Severity, Miguel Diaz¹

― chapter 46.

Ayane grabbed the rope, turning to Miguel as Johnny walked outside. She could not help but to laugh, amused by this contraption Johnny had thought up.

"Is this funny to you?" Miguel asked, side-eyeing her. He didn't seem to be in a very good mood.

She shrugged. "Kinda."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well it's not very amusing to me."

"Are you even trying?" Ayane retorted, shaking her head. "You need to make those things move!"

For the first time ever, Miguel yelled at Ayane.

"I'M TRYING!" he snapped, Ayane flinching a little in surprise.

"Do you not understand that this is all that I want?" Miguel said with trembling anger in his voice, looking away from her. "All I want is to walk again, and for things to go back to normal between us."

"What do you mean?" Ayane said, shaking her head with confusion. "Everything is fine between us, isn't it?"

Miguel refused to meet her eyes.

"I don't know."

Ayane frowned, realizing her grip on the rope had slackened. She looked down, her eyes going as big as saucers.

"Miguel- Miguel. You're doing it- you- look!"

She held both of her hands up, not holding the rope. His eyes widened as he looked down, laughing in disbelief.

"Holy shit- I'm doing it-" Miguel looked back up at her, almost tearing up a little as he pulled Ayane into a tight embrace.

Ayane threw her arms around him, laughing and still partially in shock.

"Thank you," Miguel said. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

She smiled, shaking her head. "Nah, I probably deserved it."

He laughed softly, Johnny walking back in just then with a gas can and a box of matches in his hands.

"Alright, I have a new method I want to try- holy shit, are you standing up by yourself?"

Johnny dropped the items he was holding, walking over with a face of disbelief. Miguel smiled and hugged him, looking over at Ayane with a soft expression. He didn't know what he would do without her.

"Well you know what we have to do now," Johnny said, looking to Ayane.

They were thinking the same thing, both turning their heads to Miguel who looked between them suspiciously.

"Training."

. . . .

OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, Ayane went to Reseda after school.

Today, she went by before school because Miguel said he had something to show her.

Miguel was making fast progress, even with Johnny's elaborate makeshift obstacle course.

"You've gotten rid of the crutches?" Ayane noticed as she approached them, seeing Miguel freestanding.