It has been two months since my accident, and Monique and I have became the best of friends. Her mom and I hit it off and now I call her by her name, Lauren. And Sage came to see me, crying because I lost a part of my leg because of her but I told her it was my fault because so chose to go out surfing. Much to my surprise, Brody and Chelsea stayed friends with Sage, but they left me. Saying we couldn't be friends because we had nothing in common.

Being friends with someone if you have nothing in common makes the friendship exciting so that isn't a reason not to be friends. But oh well, if they don't want to be friends with me they don't have to, at least I have Sage, Maya, and Monique.

Today, I have decided I would tell Monique everything, about my mother's death seven years ago and most importantly, about my father's abuse. I wasn't sure how I would start the conversation. Hopefully, everything goes well, because I don't know what I'm getting into.

"Monique?" She turns towards me from her side of the room. We were watching a Disney movie that you may know, Cinderella, the mice were singing as they sewed something on the screen. I couldn't really tell since I was watching it from the corner of my eye. "Can I tell you something, that um, I haven't told anyone and only my brother knows." She nods, reassuring me that she will keep this secret. I sigh in relief, and begin my long and painful story of the last seven years.

*

Monique watched me intently as I relayed everything that has happened to my brother and I since our mother's death. Once I was finished speaking she was silent, taking everything in. I hold my breathe and wait for her reply.

"I can't believe that has been happening to you." She said in an astonished tone, "I want you to know that I'm here for you no matter what Alana."

"Thanks." I sigh, but as soon as I say my reply my voice breaks as the door leading to the hallway opens. Monique has gotten her cast off her arm, just like I have gotten it off my leg. There is some bruising on my legs and a gigantic scar where they stitched it up but other that that, I'm perfectly fine. The woman who stepped into our room was tall, she wore different colored scrubs and a name tag that read 'Zhynlee'. Huh, that's a cool name.

"Hello girls," She said, looking over at both of us, "I am your physical therapist. I will help you with the stages of recovery." We both nod understanding and she smiles and begins explaining what we would be doing today.

This is going to be a long recovery.

*

After explaining everything, she begins to help teach me how to move and roll out of bed. It was different than I was used to, instead of using my legs, I had to use more of my upper body strength than what I was used to. After countless of fails I finally did it and I could begin simple stretches to get my muscles stretched and more powerful.

After a couple of hours of therapy, we were allowed visitors, Sage came and so did a girl to see Monique. After talking, I found out she was Monique's good friend, Kelsey. She reminded me a little of Maya, with her shy, reserved manner. Sage hugged me so tight I could hardly breath my the time she let go.

"Are you okay? How are you? Are you getting the hang of things?" Her questions came in a rush and I blinked, processing them all at once.

"I just started therapy, and yes I'm okay. How about you? Are you doing okay?" She nods and smiles.

But then her smile falls, "I heard about Adrian. He just needs to take a breather."

I nod, remembering what he told me yesterday.

Her face lights up then and she turns to my therapist. "Can we go downstairs? I mean, do you think Alana and I can go down to the first floor to look around?"

"I'm not sure that would be possible," She said to Sage, "Alana needs to rest, maybe when she begins to learn how to use crutches, maybe even when she has her prosthetic."

"Oh."

The room becomes silent but someone knocks on the door. We all turn to the sound and two waiters walk in, one tray in each hand. I had orders a cheeseburger a few minutes before training and Zhynlee had told them that Monique and I could have our food after training and she would call them then. I must have not notice her on the phone when Sage had arrived.

They each hand is our trays and we begin to eat. The sandwich tastes like it was from Applebee's and I loved it. The meat melted and my tastebuds went bazaar. I wondered how a hospital could make such good food. How come schools can't have this good food?

I was beginning to like it here.

*

Days, turned to weeks which turned to months. I was getting restless. My doctor, Dr. Chandler, the middle aged man who helped stitch my leg up; the man who scolded the twenty some odd doctor. He says I can leave in a few days and every second, I'm itching to get out of this hospital but at the same time, I'm to afraid to get home and face my father. I don't know what he'll do when he sees me, or my brother for that matter.

I've had visitors, surprisingly Chelsea showed up, but she never spoke a word and looked anywhere but in my direction. Brody refused to visit me.Adrian only visited me that one time when he yelled at me, but everyone else came. Sage came to see Me more times than I can count, so did Maya and Emmett. Which it felt off that Emmett would come visit me so much when we've only been friends for a day.

