48. Homecoming

"Head's up, 'Nettie. It's homecoming week. Things might be a little chaotic tomorrow," Noah warned as he looked over me. I was making my way to the couch after using the bathroom. Noah helped me settle in. "Sorry I missed dinner. Coach had practice go a little late. Surprising since tomorrow is game day. The lasagna smells good; I'm looking forward to getting a plate in a minute." He stroked under my eyes. "When was the last time you slept, 'Nettie? You look like you're going to crash."

"I'm fine," I insisted through grit teeth. "Any word yet?" Noah shook his head. I bit my lip again. "I know something's up. Josh is even ignoring my calls. Somebody has to know something. It's been a week, no word. I might have thrown my phone across the room last time I called him."

"He told you, he had to turn off his phone and that the base had strict rules about letting him use the landlines to make calls, especially if they're not local calls," Tyler replied as he looked up from his computer. He was furiously programming something; I had no idea what. I had hopes that Pat would return, but I knew something was up, so therefore I was beginning to question everything. It shouldn't take this long. He shouldn't be confined to the base. I also knew he memorized my phone number, so he could at least call on a landline or a payphone. There was just too many red flags, and I hated not knowing the truth. 

"He's cheating, isn't he?" I whispered. Tyler closed his laptop, tucked it between the couch we were sitting on and the end table, and looked me in the eye as he rubbed my foot.  

"He'll come back to you, 'Nettie. He's not the type of guy that goes around looking for more tail. He has you and that's all he needs. Do you know how many times he's told me that?" Tyler inquired. I shook my head and took a deep breath, refusing to let tears fill my eyes. I couldn't dwell on this. "Countless. Pat is head over heals for you. When you're in the room, his eyes are glued on you when he's not talking to someone else. When you're not in the room and another girl tries to get his attention, he'll be polite, nod, and look them in the eye, but only for a second before he looks away or down. You mean everything to him. He'll come back," he repeated. I nodded and rubbed my teeth over my bottom lip. "Noah's right. You need to sleep. How's your pain?"

"I'm fine!" I repeated as I moved back to my wheelchair, getting ready to leave the room so I could go sulk in my room. "Stop hovering." Noah put his hand on my back and I winced, but tried to keep the emotion off my face. Tyler scooted down the couch and put his hand on the rail of the wheelchair. He squinted his eyes at me and sighed.

"Where's your pills, 'Nettie?" He asked. "I caught the wince. You're in pain. Don't deny it." I sighed and pointed to my backpack. Jess brought it over."Thanks, Jess. 'Nettie, when was the last time you took any medication? Did you have some with lunch or breakfast today? That'll determine the amount you're taking now." I shrugged my shoulder, refusing to answer, and looked at Jess. She also brought me a small box that I hadn't opened yet. 

"That's from Pat. You didn't want to open it?" Noah exclaimed.

"It's just more pills. I'm fine," I replied wearily as I took the book bag out of Jess's hands. I opened it up and dug around the bottom of the bag until I found the baggie of pills.

"Annette! Pat texted Noah saying he was sending you home with 16 pills. Even if you skimped and only took two a day, you should have three pills left right now; one for before bed and two to to get you through tomorrow," Jess chided as she held up three fingers. "Why haven't you been taking your meds?" I shook my head and bit my lip. Angrily, I shed several tears, unable to hold them back any more.

"I've had two," I admitted. "Numbing the pain gives me more time to worry about Pat. My project is done. I won't show you guys until he sees it first. Tyler, I'm sorry, but that means Renae won't be coming over tomorrow. You guys banned me from the kitchen earlier today. I'm done with my homework. I'm making progress on the webpage Mrs. King wants me to design. I can't focus to read. Puzzles give me headaches. I've filled up my Sudoku book. Tyler's been busy programming something. Jess has been nesting and sleeping. Not to mention, I didn't want to bother either one of them. You've been at work. I have nothing else to distract myself. I need the pain to keep my mind off him. It numbs me. He asked me to put my guard up again. I can't break down," I insisted as I looked down, refusing to look at my family. The problem was that I was breaking down, I was losing. This was confirmed as a single tear landed on my hand.

"No wonder you've been cranky. Jess, give her a full one. She's going to bed. I'll make sure she stays put and sleeps," Tyler ordered as he lifted my chin and I met his eye. "You're not getting out of this, sister dear. Even if that means I have to lay on top of you to get you to sleep." I nodded and he removed his hand. 

"Make it one and a half. You promised him you would stay ahead of your pain and that you would take care of yourself. You don't have to be strong around us. I love that with him you are so open, but right now, you're causing damage," Noah chided. I nodded and looked down. Jess brought over a glass of water and deposited three halves of my pain medicine into my hand. I sighed. 

"Take them now, 'Nettie," Tyler commanded. I sighed again and popped them in my mouth. I opened my mouth and lifted my tongue to show them I wasn't hiding the pills. "Thank you. You can have a cup of hot chocolate while you wait for the medication to kick in." I shook my head as Jess put a movie in. It wasn't long before I found my head bobbing around. Tyler stroked my cheek. "Now it's time to sleep, 'Nettie. Come on. I'll help you get in bed," he murmured.

"I don't want to sleep. It's hard to sleep. I fight my covers mostly. I don't like sleeping on my back. I panic when I wake up on my stomach. I'm sorry. I was just trying to not be a problem for you guys," I mumbled. Tyler scooped me up in his arms.

"Then you'll sleep in my room tonight, in my arms. You're going to get a good night's rest. After all, you have school tomorrow. You need your strength. Sleep, 'Nettie," he insisted. I drooped my head on his shoulder, already losing the battle.

"Nae's going to hate me. She likes flirting with you," I muttered as I closed my eyes.

"You worry too much, Net. I'm just making sure you sleep. No flirting, no kissing. Pat holds you on your side right?" Tyler asked. I nodded as I felt my body totally relax. "Then that's what I'll do," he insisted as he set me on his bed. A blanket was draped over me and he crawled into bed beside me, on top of the blanket. Gently he rolled me to my left side and rested me on his shoulder.

"Too early," I slurred.

"Hush, sister dear. You need to sleep. You haven't been. 9 hours is what we're hoping for. Even Renae would understand. I'll flirt with her tomorrow," he teased. 

"I want to see Ronnie," I mumbled. "Thank him."

"Oh, Annette," Tyler sighed. "Give in. I'm not taking you to see him until you're healthy." If I could roll my eyes, I would. There was a knock on the door. "Clearly it's open, Noah. What's up?"

"She being difficult?" Noah asked as he sat behind me.

"Of course she is," Tyler chuckled. "She wants to see Ronnie."

"Is that the pain talking, 'Nettie?" Noah asked.

"Maybe," I mumbled. "I don't want to sleep."

"You're about out. You are slurring your words really bad. I'm opening this box, 'Nettie. There's more than just pills in here. Listen," Noah instructed. The box shifted. I distinctly heard the pills but then there was a hard click. Then I heard cardboard being ripped. "A gift bag," Noah explained. Paper crinkled as he opened it up. He shook a bottle. "Pills," he confirmed. "But there's more. He got you a white bear holding a book and a flashlight. It's soft. Here," my hand was picked up and the bear placed under it. It was no bigger than my hand. I stroked the fur and bit my lip. Teddy bear? So did he send this before or after I left him a message? And if it was after, it means he called his phone long distance. So why didn't he call me then? I pulled it to my chest and held it tightly. Whatever his reasoning, it was like he was here now and that's what I needed. "He also sent a card. Can I open it and read it?" 

"Permission granted," I replied wearily and snuggled closer to Tyler.

"Thinking of you. You're never far from my mind. Sending you warm wishes," Noah read. "That's just what the card says. Pat wrote a paragraph too. 'Hey beautiful. I love you. I wish I could say that complications weren't a part of life. Unfortunately I'll be delayed a while longer. Charge those panels. Keep hope alive. Build me a bridge. You're my foundation. B2G. Love you, doll. PBM.' That sounds like a bunch of code to me, but I'm sure it means something to you. He cares deeply about you, 'Nettie. He wouldn't cheat on you. I'm sorry that your mind is jumping to conclusions. I've never seen someone so infatuated with someone. Pat cares about you more than Tyler or myself; probably even more than I care about Jess. You know how much that is, sis."

"I know. Thanks," I mumbled. I thought about Pat's words. The only thing I couldn't figure out at the moment was B2G. Bradley Gibson was the first thing that mind, but Pat wouldn't be sweet and say something like that. "Broken together!" I mumbled softly as I finally pieced it together and drifted off to sleep with a smile.

"It's seven, Net. Wake up. You have to get ready for school," Tyler shook me softly. I scowled and snuggled deeper into my blanket. "Come on, sister dear. If I can wake up this early, you can too. Plus by 8:30 you can come back and sleep more," he teased softly.

"I have a headache," I whined as I rolled to my back and opened my eyes. "Actually everything hurts," I confessed. Tyler chuckled and sat up.

