The second hand ticked slowly to the top of the clock. It seemed like each second was taking longer than the last. 5... 4.... 3..... 2...... 1....... Nothing. The kids in the classroom stared expectantly at the man behind the desk by the door typing on his computer. … 7 … 8 … 9 … 10. He pressed enter and looked up. “Okay. Leave quietly. Stay safe.”
The clatter and scrape of chairs filled the room as the dozen kids escaped their temporary prison. Down the hall in a forced walk and finally out the door to freedom.
“Oh my God, I hate when Mr Lee does it. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Mrs Garrett shouldn't have given you detention.” The brunette girl turned to the deer morph walking beside her and put her hand on the doe's shoulder.
“It's alright; I deserved it. I was talking, too.” She pulled her backpack higher on her other shoulder and tugged her shirt straight.
“But you're special. You shouldn't be treated like any other cutup.”
“I don't want to be treated special. I'm happy she didn't let me off just because I'm the first and only morph in the school. All the fuss when I started was a pain. I just want to go to school like any other kid and getting detention is what happens when you talk in class.”
“Well, I'm glad you got detention, Allie,” a blonde girl grabbed the doe's arm and hugged it, “We only have the one class together and with marching band practice after school, I just don't get to see you. "
“I'm really glad everyone is so friendly. The people on the news were saying there would be trouble and that the school board was putting me in danger by letting me come to a public school.”
“Don't listen to them. Everybody is happy you're here.”
“Some even get sent to detention just to see you.” The blonde indicated a young red-haired man standing nervously in the sidewalk ahead of them.
“Alfie? He's never in trouble. Wait, he has his own car; why didn't he just wait for her?”
“He probably thought he could get some time with her, but Mr Lee spoiled that.”
“Hey Marta, could you help me get something from my locker?”
The blonde glanced between the boy and the doe and smiled. “Oh. Yeah. No problem.”
“Wait, I'm...” Allie couldn't think of a good reason that they shouldn't leave her.
“No, you wait. We'll be right back. Come on, Stellie.”
The brunette squeezed the doe's shoulders and stood on her toes to whisper in her ear, “He's a catch and so are you. Good luck.”
The girls hurried toward the building, leaving the deer morph nervously watching Alfie walk closer.
“Hey, Allie.”
“Hey,” she clung to the strap of her bag over her shoulder and glanced to the school, “You're Alfie, right?”
“Yes, um, yeah. I,” he pulled his phone from his pocket and put it back. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Well, I, uh, I don't know. Um, do you want to get together sometime; you know, after school, like friends, or something?”
Her heart was dancing. Being the only morph at the school, she didn't think there would be a boy for her, but here he was: good-looking, smart, nice, and interested in her. “Like friends?”
“Or something. I, uh, I was thinking, maybe, I could drive you home, so you don't have to take the bus, you know.”
“I like the bus. I can talk to people.”
He moved his phone from one pocket to the other, “You could talk to me.”
“You really want to talk to me.”
He finally glanced up to her eyes and she smiled, “I … think you're special.”
“Because I'm a morph?” her ears turned back.
His face fell; he could tell he said the wrong thing, “No, well, of course, but it's not that. I, uh, listen and, um, I like your voice. No, well, I do, but I like what you say. You're nice, er, you're a good, um, person and I'd like you if you were human.”
She started to step back, feeling very uncomfortable, “But I'm not human.”
He reached out to grab her arm, but stopped himself. “Oh, I know, and I like that, not that I don't like humans, but I just …”
She waited for him to finish, but quickly grew impatient in her anticipation, “Just what?”
“I just … thought … I might like … kissing you, someday.”
Her heart jumped against her rib cage to start dancing again and she almost lost her balance; she could have her first real kiss. “You could … You could kiss me now.”
He looked around the empty yard, mostly empty parking lot and nearly empty road as a single car drove past. He only saw Mr Lee talking on his phone by the building and not even facing them. He stepped closer and reached out, still afraid to touch her, then leaned in as he watched her cervine lips.
