Aquaphobia B.E

12

Grace's POV

"Ugh Jess I hate being this dependent on you I can wheel myself down the hallway!!" I complained as she wheeled me down the hall to the physical therapy room. It's been around 6 weeks since the accident and today is my first day of physical therapy. Billie got discharged from the hospital a while ago and as soon as I'm done with therapy I can get out of here. 

I know this is going to hurt extremely bad considering I haven't walked on my leg since the crash. Billie said she wanted to be here for the first one knowing it was going to hurt the most. I told her she didn't have to do that but she insisted. "Hi." I say kind of coldly to the man standing in the hallway in front of me. I made it abundantly clear I was going to hate this. "Hey Grace I'm Max are you ready for physical therapy?" He asked with a sad smile on his face. I could tell he was pitying me.

"No I'm ready to get out of here and I'm ready for you to stop with the pity." I said wheeling myself into the room. "I wasn't-" He starts to say as I cut him off. "I'm here to get better and get out of this chair not make friends." I say with a sarcastic smile on my face as Billie walked in. "Hey G." She said with a smile on her face as she walked over and hugged me. "Hey bil I'm glad you're here." I said with a smile on my face as I hugged her back. "Alright ladies are we ready to start?" Max asked as we both nod.

There were two rails set parallel to each other so I wheeled myself to the bars and waited for instruction. "Alright so first, I was told you want to take your brace off while you do this?" Max asked as I nodded. "Why would you want to do that?" He asked. "Because if I'm going to be surfing after this accident I need to know what the full extent of the pain is going to feel like." I said with a blank expression on my face. "Okay let's compromise, we'll stand you up with the brace on, walk a couple steps and if you're okay doing that I'll take off the brace how does that sound?" He asked. "Let's do it." I said.

He grabbed onto my waist to support me as Billie grabbed one of my hands and I held onto the rail with the other. "You ready?" Max asked as I nodded. I started to stand up and as I put weight on my leg all I felt was searing pain. I started tearing up as I realized I'm not going to be able to get out of here as fast as I thought I was. "S-S-Stop I can't I can't." I cried as I was sat back down in my chair. "T-This is so stupid I just want to get out of here.." I said as Max looked at me with sorrow and pity in his eyes once again. "I-I'm going to need a minute.. I want to try again I j-just need a minute." I said sniffling as I wheeled out of the room with Billie following me.

We made it out to the hallway and closed the door behind us. Billie hugged me as I started to cry again. "I-I just want to get out of here.. I want to be me again.. I want to s-surf and do so many things with you.. I can't do that now because I crashed the car.." I said sobbing in her arms. 

Billie's POV

"Surfer listen to me alright? This is just the first day. You're going to get better at this I promise. I'm going to be with you every step of the way. I'll be right here okay?" I say wiping the tears off of her face. "No I want you to have a good break, It's not going to be very much of a break if you're in the hospital taking care of a broken surfer." She says looking right at me. "You are not broken Grace. You're not. I've had more fun with you in this passed month than I have with people I've known almost my entire life. You light up a room when you walk in it, you make me smile when you text me out of no where to ask if I'm okay. You are more than broken, You are unbreakable." I say to her as I watch a smile form on her beautiful face.

"Now how about we go back in that room and try to stand up again yeah?" I ask as she nods with a smile on her face wheeling back into the room.

*Time skip*

Grace's POV

I'm leaving the hospital today. I'm walking out of here! It's been almost a month since my first physical therapy appointment and I can walk now. I still have a limp that I don't think is ever going to go away but it's better than where I was. I'm so excited to leave. I had Gage call the tower and he updated them on my condition. They informed me that I can lifeguard again starting next week.

 Billie has been with me the entire time Finneas and Claudia as well I could not be more grateful for them honestly they've helped me so much and I'm excited to go home. Billie insisted on picking me up, so I'm sitting in the lobby of the hospital with my things in a chair next to me. I looked up when I heard the automatic doors open and I see her walk in.

"Hey superstar!" I said standing up and jogging over to her hugging her tight. "Woah surfer what are you so excited about?" She asked chuckling. "One I'm leaving this death trap, and two I'm cleared to lifeguard next week!!" I said with a squeal. "G that's amazing!!" She says hugging me again.

 We walked out of that hospital and I realized she got a rental car as I got a call. "Hello? Oh hey how's my car?" I asked talking to the mechanic I had my car taken to after the crash. "What do you mean all the expenses were paid? I haven't even been to my house to get the bill yet.. oh she did? Thanks for letting me know Steve we'll pick up my car in a few days bye." I say as I hang up the phone.

"Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell." I say with a stern tone as I look at her she has the biggest grin on her face. "Why on this earth would you pay all the expenses for my car after the crash?!" I ask her knowing that must have at least been thousands of dollars. "Because G you literally saved my life twice in the past two months and bought me awesome sneakers! I had to repay you some how." She says smiling at me. "But paying the bill to get my car fixed?!" I asked her with wide eyes. "G calm down not to brag, but it didn't even come close to making a dent in my account its okay." She chuckled holding my hand.

Billie's POV

"Alright alright seriously thank you I appreciate this so much this is like the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." She says kissing my hand. "Of course now why don't we get real food because I know that hospital food sucks let's go to taco bell." I say as I look over at her. "Oh my god yes please I would die for a burrito right now." She says as we both laugh.