as far as friends go

chapter 19

Loud ringing sounded through the slightly lit room that Rachel came to enjoy. As she sat up, she sighed in frustration seeing as though her perfectly well needed rest was interrupted. the clock on the side of the bed read 7:23 am, at least an hour later than she wanted to be up. Picking up the IPhone in her hands, she rolled her eyes when the caller id listed across the screen. In a slow pace, she hit ignore deciding to call back when her eyes weren't drooping shut. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and her head hit the pillow once again.

It was almost three weeks from the day that she was almost killed. Although her broken bones still gave her trouble, things were definitely way better than she thought they would be all those weeks ago. Her face was clearing up from all of the bruising, the brush burns and cuts on her wrists were down to barely noticeable, and she had managed to excel in walking on crutches and getting around places without as much struggle like the beginning. She was still asked to stay home from work due to her totally noticeable disabilities, but if things continued to go the way they were going now, she'd be back soon.

The only thing that bothered her now was the constant fear of everything around her. Another situation, the major PTSD that sometimes kept her up all night. Some days she would be fine, and then the next thing you know, she's hearing Mandy's voices in her head and then she's screaming or crying, and in some occasions, pleading for her life to her imagination. Another thing that bothered her was the constant phone calls that sometimes kept her up all night as well. Ever since everyone found out about the incident, which Rachel thought was a better word than how she got kidnapped by a crazy woman who wanted her dead, her phone never stopped ringing. Especially her parents. Rachel was glad to know that everyone cared for her well being enough to constantly check in, but in some way, she just wished she had a small amount of time to get away and catch her breath.

Tossing and turning, she finally realized that her sleep was officially ruined. Getting up, she grabbed her crutches on the side of the bed and silently moved out of the room. Making her way into the bathroom, she sighed when she turned on the light. The dark blues and purples around her eyes were now a greenish color. Looking in the mirror every morning was now a routine. It was a sort of motivation for Rachel. It showed her that she had gotten out and that she didn't die. These bruises on her face and scars and broken bones were signs that she was a fighter and she'd carry that with her for the rest of her life.

Turning off the bathroom light, she maneuvered over to the kitchen. Turning on the morning news, and made a pot of coffee. She sighed with relief when the familiar smell filled the air and her nose. Smiling, she made her way over to the counter and sat down on one of the bar stools to wait for it to be done. When the timer finally went off, she got up and tried to reach for the cabinet. She cursed the fact that she was really short and these crutches were a huge disadvantage. Finally, by a small jump, she grabbed the lowest cup without managing to injure herself.

She hated how hard it was to be on crutches. She was getting used to them and learning how to get around, but they were still a huge burden. She also hated that they were the only things she had to depend on. One small slip, and bam, she'd be injured all over again. She wanted to just throw them out and walk on her own. But, like the doctor said, her kneecap was shattered from the blow from the bat and she would recover at a slower pace than a regular broken leg.

Another thing she hated was being treated like she was a five year old who couldn't do anything for herself. Rachel loved Finn with all of her heart, but he was the one to do it most. He would freak at the slightest moment she tried to do something that seemed dangerous to him. If he was in the kitchen this morning, he would have probably lectured her for reaching for the coffee cup. She knew he was still recovering from all of this as well and that he's very protective over her, but she hated it.