Allie took a breath and stretched her neck until her lips met his. He gasped and she whimpered softly as they both reveled in the new experience, pushing their lips together for more until they pulled back and stared nervously at each other. She couldn't hold her tail still as she tried to fight her blush.
He swallowed hard as he tried to calm his pounding heart, “So, um, do you need a ride?”
Now her mind raced. She wanted to run off with him and find out how friendly he would be, but she thought out loud, “Well, Stellie was going to take me shopping today...”
“Oh, well, maybe tomorrow?”
She missed her chance; she didn't want to miss another, “Oh, yes, I... I'd like that.”
“Okay... well, then, I'll see you tomorrow, then.”
“Okay.” She wished she could sit on her tail and tried to keep it out of his sight, but he noticed and smiled as he crossed the street to the student parking lot.
The girls hurried back to their morph friend, giddy with excitement. “Oh my God, can you believe it?” “He just kissed you out here in public?” “What did he say?” “Did he ask you out?” “What did you say?”
“He wants to drive me home.”
“Is he coming around to pick you up?” Stellie watched Alfie pull out of the parking lot and drive away.
Her tail finally stopped, “Tomorrow. I told him you were taking me shopping today.”
“What! Are you nuts? We can go shopping any day.”
Marta grabbed Stellie's arm, “Now we really need to go shopping. She needs to look great for her new boyfriend and maybe something special.”
“He didn't actually say he's my boyfriend.”
“I wonder if they sell lingerie for deer morphs at the mall.”
“I don't think we're going to go that far, yet.”
“They've got everything at the mall and if not, we'll find something for her.” Marta squeezed Allie's shoulders. “This deer girl is going to be the doe of his dreams.”
“I think she already is, judging by that kiss.”
“You know what I mean, but yeah, he probably has dreamed about doing that and more. We're gonna help her get to the more.”
“He dreams about me?”
“Come on; let's go get you something to wear for your big date.”
“And he kissed me!” Allie's little deer tail started flagging wildly again as she spun giddily out into the crosswalk ahead of her friends.
“ALLIE!”
“Fucking roadkill.” the man watched as the deer bounced off the front of his truck. He was glad the push bars protected the headlights and grill. Normally, he would have gone back to get it, always good to have venison in the freezer, but he was already late for work. He hurried on and finally pulled into the parking lot, quickly hopping out and glancing at the front of his truck as he jogged into the building.
“You're late.”
“Yeah, I know. I hit a fucking deer on the way in.” He tossed his coat on the hook and clocked in.
“How's your truck?”
“Fine; it didn't get past the bars.”
“Well, hurry up and get on your machine; we've got an order due out tonight.” the manager looked at the papers in his hands and scowled.
“Hey Ray! You got my movie?”
“Yeah, Jack, It's in the truck. I'll get it at lunch.” He hastily ran through the safety checks and put the first sheet in the press, quickly forgetting about hitting the deer and even the argument with his girlfriend that made him late in the first place as he focused on his work. Break time came and he put the safety lock on his press as he headed for the lounge.
“Hey, did you hear that they're talking about making it legal for morphs to drive?” Jack sat at the table with his water bottle.
“Great, just what we need, actual animals behind the wheel. It's bad enough with kids and grannies that can't drive. Now we have to deal with some colorblind dog that doesn't know when to stop?” Ray hit the vending machine, then collected his snack. “I mean, seriously, can't they just stay in their kennel? Or better yet, just kill 'em all and take the world back for humans.”
“I don't know about killing them. And that didn't work out so well before.”
“That's just because the government gave up and gave in. If you're going to do it, you have to hunt them all down or they'll come back, like roaches. You can't just tell them to go away and think that's it. These things are a menace.”
“Ray, shut up.” the manager put in the last coin, then pushed the button on the soda machine and a bottle came out. He picked it up and opened it. “What would you do if the company hired a morph to work here?”
