Untiled

Fourteen-year-old Julie Crenshaw dialed her locker combination and opening it, took out her history book and notebook. She slammed the door, and began making her slow way to her next class in the other building.
Making her way carefully along the wall, (she didn't enjoy being shoved around in between classes) she couldn't help but feel the stares at her back.
Julie had muscular dystrophy, a condition that slowly deteriorates a person's leg muscles, leaving the legs weak and causing the person to walk awkwardly, or need leg braces to walk at all. In later years, a person often needs a wheelchair to get around.
Julie hated the way the other kids stared at her as she passed, often giving her a wide berth as they passed with their eyes on her legs. She wasn't an invalid, yet everyone treated her as one.
Keeping her eyes on her open-toed sandals she refused to meet the staring eyes of her peers. She wished she could be invisible.
She wanted to shout at them, "I'm a person too! I have feelings like you! I have emotions and family problems just like you! The only reason I'm different is because of the way I walk!"
This was her first day in a new school, and she longed to be treated with dignity and respect. She also longed to have a friend, one whom she tell jokes to, work on Biology (her worst subject) with, have sleep-overs with, and spend hours chatting on phone to.
Then, as if her thoughts had become solid words hanging in the air over her head, someone approached her.
From out of the sea of faces came a single, plain face, framed by masses of curly hair--and glasses.
"Hi! I'm Alex. I'm new here, too. Thought you might like to have someone show you around."
Julie looked up into laughing grey eyes and a face which no longer seemed so plain, but was now covered by a broad grin.
As she walked to class, Julie's smile seemed bigger and brighter than Alex's. She knew then that this year would be different.