Wrote another chapter this morning so here you go!

Thanks amiva0402, jueka1, and brightyeolie for your comments last chapter.

Enjoy!

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The car that Flynn pulled up in as I waited outside Sara's house for him was nicer than I expected, which had me raising my eyebrows.

But as I walked closer, two heads in the backseat caused my brows to furrow.

"Okay, two questions," I said as I climbed into the passenger side, trying my best to not check out Flynn's muscular shoulders and pecs that were now ridiculously evident thanks to the singlet he was sporting. I mean, he was bound to take it off and just swim in his boardies when we got to the creek but still... It was hard to not ogle already.

"Two questions?" he pressed, calling my attention back to his eyes as his hands rested on the steering wheel of the idling vehicle. The corners of his lips were turned upwards... almost as if he knew what I had been doing.

Face in flames, I turned to face the front as I pulled the seatbelt over me. Clearing my throat, I said, "Yes. Um, first, whose car is this?"

"My aunt's," he said with a grin, backing out of Sara's driveway and starting our longish trip to the creek. "And to answer your second question, the condition she gave me to borrow it was if I took these two troublemakers."

I slowly cocked my head to the side at Flynn before glancing to the back at the young boys.

"They're my cousins," he added for good measure. "Like my aunt's kids."

"Oh," I then said, turning back to him. "I thought you said your Uncle was going to let you—"

"He was but... Auntie offered. And her car is nicer." For some reason, his thumb began to stroke small circles into the steering wheel as he kept his eyes fixated to the road.

Nevertheless, as Flynn seemed to be finished explaining, I turned back to the boys. "What are your names?"

The younger of the two threw me a familiar grin—a feature that definitely ran in Flynn's family—before proudly responding, "I'm Charlie."

I returned his smile warmly before turning to the older boy. "And you?"

"Hunter," he said, a little more timidly, eyes wary of me.

"How old are you both?"

"I'm eight and Hunter is eleven," Charlie piped.

I gasped. "Wow you're both getting big. Hunter, does that mean you're in high school next year?"

He gave me a slight nod, before turning to look out the window, head hiding in his hand a little.

A part of me was a little nervous seeing Hunter's reactions to me, which I wasn't sure were because he already disliked me or perhaps he was shy. But I tried to not overthink it, instead focussing on Charlie's light attitude to steer the atmosphere.

"Well I'm Callie," I said to them. "I'm in Flynn's grade, so I'm almost seventeen."

"When's your birthday?" Charlie enthused, leaning a little forward in his seat.

But Flynn decided to intrude, tutting at him for not sitting properly before shooting him a glare in the mirror.

"Next weekend actually," I said to him.

"Next weekend?" Flynn asked, calling my attention back to him.

Turning in the seat, I gave him a slight nod. "Why?"

"Are you... having a party?" His eyes were staying on the road again, hands clenching on the wheel now.

"No. Was just going to have Sara over for dinner."

"Oh, okay," he said, his brows pulling together.

Eyes narrowing I said, "Do you really think I'm the party type?"

"Definitely not."

But his short answers were worrying me slightly. So, ever so hesitantly, I asked him, "Did you... want to come for dinner?"

His brows shot up, gaze remaining forward still. "I mean... I suppose I could."

"You suppose?"

Eyes flickering momentarily to me. As our gazes met, his shoulders eventually relaxed, eyes lighting up and familiar smile taking his face hostage. "I'd love to, Callie," he said softly.

"Great. It's sorted."

"Wait... doesn't that mean it's also Lexi's birthday?"

Grimacing, I nodded. "Unfortunately."

"Unfortunately? I thought you two were getting along."

"We are... It's just..." I warily glanced to the boys in the back, but Charlie had pulled out his phone and Hunter was still watching the world whirl past in the window outside, both completely disinterested in our conversation. "For the past five years, it's just been me and mum for my birthday... And sometimes Sara. I'm wary about what sharing the day again will mean."

Lips pressing together as he mulled over his words, he then threw me a grin before saying, "Well you will have me and Sara. So you're bringing the party to the house, Callie. You've got that small win over her."