“Pfft, that'd never happen. They didn't even use morphs when they could work 'em for free. They know better. This job needs the brains of a human.”
“Guess you haven't met HR's new secretary, then.”
“What! You're kidding me.”
“No, she's a real dog. Doberman, I think.”
“Fuck. Well, this place is going to shit. Hmph, don't need a brain for that job; she can just bark at people on the phone.” Ray tossed his wrapper, missing the trash can and headed back to his machine. These throps were invading the one place in his life that was humans only. Even his girlfriend was going soft on them; working with one and being friendly. They had argued because she said she was going to hang out with that cat throp that works with her tonight. If she was turning into a beast lover, he would just have to find a new girlfriend. He tried to push it all out of his mind as he worked. Lunch came and he locked down his press.
“Hey Ray.”
“Yeah, I'll get it.” He headed out to his truck and Jack followed him.
“So, how's Lucy?”
“Don't ask.”
“That bad?”
He slammed the door on his truck and shoved the slim box into his coworker's hand, “She's going out with some throp tonight.”
“What? Like a date?”
“No, it's female, some kind of cat, I think, but that's not the point. She needs to stick to her own kind. She shouldn't be encouraging it to think it's one of us.”
“Well, they've been around for a long time, long before we were born, maybe you should…”
“Are you kidding? They were created and sold like household appliances. You don't see anybody talking about giving a refrigerator a driver's license. They're a fucking tool. You use 'em and when they stop working, you get rid of them. It's that simple. They're not human, they're not people; they're animals.” He yanked the door open and went back inside.
“Guys, quiet, listen to this.” the manager played a video on his phone.
“The community was stunned today with the news that the first morph to enroll in County High School was struck in a hit and run in front of the school. Witnesses say it was a white pickup, but a review of the school's surveillance could not determine the identity of the driver or the license plates. Police are looking for any information that may lead to this driver's identity.”
The manager turned off the video. “Hey Ray, what color is your truck?”
“It's white, but I was nowhere near the school. The speed limit's too slow there.”
“Know anybody else with a white truck that hit a deer today?”
“It wasn't me, alright?” Ray shoved a chair under the table and headed out to his machine.
“Well, my daughter was one of those witnesses and she's real shook up. I need to go take care of her for a bit. Think you guys can manage without me for a while? I'll be back before the end of shift.”
“No problem, Frank.”
Ray smacked the safety lock off his machine and shoved a sheet in. Now he was in real shit. They were going to make a big deal about a dead deer. It's crazy; they should be thanking him for one less throp in the world. He punched the button and the press came down. “FUCK!”
Everyone came running to find Ray holding his hand with blood oozing from around the nail of his crushed thumb.
“Dammit, Ray! Somebody grab some paper towels.”
Another coworker met them halfway with a wad of towels as they headed to the office.
Frank stopped and dug through the filing cabinet for two prepared folders. “Jack can you drive him to the hospital?”
“I don't have a car.”
“Use his truck. I need to check on my daughter, then I'll meet you there. Fill out this accident report while you're waiting.” He shoved one of the folders at Jack and sighed, “Everyone else, just do what you can. I'll be back.”
They hurried to their separate trucks and headed out.
Frank smacked the steering wheel in frustration, but tried to stay calm. He drove home and found his daughter in her room. “Stellie?”
She jumped up from her bed, her face wet with tears, and ran to her father to hug him tight, “Oh dad, it was horrible.”
He squeezed her comfortingly, then walked her back to her bed and sat down with her. “Do you want to tell me about it?”
“It was … she was so happy. Alfie asked her out, then he kissed her, and then…” She broke down in tears again.
“A guy kissed the morph?”
“She's a girl, too, dad, and her name is Allie.”
“Oh, I know that. I'm just surprised the kids at your school have accepted her so quickly. There are a lot of anti-morph people out there still.”
