Disabled.

Thirty-Two

Previously

"After the accident, I should have spent time with you to find out how you were doing and what I could have done to help you. But instead, I threw myself into work and left everything to your mom--"

"But that's not your fault. Mom was the one who decided to stop working to take care of me."

"But still, I shouldn't have left everything to her. Even though she was always there for you, she couldn't be your dad too. You still needed me."

A tear fell from her eye, causing her to immediately wipe it away but as she finished, her father held onto her hand.

"Even though I wasn't there, I'm glad you were able to make a friend like Mason. He's a really good guy. And you have no idea how grateful I am that he has stayed with you since he met you. This might be hard for you to hear, considering what happened with Jackson, but I think the two of you look great together."

Nadia was at a loss for words when she heard his last words.

Her and Mason?

Good together?

Even though Jackson's mother had told her to move on, she still found herself always comparing everything about her and Mason to Jackson. And even though she had begun to realize that her feelings towards Mason could be more than friendly, she couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that she felt at the thought of Jackson.

- - -

*unedited*

Thirty-Two

Nadia felt a gentle breeze blowing her hair. She looked around to find that she was in the middle of a bright grass field alone. But when she looked back ahead, she found a figure making it's way towards her. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to see who it was but the person remained blurry until he was standing in front of her.

"Jackson?" she heard the sound of her voice before she felt her lips move.

He smiled as he looked down at her, reaching out a hand. She looked down at her legs which were spread out in front of her and she shook her head as she felt tears beginning to fall.

"I can't stand," she told him. His smile widened as he turned around and bent down before her, his back towards her.

"Get on," he told her.

She slowly reached out her arms and wrapped them around his neck. He stood up and held onto her legs as they dangled. And once he was standing, she found herself getting lost in the warmth of his body against hers as she hugged him tightly.

"How are you here?" she asked. Her arms tightened as she began to fear what he would say.

"What do you mean? I'm always with you, all you have to do is call for me and I'll be right there beside you like now," he said. She breathed a laugh.

"I'm dreaming aren't I?" she asked rhetorically.

"This might be a dream but I'm only here because you called for me. So why did you call for me?" he asked, his voice so soft that she wouldn't have heard him if she wasn't on his back.

She heaved a sigh as her father's words came into her mind.

"Even though I wasn't there, I'm glad you were able to make a friend like Mason. He's a really good guy. And you have no idea how grateful I am that he has stayed with you since he met you. This might be hard for you to hear, considering what happened with Jackson, but I think the two of you look great together."