"Unfortunately, not staying ahead of the pain and letting it build up, you hurt yourself more. Now that the pain medication has worn off, your pain is hitting you full force. We probably gave you more pain medication than you needed, but you really needed to sleep too. 11 hours of straight sleeping. You didn't toss and turn too much either," Tyler confirmed. "Can I help you sit up?" I nodded and relaxed my hand. It was stiff from holding onto something last night. I looked at the object in my hand and grinned. The little white bear was holding the flashlight by it's head, the book was attached to that elbow and the other hand. If set up, the bear would be on it's stomach, with it's feet in the air at an angle, leaning against the flashlight and reading. It's exactly how I preferred to read if I wasn't so injured. I grinned. "There we go, 'Nettie. Best way to start the day is with a smile," Tyler praised. I looked at him as he offered me his left hand.

"Remind me to thank Noah for opening that box last night. It was just what I needed," I replied as I dropped the bear and grabbed Tyler's hand. His right arm rested behind me and sat me up. "Whoa," I muttered as I began to sway. "Dizzy."

"Take it slow, 'Nettie," Tyler instructed. I nodded and moved to the side of the bed. "Not so fast. Remember, I carried you in here last night. There's no chair." I nodded again as he made his way around the bed and picked me up again. "Jess picked out some clothes for you. I'll help you cover your leg then you can shower."

"Thank you. What am I allowed to make for breakfast?" I asked as he set me on the bathroom counter. I bit my lip and asked, "or am I still banned? I kinda went overboard this week."

"I think we're going to eat the monkey bread you made Wednesday morning. I'll get you some hot chocolate to go with it," Tyler promised as he covered my leg. "Stay safe. Yell if you need anything. Jess left your clothes there." He pointed to basket above the toilet. I nodded and he ducked out of the restroom. I took off my sling and prepared for my shower. I didn't put the water sling on and worked on a few simple exercises. I decided to brush my teeth while showering too. When I finished my shower, I hopped carefully onto the towel on the floor. I grabbed one off the rack and wrapped it around my body. Then I hopped over to the linen closet. I pulled out a smaller towel and wrapped it around my hair. It had been five weeks since I was in the hospital, so even without the doctor's permission, I was using my left hand more, making sure that I used my elbow down, not moving my shoulder. Finally, I hopped over to the basket after making sure I had a steady brace on the wall. I groaned when I noticed Jess had picked out a dress for me to wear.

"No! No! No," I mumbled. I kept digging hoping there was something else I could wear. Much to my dismay, there was only the one outfit choice. I sighed and just got dressed. I looked in the mirror and gasped. The dress she picked out was a royal blue tunic, not quite a dress, but it covered me to my mid thigh. It hugged my torso then gradually became more baggy as it went down. The collar swooped down, but my chest was completely covered. The shoulders were three inches wide, a two inch gap, followed by three more inches of fabric draped on my arm. The skin tight, knee length white leggings complimented the top perfectly. There was no fancy embellishments or designs. It was perfect. Simple yet flattering. I would pick this outfit out if money wasn't an option. I grinned, grabbed my dirty clothes and my sling, and made my way out of the bathroom. I deposited my clothes down the laundry chute and held onto the wall as I made my way to the kitchen. Tyler heard me wheezing and wheeled my chair to me. "Thank you," I replied as I lowered myself into it. I maneuvered myself the kitchen. Noah was eating and looked like a zombie. Jess just sat away from the table. She looked like the smell was bugging her. "Morning guys!" I said cheerfully as I pulled up to a place set for me. Tyler was dishing something up on the counter for himself. He put some of the sweet cinnamon bread in front of me with a glass of hot chocolate and a can of whipped cream. Jess and Noah had fresh strawberries and blackberries down by them. Tyler grabbed his plate and a cup of coffee and sat beside me. "Can I have some strawberries too please?" Jess nodded and handed them down. "Jess, I love this outfit. I'm concerned though that this top isn't school appropriate with my shoulders showing and how tight it is. Handbook states no cutout tops are allowed. I'm sure they were referring to the chest or back area, but I'd rather be safe and cover up now instead of being looked down upon at school, have to leave, and come back for my twenty minutes of school; it's just too stressful," I told her as I dished up some strawberries onto my plate. She nodded and stood up, her mouth was full so she didn't say anything. I handed the strawberries over to Tyler. He took some as well. I took a sip of my cocoa and frowned. I backed up and moved over to the counter. I grabbed the mix and brought it back to the table. After I added another scoop of the powder and mixed it in, I nodded my approval that now it smelt right. I grinned when I tasted it again then added my whipped cream.

"Here you go, 'Nettie," Jess said as she helped me into a cropped, soft gold with white pinstripes, short sleeved jacket; it didn't button but I felt better wearing it; it definitely took the attention off the tightness of the top by my chest and didn't make my breasts stand out as much. Then she hooked up my sling and put a gold ballet flat on my left foot. "If you don't mind, I'll just brush your hair into a side pony today. Junior is making me feel a little ill." I nodded as I ate my breakfast. She disappeared again and came back out with a brush and a ponytail. She scrunched the towel through my hair and got to work, pulling the hair over my left shoulder and securing it in place. She kissed the top of my head. "Love you, 'Nettie. I'm going back to bed."

"Night, Jess. Love you too. So that means you're taking me to school," I concluded as I looked at Tyler. He grinned and gave me a thumb's up. I looked back at Noah apologetically. "Sorry, but if you're required to sub and be there, it doesn't make much sense for you to wheel me around and bring me back here. I don't want you to get in trouble." Noah shrugged and kept eating.

"You're absolutely correct," Tyler stated around a mouthful of food. He slid me a half of a pain pill and looked at me sternly until I took it and swallowed it. He nodded his approval and grinned. "We discussed this last night. Remember, I said I'd flirt with Renae today to make up for sleeping with you last night," he teased. I giggled.

"Don't hurt my friend," I replied as I shook my finger at him. He grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Net. She's interesting," he beamed. I smiled and finished my breakfast. When it was gone, I placed my dishes in the sink. "You can help me with those later. It's nearly time to head out," Tyler instructed as he leaned back and sipped his coffee. I nodded and wheeled back to Tyler's room so I could grab the bear Pat sent me. 

"My little Socrates bear, you're coming with me today. I'd look a little strange taking Pat's shirt to school with me. I want to be in his presence somehow though," I muttered as I moved back down the hall. I pulled out my phone hoping to see his picture flashing at me. It wasn't. All I saw was my photo background of the two of us that first morning gazing into each other's eyes. "Miss you, dear," I uttered as I put the phone on the coffee table, followed by my bank card. There was no reason to have that at school. I fingered the $40 cash I had and left it in the zipped up pocket. I grabbed my homework binder off the coffee table. I double checked all my work, flipping through the color coded dividers. Satisfied that my work was done and I was even ahead of schedule, I put it in my bag. I tucked my Socrates bear beside the binder and draped the bag over my shoulder so it rested on my side. I looked up at Tyler as he walked over. "Can you help me stretch? I feel stiff," I confessed. He nodded and gave me his hand. I stood up, standing on my toes. He lifted my hand above my head and bent me side to side slightly.

"That's all I'll do, Net. Sorry. I'm afraid I'm going to break you," he informed me softly as he lowered me back into the wheelchair.

"Thank you. That little bit helps. Ready when you are," I responded. He grinned and wheeled me outside to his silver car. Noah loaded up in his black one. "He still hasn't woken up yet," I mused with a giggle as Tyler opened the door and helped me in.

"Yeah. He doesn't like mornings! You two are completely opposite," Tyler confirmed with a chuckle. I grinned and buckled up. He shut the door and walked around the car to the driver's seat. "Where are we going first?"

"We can start with Consumer Ec. Then we can go to English through the backdoor, followed by math and history. Once I checked in when those four teachers, I need to go to the music room and computer labs to get signatures that I checked in. Followed by a check in with the principal," I explained. I looked over at him and grinned. "You worry too much, brother dear," I teased. He grinned and put the vehicle in motion and headed to the school. "It's a small school. It really shouldn't take that long. As long as you keep me from getting bumped, we'll be good," I insisted. He grinned.

"I'll do my best, 'Nettie. I don't have the driving skills that Pat does, but I'll turn you around backwards and protect your leg," he promised. I grinned. "Plus I'm sure you'll have some helpful friends," Tyler added. I nodded.

"That's a high probability. I know that I'll have 'Nae for sure. When I signed up for my classes, Lauren and Adam helped out. It made me uneasy, but it was nice. I don't expect it to continue; we're from separate cliques. I'm hoping all my teachers are ready for me to be here half hour early; last week they weren't. Ten days or less, and then the doctor looks at my injuries again. If my sling comes off, I can start doing therapy so I can get some strength back and use crutches. I have about a three week window to master that before I have to be here full time," I explained as he pulled into the parking lot. "This side is for the students, that side is for the faculty."

"That's nice. You get a special parking space," he retorted with a grin as he pulled into the handicapped parking spot. I opened my mouth in protest as he reached over to the glove box and pulled up a temporary handicapped sticker. "We got you covered, sweet little 'Nettie," he teased as he hung it up on the mirror. I blushed and looked down as he got out of the car. I unbuckled and waited for him to come around. He helped me into the wheelchair and I guided him to my classrooms.

"Consumer Ec is in this room," I stated as I pointed. Tyler wheeled me in. "Good morning, Mr. Bishop," I stated as we startled him. I grinned as he spilled his coffee on his desk. "I'm sorry sir. I was just turning in my homework and looking for next week's assignments."

