The Secret

The brisk September wind greeted Chucks face as he rolled his wheelchair down the ramp on his stairs. Today was his first day of school, and Chuck was not looking forward to it. The summer was over, and that meant that his time of peace was gone. From now on, he had to prepare for the war zone that was known as Montville High. From the stark white hallways to the gym that smelled like mold, Chuck hated every second he was there. Ever since he was in middle school, he had been bullied because he was handicapped.

It happened when he was four, and he was swinging on the monkey bars and all of a sudden, he fell off and landed on his head. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt him that much, but when he tried to stand up he couldn't. Now almost twelve years later, the injury still haunted him.

As Chuck rolled into his family’s converted volkswagen, he dreaded the day ahead of him. Ever since middle school, he was tormented by a monster named Billy Trout, who was one of the most popular kids in the school. He would always say backhanded comments, like “Hey Chuck, do you wanna play basketball with us,” fully knowing that Chuck could never play basketball because of his wheelchair. Chuck wished he could just magically disappear from Billy's crosshairs. From now on, he would have to make sure he would not give Billy any material to work with.

As Chuck rolled into the weathered school entrance, he was greeted with the smell of drying paint, and mold. He took out the beaten old keys he was given by the school nurse and got into the rusty elevator to go to his homeroom. This year he had Mrs. MacDonald, and everyone agreed she was the worst homeroom teacher, because she would always be mad at something. As he turned into his classroom door, he bumped into Billy. Startled, Chuck braced himself for an insult.

Billy jumped back, and his eyes widened , but didn’t hesitate to drop one of his comments.¨Hey, Chuck, feel free to stand up and walk to your seat,” he snickered.

Chuck felt his face redden, and felt humiliated as he ducked his head and he rolled his way into a seat.  As Chuck sat through the endless lecture that teachers always make on the first day of school, he felt someone walk by his seat. Suddenly, his chest hit the desk. Hard. Chuck looked back and saw Billy standing a few feet away from him, and he wished his eyes could turn into lasers, and the heat would melt Billy into sludge. Mrs. MacDonald was busy yelling at some poor kid in the hall, and Chuck knew this torture would continue throughout the year. I hate my life, Chuck thought. He was stupid to think this year was going to be any different.

Later that day, while Chuck was sitting in Math class, he asked Mr. Brunner, his teacher, to use the bathroom. He rolled up into the handicapped stall, and started to do his business. The door of the bathroom suddenly flew open, and Chuck recognized the shoes of Billy. Oh dear god, he panicked. What's he going to do, throw soap at me? Slam the door of the stall? Chuck was in the middle of going through all the ways Billy could humiliate him when he heard a strange noise.

Billy was crying.

The noise was so familiar yet so foreign. The distinct sob reminded Chuck of the countless times he cried to himself at home, yet he would never imagine Billy crying.

“WHY ARE YOU SO UGLY!” Billy screamed at the mirror.

Chuck jumped, and it took him a second to realize that Billy was not yelling at him.

“Why are you so dumb? Why are you so bad at sports? Why can’t you run faster? Why aren’t you good at anything?” Billy screeched.

Chuck was ecstatic. This secret of Billy’s could permanently deface Billy, and be the sweet revenge that he had been dreaming about for years. But was that something I would want to do? Chuck knew that if he revealed his secret to the public, he would be as bad as Billy.  As Chuck became more conflicted, he knew he would have to do the right thing.

Chuck pushed open the door of the stall and quietly rolled up next to Billy, who was silently sobbing.

“Hey, dude. I heard what you were saying, and I think that's not true.” Chuck whispered.

Billy looked startled, and said “Do you really think so?” He sniffled.

“Yeah, you’re like the best basketball player in the school, and you’re like super popular.”

“You really think that?” Billy looked up.

“Of course, and you don’t have to blame everything on yourself.” Chuck wondered where the things he was saying were coming from all of a sudden.

“Thanks man,” Billy looked like he wanted to say something. “Sorry I’ve been mean to you these past years. I guess I thought you were perfect, and I think you reminded me about the ways I wasn’t perfect,”  He finally said.

“Really? I can’t use my legs, and I can’t play any sports!” Chuck was surprised by Billy’s apology. He never thought he would hear those words coming out of Billy’s mouth.

“That doesn’t matter! You’re always so nice to everyone, and I’m like the opposite of you!”

“I’m not really that nice to everyone,” Chuck said shyly.

“That's exactly what someone who is always nice would say.”

“Whatever, lets go to class.” Chuck helped Billy wash his face off, and they went back to class together.

As Chuck sat in class, while Mr. Brunner droned on about equations, Chuck couldn’t help but wonder Did Billy really mean those things?  But then Chuck thought Do I really care?

When Chuck got up the following morning, he skipped the shower, the gel, and the fancy clothes. Instead, he just hopped in his wheelchair, and rolled out of his house. Despite skipping his morning ritual, he felt something that made him happier than anything in the world.

He was looking forward to school.