Part 3Pushing Me Forward

Chloe and Zoe were my absolute best friends from elementary through middle school.

But after my parents and I moved out of state, we lost touch.

They didn't even know about the accident during my sophomore year of high school.

According to my mom, they both ended up going to college in this city.

They ran into my mom by chance and finally learned what had happened to me.

So they immediately came to see me.

I figured, let them look.

This is what I am now anyway.

This is what the rest of my life is going to be.

I took a deep breath and spun my chair around.

I braced myself for their pitiful, sympathetic, teary-eyed gazes.

But surprisingly, none of that happened.

Chloe said: "Harper, how is your skin so clear? You're so pale."

Zoe said: "Oh my god, you're so skinny! You'd look amazing in a dress."

I froze for a second.

I looked at them.

And then, for some inexplicable reason, I smiled.

And I mocked myself.

"Lock yourself in a house for two years and you'll get pale and skinny, too."

But I felt a little happy.

I don't know why.

They didn't seem to look at me like a disabled person.

It was just like the old days.

They still wanted to compare everything with me.

Comparing whose nose looked better.

Comparing whose butt was perkier.

Comparing who could catch the attention of the senior boys.

At least they weren't here to pity me.

And I didn't have to pretend everything was fine.

I didn't have to put on a brave face just to comfort them.