Chapter 8

A couple of weeks later, Kara entered Jenny’s room and sat on her bed. Jenny quickly hid her phone from her.

“Come on, Sis. Spill it!”

“What do you mean?” Jenny asked, trying to act innocent.

“You don’t fool me one bit. Time to come clean. This is the happiest I have seen you since the accident. Who is he?”

“Who is who?” Jenny said, still trying to act as if nothing unusual was happening.

Kara snorted. “The guy who has you all smiley.”

Jenny knew she couldn’t fool her sister.

“His name is Liam. He is just someone who met online.”

“Aha! So there was someone!” Kara beamed at her sister. “And, you’re...”

“Texting,” Jenny completed the sentence.

“Just texting? Wait—have you ever seen a pic of this guy?”

“No. We haven’t exchanged pictures. He didn’t ask for one, so I didn’t either.”

“Why not?”

Jenny pointed at her legs. “Because I don’t want to ruin things between us.”

“You didn’t tell him you’re in a wheelchair,” Kara said, shaking her head. The tone of her voice was accusing.

Jenny looked at the floor, “No, I didn’t.”

“Jen, you care about this guy.”

“I do, but I told you, he is just a friend.”

“Yeah, right. And I’m just your roommate. If you want to be happy, you need to start being honest with yourself, Jen. You have feelings for this guy.”

Jenny shrugged, admitting nothing. This was the reason why Jenny hadn’t told Kara about Liam. She wanted him to be her secret. She didn’t want the family’s comments. She wanted to keep Liam all to herself.

However, Kara was right. There was this pull to Liam. He made her feel special. He was the one she turned to when she needed a laugh. He made her heart race with anticipation any time she talked or texted with him.

He was the first person she texted in the morning when she woke up, the last person she texted before she went to sleep

“Earth to Jen.”

“I’m sorry, Sis. I zoned out for a moment.”

“I asked you how exactly did you start this ... texting relationship with this mystery guy?”

“I met him playing Scrabble online. We clicked, and he gave me his phone number. I called him and, well, we started chatting and talking- It has been going on for weeks now.”

“Texting like ... naughty stuff? Please, Jen, remember this person you meet online, however familiar he may seem to you, is a stranger”

Jenny pushed her sister, laughing, “No, not naughty stuff. Normal things. We share jokes, and thoughts, and music links. He helps decide what to have for dessert at school.”

“You were always terrible at that,” Kara said.

“I know. We’re having fun, keeping it casual, not labeling anything—not that there is anything to label. We’re—”

“Getting to know each other?”

“That sounds about right.”

“Is he single?”

“I think so. His Scrabble game profile stated he was.” Jenny made a mental note to bring up the subject the next time she talked with Liam.

“Not the most reliable source of information about a person. Most people lie about themselves online.”

Jenny sighed. Kara was right. She was living proof of that.

“Are you going to meet him?” Kara asked.

“I don’t know. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I feel I want to meet him in person and see what will happen, but on the other, I’m afraid to cross that line. I’m ... I’m afraid of being rejected again.”

“Awww, Sis,” Kara hugged her sister tightly. “If he already knows the amazing person you are, he won’t mind you being in a wheelchair.”

Jenny was now on the brink of tears. “How can you be sure about that?”

Kara sighed. “Just a hunch. But, you need to come clean with him asap.”