Rehab

4 minutes left, down by 2. We gotta get a stop here. As soon as she makes her move, I’m going for the steal. I got this, I got this…. NOW! (feels the screen) Someone’s there. I have to go around. Alisha, go around it. (trips and falls) (pause and then a scream)

Why didn’t my team yell anything? They should have communicated with me. They should have told me that she was setting a screen! I should’ve went for the steal quicker. I waited too long. I could’ve took the ball and had an easy lay up, only if I was 1 second faster. Just. One. Second. Damn! (smacks down her crutches) I could’ve had it. We should have won that game! It’s all my fault and now I’m stuck in this stupid rehab center with a torn ACL.

I’m walking today. I know I will, I know I can. (exhales) I’m just going to get my crutches. They’re only (starts to get up using arms) right (struggling to speak) there... (falls back onto the seat) Just like the ball was (sigh) I can’t get the ball, I can’t walk, I might as well stop trying altogether. There’s no point anymore. The season ends in a few months. There’s no way I’ll be able to do this. I’m not going to be able to get any scholarships, and I’m not even going to be able to play my senior year.

Now that I really think about it, it’s whatever. Cool. Fine. Fantastic! I don’t even wanna play anymore for real. It was just something to do. I might as well not even walk anymore. I don’t even care. Being in a wheelchair isn’t that bad and crutches are even better. They’re like swords and like, in a wheelchair, I can go faster than everyone else can. Plus I don’t have to walk up the stairs anymore. Speaking of that, let me go get my crutches. (Tries to get up.) I remember everyone speaking

“Come on Alisha.”

“Take your time.”

“You can get up?”

“What hurts?”

“Can you feel it?”

“Do you need ice?”

“Where did you fall?” All of the crowd is silent and I finally get up and they clap but I fall back down. Tears all over my face, with so much pain in my knee.

(Hears a knock at the door) No! I do not need any help! Stop coming to me! I don’t need any help walking and I don’t need any help trying to get my life back together!

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