“Jerks will be jerks, Alfie has to deal with them too, just 'cause he's not a jock, but she deserves to be happy, not…” She shuddered as she thought about her deer friend horrifically contorted. “Oh, dad, I didn't notice the truck until it was right there. I yelled, but I was too late. I should have been paying attention. It just hit her and knocked her all the way to the grass and she was laying there with her mouth open and there was blood coming out of her nose and she was just staring; oh, she looked so scared and I couldn't do anything and they guy didn't even stop and she was just…” She stared at her hands and sobbed, then buried her face against her dad's chest.
He held his daughter close and stroked her shoulder, “It's not your fault. The only one to blame here is the guy that was driving the truck.”
She looked up at him, “Dad, I … I think I heard the engine rev just before he hit her. Do you think he did it on purpose?”
He sighed, “It's a horrible thought, but I wouldn't be surprised.”
“Will they ever catch him?”
Frank sighed again as he thought about everything, “Honey, I think I know who did it.”
“What?” She pushed away to look at him.
“One of the guys at my shop came in late today and said he hit a deer and he drives a white truck.”
“Did you call the police?”
“Not yet, I just put it together.”
“Well, you have to.”
“I will, but first, let's get you cleaned up so you can visit your friend.”
“But, they're not letting anyone visit her.”
“Don't worry about that, just get ready. Do you have the number for the police tip line?”
“An officer gave me this card, in case I remembered anything.” She pulled the card from her pocket and handed it to her father.
“I'll make a couple calls and then we'll go to the hospital. Go wash your face.”
“Oh, dad, I love you.” She hugged him tight, then ran off to the bathroom.
Frank pulled out his phone and dialed the number, “I have some information about the guy that hit the deer morph today. … His name is Ray Decker and I just sent him to the hospital with a smashed thumb. … No, he did that to himself. … He came in to work and said he hit a deer, then was saying a lot of anti-morph things. … His white truck will be at the hospital, too. … My name is Frank Thompson; my daughter witnessed the incident and we are on our way to the hospital. She can help identify the truck. … No, she is not injured; she needs to know how her friend is doing. … I understand that, but if she can just be there, she … I understand. … No, that's all I have. … Good night.”
“They're not going to let me see her, are they?”
Frank smiled and stood up to put his hand on his daughter's shoulder, “I'm not done, yet. Are you ready?”
Stellie nodded and they headed to the car as her father dialed another number.
He hung up with a smile, “No answer; John must be working. Let's go.”
They drove to the hospital and saw police cars already parked around Ray's truck in the parking lot. Frank pulled close and was flagged down by an officer.
“Sir, you need to park someplace else for the moment.”
“This is Stellie Thompson; she witnessed the truck hit Allie.”
The officer looked at her, then turned and called to another officer that came over and they talked for a moment before the second officer stepped up to the truck.
“Miss Thompson, you can identify the truck from the hit and run this afternoon?”
She nodded, “That's the truck; I was right there and saw it hit her.”
“Well, we probably won't need your statement, because we found blood on the hood.”
Stellie gasped as she thought about her friend's bloody face hitting the hood.
“I'm sorry, miss. If you would like to write your information on this card, we can contact you if we need you.”
“I'll do anything. Are you going to arrest him?”
“There is enough evidence here. Don't worry, we'll do our jobs.”
“Are you going to beat him up first?”
The officer chuckled, “We'll do only what is necessary to bring him in. It's up to him how rough that is, but don't you worry, he'll get what he deserves in court.” He took the card as she finished filling it out and walked away as he made some notes on it.
Frank pulled away slowly to find a place to park, “Don't worry, honey, I don't think he's going to get away with this. Too many people are watching. Allie is special around here.”
Stellie looked at her lap, “She doesn't like being special.”
Her father put his hand on hers and smiled, then got out of the truck. They walked up to the hospital, past the news crews giving their reports, and went inside. They waited patiently for a while, watching behind the counter until Frank saw who he was looking for, “John.”
A small man spotted them and hurried out. “Frank, what are you doing here? Is everyone okay?” He worriedly looked Stellie over.
