Broken By Reality

Chapter ❶❷

***
"Morning Mum." I chirpily said as I leaped out of bed, ready for another day.
"Morning sweetie. Are you going to see Karly today?" Mum curiously queried. She knew that I liked Karly but she didn't want too get involved to much. I liked that.
"Yea. I'm gonna go this arvo. Is that okay with your plans?" Asking was what parents thought we are supposed to do.
"Of course!" Mum loved me caring about other people because frankly, I didn't do it that much so this was like a miracle.
"Okay going to school now. I'll probably go straight from school to the hospital so I'll see you just before dinner. Have a good day. Bye." she waved back at me as I strolled away from the house, excited for the day and especially seeing Karly. I really wanted to help make her dreams (gymnastics) come true because I guess any guy in love with a girl would do the same.
***
School was the same old boring stuff, more assignments and homework, so I was looking extremely forward to seeing Karly.
**
But when I arrived at the hospital, it wasn't the same. Karly wasn't in her bed. My heart pounded as I searched we room, dying for some sign of life. The first thing that came to my mind was death. What if she had died before I got a chance to say goodbye? I tried to lure my mind away from the horrible thought. A man dressed from heel to toe in blue, came into Karly's room looking confused at what u was doing.
"Where is she!" I almost yelled, worried.
"Where's who?" The man replied in a just recognisable posh voice
"Karly!" I tried to calm myself down because the last thing that the man and I wanted, is for me to pass out.
"Oh Karly. Yes. She's okay. Don't worry. Karly is at her therapy session." The man looked almost dumbfounded at how stupid I was
"So she could afford it!" I muttered to myself, loudly enough to be heard
"Thankyou!!!" I yelled back to the man I ran down the corridor of the hospital. She was okay! A sigh of relief escaped my mouth through the puffs of breath.
'THERAPY ROOM (O7/UD9)'
I raced inside, eyes eagerly scanning the room for Karly.
"Wayne!" I immediately jumped into a karate position, bearing that something had scared me. It was only Karly. The sweet, soft, but strong voice of Karly. Her hair was now neater than yesterday and her eyes were shimmering brightly. But something was different about her. My eyes slowly moved down her body, reluctant to see why Karly was so short all of a sudden.
" *Gasp* Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" My voice was just as shocked as I was
"Yea. I'm fine thanks. Don't worry, the wheelchair is only temperamental. At least I hope it is." Her voice and face dropped into a more serious look.
"What do you mean by you hope...." the sad but worrying feeling started to churn up inside my stomach again
"If the therapy works, then I will be able to walk. If it doesn't then this wheelchair will be my new best friend." The apologetic kind of sad look was brought upon her face
"Oh. Well I hope the therapy works for you..." My voice was stammering
"Yea me too. You better go sit down. I think my instructor wants to continue." And with that I followed her and sat on the purple chair provided near the door.
***
Karly's therapy lesson went pretty well overall. Except for one thing, I was sitting there for 2.5 hours. I couldn't believe that one therapy lesson could even go for that long. Anyway. Karly and I had a deep conversation afterwards regarding everything not about hospitals, to keep her mind of all the thoughts.
****
That night I went to sleep quickly, not sure about whether I was satisfied or still concerned. Soon after falling asleep, I could faintly hear my phone ringing, but I thought it was a hallucination. After 5 minutes of it ringing, I slowly headed for the fridge, where my phone was. I silently grabbed the phone and headed back for my room, noticing that Karly was calling.
I clicked the answer button
"Hey. What's up?" My voice was weary from sleeping
"Sorry to wake you up at 1:52 in the morning but..... I'm scared." I could hear her voice slowly changing to a cry
"why?"
"Because my therapy today was just a one off to see if therapy was my thing. They said that I could have a chance at walking again if I had therapy. But I need to have it now, before my injuries get worse. It will take a month of therapy but I....I.... we can't afford it." she broke into a pool of tears.
"I'll pay for it." I courageously announced into my cell
"I can't let you do...." but I cut her off
"No. Im paying for it and that's final." my seriousness made her laugh.
"Okay...." she managed to get out through her laughs/cries
"Okay. Have a good sleep. I'll see you this afternoon." and with that she ended the call as I smirked silently to myself and fell back asleep, holding my phone incase she rang back.