Because of You

Chapter 13

I opened my eyes to nothing but fuzzy whiteness. I thought I heard a voice, but I didn't recognize it. I blinked and rubbed my eyes... or tried to. One of my arms, I realized, was hidden in a cast. My vision began to clear and I looked around, panicking. I was in a hospital. And not only did I have a cast on my arm, but tons of gauze wrapped around my left leg and, I noticed with some alarm, on my head.

Someone rushed into the room; my mom. She ran over to the hospital bed and touched my cheek. She had tears in her eyes. "Oh honey! You're awake again!"

Again? "Mom... what happened?" My speech sounded slurred.

"You were in a car crash Wendy. You've been asleep for three days. You woke up right after you got here but... you didn't know who you were. You must've had a concussion, but you seem to be recovering quickly."

A car crash? I searched my mind trying to find some sliver of memory, but I couldn't. I frowned and touched my head, looking down at my skinny legs poking out of my hospital gown. I'd never been badly injured before. I wasn't very outgoing and I always tried to avoid anything that could present even a slight danger. I looked back up as the door cracked open.

A doctor walked in followed by... Jayden? I looked at him confused and he gave me an encouraging smile. But why was he—

"I was glad to hear you were awake Miss Simmons," the doctor said cheerily. I hated doctors. I wanted to go home to my lonely little house and my cat. "Due to your severe injuries you were out for days, so a nurse is going to bring in some food. Eat slowly we don't want you getting sick right after you've started to recover." 

Eating sounded like the last thing on my list right now. I knew the doctor was right and I needed food in me, but after you haven't eaten for a few days, I guess you loose interest in it. The door opened again, revealing a nurse holding a plate of food. It looked disgusting. I picked at it and had a few tiny bites. Once I started I felt hungry, but the food was just gross. I slid the plate aside.

The doctor frowned slightly, but said nothing. He plastered a smile back on his face and nodded to the nurse who removed the plate and left again. "Your injuries seem to be healing extremely well, so you should be able to leave very soon, but we want to keep you one more night just to be sure."

I frowned. I didn't want to stay here any longer than I had to. I looked at my left leg, wrapped in layers of gauze. I wondered vaguely what had happened to it in the crash. I tried to wiggle my toes... and they didn't move. I tried again. Still nothing. "Umm Doctor? I can't move my toes," I said shakily. I tried harder. "Or my foot for that matter."

"Ah yes. I was just about to tell you. You had quite the gash on your leg when you got out of that car. As it heals your movement should start to become easier. If it doesn't... well, I'm sorry Wendy, but you might have to give up dance," he gave me an apologetic look and walked out the door.

I was speechless. I didn't know what to do. I was nothing without dance. Dance was all I could do, all I wanted to do. I looked at my mom, wide eyed. She didn't seem to get it. She gave me kind of a sad look but she didn't understand the significance of what the doctor had just said.

I glanced at Jayden and he wore a look of such pain it scared me. Jayden couldn't know how much dance meant to me could he? But... something told me he did. I didn't know how, but he understood. "Hey Mom? Can I um talk to Jayden?"