“We're fine. She's friends with Allie.”
“Oh, well, nobody can visit her right now.”
“She was there, John.”
“Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry.” He hugged Stellie comfortingly.
“She just needs to know how her friend is doing.”
“Well, I'm not supposed to, but…” He ushered them to a small room used for intakes. “She looked pretty bad when she came in, but she's stable now. We have her and her mother in isolation, in case anyone might be allergic to their fur and we called in a specialist that should be here in an hour.”
“There's a specialist for deer morphs?”
“Well, he knows deer. There's nobody in the area that knows morphs.”
“Will he be able to do enough?”
“We think between him and the doctors here, they can take care of her.”
Frank rubbed his daughter's shoulders. “Have you seen a guy come in with a smashed thumb?”
“Ooh, yeah. He went up to x-ray just before the police arrived. He should be coming back any minute. They're waiting for him.”
“Well, you should get back to work before they miss you.”
“Yeah, I'll keep you updated if anything happens.”
“Thanks, John.”
“No problem, Stellie.” He hugged her again, then hurried back to work.
They found a couple of empty seats in the lobby to wait.
“Dad, I still feel bad.”
Frank rubbed her shoulders comfortingly.
“It's my fault she was in detention. I was talking to her during class.”
“You know better than that, but it's still not your fault she got hit.”
“But I told her I was going to take her shopping and that's why she didn't go home with Alfie.”
“Alfie was going to take her home? He must really like her.”
“He's a good guy, dad. She deserves a good guy.”
“Okay, but that still doesn't make it your fault she was hit.”
“But she was so giddy from his kiss and I just let her walk out into the road.”
“It sounds like both of you were a little stunned by Alfie. It just wasn't your fault.”
“But I still feel bad.”
“Honey…”
“Frank! Frank. Tell them I didn't do it. I was at work. I didn't do it. I crushed my thumb there. Come on, Frank, tell them!”
Frank got up and walked over to the two officers nearly carrying Ray out by his arms. “He did smash his thumb at work, but he came in late and said he hit a deer, then he was saying all the morphs should be killed.”
“Wait, Frank, don't do this to me; we're friends.”
“Ray, you're fired.”
There was a smattering of applause from some of the other people in the lobby and the officers chuckled.
“You can't fire me for getting hurt at work.”
“I can fire you for repeated carelessness, contributing to a hostile work environment, and getting arrested for attempted murder.”
“You fucking throp lover! You're in on this! It was just a fucking deer!”
The officers pulled him outside to rant for the news cameras while they put him in a car.
Frank gasped in surprise as his daughter ran up and hugged him tight.
“I love you, dad.”
“I love you, too, honey.”
Most of the news crews packed up after the excitement of catching the driver and it got quiet in the emergency room lobby while they waited.
“Stellie?”
She lifted her head from her father's arm and looked around until she saw him, “Alfie?”
“Hey. How's Allie?”
“She's stable. They've got her and her mom in isolation because of their fur and they're bringing in a specialist. What happened to your hand?”
The boy looked at his hand wrapped in gauze and started to pull it off, “Nothing, just a bad idea.”
Stellie chuckled, “You were trying to get in to see her.”
“Yeah, but I guess I wouldn't. What's the specialist?”
“Just someone that knows deer.”
“Are they going to be able to help?”
“They're going to try.”
“Are you waiting for them?”
Stellie nodded.
Alfie looked to the desk, then sat down beside her.
Frank leaned forward to look at him. “Hi, I'm Stellie's father.”
“Oh, hi, um, you have a very nice daughter.”
“I know.” he smirked and sat back as Stellie rolled her eyes.
They sat quietly, watching people come and go until John came out and knelt in front of them. “Okay, the specialist was here and they adjusted her meds. She's awake now, but not completely coherent. I'll take one of you in.” He placed his hand on Stellie's knee and looked to her father, who nodded in agreement.
“I'm going, too.” Alfie leaned in.