Rolling my eyes, I leaned against the window, joining Hunter in his fascination with the world outside. "Though Sara will be equally there for Lexi. I feel like they spend more time together these days..."

"Well, I'll definitely be there just for you."

The kindness in his tone had me turning to look back at him, and as our gazes briefly met, we shared a warm smile.

Even if I am losing Sara as my only friend or best friend as Lexi barges into my life more... Flynn's right. I have him. And him I don't seem to have to share.

"Callie?" a high-pitched voice said, suddenly very close. My head whipped around to find Charlie leaning through the middle, eyes fixated at my footwell.

"Yeah?" I hesitantly asked as Flynn started to berate him again for not sitting properly in his seat.

Reluctantly, he shifted back to his spot, buckling in once more before continuing. "What happened to your leg?"

"You can't ask that!" Flynn snapped, eyes sending glares to the back again through the rearview mirror.

But this time, Hunter's voice piped in, asking, "Was it a shark?"

The vibrancy and interest in him made me realise if I was hoping to get both of his cousins to like me—because being liked by one of your closest friend's family is always ideal—then this was certainly an awkward topic I had to lean into. Yes, I normally did shy away. Yes I often turned my gaze down when kids gawked at me whenever I went to shops. But there was such an angelic curiosity to the both of them as they leaned forward in their seats, anticipating my response.

So I said, "No. No battles with sharks."

Hunter sighed. "That would have been a cool story."

"Indeed. But I'm afraid my story isn't."

"What happened?" Charlie then asked again.

Raising my knee slightly so that they could see my prosthetic through the gap in the chairs, I said, "This is what happens when you don't tie your shoelaces before crossing train tracks."

Charlie's eyes went wide as Hunter's jaw dropped.

"You were hit by a train?" Hunter gasped.

I nodded.

"How did you survive?" This time he was leaning too far forward in his seat, receiving the wrath of Flynn's anxiety for their safety.

"The train driver apparently was quick to tie his belt around my leg to stop the bleeding before they got me to a hospital."

"Did it rip your leg completely off?" Charlie asked. "Do you still have your old leg?"

A slight laugh escaped my mouth at the innocence of such a question. Because imagine how gruesome it would be if I still had the remnants of my leg. "No. It was pretty mangled from the train and they had to amputate it. Which means they surgically removed it. It was still attached to my body after I got hit by the train, but they couldn't fix it because of the state it was in."

Hunter was in awe as he nodded at me, seeming to have more questions bubbling to the surface.

And boy did they not hold back on the questions.

"Can I try it on?" was one of the final ones Charlie asked.

But I shook my head at him. "How can you try it on? You've got two legs. Where would it go?"

Charlie's brows furrowed together as he turned to look towards his own legs, evidently slowly trying to process what I meant.

"You can't put it on, dummy, because the leg goes where her leg would be," Hunter then explained.

But seeing that Charlie still wasn't getting it, I rolled down the sleeve of my prosthetic, slipping my stump out of its socket before lifting my knee to show him where my leg ends.

"Oh that's so cool," Charlie gushed, eyes focussed on my stump.

Cool... Kids are so innocent. 

But as I turned back to the front to fix the prosthetic back to my leg, I noticed Flynn had an almost proud smile on his face... 

And that made me realise that the usual anxiety that stopped me or had me hesitating from showing my stump and talking about the accident was actually gone. It could have just been because the kids were more fascinated than grossed out... or because Flynn had slowly desensitized me to being comfortable around him as my natural self. But whatever it was, the proud smile eventually grew on my face.

"So kids," I said as I finished pulling the sleeve over my leg, locking the prosthetic in place. "Always tie your shoelaces before crossing train tracks."

Though Charlie waved his hand at me in response before saying, "I rarely ever wear shoes, so nothing for me to worry about."

"What do you mean you rarely wear shoes?" Flynn chimed in, disapprovement tainting his tone. It was honestly strange seeing this side of Flynn—the tough, disciplined guy. But it also warmed my heart to see the level of responsibility he took looking after his cousins. I liked both Flynns.

