~Third Person P.O.V~
"W-what do you want A-andy?" Asher asked annoyed.
"To see you suffer." He said with a smirk.
"W-what are you g-gonna do? I'm a-already s-suffering. I'm c-cri-crippled, I s-stutter and I'm r-related to you. W-what could p-p-possibly be w-worse?" Asher asked sarcastically.
"Oh hi, boys. Sorry to disturb your meal but I just wanted to tell you that I'm going to clean the house soon. So, you can go to the park after you finish eating." Mrs Angel, Asher's mother and Andy's stepmother stated.
"Yes, m-mother."
~Thirty Minutes Later~
"Ugh! I can't believe I have to go outside with your retarded ass again today. You know what let's just get this over with. Let's go now." Andy said grabbing Asher's wheelchair and pushing him out the house.
They went to the park together but Andy met up with his friends and ditched Asher.
'Welp. I'm all alone again... Like always. At least I have my... Wait! My phone! I left it at home what am I supposed to do now!? This is just my luck!' Asher thought, sulking.
"Ummm hi?" A girl with gorgeous red hair down to the back of the knees, enchanting dark green eyes, full rosy lips and beautifully clear skin said walking up to Asher.
"H-h-hello," Asher replied.
"Hehe. It's pretty boring here, ain't it?" She asked brushing her hair into place with her hand.
"I-I g-guess," Asher answered.
"I'm Katelyn Cambridge by the way what's your name?" She asked with a warm smile.
"A-a-asher A-angel..." Asher replied.
"Do you have a speech impediment?" Katelyn asked noticing he kept stuttering.
"Y-yes..." He answered hesitantly.
'Here it comes. Here's where she gets disgusted and leaves me alone like everyone else...' Asher predicted based on past experiences.
"...It's actually pretty cute." She said with a cute smile.
"W-what!?" He asked shocked.
"I think your voice is cute and your stutter makes it cuter." She explained then smiled again.
'How can she say that with a straight face and not get embarrassed!?' Asher asked himself confused.
"T-thanks?"
"So? What do you want to do?" Katelyn asked tilting her head.
"U-ummmm... T-there isn't m-much I can d-do like t-this."
"Nonsense. Let's go ride the swings!" Katelyn suggested
"B-but-"
"No buts! If you need help I'll lift you." She said cutting him off.
"I'm... H-heavy." Asher said trying to change her mind.
"You don't look that heavy plus I'm pretty strong for a girl so stop questioning it and let's have fun!" She said with a vibrant smile.
When they arrived at the swings Katelyn lifted him with ease and placed him on the swings.
"Quick question can you move your feet at all?"
'... She'll probably leave when she finds out how useless I actually am.'
"N-n-no..." Asher replied hesitantly.
"Then I'll push you! You look like you'd enjoy it more than I would anyways." She said smiling innocently.
"How's t-that f-fun?" Asher asked not understanding why she would want to do such a thing.
"It's fun because I'm not alone and I have someone really interesting to talk to." She replied smiling again.
"W-why?" Asher asked.
"Why do I think you're interesting? Because you're different." She answered.
Asher stared at her wondering what her motives for doing this could be.
"Don't look at me like that! I just think you seem different from other guys I know." She commented.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. I can't answer why though." She added.
"M-maybe b-because I'm not c-c-c-considered normal by s-society s-standards?" Asher tried to answer for her.
"That's not it. Technically I'm not considered normal either but I guess that's completely different from what you're going through. Anyways, are you having fun?" Katelyn asked changing the topic.
He nodded.
"That's great! We should go on the slide next!"
"W-why? H-how?"
"Why? Because it's fun! I'll piggyback you up the ladder then we can go down together!" She said excitedly. "Get on we have no time to waste!"
Asher gently wrapped his arms around her neck so as not to choke her and she grabbed his legs to hoist him up then wrapped her arms under his knees to support him. As soon as he was safely secured she walked over to the slide pushing Asher's wheelchair in front of her then climbed the ladder effortlessly.