"Morning, Annette. It's good to see you again," Mr. Bishop replied as he wiped up his desk. "Just give me a minute and I'll get those assignments from you." He looked up at Tyler. "You must be the personal chauffeur. I'm Mr. Bishop."

"Tyler. Brother-in-law. Or soon. Kinda. Noah is dating my sister," Tyler explained. Mr. Bishop chuckled.

"Gotcha. Okay. Perfect. Here you go, Annette. Here's what we're going to cover next week," Mr. Bishop stated as he handed me a list. I pulled out my binder and put that in the green divider. I gave him the assignments he requested for this week.

"I have a question for you. I was reading up on what to expect in your class. You have a note on here that says 'BBC test 30% of grade'. What is the BBC? How do I test for it?" I inquired as he looked through my assignments quickly. 

"Ah! Yes. That's a once a week thing. 45 minute video on Thursday followed by a test first thing Friday. I can start sending the video home with Noah after school, you can bring it back to me and take the test while I get your next week's stuff ready. We won't worry about this week's. I explained it to your class but we ran out of time and didn't watch it yesterday. Plus they won't be coming in this afternoon with float building and the parade," he explained. "This looks great. Thank you. Will you be coming in every Friday for the next month about eight?"

"Yes sir. Thank you. I'll see you next week," I replied as I put my binder away again. I thought better of it and decided to pull out a blank sheet of paper. I wrote on the top 'Sept 15, 2006. Friday check in.' Then I numbered my paper 1-7. "Will you sign that I came in and talked to you?"

"Of course. Thanks for stopping in," Mr. Bishop replied as he signed my paper by number five.

"Thanks again. Ready, Tyler?" I asked. He nodded and wheeled me out. I pointed to the back exit; this was the only class in a separate building. The rest of my meetings went just as smoothly. All of my teachers signed my paper and made small talk with Tyler. I had Mr. Ravenitch sign my paper once than just okayed the second slot. He laughed at me but did as I requested. Finally, we made our way to Principal Lane's office; the hallways were filling up quickly. I bit my lip and cringed any time someone walked by me. "Good morning sir. I collected all my work, turned in the assignments I needed to," I told him as I slid my paper over. "There's an empty slot for you to sign too. You can put it in my file. I'm sticking to the agreement, sir." 

He nodded as he looked it over. "Thank you, Annette. This is great. I'd say you're welcome to go home now but you can't," he explained as he looked up at me. My mouth opened as I gawked and he continued. "As you know it's homecoming week," I closed my mouth and nodded. "I warned you that given the requirements of this arrangement, you may be nominated to be the candidate for your class. Congratulations. You are the senior nomination for homecoming queen," he praised. I grinned but looked down. Tears threatened to spill. 

"Isn't there a back up? I can't walk," I gasped. "I don't deserve this honor," I insisted as I looked up at him again. Principal Lane smiled.

"It was unanimous. Apparently they didn't even vote for the female nomination. You agreed to be on the voting roster when you signed up for your classes," Principal Lane explained, giving me a gentle reminder. I nodded. I knew I agreed, but I just didn't think it would happen. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "In order to participate in the parade, walk out during halftime of the game, go to the dance following the game, and have any votes counted for you at lunch today, you have to be here the whole day. Only periods one and two are required classes today. Then it's time for the pep assembly followed by lunch and float building. It should be fairly easy. I'll give you permission to nap in class if you need it," he told me. I wiped the tears from my eyes and looked up at Tyler. He grinned down at me. I looked back at Principal Lane in shock.

"Isn't the dance tomorrow?"

"Usually it is, but our volleyball players will be out of town. They want to do the dance too," Principal Lane explained. "The game starts at five tonight; dance starts at nine."

"I'm sorry sir, that just sounds like a long day. I'll wheel out at halftime, but I can't make the dance. It's highly unlikely that I'll win the crown. I appreciate the fact that you'll let me sleep in class. I won't be able to manage my pain with just sleep, sir," I informed him. He looked at Tyler.

"Family?" He asked. Tyler must have nodded as Principal Lane grinned and looked back at me. "If your cousin can bring your medication in, you can come get it at the office when you need it. Lauren offered her home to build the float," he explained. "It's just right across the street of the school. The parade is at 3:15, all floats need to head up by 3. I'm sure she won't mind if you napped on her couch. You just have to be with your class the whole day," he reiterated. I nodded.

"Yes, sir. Is my homeroom still Mr. Trattles' room? Or should I just make my way to Mr. Weaver's math class?" I asked as the reality sunk in. I sighed and felt the color drain from my face.  

"Yes, Mr. Trattles is still your homeroom teacher. And you can go to either; whichever would be easiest for you. Here's a note for permission to be late and sleep in class if you need it. Unfortunately, you can't stay, son. I don't mind you helping her get where she needs to go when she's turning in her homework, but since you are not a student here," Principal Lane trailed off as he handed me a signed paper. I tucked it into my book bag.

"I understand, sir. Can I take her to her class and find someone to assist her the rest of the day?" Tyler asked. Principal Lane nodded. "And when I bring back her pain medication, I just turn it into the office?" Again Principal Lane nodded. "Thank you, sir. It's been a pleasure to meet you," Tyler stated as he wheeled me out just as the bell for class rang. I jumped in my seat and pressed my finger to my ear. "Where we going 'Nettie. Homeroom or math?"

"I don't know, cousin? Where do you want to take me?" I replied sarcastically. He chuckled and pulled on my ponytail. "Sorry. Uh. Homeroom I guess. It's just across the hall from the math room. So much for going back to sleep at 8:30," I grumbled as I sunk into my chair.

"Yes, but this is a good thing, 'Nettie. I'm proud of you. Your class is giving you the honor you deserve. I'll let Jess know she may have to go shopping," Tyler chuckled.

"No. Let her sleep. I'm sure I can find a dress that looks fancy enough later. Hell, I'd rock this!" I stated as I pointed to the door I was supposed to go in.

"No you won't," Lauren retorted with a grin as she passed me. Tyler stopped the wheelchair and let her in the door first. "Guess you heard the news." I nodded glumly. "It's a formal event, Annette. So you can't wear plain clothes like that; you have to dress up for both the parade and walking out during halftime. I have several dresses you can choose from to wear tonight. It'll be fun," she giggled. I rolled my eyes as Tyler pushed me into the room. "Looks who's here guys! Our queen," Lauren trilled. The room erupted in hellos and welcome backs. Tyler pushed me to back of the class. Renae joined us back there.

"Do you have your phone, 'Nettie?" Tyler asked me softly. I shook my head. He looked at Renae. "Can I have your arm please?" Renae grinned and handed over her hand and a pen. "Text me if she has any issues," he ordered. 

"Okay. What if she doesn't, can I still text you?" Renae giggled. I blushed and put my hand on my forehead. 

"Just look after her for me. You can text me if you want," Tyler chuckled in reply. "Take care, sister dear. I'll see you in the parade." I nodded as he left. I looked around at my class.

"Somebody please explain to me how this happened? I can't walk! Mindy, Esther, or Marie deserves this honor more," I pleaded.

"We were not planning on having you walk," Ryan spoke up. I looked over at him and pursed my lips. "You and Adam are our nominations," he continued. I looked over at Adam then over to Lauren. They were both grinning at me. I looked back at Ryan as he kept talking, "I'm in for ski club. Together, Adam and I can create a throne for you to carry you out on."

"You can't be serious!" I exclaimed. "Marie? You didn't want it?"

"I won prom queen last year," Marie piped up.

"I was absent, so they couldn't chose me," Mindy added. I looked over at Esther. She was even more shy than I was. She blushed. I grinned at her.

"So that means you can do it! Hun, please!" I begged.

"Annette, I never agree to these things," she said softly. "You do deserve this honor. You are the kindest person."

"Still. That being said, even though you were both nominated in our previous years, you weren't crowned. Why didn't you run again Lauren or Renae?" I asked, looking between them and hoping for an out. They continued to smile at me.

"We didn't want to. Before Mr. Trattles asked who we were going to nominate, Ryan asked if anyone wanted to represent our class. If Michelle was still with us, she would have jumped on that chance, but she moved before school let out last year," Lauren reminded me. I nodded. "Seriously, Annette. Esther is right, you deserve this; it's your year. Plus, the ballots have already been made. You're downright awesome and we know you'll represent this class well."

"But-" 

"But nothing, Annette. Like Lauren said, before any nominations were written down to be voted on, Ryan asked if someone wanted to represent us. I immediately spoke up. I said if she's supposed to represent our class, she should be smart, funny, be able to handle the spotlight, and deserve to be recognized for her accomplishments," a soft but forceful voice spoke up. I looked over at him: Lucas Dawson. I've always respected his input; we hardly spoke though. "You were the only one who came into everyone's mind; I know that's who I was thinking of. You agreed the day before school and we were going to hold you to it. Four people said your name at the same time. I'm sure you know the big players, the vocalists. Lots of people agreed immediately; no other name was mentioned. Even Lauren and Marie grinned in agreement." I blushed and looked down at that.

"So I asked if there was any opposition, and every girl here if we should nominate them in your place. Renae was on your side, reminding us that you couldn't walk," Ryan remarked. I looked up at Renae and she smiled at me.

