Disabled.

Thirteen

Let it go? How was she supposed to do that when Jackson meant so much to her? 

Was that something that she would be able to do?, she asked herself as the psychotherapist's words continued to float around her.

- - -

Nadia had been eating her lunch in silence when her door opened. She turned her head to find Mason pushing his cousin in a wheelchair. He smiled slightly at her as they got closer.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," she replied, not knowing what else to say.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"Okay." He nodded his head.

"Leena wanted to say something to you," he informed her before leaving the room and leaving them alone. There was an awkward silence in the room as Nadia took a bite of her sandwich.

"I'm sorry," Selena said suddenly. Nadia turned around to find her looking at her.

"I didn't mean to ask you such a personal question, I'm sorry." 

Nadia remained silent for a few moments before smiling at her.

"You don't need to apologize, you didn't know that I would react like that," she told her.

"But still..." Selena trailed off.

"Really, it's okay." 

They were quiet for a while before Selena smiled and said,

"You and Mason seem to be friends. Do you think I could be your friend too?"

Nadia laughed slightly, thinking of how they were barely friends, just slightly more than acquaintances. But even with that thought in mind, she nodded.

"Sure." 

- - - 

Within a few days, she was discharged from the hospital, after speaking with her assigned nurses several times to push up her discharge date. She sat beside her mother now as they were on their way to their house when she suddenly wanted to stop somewhere. She looked at her mother who smiled at her.

"Can we make a stop somewhere?" she asked her mother. She nodded her head before she began to give her the directions.

When she got to the spot, Nadia ran her fingers over the worn out words which she and Jackson had written to each other when he had first asked her out. She held back tears as she looked at the drawing of two people, a girl and a boy, which he had drawn in a heart. And beside the heart were their initials, J&N. She bit her lower lip when the first tear escaped her right eye before she started to fully cry, her mind filled with memories from that day.

Between her cries, she heard the soft sound of heels hitting against the concrete floor as someone walked towards her. She slowly wiped away her tears with her sleeves and took off her brakes, about to push herself away. But before she could even move, she felt the person's hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up. 

She was surprised as she made eye contact with Jackson's mom, seeing a small smile on her face. But she couldn't smile back. All she could do was watch her as she walked towards the wall and ran her fingers along the drawing and the painting the same way that she had done a few moments before. They both remained silent as a light breeze surrounded them, until his mom turned to face her, holding tightly onto her handbag.

"Do you have a moment to talk?" she asked Nadia, who silently nodded her head. Nadia pushed herself behind her until they reached a park bench and his mother took a seat. They were both quiet once again, looking everywhere but at each other.