One Dream - By: zzmbrashear (best ereader for textbooks TXT) 📗

was comfortable but he left to take care of the Ranch and I understood that. My Mother wasn’t around much either. She had to go home to take care of Allie. Most of the time I just stared out of the window and listened to my own thoughts. A lot of my thoughts scared me and every time I would go to bed I would dream. I didn’t want to dream because every time I did I would dream that I could never ride again. That was a nightmare I didn’t want to live.
I was quiet bored until my friend Waylon came to see me. Waylon is my best friend. He is the only person I ever hang out with outside of my family. He rides horses with me. He knows every little detail about my life. Everything. Even with Skyler I still needed Waylon.
We first met at the Ranch. His parents moved here when he was only eight, I was seven. His parents decided to home school him too, to keep him away from bad influences. What a right idea that is. I once visited our town’s High School. Its crazy. There were kids outside smoking and spitting chew into bottles. When I walked inside there were a group of idiots picking on a little helpless girl. I saw a boy throw a desk at teacher for pete’s sake. I also saw a boy and girl behind a dumpster. Lets just say I was a little terrified that they’d do that in public. I don’t want to imagine what they do in private...
Anyways, Waylon and I clicked immediately. I taught him to ride and we became best friends. I guess you could say I grew to love him.
At first I didn’t want him to see him, at least not like this. He’s the only one who gets me. Besides Skyler, he’s the only person I trust.
Waylon walked in with a bouquet of flowers. I smiled at the sight of him but I covered up my legs. I couldn’t let him see me in my moment of weakness.
My ribs ached as I bent forward to grab the sheet. I flinched at it and I hoped he didn’t see.
His black hair was a mess a usual. His hazel eyes were so beautiful in the light. Who am I kidding? They are beautiful in any light. I know what you’re thinking. I’m not. No. No. No. I don’t like Waylon. We’re friends. Just friends. Even if I maybe, no, yes, no, maybe want to be a little more.
“Hey, beautiful, you’re looking great.” He lied. I could see his freckles even more with the sun shinning in through the window.
“Lies.” I chuckled. He walked over to me and handed me the flowers.
“Really.” He smiled. “How are you?”
“I’m good.” I lied. He looked me straight in the eyes.
“You’re lying.” He stated. I avoided eye contact. Its scary how he can tell that just from a look. He reached for my hand and held it in his. “Annabelle, answer me.” I looked back at him. My eyes began to water. He didn’t know what had happened. He didn’t know why I was in here. He saw what happened but he didn’t know what it did. I couldn’t tell him. Just to say the words would mean its real. Oh, how I wish this was a dream. Can’t I just wake up? Pinch me. Pinch me, please!
I took a deep breath as I clenched the sheet. I pulled it off of me. My stomach was bandaged from my breast down to my waist. Below my waist I wore shorts. My legs were turning a pale color. Different from the rest of my body.
He looked down at my legs. He thought for a moment. He reached his hand out to touch them. When he did I looked up at the ceiling.
“Nothing from the waist down.” I murmured. He kept touching them. I could only tell because I saw him. He took his hands and ran them from my ankle to my thigh. “Paralyzed.” I whispered.
“Can’t you feel my hand?” He asked almost speechless.
“No, Waylon. Thats usually what paralyzed means.” I said. I didn’t mean to be snotty but that was just a stupid question.
“I’m sorry.” He hung his head. I lifted his chin. Some how it hurt my ribs but I didn’t care.
“I will be okay.” I told him. I lied because I couldn’t even believe what I just said. His eyes were filled with tears.
“How will you?” He began to say but he didn’t have to finish his sentence. I knew what he was going to say.
“I don’t know but I’m going to try.” I answered. He knew my passion for riding. I cant explain it. Its more than a passion. It was fervor. I couldn’t stop it. Not for anything. Its what I do. Its me. Its what makes me.
For the next week or so I still stayed in the hospital, just to make sure my ribs were okay. Waylon kept me company. He read to me and he took my Mother’s job as my teacher. He took all my work and helped me finish it. I couldn’t stand just lying in bed. I’m only sixteen. I’m healthy. A healthy 118 pounds. I get exercise. I eat right. I’m the perfect idea of healthy. This can’t be happening. This just can’t. I couldn’t wait until I got out of that place. Waylon packed my things for me. I hated it. I’ve never stayed still for this long. I can’t stay still for this long but its something I’m just going to have to get use to.