“Absolutely not. I don't know you. I'm bending the rules as it is.”
“It's okay, Alfie. I'll tell her you're here.”
The boy scowled disappointedly and sat back in the chair as Stellie got up and followed John.
Frank moved into the seat his daughter vacated, “You really like this deer morph.”
“I … I'm just concerned about her. She's special.”
Frank chuckled, “I hear she doesn't like that.”
“Doesn't like what?”
“Being special.”
“Oh.” Alfie sat back and looked at the wad of gauze in his hand.
Frank leaned closer, “But don't let that stop you.”
“What?” “Women don't like being singled out any more than we do, but they do like being treated special by someone special.” “I'm not special.” Alfie closed his hand around the gauze. “She let you kiss her. She must think you are.” The boy looked at the man beside him, “Stellie told you?” “Under duress. Even she thinks you're special. She thinks you're a good thing for Allie.” “She does?”
“Don't tell her I told you, though.”
---
Stellie slipped into the room and John closed the door behind her. The deer morph sitting beside the bed looked up at her. “Uh, hi, Ms... Ms Carroll, um, I'm a friend of Allie's from school. I was... there... when it happened.”
The doe looked at her daughter in the bed. “Allie's... not ready for visitors, yet.”
“I'm sorry. I'll go.” She hesitated, wanting to just wish her friend better.
“Stellie?” Allie spoke softly from the bed.
“Stellie?” her mother echoed the name.
“I'm here.”
The older doe smiled and beckoned the girl closer.
“They wouldn't tell me … if you were okay.”
“I'm okay. The truck only hit you.”
“So, Marta is okay, too?”
“She's fine. How are you?”
“They said I broke a lot of bones.”
Ms Carroll put her hand on her daughter's, “Fourteen fractures, lots of cuts and bruises, …” she stopped herself from saying everything, then forced herself to smile instead of cry, “but it could have been a lot worse.”
“Guess I shouldn't have been so happy.” “Don't say that. You deserve to be happy.” “But if I had been paying attention instead of thinking about... being happy...” “And if I hadn't been talking to you during class you wouldn't have been there in the first place.” “It's not your fault.” “No, and it's not yours, either. It's the jerk that was driving that truck and they caught him.”
Ms Carroll looked up with a gasp, “They caught him?”
“Right here in the hospital. He works for my dad and he called the police and told them where to find him. Then he fired him! The guy is a crazy anti-morph. The police had to practically drag him away.”
“Oh no.” Allie's mom looked scared.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing. I... We just don't want any trouble.”
“It's all over. They'll lock him up and I hope they lose the key.”
Allie shifted uncomfortably in her bed, “I wish I... wasn't... a morph.”
Stellie wanted to hug her friend, “Oh Allie, I'm glad you're you … and so is Alfie.”
“What?”
“He's here, but they wouldn't let him come back.”
“No. … I don't want him to see me.” The machine beside the bed beeped faster.
“It's okay. He only came because he cares about you.”
Ms Carroll looked worried, “Who's Alfie?”
The door opened and John peeked in, “Time to go, come on.”
Stellie groaned in frustration as she hurried to the door, “Just get better and I'll see you when you get out of here.”
John closed the door and forced Stellie to walk calmly down the hall.
She had intended to help her friend feel better, but it seemed like she only made her feel worse.
Alfie stood up when he saw her, “How is she?”
Stellie sighed, “She looks pretty bad, but she's doing okay.” She looked to her dad, “We should go.”
Frank stood up and hugged his daughter. Alfie stared at the door they came out of. “I still want to see her.” “Alfie, she doesn't want you to see her like this.” “But I don't...” he stopped himself and looked at Stellie, “I don't know what to do.” Stellie hugged her new friend, “I do. We're going to get you and everybody else ready for when she comes back to school.”
Frank smirked, “What are you thinking, Stell?”
“I don't know yet.”
Alfie shook his head, “She doesn't like being singled out.”