Zhynlee, told Monique and I that we would have a special visitor today, when we asked who it was she refused to tell us. When I saw the man dressed in a suit and tie walking into our room I feared the worst. He had a formal look to him and kept his poster has he walked across the room to set the black briefcase down on the table by the window. I held my breathe as he walked into the middle of the room to speak to us. And to my dismay, he turned to me and uttered the words, I never thought I would hear:

"Hello, I am Mr. Braun and I am here to speak to you Alana. If you are confused let me explain; I am a social worker."

All of the air came out of my lugs the second he said it, I felt my world spin and I wondered if I would get out of this alive. I couldn't speak, I could barely breathe, dark spots scattered my vision and all I could do was fall.

*

The room erupted into chaos after that. Zhynlee called doctors, who then asked the social worker to leave the room. As if my sudden blackout would get worse with him there, not even considering that the amount of them closing in on me, it was causing me to panic even more. Before long my vision came back, but in a blurry haze, and twenty doctors kept asking me questions. I'm fine, I was just in shock. It's not a big deal, is it?

Mr. Braun enters the room as my vision comes back and starts asking me questions, precisely like the doctors were.

"Stop." The room goes silent, then, I pull the covers off and reach over to take hold of my crutches. Zhynlee sees, and walks over to steady me. I grab hold of the metal sticks, and place them securely underneath my arms. "Mr. Braun, if you would like to speak to me, I suggest we go somewhere without everyone talking to me at once."

"Of course."

His gaze wasn't at my face, it was at my left leg. I suppose I'll have to get used to this. He grabbed his briefcase at the window before we exited the room and into the hallway that leads to a small meeting room. For my safety, Zhynlee walked behind us.

Mr. Braun's shoes made a squeaking sound, that made the clinking sound of my crutches less annoying. Zhynlee on the other hand, caused no sound as we enter the meeting. It was like she wasn't even with us.

I sat in the wooden chair and put my crutches beside me. Mr. Braun sat in front of me and gestured for me to begin to tell him my life story. I shut my eyes as the memories came flooding back.

"Ever since I can remember, I've always ever wanted to be surfer. I wanted to be like my mother." A smile tugged at my lips as I think of the way she flawlessly did tricks and spins on top of the water. "But, that all changed when my mother passed away. It happened when I was ten and my brother was eleven. And so my father." I trail off, and try to blink past the tears. But a few manage to flow down my cheeks.

"Your father?" Mr. Braun asked, writing on his notepad. When did he get that out?

"I, um, he." I move around behind me, suddenly realizing Zhynlee is in the room. "Zhynlee, do you think you could um." How am I supposed to ask this? She nods, understanding what I am trying to ask, she exits the room leaving me with the social worker.

My voice begins to break as I say the next few words, "He physically and mentally abuses my brother and me. This happens when he's at home drunk or sober. Him being sober is a rarity."

"Has he ever been diagnosed as an alcoholic?"

I shake my head, "No, never."

"Do you know where your brother is?" He inquires, looking up from his notes.

"We aren't exactly on speaking terms."

"Why is that?" He demands.

"I'm sorry Mr. Braun, but I think that's that's enough questions for today." I grab my crutches and was just about to stand when he interrupted me.

"We haven't had anytime to discuss guardianship." I stop in my tracks and turn to him.

"My brother was going to get guardianship over me." Mr. Braun raised his eyebrows at me, "What?"

"I spoke to him about it, he refused to. Lucky for you, a family has vouched for you. Do you know a Mark Hathaway?" 

"Y-yes? Did they vouch for me?" I ask, smiling.

"Yes, they signed a few minutes after I saw your brother, is this is this an arrangement you can live with?"

I nod, "Yes! I've been friends with Sage for years. They are awesome!"

"Good." He sets the notepad back in his briefcase and closes it.

I stand with a big fat grin on my face. We exit the room and I think this is probably the happiest day of my life. I was going to go tell Monique the good news, I was going to tell everyone it. I was going to walk again, and I never have to see my father ever again!

As soon as I got to our room, I told Monique, her smile was probably as big as mine. I wanted to walk over to see Sage, but Zhynlee said I couldn't, I had to be in a wheelchair because I have been walking a lot today. She took me to Sage who was as happy as I was when so told her.

"I wasn't allowed to go talk to you until after Mr. Braun went and saw you. If I would have known about your dad I would have said something sooner." She replied.

"It's okay." I say, "I didn't say anything, it's not your fault."

Sage and I are going to be sisters! This is going to be great!