School was awkward on Monday. I wasn't trying to make it awkward, but in high school, gossip spreads like wildfire. I thought the stares were bad before, but now? Now it was worse.

Rumor had it that I made Sabrina cry at cheer practice, and now everyone painted me as the crippled anti-hero, like I was some villain in a teen drama. All I did was eat pizza and sit at a table, but I guess that was enough to make me the talk of the day. I should've known it was a bad idea to go to that practice.

I sat alone in the courtyard, hoping people would just forget. But the thing is, they don't. Not in high school.

Suddenly, my knight in shining armor showed up. Olivia slid onto the bench next to me, her presence immediately cutting through the awkwardness.

"Don't worry about them. Everything turns into tomorrow's news," she said casually, leaning back as if she owned the whole world. "By the way, Domino's will always be better than that pizza place you had for dinner."

She always knew how to make me smile. And she was right—Domino's was ten times better than Natalie's.

"Did you understand our science homework?" she asked, shifting the conversation like nothing was wrong.

"It was just simple labeling of the stars in our galaxies," I replied, grateful for the change of subject.

"Perfect, because I haven't done it."

"Always leaving things to the last minute."

"But I'm going to Berkeley, so I'll be fine," she said with a wink.

I smiled, settling into the comfort she always seemed to bring with her. But something was still lingering in the back of my mind. The dream. It had been gnawing at me since I woke up.

"I had the strangest dream last night," I whispered, my voice barely breaking the silence.

Olivia perked up, her curiosity piqued. "Oh yeah? What about?"

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to let the words out. "I was old. Like, really old. White hair, wrinkles, the whole thing."

"Old Gracie," Olivia teased gently, grinning. "Did you have a cane or a cool scooter?"

I tried to smile, but my voice turned serious. "No... I didn't need one. I was walking. On my own. No chair, no help. Just... walking. It felt so real."

Olivia shifted closer, her attention fully on me. "What was it like?" she asked, her tone softer now, understanding the weight of what I was saying.

"It was... unusual. I was by the ocean, somewhere warm. The waves were crashing, and I could feel the sand under my feet. I was wiggling my toes," I said, my voice catching slightly as I confessed the part I never really told anyone.

Olivia's expression softened, her heart clearly aching for me. She gently placed her hand over mine, grounding me in this moment of vulnerability.

"I think about wiggling my toes every day," I continued, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "I think about what it'd be like to not need anyone's help. To just... wiggle my toes."

I wasn't used to being this open, but Olivia made it easy. It was like she understood without me having to say much at all.

"You're not missing out on anything that matters, Gracie," she said softly, squeezing my hand. "You're going to do amazing things—walking or not. And I'll be right there with you, screaming your name when you do."

Her words were like a balm, but they didn't quite settle the ache inside me. I wanted to believe her, I really did. But some part of me, the part that always feels like I'm watching the world through a glass window, wouldn't let the words stick. They were nice, comforting even, but they didn't change the fact that I'd wake up tomorrow still stuck in this chair.

I let out a small laugh, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. "You always know what to say."

Olivia grinned, but I could see her eyes glisten just a little. "It's my talent. What else happened in this dream?"

"I was... riding a horse," I said, the memory flashing back to me. "I was approaching a fire. There seemed to be someone there, waiting for me."

"Who was it?" Olivia asked, her brow furrowing in curiosity.

"I don't know," I whispered, my voice trailing off. I stared out at the courtyard, where the wind was blowing through the trees, making everything feel distant. "I woke up before I could see."