Finding My Feet

Chapter One

"Good morning, sunshine!" The hospital curtains were ripped open.
"You've got to be shitting me, it's like four in the morning," I glared at my best friend.
"In fact, it's actually like ten," she corrected me. "You have to speak to this guy, he's annoying me."
"He's your brother," I sat up on the hospital bed with help from ropes attached to the ceiling.
It had been about three days since the accident. I had woken up about an hour after I passed out and was told I had a tiny concussion from hitting my head so hard. I also had a broken wrist and a lot of cuts and bruises.
I had not yet spoken to the devil himself about our tragic relationship. I'm guessing Sage wanted me to since he's been bombarding her with phone calls.
"Fine, give me your phone," my phone was smashed in the accident, along with my car.
She tossed her iPhone to me and left, shutting the door behind her.
I scrolled to Reegans number and pressed call.
"Sage? Finally, you answer me," his voice sounded relieved.
"I actually called you," I snapped. "I saw what you and that camel did."
"Camel? Amber, what's going on? Sage told me you were in an accident," he says, clearly very confused.
"No, Reegan, you have zero right to question me about my life. Go question that deranged rat about her skanky ass ways," I snapped at him. "I honestly can't believe you."
He stayed silent for a few moments before I heard him sigh.
"It's not what it looks like," he defended himself.
"It's exactly what it looks like. There is honestly no excuse for cheating," I spit out. "To think you told me that you and that clown -what's her name, Kellogs?- aren't even proper friends. Yeah, you aren't friends, you're fuck buddies."
"Are you alright though?" He asked.
"You're more stupid than I thought. Trying to distract me from the truth," I scoff.
"Yeah, okay, we hooked up a couple of times, what's the issue? No need to bitch about it," he almost yells.
"What's the issue? What's the issue?" I say, shocked. "It's cheating. We were supposed to be in a committed relationship."
I silently hoped he doesn't know about Troy. It's not like I had ever spoken to Troy again after we kissed.
It wasn't even planned, just an honest mistake. I was helping him study for an algebra test and dropped a pen on the floor that we both decided to reach for, and as we looked up, our lips touched. It was barely even a kiss.
"It was one time, come on, darling," he sighed.
"You literally just said a couple of times," I choked, my eyes filling with a layer of tears. "You hooked up multiple times with a horse face. Reegs, you said we could make this work but your eyes are wondering."
"I was missing you," he said.
"Are you comparing my looks to that of a bulldog?" I accuse. "Because if you missed me, you wouldn't of gone for her because we look nothing alike."
"Okay, fine, we got drunk a lot. And it happened. And I regret it and I'm sorry," he murmurs. "It's not like I planned to do it, but you know how I am when I'm drunk."
I shivered at the thought of when he got drunk and touched me. He normally was very gentle sober, but when he drank, he would get rougher. And I would love it. Of course he'd only touch me with my consent. I pushed down a sob of him being like that with a kangaroo-faced girl.
"Reegan, I love you," I said, my voice thick.
"I love you too, Bam," he sighs.
"But just, love isn't enough anymore," tears streamed down my face. "Not enough for us to work this fight out."
"Please don't," he sounded choked. "I know I made a mistake."
"Cheating is a choice, not a mistake," I say. "I can't be with you anymore. You can go be with Kesha now."
"Its Kelly," he sighs.
"I honestly don't give a fuck," I spit. "I don't want you in my life."
I quickly press the end call button, put the phone next to me and shove my face into my hands, sobbing hard.
"Oh, Amber," I feel Sage wrap her arms around my shaking shoulders. "I'm so, so sorry. He's such a jackass. My dad is changing him, I swear. It's going to be alright. You have your dance competition coming up soon and I just know you're gonna kick ass at that."
I look up at her, grateful for such a nice best friend.
"You really think I'm gonna win?" She nods.
I smile now, shifting the blankets off my legs.
Sage looks at them, puzzled.
"How can laying like that be remotely comfortable?" She asks.
I shrug. My legs are crossed over each other in an awkward way, but I couldn't feel it.
I suddenly start feeling a rising panic in me as I try move but the lower half of my body won't budge.
"Please call a nurse," I'm close to sobbing again.
She hurriedly jogs out the door, screaming for someone to come help us.
Moments later, the doctor that saw me yesterday comes in with her.
"Can't move your legs, huh?" He asks and I nod. "We were hoping that this wouldn't happen. But unfortunately, only about two percent of all the things we hope for come true. Amber, I'm sorry to inform you, but your legs are paralyzed. We've already assigned rehabilitation..."
Everything after that, I drown out.
I was paralyzed. I couldn't walk. What about my dancing, my gymnastics, my sprinting and my high jump? One of those things would have had to get me a bursary into varsity and now I had nothing. My entire life plan was thrown away.
First my relationship and now my future. Could this get any worse?
My parents had entered the room while I had been zoning out and were talking to the doctor.
"Mommy!" I cried. "Everything's falling apart!"
My mom rushed to my side, cradling me in her arms while my dad continued speaking to the doctor.
"The dance competition is in two weeks!" I choked. "Everything's ruined."
I threw my face into the pillow, my body turning weird as my legs were stuck in that same position. It made me cry harder.
"Honey, it's all going to be fine," my mom stroked my hair. "We're moving in a few months, you can start over new."
"Moving?" I mumbled.
"Yeah, a fresh start," she said.
"Where to?"
"Oh well, we haven't really discussed the exact location but we're hoping its Adelaide," I could hear the smile in her voice as she continued stroking my head.
"Adelaide?" I sat up, my eyebrows scrunching. "Adelaide... Where?"
"Australia, of course," she laughed.
"We're moving to Australia?" I asked.
She nodded, telling me how they just bought a house there because of my dads new job.
I threw my head back into the pillow, sobbing harder.

Sage Holland