and forth with his phone glued to his ear.

She asked the driver to honk the horn, which made her brother nearly drop his phone in surprise. She chuckled at this, and so did the driver. The moment her brother caught her eye from the balcony, he disappeared behind the doors in a flash.

Nearly ten seconds later, he came hurtling down the porch with their parents in tow. Together they hauled Clara out of the cab and brought her inside the house. Once they all settled down, Clara explained where she had went. Of course, she didn't share the most terrifying part of her day with them, since that was something she would put behind her for now.

Her parents sighed in relief, while her brother stared her down. She knew he'd hound her for details later, but for now, she wanted to share the best part of her day with her entire family.

She told them about Amelia.

Of course she didn't tell them that she saved her life. But she did explain that Amelia saved her from further embarrassment. She had helped her in the bus, and even had a drink with her. She explained how for once, she met someone who wore their heart on their sleeve. Someone so humane, that it made Clara believe in humanity again.

In the midst of her story, she didn't realize that her brother's pupils had dilated and that his heartbeat had picked up, just by hearing about this wonderful girl. Hearing that she was in the school nearby, nearly made him go into cardiac arrest.

However, his happiness didn't last long, since Clara soon realized that the napkin containing her number was forgotten in the cab.