Time Bomb

I sat uncomfortably on Kara’s and her roommates couch as people filed into the house for the party.
My mother had insisted that I go out, saying Kara was having a small get together.
It was like High School all over again.
But, I couldn’t run away like I could back then.
Literally.
“Mia? Mia Cruz?”
I stared with wide eyes as I busty brunette made her way towards me.
“Casey?” I asked astounded as she took a seat next to me, before she stared at me, and engulfed me in a tight hug.

Believe it or not, we had been best friends. Had.
We did ballet together for four years of High School, when I got the scholarship and she didn’t that’s when things ended.
“Wow, I haven’t seen you in so long!” She smiled, giving me a toothy smile.
“Yeah, It’s certainly been a while,” I replied in surprise.
“So why aren’t you partying?” she asked, having not glanced down at my leg yet.
Motioning towards it, her jaw dropped, and she glanced at me, her eyes wide as saucers,
“No fucking way.”
I nodded, freezing as she engulfed me in another hug.
“I’m sorry! What happened?” she asked getting comfortable on the couch.
“uhm, after my Swan Lake show, I was attacked by this guy, and he cut up my leg-”
“Eww, Oh my god, I’m soo sorry.”
“Yeah.” I can tell.
“Casey? What the hell are you doing here?”
We both glanced up at Alex, who stared at us with wide eyes, a bottle of beer in his hand, Jack was behind him looking unsure, until he met my gaze, and skipped over to sit next to me.
“What Alex?” Casey said with an eye roll, turning ever so slightly to acknowledge the dark haired boy.
“Who invited you?” he snapped, gripping his bottle.
Glancing at Jack with a confused face, he merely shrugged.
“What? I’m not allowed back in, I lived here for a while.”
My jaw dropped. Geeze Alex had low standards.
“Yes, you did. And you chose to move out.” Alex said growing frustrated.
“Whatever Alex.” Casey said with a tight eye roll, before standing up and glancing at me, “I’ll see you around Mia.”
“Sure thing.” I said saluting her.
Jack and I stared at Alex who collapsed on the couch next to me, with a loud sigh.
“Wow, either Casey has no standards. Or you were just desperate.” I declared sipping on my soda.
“Shuddup,” Alex groaned sipping his beer.
“I thought you were supposed to stop drinking,” Jack questioned.
Alex flipped us both off as he continued to drink and gaze around the room.
“I have to get him to stop drinking,” Jack grumbled watching Alex accept a drink from a stranger.
“Well I can’t drink, so you two need to go away. Being on medicine sucks,” I mumbled drinking my soda.
Jack’s face broke into a smile, “Alex will stay with you, not a drink in sight!”
We stared at the slightly purple haired boy, who was starring at us mid sip of his red drink, “Alex will do what?”
&&
“Alex you walk to slow,” I declared as I tightened my grasp around his neck.
We were treading along, well Alex was trudging through the snow, with me on his back.
“You’re lucky you’re so skinny, and small.Like yoda.” Alex sighed, as we reached the bench in the back yard, where he gently set me down, and I touched the snow with my hands, smiling at the cold.
“Thanks? I am full of wise words.” I said with an eye roll.
Alex shrugged remaining standing, shoving his hands in his pockets.
I stared straight ahead breathing in the cold air, with a smile on my face. Alex stood gazing longingly at the house where he was not deprived of his alchohol and breasts.
I chuckled softly, causing him to snap his neck in my direction, “What?”
“Nothing,” I smiled feeling my teeth chatter against the cold, by I swiftly ignored it and moved my feet through the snow, the feeling nonexistant to me, the circulation and nerve no longer in my right foot.
“Do you miss it?” Alex asked softly.
I glanced at him, he wasn’t looking at me, but I knew what he was talking about.
“Walking? or Dancing?” I mumbled with a loud sigh.
“Both? Maybe.” he whispered.
“Yeah.” I replied honestly, “No one has ever had to take care of me as much as people are right now. And I don’t like it.”
“You don’t feel greatfull at all?” he asked, with furrowed eyebrows.
“I do, I just feel compressed, like I’m never going to get my space again. My Mom hovers, and being with Jack and Kara is starting to feel like that.”
“And me?” he asked, finally glancing at me.
“You’re heading in the mothering direction,” I said seriously, watching as his face broke into a smile.
“Good, atleast I’m doing something right,” he chuckled wiping some snow off of the bench next to me and sitting down.
“What was your first ballet?” he asked softly as we stared into the darkness of the yard.
“The little mermaid,” I smiled recalling my soft blue costume, my silver eye makeup, and my mobile feet.
I know my expression changed, and I turned to Alex, as he gave me an encouraging smile.
“I feel like a baby,” I stated honestly, “I can’t walk, I have to be fed stuff for my health, and someone has to watch me-”
“Cause were scared of you getting hurt again.”
“I’m not trying to. But I’m not going to just sit and do nothing.” she whispered.
“You’ll be able to dance again, hell you’re going to be able to dance before you can walk properly.” Alex grinned.