“That's it.” Stellie grinned, “We'll make sure that everyone knows she's special for who she is and not what she is. That guy didn't run down a morph; he hurt one of us: a student, a friend, a daughter, a girlfriend,” she nudged Alfie playfully, then held his arm, “a person.”
Alfie shuffled nervously, “Not just a person, a wonderful person.”
--- --- --- “Are you ready?”
“I haven't been ready for any of this.”
“Hey Allie.” A guy wearing a fake horse tail and ears smiled as he passed.
The deer morph held her cast arm to her chest and watched him go. He was one of many, most of the school, including teachers, showing their support for her by dressing as mustang morphs. She was even wearing one herself, attached to her own small deer tail and hanging out the back of the wheelchair. “What now?”
“You know what. School's out; it's time to go home.” Stellie pushed the wheelchair toward the doors at the end of the hall.
“Oh.” Allie was a little disappointed. She had enjoyed her first day back. Nobody told her they were glad their morph was there. They had all just welcomed her back as a fellow student and friend. But she had only seen Alfie in the one class they shared. He smiled at her, but they didn't get to talk.
“Here we go.”
She flinched at the sunlight as they left the building and continued along the walkway. A crowd of other students was gathering in front of the school and as she approached, they cleared the way for her. She had seen the new walking bridge when she came in and Stellie had told her how the students and community had raised money to build it after she had been hit. “What's going on, Stellie?”
“Relax. They just want to see you be the first one across.”
“Why me?” She knew it was because they built the bridge because she was hit, but she was embarrassed that the attention was for doing something stupid like running into the road without looking.
“Did you see the sign?”
Allie read the sign at the end of the bridge: Allie Carroll Mustang Crossway. “I'm a mustang.”
“Just like the rest of us. No time for speeches.” Stellie started pushing the wheelchair up the bridge, but slowed as she lost her momentum halfway up. “Oh, I should have thought this through a little better. You're bigger than me.”
Suddenly, they started moving again as two guys helped push them up the bridge, smiling at Allie. When they reached the top, they turned around and the crowd cheered, then some started up after them,
Stellie pulled the wheelchair backwards across the bridge while Allie searched the crowd. She didn't see the red-haired boy she was looking for anywhere. She felt the chair dip backwards and Stellie pushing against her back as they went down the other side of the bridge. At the bottom, they turned around and she saw her mom.
The older doe came up and hugged her daughter, then kissed her head.
Allie was a little sad to see her, because it meant the day was over and they would be going home. She said goodbye to Stellie and sighed resignedly as her mother took over pushing the chair, but the car she stopped at wasn't their friendly neighbor's. She looked up and her heart jumped as she saw who was there, but she tried to control herself, “Hi, Alfie.”
“Hey Allie. Are you ready to go home?” The red-haired boy smiled at her.
Home meant alone. She wanted to say no and stay to talk with him instead. She looked back at her mother, expecting to see her worried and scared expression, but instead, she was smiling. She looked back to Alfie and he opened the passenger door to his car. She wanted to jump out of the chair and get in his car, her heart racing in excitement, but with her leg still in a cast, she was trapped. Her mother slipped her arms under hers and helped her out of the chair, then Alfie stepped around the door. She was euphoric, despite her injuries, as she wrapped her arms around him and he helped her into his car. She could smell him again and her tail showed her excitement. She was glad to sit down on it to hide its wiggling, exaggerated by the artificial extension, but she didn't want to let go of him.
Alfie lifted her cast leg into the car, then pulled her arms from his neck with a smile. He closed the door and she watched in the mirror as he folded the wheelchair to put it in the back seat, then her mother hugged him. They spoke quietly for a moment, then he shook her hand and hurried around his car to get in the drivers seat. He was beside her again and all she could do was smile at him.
“Ready?” He started the car and carefully backed out to join the stalemate of traffic trying to leave the parking lot.
A couple other students let them move ahead with a smile and a wave and soon they pulled out onto the road.
