Wheelchair Accessible

Part Nine

"You don't need to look so nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"You look a little nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"Why are you sweating so much then?"

"I'm not—it's natural sweat, okay?"

"You're cute."

"Shut up."

Somehow, Shawna had convinced me that it would be a good idea to come to her house after school one Monday. We met in the park and I awkwardly picked her up (literally) and put her in my truck, throwing her chair in the back.

We reached her house after ten minutes of her relentless teasing about my 'nerves'.

(Okay, fine. I was a little nervous. Whatever.)

I got out and grabbed her chair, unfolding it and placing it on the sidewalk. Once it seemed sturdy, I opened the passenger door and pulled Shawna bridal style of the truck. 

"You know, you might as well just carry me to the door," she told me, as I struggled to shove the door shut with her in my arms.

"Yeah, that'll look good with your dad," I rolled my eyes, carefully lowering her into the seat  and following her lead to the front door.

"Aw. Is that what you're worried about? My dad  not liking you?" 

"No," I muttered, "I just don't need him thinking I'm some sort of predator and breaking my face."

Shawna chuckled, rolling up the small ramp that was set up for her to get to the front door. "You don't need to worry about that."

She opened the door and pushed herself through, calling out to her family that she was home. Nobody responded immediately, but you could hear voices from the other room.

I swallowed hard, shuffling my feet a little.

Okay, I was a little nervous to meet Shawna's family... so what. I know I wasn't her boyfriend or anything, no pressure there... but I still wanted them to like me. Shawna was-- as she so happily put it-- my only friend, and I wanted the parents of my only friend to like me. Was that so weird?

I followed her down a small hallway to the kitchen and the two people standing there turned as they heard us enter. I hung back in the doorway, feeling like an intruder, as I watched Shawna greet her parents with a smile. 

She looked a lot like her mom, that was one of the first things I noticed. They were both slim with stunningly blue eyes, although her mom's hair was shorter and closer to blonde. She also wore glasses and dressed professionally, though her body language communicated how easy going she was.

"Hey, come on in," she greeted, smiling my way.

I took a hesitant step forward as Shawna gestured towards me. "This is Mark, the guy I told you about. This is my mom and dad, Jessica and Thomas."

My attention was brought to her father for the first time, and I realized why she had laughed at the idea of him beating me up. Her dad was as scrawny as the freshmen on our team. He was tall and lanky, with a pointed nose and big eyes.  His hair color matched Shawna's, and his smile was just as contagious.