Mina

We'll See

I walked into sixth hour first, Chelsea trailing behind, talking like normal. We were cutting it close, nearly everyone already in their seats as we navigated our way to the back of the class. Owen almost always beat us there, so as I glanced to the side where he should have been I slowed a step. Had he gone home? Was he actually okay?

I had been in the hallway when Owen confronted Drew. It was hard to miss with the mass of students making a half circle around them, gawking at the drama. And Owen hadn't been quiet, his voice carrying over everyone else's as a slew of cuss words fell out of him. I didn't blame him. Drew deserved it, even if I didn't like Owen. But unlike everyone else I had opted not to stay and gawk. I didn't care about Owen and his drama.

"Where's your boyfriend?"

My gaze flicked over to Sydney. She was leaning over the table Owen sat at, her annoying friend Alison beside her. I couldn't stand Sydney and Alison. But I also wasn't going to give them fuel for their fire. Which they were so obviously seeking.

"Owen? He's not her boyfriend." Chelsea said.

I wanted to kick her in the shin.

"I heard you're the reason Owen broke up with Jaelyn." Sydney announced louder than necessary.

"Home wrecker." Alison mumbled beside her.

Chelsea went to open her mouth again but I shot her a glare, grinding my teeth together. I had gone nearly my entire grade school career barely being a blip on everyone's radar. I just wanted to finish the remaining couple months the same way. Unfortunately now that I was on Owen's radar, it apparently meant I was on everyone's else's too.

I shook my head, refusing to say anything when Owen rolled up.

"What did you just say?" He asked, looking between Sydney and I.

"I was just asking if it was true, did you really break up with Jaelyn for her?" Sydney asked him, shooting me a disgusted look.

"And what if I did?" He asked, his eyes calm and confident. "You'd just be jealous it wasn't you."

Sydney rolled her eyes, flicking her brown hair over her shoulder. "Please. I'd never date a cripple."

My eyes widened, anger surging through me as I watched the muscles in Owen's jaw clench, his head dropping.

That bitch.

———————

The entire class I kept sneaking glances past Chelsea to Owen. He just stared at the table, not once opening his notebook. The muscles in his neck and jaw contracting and relaxing. His hands balled in his lap.

Owen was a lot of things.

Incredibly obnoxious and immature and a giant pain in the ass. Sure.

But he wasn't crippled. Not in the slightest.

And it pissed me off that he believed Sydney. I knew the moment her words hit his ears that she had confirmed something for him. Something absolutely untrue but something nonetheless. I knew that much at least.

So when the bell rang and he was already half way to the classroom door I jumped from my seat, hoping Chelsea would grab my stuff. I raced after him, catching up with him just as he spilled out into the hallway.

"Owen! Wait!" I called, my hand landing on his shoulder.

What was I doing? I didn't do these things. I didn't care about Owen Savas.

"I'm fine Mina." He mumbled, his arms forcing his wheels forward as fast as they could.

"You're not crippled!" I yelled, the noise in the hallway increasing as more students joined us.

He spun around, his brown eyes hard. "Really? Then what the fuck do you call this?!" He yelled back at me, gesturing at himself.

I didn't know how to explain to him that being in a wheelchair didn't make you crippled. The things that crippled you were the things you let hold you back. And nothing, not even fear even if it had almost won a couple of times, had held him back.

He shook his head, his brown hair falling in his eyes a little as he did. I couldn't tell him that he was more than his wheelchair, more than his injury. I couldn't find the words to tell him anything. So instead I watched him spin his chair back around, disappearing into the throngs of people.

He was completely lost in the sea of people when Chelsea showed up beside me, my stuff in her hands.

"Can you believe Sydney?" She asked, staring off down the hallway with me.

I shook my head, my teeth mashed together. I was half tempted to go find her and let her have it but then I'd become an even bigger target for her and so would Owen.

"Yeah, she's a bitch, that's what girls like her do." I said coldly.

"Is he alright?" She asked as I accepted my things and we both started walking.

I shrugged as I said sarcastically, "I don't know. He didn't want to stay and chat about his feelings in the hallway."

"Why didn't you follow him?"

My head whipped to the side as I watched Chelsea. She was serious, that much was clear.

"And why would I follow him?"

I'd already followed him far enough. I bolted out of the classroom after him like an idiot. Probably solidifying the rumor that Sydney was trying to set into motion.

"Because he's Owen and even though you're trying to convince yourself you hate him, you don't."

I scoffed. "Please, I very much hate him."

She rolled her blue eyes at me, smiling. "Yeah we'll see."

"We'll see what?" Max's voice appeared first before his head popped between us, our shoulders sagging as he threw his arms over us.

"Nothing." I muttered.

"That Mina doesn't hate Owen like she says." Chelsea told him.

Max laughed, pulling us closer to him. "That's old news babe, I knew for sure as soon as she took him to my Uncle's place."

"I don't like him." I grumbled. "He's obnoxious and irritating and full of himself. Why would I ever like a guy like that?"

"You like me don't you?" Max asked, his bottom lip jutting out.

I rolled my eyes, glancing at him as we walked three wide down the hallway, Chelsea and I still carrying him by the shoulders basically.

"But that's different."

Max was my friend, best friend. Owen was not. And I would never let him be.

————————

I had to take a couple days to process the finale of Stranger Things. Guys, I'm not going to ruin anything for anyone who hasn't yet finished but seriously? The fuck? Come on Stranger Things. Out of everyone that had to go? If they decide to make a season 4 I'm not sure I'll be able to watch.