But that acknowledgement brought a pang to my heart as I realised I just admitted there was another thing I liked about him... which only made this harder.

"I mean I rarely wear shoes," Charlie said back, shrugging his shoulders like it was self explanatory.

Flynn shook his head. "You have shoes for school."

"Yeah but I only put them on at school."

"I see you leave the house wearing them every day!"

"I take them off when you're out of sight."

"Why?" Flynn's tone was getting angrier with each exchange.

"Because they're stupid. Our people didn't wear shoes before white man showed up anyway."

"Yes, but white man brought glass and metal, and other sharp objects with them that are all over our roads."

This time Hunter chimed in. "We are used to avoiding glass though. Auntie is always dropping bottles out the front when she comes home from the pub."

At that comment, I watched Flynn shrink into himself slightly, eyes warily shifting to me as he was scared of my judgement. Because I knew who they were referring to: Flynn's mum.

But I just gave him a warm smile in response, which seemed to be enough.

Righting his expression, Flynn took a moment before finding the disciplining tone once more as he said, "Don't make me start walking you to and from school."

"But the high school is so far—"

"And that means you will be going extra early to school if I have to walk you. So wear your shoes."

Charlie grumpily crossed his arms over his chest. Then this time he was the one now entranced by the world passing outside, not wanting to talk to Flynn or me anymore.

As the moments continued to pass with the boys now quiet, Flynn decided to fill the uncomfortable silence by talking to me again.

"Excited for a swim, Callie?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm not swimming," I said back, barely glancing at him for his reaction.

"But you've got your swimmers on," he said.

My cheeks tinted at the idea that he saw the tiny bikini strap poking out of the top of my shirt.

How did he notice that? I wondered.

Then again... Flynn notices everything.

"I have my swimmers on to look the part," I said, as though it should be obvious. "But I can't swim with this thing." I nodded towards my prosthetic.

"Then take it off?" he said, like it was that simple.

"And what? Have people stare?"

"They're not going to—"

"I can't. You know why we are going." I warily casted a glance to the boys in the back. "I'm not going to complete the... thing... if I'm reminding people how unnormal I am."

And any pride he was having in me before disappeared into that pitied gaze that sometimes clouded his face when I would reach for my prosthetic in shame to hide my stump. "You're heaps normal, Callie. They're the weird ones."

"They are?"

"Yes."

"Because having one leg is normal?"

"You have more than one leg. And people come in all shapes and sizes... Some people are born with six fingers on each hand. Some with three. Are they not normal?"

"They're born like—"

But he wasn't having it. "The only thing scary about you Callie is that personality you retreat to when you're scared people will notice your insecurities. But that insecurity is all in your head and you know it."

"Some might—" I started to mumble, but Flynn wasn't letting me go there.

"Ashton Brooks was ready to date you. And he's one of the 'coolest' guys in school."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I rolled my eyes at Flynn. "The guy's a—"

"I know. But my point is still right. If you can get his attention, you can get anyone's attention. And don't even try telling me it's only the prosthetic that has gotten you the attention. Sure, you gained some confidence from it, but you know Ashton still liked you when you were in your chair and crutches. Which means that leg that you keep using as an excuse to run from people is exactly that. An excuse."

"Okay. If I use it as an excuse, then what exactly is it that you think I'm scared of?"

Flynn was quiet for a while, only the gentle hum of the wheels on the road filling the space around us. But then he eventually broke that silence when he said, "That if you let someone close to you again and really see all the parts of you that only you think are ugly... that they might disappear like your sister did."

I turned my gaze down to my lap as his arrow hit me right in the heart. But again, it was another thing I liked about Flynn. Not only did he see these things about me... he also wasn't afraid to call me out on them.

But even though he had called me out on my vulnerabilities and was trying to prop me up to be more confident and unashamedly Callie in all her one-legged glory... he said, "You can hide until you complete the... thing. But once it's done, I'm dragging you into the water, kicking and screaming if I have to."

I relate to this meme on so many levels...