Owen

Goals

"One more pull."

Grunting, I somehow managed to pull myself completely up, my lack of balance and feeling in my legs causing me to sway.

"Holy shit." I gasped.

"I've got you, you're okay." Sarah said, grabbing the belt around my waist and stacking my hips over my feet.

My heart was hammering in my chest, my breathing labored as a triumphant smile spread across my face. I was standing.

"Look at that." Sarah said, her smile matching mine. "You're standing and you got there all on your own."

I was too shocked and out of breath to respond but I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.

"Ready to sit back down?" She asked.

It felt good to stand. Better than I could ever describe. I didn't necessarily want to sit back down.

"Yeah."

"Alright, easy going down."

I nodded my head, feeling her release most of her hold on the belt. My arms were shaking but I didn't care anymore.

When my ass hit the chair, I looked up at Sarah.

"Remember my goals?" I asked her.

"You mean the ones you wouldn't make?"

I watched as she lifted one of my feet onto the platforms, not bothering to look up at me.

"Yeah those ones."

This time her eyes met mine. "Yes I remember."

"I want to run again." I blurted, nerves spiking within me as I voiced my dream.

I didn't make goals because I didn't want to not reach them. I didn't like failure especially when so many things were working against me that I had no control over. But I wanted more, I wanted more than being reliant on everyone else. I wanted more than being stuck in this damn chair, a cripple.

Sarah smiled, her hand resting on my right knee that I still couldn't feel.

"That's going to take a lot of hard work and determination on your part." She said. "It's very ambitious but I like it."

I looked down at my lap, my confidence wavering slightly but I didn't want her to see it.

"Want to know the first step to achieving your goal?" Sarah asked, standing up.

"Yeah."

"Stop doubting yourself."

I nodded my head, laughing slightly. Apparently today was the day that everyone called me out. First Katie, now Sarah. I never thought I'd say it but thank god Mina wasn't here. I didn't want to hear what she had to say. At least not yet.

"Hey, has Mina said anything to you about Saturday?" I suddenly asked Sarah as my mind focused in on Mina.

"Saturday? No. Why?"

I shrugged. "She asked me if I was busy."

Sarah's face spread into that massive smile of hers as she nudged me in the shoulder.

"What?" Why was she smiling like that?

"Oh nothing." She looked too happy, too mischievous.

"Sarah? What'd you do?" She started walking away from the bars, leaving me to chase after her. "Hey don't walk away!"

"I'm not, I'm going to our next exercise." She called over her shoulder.

"Whats nothing though?"

"Exactly what I said, nothing."

But I could tell it was something. It was the way she was smiling, the way her voice was a little higher than normal, the conniving look in her eye. What had she done?

"Are you behind Saturday?" I asked, even though I hoped she wasn't.

Not that it would be bad, but I wanted  Saturday to be all Mina's idea. It made it seem like she didn't hate me as much as she said she did.

"I have no idea what Saturday is." Sarah said with a straight face. "I'm just glad to hear that the two of you are liking each other."

I snorted. "Mina isn't liking me, I can guarantee that."

She still looked at me like I was the scum on the bottom of her shoe.

"She just takes a while to warm up, that's all." Sarah reassured.

We had stopped at the weights. Sarah handed me a light weight and I took it. I already knew what I was supposed to do. 

"Did you know we've been going to school together for years? I didn't. Apparently I'm an oblivious dick." I told her, starting on the exercises.

"Oblivious yes. A dick, maybe accidentally." She said.

I laughed, a real, loud, obnoxious bark.

"Gee thanks, tell me how you really feel."

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I'm back from up north so as long as I can keep writing you'll have daily updates again. Although I have to say my buffer is down to one chapter. So daily updates may end sooner rather than later. Hope everyone had a good Memorial Day!