"For once I spoke up. Usually, I'm just fine remaining in the background: silent and working on my art. I told them that since you can't walk, you wouldn't want to be out in the middle of the field. Since nobody else wanted to, and it would be fruitless to fight it, I suggested that if you were our nomination that we should have someone who can help and support you if were to stand," she explained. I nodded and gave her a small smile; she was always someone I could count on for support. She definitely had my back this week.

"Which lead to a debate of who would be able to help out," Adam added. "There were six of us who felt like we could. Not one of us would like to see you fall and make a fool of yourself, Annette." I looked around the room and nodded again. Everyone was smiling at me.

"Thanks. Everyone. Really thank you. I hope I don't let you down," I said softly. Everyone went back to their individual conversations. "Thank you for speaking up on my behalf. But why didn't you let me know?" I whispered to Renae.

"Would you have come in?" She asked with a grin. I shook my head.

"No. I probably would have called the school and see if they could pick someone else instead of trying to figure it out now," I confessed as I wheeled to an empty desk in the back row. I bit my lip. "These desks that are hooked up to the seats suck!" Renae giggled and pushed me to a table at the back of the room. She pulled up a chair and sat beside me. It scraped loudly across the floor. I blushed and apologized as Mr. Trattles looked up to see the commotion. He nodded from his desk and went back to working on his papers he was grading. Renae and I began to talk idly about nothing in particular as she doodled on her notebook.

"Excuse me, Annette," we were interrupted. I looked up at Dan. "All of us football players were asked to hand off our spare jerseys today. I know you have a boyfriend, and I don't mean anything by this. Especially since I have a girlfriend from out of town, but we were hoping to get the whole class in jerseys." I looked over at Renae. She too was wearing a red jersey, number 13. I looked around the room and found Mitch Lancaster wearing the same number but in the blue jersey. I looked back at Dan. 34 was his number. He offered me his jersey. "It's clean. Would you wear my jersey please? Again, I'm not asking for a date or anything." I blushed and looked around the room. Even Esther Sullivan was wearing a jersey. I looked over at PJ Phifer, our socially awkward male. He didn't seem to fit in any group, but I considered him my friend. I made a point of saying hello whenever he looked up. He hit the books as hard as I did, but struggled keeping his grades up. He too was in a red jersey, sporting Tyrone Kingsly's number 77. Once again, I looked around the room to find our best dress, suit and tie man: Ted Wolcott. He was wearing black slacks and jacket to match, with his back to me. I couldn't tell if he was wearing a red jersey. Just then, somebody threw a folded up piece of paper at him. He stood up in a huff and walked over to the garbage can. As he walked back to his seat, I caught the 56 on a red shirt peeking out - Connor Natiello's number. It wasn't unusual to see couples wearing the same number, especially since they were wrapped up in each other's arms: Adam and Lauren was the obvious couple sporting number 42, Ryan and Marie -shocking but I shouldn't be surprised- were sporting the 81 jerseys, and Mindy Jameson and Doug Nunez were both in number 19. Everyone was sporting either red or blue. I looked back at Dan as he cleared his throat. "Are you okay, Annette?"

 

"Yeah! I'm fine. Sorry. Guess it would be weird if I was the only senior not in a jersey today, huh?" I asked. He grinned. "Will you help me put it on? I can't move my left shoulder very well," I stated. 

"Of course. I also have first and second period with you. At least I'm assuming the empty computer is for you in Mrs. King's class. Again. I mean nothing by it, but I can help you get to your classes," he offered as he put his jersey over my head. I threaded my arm through the sleeve then tucked the left sleeve in. I wasn't taking off my sling or backpack just to wear his clothes; he wasn't that special to me.

"That's good, because I have chemistry first period," Renae piped up. I scowled at her. "I know right?" She giggled.

"Thank you, Dan. I'd appreciate it and so would my family. Yes. I'm taking computers second period. So I don't need you for notes today, but I'm going to have to share your math book today if you don't mind. I left mine at home and Mr. Weaver won't take a day off. Even if half the class isn't listening, he's still going to give a lesson," I replied as I looked back up at my classmate. He seemed to blush but nodded. "Again. Thank you. Hey! We need a photo of our class all in uniform!" I exclaimed. "Excuse me, I need to go talk to Mrs. King," I stated excitedly. I looked at the clock. There was still ten minutes left of homeroom, plenty of time if I pushed all my limits. 

"I'll go. Mr. Trattles, I'm going down to talk to Mrs. King," Dan stated and took off down the hall before Mr. Trattles nodded. I leaned back in my seat. 

"Actually I was going to ask about my web page too. I have the base of it set up, I just wasn't sure of my content until now," I pouted playfully at Renae. She grinned causing me to grin too. "I think I know exactly which direction I need to go. Meet the senior class. Everyone gets their own link and a blurb about who they are, what they want to do, and if they've been given a special nickname or something. Like me for example, my name is Sarah, but nobody calls me that, I want to teach kindergarten, and how people say I'm a perpetual joy bubble - or something like that. I can flush out the details as I go. I'll put all that information under their personal picture. I can create a list of the class and bring it back in here. Everyone needs to fill it out with something positive about each person and I'll add them to the site so it's not just what I think of everyone," I stated. Renae grinned.

"You would be the best person to do that project. You never see the bad in people," she praised.

"I can help," Esther came over and murmured. "Sorry. Didn't mean to eavesdrop. I'm in yearbook." I grinned.

"That would be wonderful! Thanks, Esther," I replied

"It's really a brilliant idea, Net!" Renae praised. "It's never been done before. This would make a great picture for them to use. Are you going to link it to the school webpage?" I nodded. She took some of the scraps of paper on the table and began drawing on them. I grinned and looked around the room as Dan came back with Mrs. King.

"Are the seniors here today?" She asked, looking down at the camera in her hand and pressing a few buttons. 

"All 25. 19 boys, six girls," Mr. Trattles confirmed from his desk. He stood up wearily. He was due for retirement this year, but rumor had it he couldn't leave his kids - us; we had been with him for the past four years and he seemed fond of us. 

"Perfect. Alright seniors! Picture time!" Mrs. King announced as she began positioning us together.

"Here," Renae stated as she wheeled me over to the group. She placed her three drawings in my lap. I looked at them and grinned; Renae was talented and quick with her pen. Class of 2007 done in an elegant old English tattoo writing, thick and bold.

"Perfect!" I exclaimed as I handed them over to Esther. "Help me stand please!" I begged to the guy in the blue jersey beside me. I bit my lip as I noticed it was Ryan. 

"Happy to. How?" He inquired. He still made me feel uncomfortable. Keeping my promise, I remained civil with him and worked on being his friend. "Annette, I'm not going to bite. How can I help you?" I rolled my eyes. He held out his hand and I grabbed it, pulling myself to a standing position. He moved to my right side and stood behind me, pushing my wheelchair towards the door with his foot. "I'm staying by your side. You're not going to fall during this crazy little photo op," Ryan insisted. I nodded my consent; I didn't feel like arguing. Since I was standing, Mrs. King lined everyone up back to back. I leaned against Ryan. Renae was in front of me leaning against Dan. Esther handed me the class sign. Renae and I held it up and looked toward the camera. Then Mrs. King had us move to a more congested group. Ryan put his hands on my hips; I glared at him over my shoulder. He slowly pulled his hands back. "Sorry," he mouthed, but he was grinning. I shook my head and listened to directions. Mrs. King was stacking the colors. The girls all stood together, seven of the boys in blue knelt in front of us. I held onto the shoulder in front of me as I began to sway again, whoever I was holding onto didn't seem to mind since he didn't even look back. "Line up!" Ryan bellowed. I moved to look at him again, but Renae draped her arm around my waist which caused Esther on my other side to do the same thing. I smiled gratefully at both of them and wrapped my arm around Esther's waist; we seemed to cause a ripple effect as all the girls held onto the waist of her neighbor. "Rempt! Anderson! Natiello! Don't let her fall. We can't do much from behind," Ryan ordered, causing me to jump. Three guys in front of me turned around and stared. I blinked in surprise as they all grinned at me.

"Uh. Thanks. Derek, Joe, and Connor. I think. I'm good. I'm not falling. Esther and Renae are holding me up right now," I murmured.

"Say the word, Annette. I'll turn around and catch you. Or reach over and grab me again. I provide a strong brace, use it. It's why I'm such a good defensive tackle. I won't let you fall. Renae and Esther, if you feel her weight start to slip say red," Connor ordered. I nodded. I looked around at how the guys were posing. The two guys in red, PJ and Ted lay on their sides in the front row with the signs. Nate and Lucas positioned themselves by us girls. The remaining football players stood on chairs behind us, all their arms were crossed in front of their bodies.

"Why so serious?" I asked as I faced forward again with a smile.

"Let's put a smile on that face," Mike Hoggins cackled behind me. The room echoed in soft laughter. When Mrs. King lowered the camera, the class broke apart and went their separate directions. I looked back at Mike and grinned. "Laughter's the best medicine, right?" He teased. I nodded and looked back at Renae. She nodded her head to the door. 

"Mrs. King!" I exclaimed as she started to walk away. She turned and looked at me. "Any chance I can get a copy of one of those pictures please?" She gave me a confused glance as she walked over to me. I smiled and explained my idea. She grinned.

"Of course. That sounds wonderful! Have a link for a photo album that we can add to through the year," she insisted. I grinned and she bid her farewell. The bell rang and I jumped. 

