This is me trying

Snow on the beach

~I can't speak, afraid to jinx it~

~Grace's version~
I get woken up due to my alarm again. I roll over and turn it off, before sitting up and turning to grab the crutches from their spot on the floor. "Where are you going?" A very groggy sounding Taylor asks from behind me. "To school, but you can just go back to sleep, I'll get myself ready."

Taylor sits up as I tell her that. "Wait hun, I'm not letting you go to school today, not until I have talked to someone about this situation." "Oh, you don't have to do that Taylor, I can just figure this out on my own, I don't want to bother you with this."

"Honey you are not bothering me. This boy hurt you at school, which is supposed to be a safe space, on top of everything you are already dealing with at home. I'm not going to send you back to that school knowing there is someone hurting you there, if you want, I can even get you back to being homeschooled. It's okay to accept help sometimes." Taylor tells me and after seeing my hesitation, she opens her arms for me to scoot into the hug.

As I do so a tear slides down my face. "It's okay honey, you're safe, I've got you." Taylor runs her fingers through my hair. "Do you want to talk about what has been happening at school?" I shake my head. "Alright, that's okay, whenever your ready." Taylor reassures me. "Do you want to go back to sleep or start the day?" "I don't mind, whatever you want to do."

"Alright, if you want to change or something you can, but I'll go make us some breakfast. We could do a pyjama day if you want to though!" "I'll go get ready." I say as I scoot back to the edge of the bed and grab the crutches. "Do you want some help?" "No I'm fine, thank you for offering." "Alright, just call me when you are ready to go downstairs, I'll help you." I nod and make my way to the closet.

I lean the crutches against the wall as I pick out some clothes. As I lean over to grab my favorite hoodie, I lose my balance and stumble to the floor. I instantly hear Taylor rushing up the stairs, since I didn't land very gracefully. I try to get up before she gets to the room, but that proves to be a hard task with only one non painful foot.

Taylor knocks on the door before she opens it and sticks her head around the door. As she sees me on the floor, she rushes over. "Grace, are you okay? Did you fall?" I simply nod, since the answer is rather obvious. "Do you need some help getting up honey?" "No, it's fine, I can get up on my own." "If you say so." I try to live up to my word, but fail miserably. Without a word, Taylor grabs me under my arms and pulls me up. She holds me until I find my balance and quickly steps away to grab the crutches, handing them to me.

"Thanks Taylor, I'm sorry." "It's okay hun, should we sit for a second." I nod and we make our way over to sit on the bed. "I know that life hasn't been easy on you, but I just want to help you know that it is okay to accept help. I know that before if you wanted something or if you were hurt, you would have to tiptoe around people not to bother them, but you don't have to do that anymore. That's not a good way to live and anyone who has made you do that was not a good guardian for you. But I'm going to do everything in my power to help you get through this and help you fight those voices in your head telling you that you're not good enough. You are an amazing girl, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Another tear slides down my face as Taylor wraps me in a hug. "I got you something for your birthday, even though I missed it, here." Taylor says as she pulls something out of her pocket and hands it to me.

"What, Taylor, you don't have to do that." I try to hand the box back to her. "No honey, that's for you, you deserve it." She says as she pushes my hands back gently. I just look at the box in my hands before I look back at Taylor. "Are you sure, you really don't have to do that." "I'm 100 percent sure honey, open it." The blonde responds while nodding.