Rehabilitation

Chapter 1: The Accident

    "See ya later and good luck Thomas! I know that you'll do great today," I hear my mom yell at me from the kitchen as I begin to walk out the door.

It's my senior year of high school and baseball season has just started. I've been working towards this season for all of high school. Our first game is today and I'm told that scouts from multiple D1 colleges and minor league teams will be scouting me today, so I have to make a good impression. My coaches always tell me I'm almost guaranteed at least a D1 offer and a strong chance to get drafted right out of high school. I step into my car and drive towards the school when suddenly I hear the sound of glass breaking and a painful high-pitched screech of metal crumbling. What felt like a blink must've lasted ages because without even realizing it, I was waking up in a hospital bed.

    "He's awake," I hear from the nurse as she runs out of the room.

Shortly after I see the doctor along with my mom, dad, and little sister rush into the room with tears falling down their faces. I was still confused on what was going on until I tried to move. The pain was worse than anything I've ever felt in my life. Just a slight movement felt like I've just been crushed by an entire building. The pain was so bad I feared to cough or sneeze because of the excruciating pain that would follow.

     "Oh thank goodness!" I hear my mom yelp as walking in office.

    "Hi you must be Thomas Price, I'm sorry..." the doctor said regretfully. "We were able to save your life; however, you have several broken bones, 2 torn ligaments in your right knee, 1 in your left, a minor skull fracture, and the list just continues. We were able to stop the internal bleeding from your organs and stopped any possibility of your organs collapsing, but we had to perform multiple surgeries just to keep you alive."

    "Wh... What happened to me!?" I screamed only thinking about one thing. "Wh... What about baseball?"

    "I'm sorry, but it is very unlikely you will ever be able to throw a ball, pick up a bat, or even walk comfortably again," the doctors explained. "You were unconscious for four days."

     "Four days?" I whispered to myself.

The thoughts of never being able to walk comfortably and play baseball brought me to the brink of tears. All the worst thoughts came into my head, but I knew I had to stay strong in front of my family who was clearly in a horrible state of mind as well.

    "Hey ma'am, this is for family only," I hear a nurse say in the halls before I see my girlfriend Maya rush in the room.

    "I'm sorry... I couldn't wait in the waiting room anymore," she whispered as tears were falling down her face. "Thomas, I'm so sorry this happened to you..."

I knew she had a million things to say to me, but those few words were all she was able to muster. She was my girlfriend after all. Something like this was probably more traumatizing for her than anyone. I could see the tears rushing down her face and splashing on the floor. Her hands covering her face as if she had just seen a ghost. Her bright blonde hair was shaggy as if she hadn't showered in days and the dark shadows under her blue eyes made her look even more distraught. She was wearing one of my baseball hoodies, which I always thought looked funny because she made them look as if it was meant for a giant with how small she was. I knew I had to stay positive and hide the amount of pain I was feeling.

    "Hey Maya, sorry for making you worry, but I'll be better than ever in no time," I said in the most cheerful voice I could without revealing the pain I was in.

    "Don't apologize! I don't know what I would have do-." Maya was cut off by the door slowly being opened.

    "I'm... I'm so sorry," a voice comes from behind the door. "I... I am the reason for your accident."