"Fudge! I didn't miss that!" I exclaimed. Renae giggled as Dan brought me my chair. I grinned and eased myself into the chair. "See you in a few, Nae," I exclaimed. I bit my lip as Dan weaved us through the crowd. 

"I'll take you to class before I get my book," Dan explained.

"Relax, Annette," Adam ordered beside me. I looked up in shock as I noticed that he and Ryan seemed to form a wall on either side of me so that I wouldn't accidentally get bumped in the crazy crowd. I released my lip and nodded. Jackson stood beside Ryan and grinned at me.

"Isn't that a better job for the defensive team, not the offensive? Okay, well one of each doesn't hurt either," I teased. Ryan smirked at me, Adam nodded but kept his eyes on the crowd around us.

"Either way, we'll keep you from getting banged up," Adam confirmed. I nodded my thanks then stiffened in my seat as Ryan pushed someone back.

"Chillax, man. Was just coming to say hey! So, Annette. I heard you aren't living with your parents any more. Is your dad the reason you're hurt?" Jackson quipped as we waited for Mr. Weaver's homeroom class to empty.

"Shove off, Jax!" Ryan snapped. "You know that's not the case. Adam and I can attest to that. Annette's tougher than most. She can take a hit better than you!" 

"Whatever. You didn't spill the whole story. To think that Trooper Gibson is flawed to is the highlight to my day," Jackson retorted.

"Jackson, me leaving home has nothing to do with Dad busting your parties. Sorry," I smirked.

"A guy could hope. Was just wondering now that you're free from a badge looking over your shoulder all the time, if you'll be at the next one? It's time to show us what you're really made of and loosen up," he said over his shoulder as he took off down the hall. I inhaled sharply, held my breath, grabbed the arm rest tightly, and tensed in my seat again as the crowd grew more rowdy around us. Both Adam and Ryan shoved a few kids back before they came near my little bubble.

"Okay. This day can be done now," I mumbled.

"Seriously, Annette. Relax. There's no way are you getting hurt again. I think you've met more than your fair share of pain," Dan stated. I nodded and leaned back into my chair. "Finally," he muttered as the crowd dissipated enough for him to help me through safely. Adam and Ryan stayed by the door. Dan pushed me all the way to the window on the right side of the classroom. Then he turned a desk sideways so I could use it, since all of the tables in this classroom had been occupied by Mr. Weaver's multiple math papers and such. I sighed and lowered my head onto my arm on the desk. "Jax is right. You're really tense and it shouldn't be so. We got your back and won't let you get hurt today."

"Thanks, Dan," I said gratefully. I was ready for the comfort and safety of my couch. I reached into my bag, pulled out a pencil and my binder, and caught a glimpse of my bear. I stroked the fur and smiled. "Hurry home, dear. I need you," I pleaded mentally. Dan surprised me as he took a desk and scooted next to me. I took notes and found my head drooping. 

"Annette," Dan whispered. I shook my head and looked over at him. "You okay?" I shook my head and pointed to my shoulder.

"Pain," I mouthed. My pain was fairly dull and tolerable right now; I was basically just wanted to sleep for a bit. I didn't think explaining my stressed out state of mind would be beneficial to either of us. He nodded and went back to taking notes. The last twenty minutes of class, Mr. Weaver put the assignment on the board. I flipped through my math homework I had completed; I had already done this assignment. I sighed and pulled out the note Principal Lane had give me. "Wake me when it's time to move to the next class," I whispered, showing Dan the note. He read it quickly and nodded. I put my binder away and leaned on my arm on my desk. I hadn't sat up in the same position for this long yet and it was draining my energy quickly. I closed my eyes and took slow deep breaths. I didn't actually sleep but I felt like I was floating where I was. The bell rang, I pursed my lips, took several shallow breaths, and Dan put his hand on my back.

"Annette," he spoke softly. I sat up and looked at him. "It's time to go to the computer lab. You ready?" I nodded. He handed me back my note. Mr. Weaver had signed it. I sighed and put it back in my bag. "Based on that note, we can be late. Do you mind waiting a minute?" I shook my head.

"I'm dizzy," I admitted. "So less time I have to focus on not getting hit, the better." He nodded. "I really do appreciate your help, Dan," I said sincerely.

"Happy to help, Annette. If you weren't hurt, I don't think I'd have the courage to talk to you. You are too kind, too unique. You baffled us. You're always so cheerful. It's fun to be around, but it's difficult. Most of us feel guilty because you never seem to experience any gray clouds. We didn't want to burden you with ours. Don't get me wrong, you're still cheerful now, but it's nice to know you're not a robot of pure cheer. I hate seeing you in so much pain that it makes you hide your smile. You're still you, but now, you fit in with us gray clouds. It's nice," he confessed as he began to move me towards the door.

"You're wrong. You're personable, fun, and considerate. That doesn't make you a gray cloud," I countered. I didn't feel like I was a drop of sunshine either, but the next class was starting to filter in so I didn't want to get into a theological debate.

"Whatever. That's a complete matter of opinion," Dan teased as he tried to maneuver through the crowd. Several kids parted around us, but most seemed to try and get as close as they could. I tensed in my seat, raised my right knee to my chest, and took several deep breaths. "Move freshies!" Dan demanded as we got closer to the door. The freshmen looked up in shock but parted so we could get through. Lauren and Adam were waiting outside the door for us. "These guys are also in the class. We'll make sure you won't get hurt," Dan stated. I bit my lip as he traded places with Lauren. "Put your foot back down, Annette," Dan ordered as he stood by my right side, Adam on my left; they created a wedge for us to weave through the student body. I held tightly onto the armrest waiting for the inevitable to happen and my leg get bumped; it never came. The three of them chatted aimlessly but I couldn't focus on the conversation. "Annette?" Dan looked back at me in concern. I looked up at him quizzically. "We just asked where you want to sit in the lab. Your chair will make it a little more difficult to get around the cords, chairs, and monitors."

"Can I just be put in the corner? I'd rather just close my eyes again. It'll be easier since Mrs. King likes to teach with the lights off," I confessed as we neared the computer lab. My colleagues nodded and went back to the conversation.

"Hey, Net," Renae greeted as she met us before we ducked off into the final hallway stretch. "Tyler stopped by with your medication. He told me to let you know in case you needed it. He highly recommends that you do take it. He would like me to enforce it," she told me as she walked beside us. I nodded. "What do you need, Net? It's my quiet period." I bit my lip as I looked up at her.

"I'm not sure if I need anything right now. I'm going to lay down though," I admitted as we walked into the computer lab right as the bell rang. Mrs. King greeted us all, Renae took over my wheelchair and moved me to the front right corner after I gave Mrs. King the note. She nodded and went along teaching the class. Renae locked the wheels and helped me position myself in the corner. I moved my bag off my shoulder, pulling the strap over my head through the collar of the borrowed jersey, then I slid it out from under the shirt, and put the bag behind my head. I lowered myself down so I was laying on my back. Renae grabbed her portfolio, sat down by my head, and drew in the dimly lit room. I reached in my bag and pulled out the bear. Renae noticed and grinned. I returned the smile and stroked the fur.

She gave me a note so as not to disrupt Mrs. King's lecture. "From Pat?" I read quickly and nodded. She took it back, wrote something else, and handed me back the note. "Is he coming tonight?" I pursed my lips and held out my hand. She gave me a pen.

"I don't know. He's getting a new leg. Out of contact. I'm sure if he knew he'd be there, especially since I have to dress up now. Bleech. Tyler's coming. Are you?" I wrote back and grinned. She read it and blushed. She looked at me and smiled as she nodded. I chuckled softly. "I need to rest," I wrote. She nodded again and I closed my eyes. Thankfully, I managed to catch a few z's. Renae woke me up before the bell rang. "Was I snoring?" I whispered as I sat up and tucked the bear back in my bag. She shook her head. 

"You're good, Net. They just announced the assembly. Everyone will be heading down. Can I help you move to your seat?" She asked kindly. I shook my head as I put my bag back over my head and draped it on my left hip.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I need a minute. I'll stand up and then you can help me hop over," I replied. Besides, Renae and myself, there was a total of six other seniors in the room. They all gathered behind Renae with concern on their faces. "Ever wonder how the monkeys feel at the zoo?" I asked rhetorically. Renae chuckled. Nate and Mike rolled their eyes and dismissed themselves. PJ looked around like he wasn't sure what he was supposed to be doing. I smiled at him. "You can leave, PJ. Thanks for sticking around," I told him. He looked relieved and also disappeared. I seemed to be stuck with Dan, Adam, and Lauren so I didn't even try and persuade them to leave. I placed my hand against the wall and brought my knee to my chest. Slowly I began to lift myself up.

"Crying out loud, Annette," Adam rebuked as he moved my chair and stepped closer. "Let me help you," he insisted. I lowered myself back down to the ground and offered him my hand. He grabbed and pulled me up.

"Thanks," I mumbled as he set me in my wheelchair. Renae unlocked the wheels and began to push me again. "Question. Where exactly do you guys plan on having me sit for the assembly?" I asked nervously. Adam and Lauren held hands in front of me as Dan walked by my right side.

"With us, of course," Lauren giggled over her shoulder. I bit my lip and looked back at Renae.

