Love... or something like it

Part 25

On Friday Nell knew that the day was going to change her life. Both Charles and Bash had agreed to come over after school and talk. She wasn't sure how she felt about it or how she felt about the decision that needed to be made. She had faced some pretty terrible stuff and lived to tell the tale, but none of those things required her to choose between two people that she loved. 

She wrote her tests in each of her classes and had no homework to keep her brain occupied so she looked for something else. She couldn't run her feelings, she couldn't run her katas and she was pretty much stuck at home. She looked at her drawing supplies and decided she might be able to lose a few hours behind her pencils. 

She hadn't carved much time out for drawing recently, but she used to spend hours in her room working on sketches and day dreaming. She pulled out her supplies and opened a new page, the crisp white untouched page made her heart sing. She loved the potential of the clean pages and the feeling of the first strokes of her pencil when everything was still possible. She selected her pencil and let her hand follow the familiar patterns and she started to draw. It felt relaxing, but not as much as running, she missed it. She thought about the feeling of her feet thundering down the track and the wind in her face. She thought about how she knew that she was 'right' that she was 'whole' that she was 'complete' when she was running. Her feet rarely failed her on the track, unfortunately that gracefulness didn't follow her off the track and she remembered the awkward clumsiness she experienced in regular life. Zaiden loved to tease her about her ability to spar with ease but couldn't avoid a light post when walking on an empty street. 

She sketched her friends and their faces made her smile. Jenna had been all but absent that year, spending more time with her new boyfriend Kellen, a kid Nell knew as a quiet boy in their grade. Nell was happy for her but sad for herself. Zaiden had all but admitted that he and Tessa were seeing each other and Nell was thrilled for them. She thought they were a bity of an odd match because Tessa was a walking rainbow of confidence and Zaiden was her lost puppy, bookish quiet friend. He was different around her than he was around most people, he was smart and funny and spunky. She wished he would show that off to other people but he chose to stay quiet and let other people worry about their own issues. 

Nell's thoughts turned to her dad. He had died in a car accident suddenly two and a half years before. She had been lost after he was gone. She didn't fit in with her mother or sister who were hyper feminine and strong as nails. She on the other hand she was sporty and a loner and happier hidden from the spotlight. Her dad seemed to get that and he never forgot to celebrate her achievements even when she didn't. 

"Well this is a pretty great room, but I still would get lonely if I had to be in it all day." Avery said leaning on her door frame. 

"Hey!" Nell greeted her lighting up. She was grateful for the company.

"Hey your self! How have you been? Charles said you might finally be up for a pop over visit, He is being a real weirdo lately, b t dubs." She grinned and went to sit by Nell's feet. 

"Ugh, things are so weird!" Nell covered her face with her sketch book. 

"What is going on?" She looked excited at the prospect of gossip. 

"You sure you want to hear all of this?" Nell peeked over the sketch pad. 

"Uh, yes! I would love to hear the true story of your accident." Avery said settling in. 

"Oh! yeah, the accident. I uh-" Nell started and was cut off.

"Wait! There is is OTHER things that are weird? tell me EVERYTHING!" She sat up and looked Nell in the eye.