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"Accept the Fact", by Amber
Copyright © 2001, Age 11
"It was awful...I just came back from the doctor and he said I need a brace to strengthen my back", I said to my best friend Rachel on the phone. We were moving tomorrow, my parents split up and now this - I had to get a dumb brace. My friends said they would accept the fact that there was a horrid contraption that I had to wear, they wouldn’t care at all. It would be perfect but no, we have to move. "Yeah, I’m going to miss you too bye", Rachel hung up, but I just sat there. I knew I wouldn’t burst into tears...I’m not like that. No one has ever seen me cry like a baby. I just sat there and listened to the operator saying please hang up and try your call again. "Fine", I sighed and pressed the off button on the phone.
I walked into the kitchen where mom was washing dishes. "Where’s the rest of the phone?" I asked puzzled, staring at the wall. "I packed it away", mom shrugged. "Check the box beside you and hang it up." "OK", I said, digging through the box. "It’s 8:50, I want you to get a good night’s sleep 'cause we have to get up real early tomorrow to go get your brace. Then we have to catch our 9:00 plane", mom said splashing water everywhere. I walked to my room and got into my pajamas. I exhaled noisily and then closed my eyes.
"Emily!" I heard mom yell. "Yeah", I said. "Get up, we're going to get your brace", mom yelled again. I hauled myself out of bed and headed for the kitchen. "We're going to eat breakfast at McDonald's", mom said turning to face me. "Alright", I said walking back towards my room.
Mom and I both came out of the hospital. I was struggling. We had just gone in to get my brace put on, and now I could barely move. I knew I looked like an idiot. I didn’t want the world to see me like this...no one is normal that has a brace.
We were on the plane..."Fasten your seatbelts, and if at any given moment you feel you are going to be sick, please feel free to use our washroom facilities. There is also a bag in front of you which you are welcome to use", the flight attendant said with a lot of movement. I didn’t like her - she was too...how could I put it, well - enthusiastic.
I fell asleep for the rest of the plane ride and had jet leg when I got up. It felt really weird...I stumbled a couple of times but never fell. A taxi drove us to our new house, well...apartment, but I didn’t seem to know that. "How do you like it", mom asked. As she opened the door, a smell of cologne and cat reached my nose. I wrinkled it - not a good mixture. "Here, let me give you a tour of our apartment", mom said, consulting a piece of paper. "OK", I said excitedly.
Mom gave me a whole tour of our new apartment. I had a bit of trouble climbing the stairs, but the railing was there to help me. I got a new room complete with an inflatable couch and computer! The only trouble was that when I wanted to lay down on my bed it really hurt because I couldn’t bend my legs or else my brace would get tighter and tighter.
I searched through the boxes of all my stuff, even though it only filled five boxes. I thought I had everything in the world except a father, a best friend and friends. I sighed. "I’m not going to cry", I murmured.
The day ended too quickly and the night flew by so fast, and now I have to go to school. I wasn’t going to be a little kindergartener and whine about going to school. I was just going to take it easy and go with the flow. "Here we are", mom said. Pulling up to the school, there were only a couple of kids. "I’ll go register you and you go make friends." Easy for her to say, but anyway, I got out of the car and said goodbye.
Class started, but I had a bit of trouble finding my way. My teacher, Mr. Swanson was really nice though. He sent a girl to show me around the school. Her name is Ashley, and I think she’s my friend...she showed me everything.
Days passed, and Ashley and I were best friends. When I was with her people stared at me, but I never cared because I was used to it now. I could climb stairs so easily. Ashley and I went everywhere together - to the mall, to parties...I mean, everywhere.
Finally the day came when I was getting my brace removed! I was so excited, that I couldn’t wait. I wanted to make it a surprise, so I didn’t tell anyone. I came to school and waited for half the day, but nobody noticed. Maybe there was too much on my friends' minds, so I asked Ashley, "See anything different about me?" "New pants?", she suggested. "Yeah", I said, even though that wasn’t the answer I was looking for. I asked all my friends and they didn’t see anything. Maybe they didn’t care about me. Maybe they just thought I needed company or the teacher forced them to like me.
When I got home I ran up to my room and shut the door. For the first time I cried real tears. I cared about my friends, but they didn’t care about me.
Later in my life, I asked them why they didn’t care. They said that they accepted me for who I was, and not for what I looked like. They learned to accept the facts.
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