Perfect. Just Perfect

This one is a prompt that I kind of pieced two different prompts to crate this story. This is just a really short story.

    It was a typical Monday morning at Amory High School. Nothing really out of the ordinary. Kevin, a senior, was looking for a math homework assignment that he left in his locker the previous Friday, and was thinking that he could just copy a friend's assignment, or do a rush job. Kevin was a pretty popular kid, and had lots of friends. However, there was a girl that he had been going to school with pretty much his whole life, named Lucy.

    Lucy wasn't popular, and her home life wasn't great either. Her dad left the family when she was three years old, and her mom didn't have a great job, but it kept them afloat. Lucy was smart, and a kind person to anyone she talked to, though most of the student body tried to ignore her. She still tried to help them in different ways. Lucy also had a minor disability. While her mother was pregnant, Lucy suffered a small stroke during the third trimester, and had a small limp, and had a hard time with her speech.

    Nobody at Amory High School really knew that about Lucy, because no one really went out of their way to talk or interact with her. Kevin was popular, and his group of friends would make fun of Lucy for her disabilities. Although Lucy had the limp and would stutter when she talked, she had the top grades of all of her peers. That didn't stop the other kids for making fun of her, and even Kevin would make jokes about Lucy behind her back, but Lucy knew that Kevin and his friends did it anyway.

    When math class came around, Kevin still hadn't finished his assignment. He had his paper out in front of him, but it was empty, and he started to sweat. Lucy's desk was right next to his, and she could tell that he was stressed out. Kevin was on the school's varsity basketball team, and had to pull off at least a 2.0 grade point average, and if he didn't , he would be kicked off the basketball team, which was the only thing Kevin was really good at. 

    As Kevin sat there with a beads  of sweat running down his forehead, Lucy leaned over and asked,"Did you u-u-underst-tt--and  the assignm-m-ment?". Kevin looked over and said, "No, I'm fine."  Then Lucy said, "If I g-g-go to Mr. Clark, and t-t-tell him I w-w-would help you w-w-with the assignment, he m-mm-might give you ext-t-tra time to turn it in. Ah-ah-ah-I will help you if you w-w-want.". Kevin knew that this might be his only chance at passing the class, and would keep him on the basketball team, and feeling almost defeated said, "Um, sure." Kevin didn't want to be seen with Lucy helping him, but he feared being kicked off of the basketball team even more. 

    Lucy stood up and told Kevin to come with her. "M-mm-Mister Clo-clo-Clark. K-Kevin was having a hard t-t-time with Friday's assignment. C-c-c-can I help and tutor him. I w-w-would need an ext-ttra day. Mr. Clark, one of Lucy's favorite teachers agreed. Kevin couldn't believe it. Lucy got him extra time for the assignment, but he was also worried about what the rest of his friends would think about him hanging out with Lucy, even if it was just a tutoring session, but Kevin knew there was no other way around it.

    "T-t-th-there's one ca-ca-catch.", Lucy said to Kevin. "I v-v-voulunt-t-ter at a hospital on Monday evenings, and y-y-you would h-h-have to go and h-help me. It's Ch-ch-Christmas time, and it get's re-re-really b-busy, b-but we will h-h-have time t-t-to work on your assignm-ment." Kevin groaned inside his head. He needed the help, but he didn't know what he was going to do about helping at the hospital. 

    At lunch time, Kevin went and sat with his normal friends, and told them that if he didn't get tutored by Lucy, that he would fail math and get released from the basketball team. All of his friends started laughing at him. They started making jokes about her stuttered speech and limp, calling her names like Quasimodo and making fun of Kevin by saying that Lucy was his new girlfriend. "Perfect. Just perfect!" Kevin said. 

    At this point, Kevin didn't know if he was embarrassed, guilty, upset, or all of the above. He was embarrassed, but none of his friends were offering to tutor him, and what they were saying made Kevin angry, so he threw the rest of his lunch in the trash and stormed out of the lunch room. There was only one more class left, a short basketball practice, and then leaving to pick up Lucy to go to the hospital, for reasons he didn't know.

    For some reason, Kevin felt like his English Lit. class went faster than normal. Kevin started thinking that it wasn't Lucy's fault that his friends were making fun of him. It wasn't Lucy who neglected her homework assignment, and then Kevin stopped, and thought. Who was Lucy. She was just a girl he went to school with. He didn't know anything about her. He thought of all of the things his friends or other people at school had said or did to make fun of Lucy, but did anyone actually know who Lucy was?

    The final bell rang, and Kevin went to his locker to get the rest of his books and assignments for the next day. While filling his backpack, and getting ready for practice, Lucy came up to him and said "Re-re-remember t-t-to pick me up a-a-at f-f-five-thirty. I-i-i'll be waiting. Lucy walked away, and almost immediately, Kevin's friends were teasing Kevin about his big date with Lucy. Kevin told them to shut up, and headed off to practice. 

