The Mute Reporter

32- Present Day

Jensen Blackwell

'Are you ready for PT?' Sam helps me out of the car, even though I don't really need his help.

I shut the door as he grabs my crutch from the backseat.

"I'm just ready to get out of this stupid brace. The healing process was twice as long as it should've been."

Sam just gives me a tight lipped smile as he hands me the crutch.

I put it under my arm, and he stays close to my side as we walk in the building and check in.

After I hand the check in forms back to the nurse, I walk back over to Sam and sit down carefully next to him.

My good leg began bouncing anxiously up and down, nervous of what's to come and what the physical therapist will say to me.

Will I be okay? Do I have to wait another while until I can even start to regain my range of motion and muscle in my knee back.

'Stop overthinking. I can hear you.'

I give Sam a small smile, and he reaches out and takes one of my hands.

Eventually after a few minutes of waiting in the uncomfy lobby seats and sam letting me play with his hands, we're called back.

"How are you feeling today Jensen?" A doctor walks in, setting down his clipboard and rolling a chair over to sit on.

"Ready to get out of this brace and walking again."

The doctors lips twitched in amusement.

"Well, it'll be another few weeks for the brace to come off. We can't rebuild muscle in a day. But we can get you off those crutches pretty quickly."

Sounds fantastic.

The doctor tells me to stand up, and I follow his lead as he begins to help me test the limits of my leg.

"Alright, we'll today we're going to focus more on balance, just to get you walking again."

I nod, and he motions for me to take off the brace. "We're going to be careful today. If anything hurts, you tell me."

Before I can bend down to undo my brace, Sam rushes over and begins to undo the thick Velcro.

When the brace is loose, Sam unwraps it from my leg.

He looks up and sees me staring at him in surprise, but I'm also thankful.

Sam backs away and into his chair once again, the brace now resting in his lap.

"Alright, now I'm going to run you through a few basic exercises. Once again, if anything hurts, tell me."

I just nod, and follow doctors orders.

———

An hour or so passes, until finally I'm exhausted and I can finally sit down.

Sam hands me my leg brace back, and I wrap it back around my knee.

"I want you in here at least twice a week. How are Tuesdays and Thursdays?" The doctor looks at me, and I just nod at him.

"Sounds good," I glance at Sam, and he's focused on his hands, not sparing a glance at me.

Is he okay?

"Great. We can really focus on getting you healed up quicker."

"How fast? I want to get back into baseball as soon as possible."

I watch Sams expression, and his stare at his hands harden.

So he is still listening. Why is he upset?

"Every body is different. Even after PT you still want to not try and strain yourself with heavy exercise. I would recommend taking this entire upcoming season off so you can be better prepared for next year."

I look back at the doctor this time. "I was planning for this year to be my last. I can't do it next year."

This can't be happening.

The doctor is steady and firm, sensing my panic. "I'm not going to make your choices for you. I'm just giving you advice that is best to follow. Wait until next year. Your body will be in better shape than it is now."

No. No this can't be happening.

I just take in a deep inhale, and try to calm my rising panic.

I get up, grabbing my crutch. Sam follows my action, still sulking.

What was up with him?

"Tuesdays and Thursday's then."

We bid goodbye to the therapist, and as we're walking outside, Sam doesn't stick close to me this time.

"Sam, stop." I move myself as fast as I can, and to my luck, he slightly listens. He doesn't stop, but he slows down.

I grab his upper arm and turn him around to face me.

"Sam, talk to me. What's wrong?"

He looks up at me, and he looks frustrated, a slight pout on his lips.

I know that look.

"Are you...jealous?" I do my best to keep down a laugh, but he can still hear the humor in my tone.

He just shakes his head.

Liar. He's never a good liar.

"Sam, he's just a doctor." I pull him closer into me.

'Yeah, and his hands were all over you. He could actually help. I just had to sit back and watch.'

I knew it.

I bring my hand from his arm and to his chin, raising his head so his eyes are forced to meet mine.

"And who says you haven't helped me? Who has been there by my side for weeks now?"

He doesn't respond to that, because he knows I'm right.

"No one has been there for me like you have sam, and I consider myself the luckiest person in the world even when I just lay my eyes on you."

Sam looks relieved at my words now, and I can tell he's loosing the jealous feeling as his body subconsciously leans into me a little more with each passing encouragement.

"You are the absolute light of my life, and I can feel like I can breathe properly whenever you're around. I love you Sam, and I'm never going to feel that way about anyone else. I never have. It's only you, and it always will be."

Sam's eyes widen, and he leans away like I just electrocuted him.

I look at him in confusion at the sudden change in attitude.

He just quickly finds the car keys and turns around, walking back to the car.

What...oh.

Oh no.

"Sam..." I don't even know how to explain myself.

I just did actually. I explained my feelings for him. It wasn't in the most romantic way possible, and it just slipped out.

It was never a bad idea to tell a person if you loved them, but the timing is what mattered.

And I fucked up that timing part.

Sam gets in the car, and starts it. He doesn't drive off, he just waits for me to follow after him.

This was going to be an awkward ride home.

———
(QOTD: let's say you have LED lights in your room, if you do then awesome, what color would you most commonly have on?

I do have LED lights, and I pretty much always have it on red. I think (don't quote me on it) that red lights are the only color that doesn't affect a human brain to be more awake? Anyways whatever, if you always have your LED lights on red then shoutout to you, you're my favorite type of person.)