"Omg. How childish! Playing on those baby rides!"
"I know right."
"Leave them alone it's not our business anyway."
"You right. But wouldn't be fun if we taught those babies a lesson."
"One's already in a wheelchair just leave them alone."
"Dude. It almost sounds like you know him."
"...Let's go."
"But I was itching for a fight!"
"They wouldn't put up much of a fight anyway. Let. Us. Go."
Other kids around their age commented.
Katelyn heard some of it but chose to ignore them.
Once they were at the top she somehow managed to place him in front of her. She made sure to adjust him properly by straightening and closing his legs.
'I feel so useless right now. I can't even put my legs together myself... I just want to- Huh!? Is she? Why is she behind- She wrapped her arms around my waist!? What the heck is going on!?' Many questions rushed through Asher's head as Katelyn came behind him putting her legs on either side of his and wrapping her arms around him.
"You ready?" She asked.
"Y-y-y-y-yeah." He replied stuttering this time unsure if it's his speech impediment or if it was because he was shocked.
'What's going on? I don't usually stutter that much with small words, and why is my heart racing? It's beating so fast, and my face is scorching. Am I... Am I... Having a heart attack!?!?'
Katelyn pushed herself forward causing them to both down the slide. When they reached the bottom she asked, "Did you have fun?"
"I d-did," Asher answered.
"Hehe. I'm glad. I had a lot of fun too." Katelyn said smiling vibrantly.
"..." Asher zoned out staring behind Katelyn.
"What is it?"
"Over t-there. My b-brother is leaving with his f-friends he'll p-p-probably start g-going home w-w-without me if I d-don't make it over t-there in time." Asher explained pointing to his brother leaving with his friends.
"What!? He really is a jerk even to his own brother! Argh! I hate him." Katelyn complained.
"Do you k-know him?" Asher asked curiously.
"No, We just go to the same school. I do however know he's an arrogant prick and so are his friends" She stated visibly upset.
"Oh."
"By the way, How old are you?" Katelyn asked.
"F-f-fifteen," Asher answered.
"Whoa! Really!? Me too! Why don't I see you at Bridgton Academy then?" She asked tilting her head.
"Oh... I'm uhhh... H-h-homeschooled."
"Oh. Bummer I wanted a friend to hang out with at school too," She said disappointed.
"Maybe I could convince my mother to send me but if I get bullied again she'll never let me leave the house," Asher said trying to cheer her up without promising anything.
"You got bullied!?" She asked shocked.
"Y-yeah."
"The nerve of some people! Bullying someone who can't even fight back that pisses me off." Kately said visibly triggered.
"Haha. It's f-fine. I'm...u-used to it." Asher said with a shy smile.
"It's not fine! You shouldn't have to get used to it. If you do come to BA I'll be your official bodyguard! Got that! No one will ever hurt you again." Katelyn said with a reassuring smile.
'Why is she like this? Why is she different? Why is she so nice to me and why does my heart feel like it's going to explode when she says nice things and smiles at me like that!?!?'
"Wait... Weren't you supposed to catch up to your brother?" She asked tilting her head.
"Oh no, I c-c-completely f-forgot!"
"It's fine I'll take you home."
"O-okay."
She then lifted Asher and brought him to his wheelchair. She then pushed him all the way to his door with his directions of course.
"Are you good from here?" She asks standing in front of his house.
"I can manage."
"Okay. See ya around pal! If not at school maybe at the park. I'll probably be there every day after school!" Katelyn yelled as she ran home.
"S-see y-ya."
'Oh my gosh... Did I really just have a real-life conversation with a girl!? And she didn't call me useless and stupid!! She also called me 'pal' that means we're friends! Today is the best day of my life since the accident! I made two friends and actually had fun at the park!!! I can die happy now!' Asher thought ringing the doorbell.