    Basketball practice was good, but Kevin was called out by his coach to come and see him in his office. His coach reminded him that if he didn't pass that math class, he had no choice, but to release him from the team. Kevin was worried, but for some strange reason, going with Lucy to help out at the hospital and work on his assignment made him feel more at ease. "It's just one evening, and after he helped, and Lucy helped him, things would go back to normal." He actually started to think that it wouldn't be horrible.

    After practice, Kevin raced home, took a nice, hot shower, and got ready. He actually was surprised that he wanted to look nice while he went with Lucy to get tutored, and to help her with whatever it was she needed help with. As Kevin came down the stairs, his parents were at the table with dinner. It was five, and he had to pick Lucy up in half an hour. He sat down to eat a quick bite, and told his parents that he was going to go with Lucy to the hospital where she needed help, in return for having her tutor him for his math class. 

    Kevin's mother asked if the Lucy he was talking about was the Lucy he had grown up through school with. The girl with the limp and speech impediment. Kevin told her it was, and that he had been teased for accepting Lucy's help, and what his friends had said, and what a lot of kids at school would say about her. Kevin's parent looked at each other, and then back to Kevin. "Kevin," his dad started, "There is a lot more to a person than seeing them on the surface! What you see above the water is only the tip, and they go down hundreds of feet. The only way to see how big an iceberg really is, you have to dive in and see all around it. Do you get what I am saying?", Kevin's dad said. "Yeah, I think so." Said Kevin. He hurried and scarfed down his dinner, so that he wouldn't be late picking up Lucy. 

    Kevin jumped in the family car and picked Lucy up right on time. "I a-a-almost d-d-didn't think you were going to a-a-actually come, Kevin." Lucy said. "Why's that?" Kevin asked. "B-b-because no one really t-t-talks to me, let alone h-hang out or h-h-help me." Lucy answered. "Well, I really needed the help, " Kevin said, " I don't want to fail and get kicked of the team, but you intrigued me about helping you out at the hospital. Do you work there?" Kevin asked.

    "No, I-I volunteer there on Mondays. S-s-sometimes I h-help other evenings t-too." Lucy said. Then Kevin asked "Well what do you do when you volunteer?"  "Y-y-you'll see." Lucy said.  As Kevin and Lucy were driving to the hospital, it had started to snow, so they didn't drive very fast. They knew they would be a few minutes late because of the weather, but Kevin thought this would be a good opportunity to get to know a little bit about Lucy.

    As they drove, Kevin asked Lucy a question. "So, what's wrong with you?" Lucy shot him a less than flattering glance. "W-what d-d-do you mean", Lucy shot back. "Well, I mean, you have a small limp, and you stutter. I know people tease you about it, but is there a story there?" Lucy looked back forward and told him about how she had a minor stroke while her mother was pregnant with her, which caused the limp and stuttering, but that's all that was affected. She had the best grades at school, and Kevin knew that she was smart.

    Lucy also told Kevin something she had never told anyone. "W-wh-when I was born, I-I-I had to be t-t-taken care of at the Ch-ch-Children's Ho-Ho-Hospital for almost three years be-be-because of my condition. M-my father left wh-wh-when I was still in th-th-the hospital. H-h-he didn't want me. My m-m-mom  was also ill, a-a-and had to have th-th-the nurses at the hos-ss-pital take care of me. I-i didn't understand wh-wh-why my dad left, since I-I-I was a little girl. I h-h-have forgiven him, b-b-but I have never seen h-him since. He th-th-thought I was broken, and d-d-didn't want to r-raise a broken child." A big lump formed in Kevin's throat. Kevin had great parents, and all of a sudden, Kevin started to think how hard that must have been.

    As they got to the hospital, which happened to be the Children's Hospital,  and parked, Kevin was nervous. He didn't know what he was in for. "I-I-I'll tell you what,", Lucy said, " We w-w-will work on your m-m-math assignment for a few minutes, a-a-and then I w-w-would like it if you would h-h-help me with something." Kevin nodded as they got out of the car and went inside the hospital.

    "Well, hello there Lucy!", the front doorman to the hospital said. "Who is this strapping young man with you? Is he your new boyfriend?" Both Lucy and Kevin blushed and laughed uncomfortably. "N-no, Steve, he's j-j-just a friend who I t-talked into coming wi-wi-with me tonight. I-i-Im helping him with a math assignm-ment, but he's g-going to help m-me with m-my jobs t-t-tonight." 

    "I'm Kevin". Steve gave him a great big smile and said "You are one lucky guy. Everyone here loves Lucy. She's the best!" Kevin gave a little grin, and nodded his head. They went in, and walked down the hall to the elevator. "P-push F-f-five" Lucy said. Kevin did, and the doors closed and they started up to the fifth floor. Th-th-he fifth floor isn't b-b-being used for anything at the m-moment, so it will be easier to t-talk and work on the assignm-m-ment before h-h-heading up to the Infant Ward. 