"They expect me to climb the bleachers?" I asked rhetorically in a whisper as I tried to hide the panic in my voice. Renae giggled and shrugged her shoulders as we entered the gym. I gasped as Adam let go of Lauren's hand and joined Dan beside me. The lifted my chair and began taking me up the bleachers. I closed my eyes, held my breath, and prepared to be dumped from the chair. When they lowered me, I opened my eyes and looked around. Adam walked around behind me and locked the wheels in place. I was on platform they had set up, taking up three rows. I looked around nervously. 

"Breathe, Annette. Do you not recall Adam saying many of us wouldn't like to see you get hurt? Good. Benefit of shop first period, Mr. Black let's us do whatever we want," Connor explained as he sat in front of me, next to Ryan and Adam. Mike, Joe, and Lucas all nodded at me as they found their own seats; nobody sat on my platform which offered me little comfort. "This was a fun and easy project and we got credit for it too. We had the whole shop class on here jumping and trying it out. It won't budge. There was 17 of us on the same time. Derek is the smallest of us, and you're smaller than him," Connor explained. "Told ya, defensive of line; I'm one of the best. You won't fall down the bleachers." 

"Thanks," I replied as Renae sat behind me. "Like this doesn't make me nervous," I whispered. "My family would freak." She giggled again.

"Your wheels are locked, Net. Also with the way they set this up, your leg won't get bumped. They gave you plenty of space and like Connor said, he's preparing a wall of bodies in front of you to stop any movement. I'll hold onto your handles once everyone starts jumping. You'll be fine," she promised. I nodded but didn't release my death grip on my arm rest. The assembly went well and everyone, with the exception of me, participated in the games, songs, and cheers. When it was over, it was time for lunch then the classes could go to their respective float building sites. Once again, two guys carried me down the bleachers.

"Hey, Renae I need to go to the office first," I demanded as we began making our way outside to the school barbeque. She nodded and changed directions, pulling me backwards as we made our way back that direction; my bodyguards didn't notice me leaving. I sighed a breath of relief as there was less traffic in the lobby of the school. She turned me around when we entered the office. "Hey Kyleen. My brother-in-law left me some pain medication. Can I have some please?" I asked. She grinned and nodded.

"You look sickly, Annette. Are you alright?" Kyleen asked as she pulled out my prescription bottle. Tyler had emptied it out, leaving two half pills in the bottom. Kyleen opened it for me and I took one half. She took the bottle back and put it away.

"My nerves are a little more on edge. Pain is making it difficult to function. I'll come back for that one before the parade starts," I told her. She nodded, looked around, and handed over my pill bottle.

"Put it in your bag. There was one full pill in there. You took it with lunch," she ordered as she made a notation in the medical journal. I nodded and tucked the bottle into my bag.

"Thank you, Kyleen," I replied. I looked up at Renae. "I need a sip of water and we can go get lunch. Sorry I'm keeping you from lunch and the crowds."

"Somehow I doubt I missing out on much," she giggled as she took me to the water fountain. "Oh look. You're personal protection has noticed you're missing," she teased. I looked up from the fountain and popped the pill in my mouth and nodded. Marie, Lauren, Ryan, Dan, Derek, Adam, and Esther all walked back inside. Lauren held two plates so did Esther. Derek trailed Esther. I grinned as I noticed she was wearing his jersey, number 45. I'm glad she was able to say yes to someone. The guys all seemed to have their pockets full of beverages. 

"Looks like they thought of you too," I noted as I looked up at Renae. She nodded.

"See, I knew hanging out with you would be beneficial," she teased. I giggled and lowered my head.

"Lunch in the lobby or outside in the grass?" Ryan asked me. I blushed.

"Why are you guys asking me? I'm certain you guys are fully capable of making your own decisions. You've never cared about my opinion before," I muttered and looked up. I sighed in defeat and smiled at all of them. "It's beautiful out. Let's go outside." They nodded and opened the doors so we could get through. I looked down at the grass and decided not to try and get in it; I'd hate to ask for help getting back in my chair. The class all sat down and Dan handed me a water bottle. "Thanks." I looked at Esther again. She blushed as bright as the jersey she was wearing as Derek sat behind her and kissed her neck. "Don't hurt her," I begged mentally then shook my head. "Not my business, plus, Derek is one of the nicest guys in our class," I rebuked myself silently and looked at the food in my lap. Renae handed me her knife. I smiled and cut my burger into thirds. I looked at the unopened ketchup, mustard, relish, and mayo packets. I didn't need any of those. I picked up the burger and took a bite. Ryan was staring me down as he ate. I blushed and looked down again. "I wish you were here, Pat!" I cried out mentally. I sighed and began to chat with Renae about Tyler, her art, and how her dad was handling treatment. I shifted in my seat and bit my lip. I looked over at Ryan; he was still staring at me while talking with those surrounding him. "I'm full. Want the rest?" I asked gesturing to my untouched food. I didn't care for the bbq chips, nor did I take a bite of the remaining two-thirds of the burger. He looked at my plate in surprise but nodded. I handed it over and went back to talking with Renae. Halfway through her meal she looked up at me in concern.

"You're fighting more than just pain, aren't you?" She asked. I raised my eyebrow. "Internal demons," she offered. I nodded and put my bag on my lap. I stroked the bear's fur on the inside again. "You're fine, Net. I'm just concerned about you. Promise me you'll sleep while we make the float?" I bit my lip and looked back at Ryan. 

"Can I see your phone?" I asked Renae. She nodded and handed it over. I went to my name and typed exactly what happened in the hospital and gave it back to her. She accidentally hit send as she grabbed it, which is exactly why I put it in my folder. She read it quietly and looked at me in surprise, but thankfully didn't look back at him to give it away. "There's more. Remind me to tell you about it later," I told her softly. She nodded with understanding.

"Find a pillow and come crash by me. You look beat. I'll be doing the signs," she instructed. I nodded and got her memo: public area, no way any of the guys would attempt anything. The way she worded it, to anyone who overheard, she sounded like a concerned friend. I gave her a smile. "I've never seen you so tense before, Net. You need to sleep though or you'll pass out and your brothers will be looking for vengeance." I nodded again and looked around. The group was finishing their lunch. "Care to use the restroom before we head over?" Renae asked me as she stood up. I gave her another nod as she politely dismissed us from the group. She threw her garbage away as we passed the garbage can and walked me backwards through the doors. I left my wheelchair, braced against the walls, hopped around the and bathroom; quickly taking care of business and washing my hand. I heard her do the same thing, but didn't say anything because talking in the bathroom was just weird. She held onto my wheelchair as I lowered myself back down. "Dad agreed to changing the foal's name from Eugene to Spitfire. I told you, Net, you need to come by more often," she teased as we made our way back outside. I giggled.

"I'm in. What day works best?" I replied as she turned my chair around again. Lauren, Marie, and Esther were waiting for us. Mindy joined them. 

"Oh you know, whenever. You're always welcome, Net," Renae replied. I giggled.

"So we were thinking makeover before we help the guys with the float," Lauren offered. I looked up at the sky and pursed my lips.

"If you give me a makeover before I nap, won't that cause problems with the overall look?" I retorted, making eye contact with Lauren.

"We're just picking out what you'll wear, seeing how it looks on you, and then we'll talk about accessories if you need them. Most of the dresses I have to offer are strapless. I'm sure we can find one that will pair nicely with your jacket," Lauren replied and lead the way to her house. I nodded and looked down at my cast. I leaned forward and rubbed the art work.

"Thank you, Renae. I love it," I beamed as I looked over my shoulder at her.

"I think your medication has kicked in. You're getting loopy," she giggled. I nodded and looked forward again.

"I'm sorry you have to push me around like a worthless lump on a log, but I really do love the artwork. You are remarkable and I'm jealous of your creativity," I replied.

"Hey, Lauren. If we're doing the makeover first, we need to make it quick. Annette's getting goofy. More goofy than usual. I think her drugs are going to make her crash," Renae retorted. I rolled my eyes; I felt perfectly alert.

"Yep. Makeover first, float after. That's the plan. Her eyes seem hooded. Let's get this done," Lauren agreed. I bit my lip as I was wheeled into their house. "Hey, Mom. Makeover time! We'll be quick then Annette needs to lay down."

"Hello, ladies. Welcome! Welcome! Oh, Annette! I'm so glad you finally were able to make it over," Janell greeted us warmly. "There's the spare bedroom you'd be welcome to use," she offered. I bit my lip and shook my head.

"I'd rather just borrow a pillow and be with the rest of the group," I insisted. She nodded. Renae pushed me through the house as Lauren led us to her room. It seemed she was given the master suite. A portable clothing rack was in the middle of the room with dresses in all colors and styles on it. I gasped. "Holy dresses!" I exclaimed. Lauren grinned at me.

"Jersey and bag off. Take your pick," she insisted. She pulled a sea foam green off the rack. "I'm a size four, you might be a six; both are like a small. So I don't doubt these dress will fit you too, some better than others. About 80% of my dresses are corset tie-ups, so that means it can fit a size two up to a size ten or twelve. A zippered dress -like this one- might be a little more tricky, but I think you'd rock this fun color. It's tad baggy on me, but I think you would look good in it." I bit my lip as I took my bag off and draped it over my wheelchair. Renae helped me pull the red jersey off. I studied the dress Lauren picked out again. Sea foam green against my pale skin made me look very sick. I shook my head.

