Fat Girl ✔️

My Belongings

I spent the night trying to refrain from tossing and turning, hoping to spare myself from pain. I lay with my head pressed against my pillow, replaying all the events leading up to this moment. Spider-Man. The kiss. The video. The accident. 

No one was coming. I was stuck, alone, with this weird, quirky little family in the middle of nowhere. I could only imagine how things were turning out back home. I wondered if Bella and Sydney were working things out.

I didn't get any sleep. I lay like that, replaying those moments, until the light of the morning sun illuminated the room. I blinked against the harsh rays from the window.

I hated bedrest.

I wanted to get out of my head. I wanted to go for a walk, or a run, or a drive. I wanted to pace. But all I could do was sit here with my head resting on a pillow and one leg propped up sloppily. All I could do was sit and wait.

I thought a lot about Sydney, Blake, and Bella. I wondered if they missed me. I wondered if they were worried about me or if someone told them where I was. I thought about the things Blake had said to me. I thought about my feelings towards Blake before I knew about Julian. I wished that those feelings would disappear after the incident, but they didn't. I prayed for Sydney, hoping that she was okay without me or Bella. At least she had Kyle. I mentally kicked myself for not being there for her.

As I waited for someone to come up and tell me what was going on, I found myself drawn to the large window facing the sun. Slowly, ever so slowly, I pulled myself out of bed, out from under the covers, and dragged my limp body painfully to the reading nook. Leaning my head against the glass, I looked down.

It was a farm. 

Of course they owned a farm. It was big, and green, and full of like. In the distance, I could see horses and sheep and cows, and a little dog that ran around like crazy. Giant trees loomed in the distance, almost as if they covered this little farm from the rest of the world. I lowered my gaze, and I found myself staring down at a small green garden at the end of a cobblestone path.

I narrowed my eyes. I'd seen that path before. And that garden. There was something familiar about the wooden fence, the way it leaned just so...

"Ellie, sweetie?" A voice called out from the door, interrupting my thoughts. I tore my eyes from the window. It was Martha, peeking her head in. She carried a tray of food.

 "Hmm?"

Martha opened the door a little more, revealing a tall boy with light brown hair. He waved at me awkwardly. "This is Ben. I thought you could get to know each other, and then he could take you to make your phone call when you're ready. See if there's anyone who can come get you. I brought breakfast too."

Ben stepped through the doorway, giving me a smile. I looked up at him, suddenly recognizing the boy in front of me.

"You." I whispered under my breath, piecing it all together. The farm on the way to the beach. I remember asking a tall boy with light brown hair for directions, wondering if I'd ever see him again.

I watched his brows furrow and then raise as he recognized me. "You're the girl who was going to the beach, right?"

"That's me."

"What were you doing back around here?"

I blushed. "Going...to the beach."

Ben laughed, moving to sit on the bed.  "I'm Ben, which I guess you already know."

I smiled, and tried to sit up. Groaning in pain, I laid back down. " Hi."

For a moment he just sat there awkwardly, and we both stared at each other, amazed that a coincidence like this was possible. Then Martha finally clapped her hands together and exclaimed, "Oh, Ellie! Ben has something to give you."

"What?" I asked, shifting in the nook. I felt my cheeks heat up. I was really only here for the night. There was no need for any gifts. 

Ben stood up, as if remembering that he did, indeed, have something to give me.  "Hold on, let me just-" he walked towards the door, " Go get it."

Ben came back into the room with a large box wrapped in Christmas paper. He scratched the back of his neck as he handed the large rectangular thing to me. I took it in my hands, brushing my fingers over the red and white Santa Claus wrapping.

"Yeah. I thought it would be better if I wrapped it, so it could be like a gift. But the only wrapping paper I had was that, so-" He turned red. "Yeah."

I laughed, and he laughed, and Martha started to laugh. carefully, I ripped open the packaging to reveal a plain cardboard box.  Looking up, I wondered what could be inside. Cautiously, I opened the box.

Inside, clean and pristine, were a pair of plain wooden crutches.

Ben cleared his throat. " They were mine when I was younger. Martha told me you're about that height, so..." He gestured at the crutches. I stared down at them, then back up at Martha and Ben. How strangers could be so kind... to find me, stranded on the side of the road, to give me a place to stay and offer to take me to a phone box and to gift me with crutches... it was too much. It was almost like a sign, from god, or Dad, or the universe, reminding me that I was worth more than bleeding out under a car.

"I love them. Thank you." I ran my fingers along the smooth wood. "I can use them, and get out of this room and actually walk around! This is-" I sighed. "I can't wait to use them. Really. You have no idea."

He smiled. " I'm glad you like it. We could try it now, if you want. Walk around the farm."

I looked up at him.  "I would like that."