    "Infant Ward?" Kevin blurted out. "Y-y-yes." Lucy said with a slight smile and giggle. "But I don't know anything about babies or birthing for that matter." Kevin said, which made Lucy giggle a little more. The door opened up, they got off, and found a nice corner with a view of the city and the falling snow. "W-w-well, Let's get started." Lucy said. 

    For the next forty-five minutes full of mistakes and erasing, and finally catching on, Lucy said, "Okay, It's your t-t-turn to h-help me!" Lucy said with a big smile on her face. They walked back to the elevator and went up two more floors. When the doors opened, Kevin started to worry, but for some reason that he didn't uncderstand, being there with Lucy made him feel more comfortable that he thought he would be. 

    "Hey there Lucy! Who's your cute friend?" a nice elderly woman said. "Hi there Phyliss, th-th-this is m-m-my friend K-k-kevin." Lucy said back. "H-h-he's going to h-h-elp me this evening." "Well, Kevin," Phyliss said. "You are in great hands. Lucy is an absolute gem!" Kevin blushed, and shrugged his shoulders. "She's helping me too." Kevin said. 

    "Alright, Lucy, can you and Kevin help out in the odd numbered rooms tonight? There are some new patients that need extra help." Phyliss said. "S-Sure. Come on K-k-kevin." Lucy said. As they walked down the hall, Lucy became very serious. "K-k-kevin, this isn't an easy l-l-little job, l-l-like emptying bedpans or ch-ch-changing blankets on the beds."

    As they walked to the first door and opened it up, Kevin saw exactly what Lucy meant. As Kevin looked around, he saw six beds, all with babies with birth defects. "T-This is the h-h-hardest room of them ah-ah-all." Lucy said. Th-th-these b-b-babies were all b-b-born with different birth defects. S-some of them are like m-me, and s-s-some of them were orphaned. W-w-when babies are th-th-this young, positive ph-physical connection, and an e-e-emotional connection is n-n-needed to help them mentally, and emotionally develop in a p-p-positive way. 

    Lucy walked over, and gently picked up one of the babies. He started to cry, but Lucy rocked him in her arms, and started singing a lullaby. The baby stopped crying. Lucy then picked up a bottle and fed the baby, rocked him a little more, and told him "I l-l-love you, beautiful boy." Kevin stared in amazement and realized that he was teary-eyed, and could not believe what he had just witnessed.

    Lucy then looked up at Kevin and said, "Okay, n-n-now it's yo-yo-your turn." Then Kevin said, "I don't know if I can. I've never really held a baby before." "It's easier th-than y-y-you think. Just sit d-down in the ch-chair, and I-I'll help you." Lucy walked over and picked up another baby, and took it over to Kevin. "This here is Lara. H-h-her mom d-died during child b-birth." Lucy said. "Sh-she was a single mother, and w-w-we don't know who the f-f-father is.  

    Lucy handed Lara to Kevin, and as he rocked the baby, he sang a song he remembered his mother singing to him when he was little. Lucy handed Kevin a bottle, and while Kevin fed the baby, he looked back out of the window, watching the snow falling slowly to the ground, then he looked over at Lucy, and could have sworn that she was an angel. 

    This girl that everyone at school made fun of. This girl that earlier that day made Kevin embarrassed to be seen with at school, was in fact one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen, and at that moment, he didn't care about his grades, the basketball team, or his friends. That night in the Children's Hospital, with an imperfect girl, in a room with imperfect babies, was in fact, perfect. 

    As Kevin was pulling up to Lucy's house, after a few hours of homework and taking care of the children, Kevin asked, " Hey, Lucy? Can I come volunteer with you again sometime?" Lucy looked at Kevin and said "Y-y-yes. I-If you r-r-really want to."  Kevin leaned over, gently kissed Lucy on the cheek, and with a tear in his eye, he said, "Yes, I really want to."

    Kevin walked Lucy up to her house, and said "Thank You". Then Lucy said," You're w-w-welcome. N-n-now you won't have t-to b-b-be worried ab-b-bout getting k-kicked off the team.", then Kevin said, "That's not what I'm thankful for.", "Then w-w-what a-a-are you th-th-thankful for." " For giving me the gift to see other people's strengths, and not what's wrong with them, but what makes them strong, and you are one of the strongest people I have ever met." Kevin said. Lucy leaned in, gave Kevin a big hug, and said, "Y-y-your W-w-welcome!" 

    As Kevin left for home, he took a longer route, and thought about the day. How it started. How he was worried about his grades, the team, and his friends, ended with his eyes being opened to what true beauty really is. As Kevin walked into the house, his parents were waiting for him to get home, and as they asked him how his night was, he simply smiled, and said, "Perfect, Just Perfect."