"It's a beautiful color, but I can't pull it off. Cool colors make me look washed out. Golds, yellows, bronzes, browns, maroons, and pinks compliment my skin tone the best and gives me more of a healthy looking glow," I informed her. Lauren nodded and turned back to the clothing rack. Marie and Mindy had already begun taking off the blues, purples, and greens off the rack and putting them back in the closet. Renae pulled of a bright yellow dress with several sequins pinned to the top and looked at me. I felt the color drain from my cheeks and gave her a subtle head shake. She immediately put it in the discard pile that Lauren had started. I started to go through the rack too. I didn't want white. I didn't feel pure or angelic, so I added those to the pile. Everyone kept saying I already look sickly so I vetoed the black dresses too. My hand stopped on a smoky gray on as I looked at the one behind it. I put my shoe next to it and smiled, the embellishments matched my shoe and jacket perfectly. "What about this one?" I asked as I pulled out the strapless, ruched taupe dress. It was the simplest dress in the rack and looked like it needed a good ironing, but this was the design of the dress.

"Go try it on," Lauren instructed as she pointed to the bathroom. 

"I can try it on here. Taking my shirt on and off is not very easy these days," I replied gesturing towards my left shoulder. Esther helped me stand up in the center of the dress as she held my blue top tightly in the back. Renae came over and helped pull the dress up. I tucked it under my sling as they pulled it the rest of the way up and held the back like it was zipped up, since this happened to be one of the few dresses that did have a zipper. I looked at the mirror and grinned. My pale skin looked brighter and healthier against this color. It was a similar to a trumpet cut skirt, but not as tight on the thighs like other dresses in that style, with sweetheart neckline dress. The right side of the dress had a slit up to my knee; my leg wouldn't be confined to the dress. The top of the dress was a beaded corset. The beaded pattern continued down the slit of the skirt, but otherwise, the skirt was plain. I moved from side to side. The ruching caught the light making the dress seem fuller and the beads on the corset seemed to change from gold, white, and black. I looked up at Renae who had stepped back several feet. "Thoughts?" 

"I think you'll look amazing in it, Net," she beamed.

"Agreed! I bought it our freshman year with the intention of wearing it to prom. I also brought three other dresses that year. I kept trying to come back to this one because I loved the way the fabric moved on this dress, but I've never been able to wear that color. It made me looked washed out. You look like you have more color. You were right, it does give you a healthy looking glow," Lauren gushed.

"Will you let us do makeup and your hair?" Marie begged as I took off the dress. I nodded.

"Might as well," I replied as I picked up the dress off the floor. Lauren grabbed it and laid it on her bed as well as the jersey I borrowed. "I know nothing of that sort. Lauren teased me when I first woke up in the hospital that makeup was her scene and books mine. I'll happily leave that to you professionals." Marie and Lauren exchanged wide grins as I sat down again. "Can I sleep now?" I asked. I felt like all my energy had left my body. Lauren nodded. 

"We'll wake you at 2:30. Gives you about two hours," she replied. I nodded my gratitude as Renae wheeled me out. "Renae! We're making the signs in the living room. Put her in the armchair or couch. She'll still be with us as requested," Lauren instructed.

"Such a lovely hostess to offer her furniture for you to sleep in, Net," Renae said sarcastically when we were out of earshot. I giggled.

"Armchair is probably safest," I let Renae know. She nodded and helped me to the chair. I pulled up on the leg rest and leaned back as Renae closed my wheelchair and put it beside me. I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly. Renae woke me up when it was time. 

"Before you ask, no. I'm glad to see you got some rest. The ladies are getting anxious to spruce you up. Can I help you get changed?" She asked. I bit my lip and moved to lower the leg rest. She grinned and pushed on it with her leg. I nodded as she helped me into the wheelchair and wheeled me back to Lauren's room. We were alone thankfully. "Okay, spill. I think what you were going to tell me had to do with that yellow dress you were in the morning after you stayed at my house. I've never seen you pale at an article of clothing. Tell me what happened," Renae ordered quietly as she helped me take my sling, jacket, and blue top off. I told her about what happened two weeks ago in the same tone she was speaking in. "So we're leaving the leggings on?" 

"Definitely. I can roll the leggings up a little; they won't be seen," I confirmed. "I hate dresses now. I didn't mind them before, I just never wore them." She helped me stand up again, pulled the dress up, and zipped it up; it was a perfect fit. I looked back at Lauren's full sized mirrors and gasped, "wow! I don't even look like me right now." I blushed then giggled as I studied my reflection.

"You look beautiful, Net. As always. Noah and Tyler would agree. So would Pat if he were here," Renae countered as she helped me sit down again. She threaded my jacket back on my arms and put the rest of my stuff in my bag.  "Lauren asked that your sling be left off. She thinks it'll be better for pictures. I'm thinking you would agree," Renae explained. I nodded. I had forgotten about that tidbit.

"Freaking cameras. Ugh. I'm camera shy," I giggled. 

"But downright gorgeous. Pat's going to be disappointed he's missing this show. But damn, girl, you can rock that dress," she countered with a smiled. Then she moved over to the door and opened it. "She's ready," she yelled down the hall. 

"Who am I against? I didn't see the ballot at lunch today. I forgot to vote," I confessed as everyone came back in the room. Lauren pulled out several bags and plugged in her curling iron. Esther sat on the bed with Renae. Renae listed off the other nominations. "Three cheerleaders, two very beautiful girls that everyone notices, two people I don't know, and me. That's a relief. The attention won't be on me very long," I murmured as Mindy, Marie, and Lauren worked silently.

"Why do you think you're invisible?" Renae asked.

"Because I've never made an effort to be noticed. I never wanted to be," I confessed. I looked at the women in front of me performing beautifying magic. "This is your limelight. Your world. Not mine. I'm still shocked that the class chose me."

"Done!" Lauren exclaimed. I looked in the mirror again and gasped. "You shouldn't be surprised, Annette. You really are cool." I nodded. They had done a good job. My lips were a soft shimmery pink. My eyelids had a thin coat of gold. My lashes were dark and thick. They had enhanced my beauty with very little; I still looked like me. With the exception of the strand of hair Lauren had pulled out by my right temple, my hair was left in my side ponytail but several small ringlets had been added. The strand of hair bounced by my cheek.

"Wait!" Marie insisted as she dipped her brush one more time and put it on my cheeks. "You needed a touch more color. You look awfully pale even if you are glowing. You need to get out in the sun some more. Being that white should be a crime," she explained.

"It's my natural shade," I blushed. "But the blush does make me look more alive and less at death's door," I confirmed. "Thank you. And thank you for keeping it simple. I'm not sure I could rock the hard, dark, fierce look." They all grinned and wheeled me out side. Renae held onto my bag for me. I smiled gratefully at her. "You're seriously the best friend," I told her honestly. She giggled and gestured towards the curb. Adam waited there, leaning against an elkinino with a large garden bench in the back. An eggplant purple fabric covered the seat cushion and draped in the middle of the bench. "We're riding in that?" I gasped. He grinned.

"It's perfectly safe," he promised. "It's bolted to the floor. You won't be tipping out." I pursed my lips and nodded. 

"Who's driving?" I asked. Noah came around the corner with a big grin. 

"I am, 'Nettie," he replied. I smiled. "You'll be fine. No sudden movements. One smooth ride," he signed. 

"I asked him at lunch," Adam offered. I looked back to him and grinned. "I figured you needed one sure way to ease your nerves. Even while you were sleeping, you looked like you were waiting for someone to hurt you."

"Thank you. Yes. That's exactly what I need," I replied. Adam smiled and opened the car door.

"You'll ride in here on the ride up. When we get to the starting position is when you'll move back to the seat," he explained. I grinned again. "But that chair is staying here." I nodded and moved to stand up. Noah moved around to the driver's seat as Adam helped me into the car. Before he loaded up in the back, he ran over to Lauren and kissed her.

"How you holding up, 'Nettie?" Noah asked. I turned my attention back to him. He smiled. "You look stunning. Can I take a picture for Pat?" I nodded as he pulled out his phone and snapped a picture.

"My nerves aren't good. This has been a very stressful day," I admitted and jumped as there was a double tap on top of the car. Noah chuckled and put the car in gear. We moved through town. "My class has been surprisingly helpful. I didn't expect that. Dan, Ryan, Connor, and Adam have been acting like my guard dogs. It's quite unnerving. They're not bad people, I just didn't expect it." Noah nodded but didn't say anything. "Did you know about this before today?" I asked.

"I didn't. I would have told you. You don't like to be the center of attention. You're usually not a fan of surprises. If you had a chance to mentally prepare for this, you would be a little more at ease. I found out this morning when Kyleen was having me print out the ballots," Noah replied. I nodded. He parked the car. We were at the starting point for the parade. "How's your pain?"

"I took half a pill at lunch. I have one more half in my bag. I was going to take it after the parade. That way, if I sleep, I should still be able to make it to the game," I told him honestly. He nodded.