The doctor walked in with a wheel chair. Reality soon set in. I would never walked again. I would never get on Skyler and go.
The doctor wheeled it over to me and stood behind it. The sun gleamed off the bald spot on his head. His eyes were soft with pity. I didn’t want pity. I didn’t plan this but I hated pity more than anything.
“May I?” He asked. I nodded and he uncovered me. He put two arms around me and lifted me into the chair. He looked up at my Father. “I’m assuming you will be doing the lifting?”
“Yes.” My Father murmured.
“This is how you can lift her from her wheel chair easily.” He said. He put one around around my waist and lifted me. I looked down. My feet touched the ground but they were just like noodles. My Father nodded as the doctor put me back down. He wheeled me to my Mother.
“Thank you.” My Mother said to him. I looked over at Waylon. He didn’t know what to say. I’ve always been the take charge girl and now, I’m helpless. He didn’t know what to think. I held out my hand to him and he took it. He held it as my Mother wheeled me down the long hallway. As we went further it seemed like the hallway got longer and longer. I closed my eyes and clenched onto the wheel chair with my free hand as the doors opened and a bright light blinded me.
When I opened my eyes I was in front of the car. I loosened my death grip on Waylon’s hand and the wheel chair. Waylon wrapped his strong arm around me and lifted me to the car. He set me into the seat and tried to buckle me.
“I can do it!” I shouted at him.
“Okay.” He backed off. I felt terrible for yelling at him but I wasn’t that helpless. I mean, everyone made me feel that way because they were carrying me and such but I not. I can do everything I did before. Well, I can try.
Waylon picked up the wheel chair and closed it. He put it in the truck as my Father set my bag next to me. My Mother was already in the passenger seat. Waylon closed my door and went around to the other side. He got in and smiled as he buckled his belt. I looked out my window and sighed.
As we got closer to the Ranch, I began to get jumpy. I was so excited to see Skyler after so long.
As Waylon opened my door my door when we reached the ranch, a gust of wind blew over me. The smell of hay and flowers put me right at home. I took a deep breath and took it all in. My Dad helped me into my chair and he wheeled me to the Stables. As I came up on Skyler I noticed how high she was. The wheel chair took almost two or three feet off me.
I reached out my hand and stroked her coat as I got closer to her. I wanted to stand up and get on her. To take her for another ride. To jump another fence or take another bend. I wanted that more than anything but when I tried to stand up it was useless. My legs were no use. p;were just there. No point of them.
My Father placed his hands on my shoulders as he saw me struggle. I looked up at him. I was so frustrated. I wanted to stand. I wanted to walk. I wanted to get in and out of a car myself. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I thought about it more.
“I can’t do this! I can’t! My life is here! I can’t give it up! I want to walk! Why can’t I walk?” I cried. I screamed this but my Father didn’t care. He rolled me away from Skyler and kneeled in front of me. He grabbed my hands and squeezed them.
“No one is asking you to give up your dream. I know you want to walk. I know you want to ride and I want you to. Honey, you deserve to.” He began. He graced my cheek and wiped my tear. His short brown hair moved as he turned to Skyler.
“Then why can’t I!” I demanded to know.
“I don’t know, Anna!” He cried with me. I gripped his blue flannel shirt and pulled him close. I laid my head on his shoulder.
“I don’t understand.” I mumbled.
“Neither do I.” He replied. He wiped my tears once more and then straightened out his shirt.
“I’m going to stay here with Sky a little longer.” I said as he brushed off his knee’s.
“Okay.” He nodded. He kissed me forehead and then went to the house. I wheeled myself closer to Skyler. Dirt that came off from the wheels covered my hand. I brushed it off and then I pet Skyler.
“Its going to be okay, girl, right? I mean, I can do this. I will find a way to ride you again. I will find a way. Don’t worry.” I reassure her but it was more for my reassurance than hers.
I didn’t blame Skyler. She didn’t mean to hurt me. She didn’t make the bee sting her. This isn’t her fault. I guess there’s no one that I can really pin this on. Which is frustrating because I have no one to blame.

After spending almost an hour with Sky, I decided to go to the house. I wheeled myself to the porch. It took longer than normal but thats only because I’m not use to wheeling myself.
When I got to the porch I stopped. To my right was a ramp. It was there, it wasn’t last time I was here. It was there, just for me. I went