“You've been very quiet. Did you change your mind about talking to me?”
Allie remembered to breathe with a gasp, “No, I…” She couldn't think of anything to say.
“What do you think of everything they did while you were away?”
“I'm stunned. They built the bridge so fast.”
Alfie chuckled, “Well, the plans were already approved, but had been put aside for years, because it wasn't in the budget. Stellie and a bunch of other students started up a fundraiser and even talked the construction company into starting while they raised the money. Then it just exploded and people from all over the country donated and now they have almost twice as much as they needed, so they added the bricks and sign and they're gonna put in lights and I don't know what else.”
“And all that was because I got hit by a truck.” she stared at her casts..
“It could have been anybody.”
“I wish it was somebody else.”
“So do I. I don't like seeing you hurt like this.”
She looked up at him. “I was worried you wouldn't like me.”
Alfie looked at her in surprise, then reminded himself to focus on driving, “Why?”
“Because I was dumb enough to walk in front of a truck.”
“You're not dumb. Don't blame yourself. That guy was speeding in a school zone and didn't even try to stop. It's his fault and I'm glad they locked him away. A lot of people are mad at him, especially me. I was looking forward to driving you home and he almost killed you.”
Allie shifted in her seat as her tail tried to move. “I was looking forward to going home with you, too. I thought about it in the hospital and at home. I thought I had missed my chance. I'm glad you still wanted to.”
“Of course I want to, now even more; I have to keep you safe from crazy truck drivers.” He noticed her staring embarrassedly at her casts. “So, was it everything you imagined?”
“Well, no, I…” she looked up, unsure if she wanted to share her fantasies with him, then recognized where they were. “Where are we going?”
Alfie sighed, “Well, your mom thought that for the first day it would be best if I just brought you home and I'd like to keep her trust, so I can keep doing it.”
“Oh.” She watched as they turned onto her street and her house got closer until they stopped in front of it.
“Allie.”
She turned to look at him and froze, because he was leaning close.
He took her hand in his and smiled softly. “I'm glad you're okay and getting better. Can I drive you home tomorrow?”
“Alfie.” She tried to keep calm so close to him.
“Yes, Allie?” He spoke softly and stared into her big, doe eyes.
“Will you kiss me again?”
He smiled and pressed his lips against hers. He moved his hand up to her cheek and gently stroked her fur with his thumb as his lips captured hers over and over. She held his arm, reveling in the kiss until he leaned back with a smile. He looked at her for a moment longer, then got out of the car, leaving her still lost in her bliss.
Alfie pulled out the wheelchair and set it up, then opened her door and offered his hand. She put her hand in his, then he gently lifted her leg out of the car before he leaned in and wrapped his arms around her. She held tight as he picked her up and moved her to the wheelchair, taking a moment to brush the horse tail out of the way before setting her down.
Allie didn't want to let go, but he stood up to close the door. She touched his arm as he walked around her. He pulled her backwards up the walkway and up the two steps, then stopped and stood beside her as her mother came out.
“Thank you for bringing her home, Alfie.”
“It's no trouble, Ms Carroll. May I bring her home tomorrow?” He put his hand on Allie's arm and she put her hand on his.
“I think that would be fine, if Allie wants to ride with you.”
Allie looked up over her shoulder, “Yes, please.”
Her mother chuckled, “Then I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Thank you. Good-bye Ms Carroll.” He took Allie's hand in both of his and gently stroked the soft fur. “I'll see you in school tomorrow, Allie.”
She felt a piece of herself leave as his hands slipped from hers and he returned to his car, but couldn't find anything to say.
“He is a nice boy.” Her mother started pulling the wheelchair into their apartment, struggling with the bump over the frame. “Did he kiss you?”
“What?” Allie was knocked out of her thoughts.
“He said he wanted to, but maybe tomorrow.”
The door closed as Alfie drove away and the young doe morph licked her lips, remembering his there and thinking of them being there again. Tomorrow.
