You Can't Tell Me to Heal

"Avery, darling? Eric's waiting for you in the foyer," my mother interrupted my piano playing. Yeah, it was time for physical therapy again.

I gently shut the grand piano and got to my feet, shoving on my sneakers before slowly walking out of my piano room. After tearing both my ACLs, I was royally fucked for the rest of my life. I glared at him when he made to rush to my side, so he stayed in place. "Hey, Halvo."

The lanky boy grinned before striding over to me and gathering me in his arms. "Avery," Halvo simply sighed my name before lifting me onto his back and carrying me out to his car against my will.

"I can walk, you know," I grumbled, buckling up.

Halvo slipped on his aviators and started the car, but we didn't go anywhere. He fiddled with the stereo and air conditioning before speaking. "Look, Avery... Just walk to the places you can walk to by yourself, and let yourself be carried when you can't. I'd rather carry you. You're not a burden. Ok? You're not a burden." I could feel my eyes starting to water. Halvo was always so sweet to me. No one was harder on me than myself. He reached over to pull me closer and pressed a light kiss to my temple. "You'll always be a Sun Devil to me."

I managed a shaky laugh and the car was quiet for the next twenty minutes save for the Death Cab for Cutie songs streaming from Halvo's stereo. When we arrived at my physical therapy center, Halvo hopped out of the car to open my door for me, as always. "I want to walk," I said firmly after he helped me out of the car. "I'll be fine, I promise." Indecision still raged on his face, so I kissed his cheek, smiled, and walked into the building by myself. Halvo drove away once I was inside. I made my way to the receptionist. "Hi, I'm Avery Lassiter. Is Dr. Resnick here yet?" I asked politely after signing in.

The receptionist nodded and let me into the back hallway. I walked down to Dr. Resnick's room, albeit slowly. He was my doctor when I tore my left ACL, too.

After I tore my left ACL, I had to ease up on playing soccer at school. It killed me to play club soccer instead of Division I soccer during that time. When I recovered, I was let back onto the Division I team. My coaches didn't push me any less harder, though. Another two years saw the tearing of my right ACL. I mean, sure, we won nationals, but that was my last soccer game ever. Just thinking about that glorious day brought tears of joy to my eyes...

I forced my soccer memories out of my mind and focused on going to Dr. Resnick's room, but I'd already started crying, so my vision was blurred. I didn't see the guy walking my way, and he didn't see me either.

He bumped into me, but I fell down, knees first. Ouch.