"Can you sign with your left hand?" Noah asked. I gave him the alphabet and a few simple signs with my left hand. He grinned. "They're not looking muddled anymore; you're healing great! So you'll be on the right side. I'll keep an eye on you in the rear view mirror. Give me a minute because I'm not as good as reading signs in reverse like you are. Let me know if you need me to stop. Keep waving and smiling at the crowd," he ordered. I nodded and jumped again as my door was opened. "No heart attacks, 'Nettie. You need to calm down. Enjoy the afternoon. You've earned it. I'm proud of you. You look beautiful. Love you," Noah told me as he kissed my cheek. "Wow them," he signed with a smile. I grinned and looked out the door. Adam held his hand out. I took it and he pulled me from the car. He lifted me up in his arms and placed me on the bench. I scooted closer to the armrest as he pulled a sign from inside the car. He showed it to me: Senior Royalty Adam & Annette.

"Has a nice ring to it it, doesn't it? Senior royalty," he chuckled. I grinned and nodded. Our A's were topped with a crown. I giggled. I would do my best to enjoy this. I didn't expect anything my senior year, especially to be noticed like this; yet already I had been blessed beyond my expectations. I watched as he attached it to the hood of the car then attached another one behind us on the garden bench. "One more touch," he stated as he reached in the car and pulled out two silver paper crowns. "Wanna wear them?" I shook my head as he put them on the corners of the bench behind our heads. Then he climbed up and sat beside me. "You look good, Annette," he praised. "But you don't need to sit in the corner," he teased as he centered me in my seat, and so my back was actually touching the purple fabric draped over the back of the bench.

"And you look like you could go for a run. Nervous for the game tonight?" I asked. He shook his head.

"Excited is more like it," he replied with a grin. 

"Are you seriously planning on carrying me during halftime?" I asked as I blushed and looked down. "I can use the wheelchair. Ryan will have to be with his partner," I insisted.

"Annette, you worry too much. Seriously. We have a plan. It'll work. Minimal lifting," he assured me. I looked up and nodded. "Just enjoy this, Annette. Some attention is not a bad thing." I giggled and shook my head. He pointed to the beginning float - the cheerleaders followed by the pep band float, then the classroom floats, then the club nominations, followed by the class royalty. As seniors, we would be the last group. Behind us would be the football team handing out candy. The cheerleader's float began to move. "It's starting," he cheered. He looked back at me. "Ready?" I bit my lip. He reached over and grabbed my left hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He lowered his voice as he tried to reassure me. "There's no water tanks here. No fists of fury. No form of punishment. Just the whole town excited to see you. All you have to do is smile and wave." I took a deep breath and let it out. He was right.

"But public attention is surprisingly more intimidating than staring down a tank of water or being whacked with a bamboo rod. And yes, attention in my world is a very bad thing indeed. I've spent most of my life trying to be invisible. I can't have people look too close," I confessed as I watched the floats move one by one.

"Seriously, Annette? Public attention is worse than being drowned?" Adam whispered in surprise. I nodded. He sighed and looked around before looking at me again and giving my hand another squeeze. "You're full of secrets. I'll keep this one for you too. Nobody besides Lauren and myself know exactly what happened to you. Okay?" I nodded and looked at the junior car that was starting to move. "You're right, no reassurances. Let me try a different angle. Just imagine that your boyfriend is waiting for you in the crowd. He'll be the waiting for the best smile you can offer," Adam stated as he squeezed my hand one more time, placed it in my lap, and released it. "His jaw will drop when he sees how stunning you look. I'm not even kidding, Annette." I blushed and grinned. "There it is. Share that. Your smile is radiant. It's hard to ignore." I nodded and looked up as we began to move. "Squeeze my hand if you need to," Adam muttered. I nodded again and looked around. This could really be fun. We had to go around the corner before we would see anyone. I took a breath and smiled as big as I could, picturing Pat holding me and the thought made me happy but sad since I didn't know when we would do that again. I closed my eyes and tried again. This time, I imagined Dalton screaming my name and running to me with a hug. That was it. I could do this for the kids. I opened my eyes as we began to turn the corner. I looked out into the crowd and smiled at all the kids. They waved energetically at me. I waved back at them. Occasionally I would look over to the left side of the street and see who Adam was waving to.

"Where will Jess and Ty be?" I signed. Noah pursed his lips so I signed it again, slower. He nodded and pointed to my side. I grinned and began scanning the crowd. A little girl about seven or eight caught my eye. She had a broken leg and looked sad. "Stop!" I signed as I moved to the edge of the bench. Noah tapped the breaks and came to a gradual stop. Both guys looked directly at me. "Adam, help me stand up," I demanded. He did and braced me so I wouldn't fall down. I looked back at the girl and lifted my leg on the edge of the car. She looked at it then looked at me. I grinned and pointed to my smile then at her. She grinned. Her parents hid tears. I looked over at the paper crowns hanging on the corner of the bench. I hopped back to the bench, sat back down, and grabbed one. Adam followed my gaze and jumped out of the car. He took the crown from me and placed it on her head. The crowd cheered as Adam got back in the car. She grinned from ear to ear and her parents hugged each other. We had fallen behind about three car lengths. Noah slowly made up the distance. "Thank you, Adam," I said sincerely as we began to wave at the crowd again.

"That's why we chose you, Annette. You're selfless. You just made her day," Adam replied.

"So did you," I confirmed. He chuckled and looked back at the crowd on the left; I turned my attention back to the right side. I smiled wider as I found Jess and Tyler in the crowd. "Feeling better?" I signed to Jess. She grinned.

"Much. Junior just needed sleep. You look beautiful," she signed back. Tyler and Jess held up their hands with the sign for 'I love you'. I grinned and signed it back. 

"We have one more crown," Adam whispered in my ear. I flinched away from him and looked around. We had about seven blocks left of the parade. "Let me know if you see anyone that deserves it." I nodded. I grinned and pointed to a little boy about four years old pouting on the corner of the street, about half a block away from us. He didn't look like he was in trouble, just unhappy. Adam followed my gaze and grinned. "Be right back," he chuckled as he hopped out of the car. He hit the top of the car twice and Noah met my eye in the mirror. I held up my thumb and he nodded. "Keep driving," Adam instructed through the open window to Noah as he ran to the little boy. I watched as he knelt in front of the boy and held up the crown. I grinned as the boy lit up as Adam crowned him and bowed down to him. Again the crowd cheered as Adam climbed back in the car. The little boy stood up tall, held his head up high, and gave us a big smile as we passed him. Adam helped me stand as he bowed to the boy again, I gave him a curtsy, and the crowd cheered. We now had about two blocks to go. I held onto the roof of the car and waved to everyone. When the car stopped Adam helped me get out.

"That was fun," I admitted. Adam grinned.

"Good. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. You know you made those kids' day," he replied as he kissed my cheek. I looked back at him in shock. He pointed to Lauren. "She told me to," he chuckled. I put my head down and grinned.

"Thanks for being my legs. You made their day too," I told him as Renae came over with my wheelchair. Adam grinned as he lowered me down. Then he took off to meet with Lauren. "I'm ready for a nap," I told Renae and Noah. They both grinned at me.

"Would you like to come over, Renae? We have a little under an hour an half to kill before we have to be back here," Noah offered as he began to wheel me towards his car. "You can ride with us. That way you don't lose your great parking spot." I looked over and noticed Renae's car in one of the closest spots to the door.

"Sounds good. Thanks," Renae replied. We all piled into Noah's car and he drove us home. He offered me his water and Renae dug out my pain medication. I popped it in as I settled into the seat.

"Do I have to change again?" I asked. Renae giggled.

"Pretty sure we can roll up the dress and hide it under Dan's jersey. He is like twice your size," she replied as she showed me his jersey. I grinned.

"I'm sure you are correct," I replied and yawned. Within minutes, we were home. Tyler was standing outside grinning. "Don't look now, Nae, but your new beau is waiting for you," I teased. Noah got out and shook his head, heading inside immediately.

"Whatever. He doesn't know I'm here yet. I think I know now why your brother opted for the tinted windows. Plus. Tyler kissed you before, not me. What's this I hear about you sleeping with him last night? Giving up on Pat so fast?" She teased. I giggled and looked back at her. 

"No. Never. I like Pat, too much to give up on him. Tyler's great, but there's nothing going on between us. He's my brother. I hate stressing over what's going on. I want to hear Pat's voice but no one will tell me anything. As for the delightful goof over there, I kissed him to save our lives from a monster worse than my dad. Neither of us wanted to, but it was necessary. It didn't mean anything, and he didn't try to kiss me back. As for last night, I told you everything earlier in homeroom; he just made sure I slept. As you know, I haven't been sleeping well. I love having a friend I have no secrets with! You should kiss Tyler. I think you'll like it," I exclaimed. She snorted but I knew she was considering it. Tyler opened my door and picked me up. "You're picking up the wrong girl," I teased. He looked at me in shock then looked back at the car as Renae opened the door. He grinned.

"Well that explains what was taking you so long and why Noah just left you out here. Sorry, Renae. I didn't realize you were coming over," Tyler mumbled. I chuckled. "I can drop my sister and take you inside instead," he offered meeting her eye. 

"Nah. I'd rather not see her get hurt," Renae retorted with a chuckle and walked up the stairs to the door. "I'll just let myself in." Tyler turned and followed her. He set me on the armchair as Renae raided the kitchen. I propped my foot up and snuggled into the cushions and closed my eyes. Surrounded by laughter and love, I drifted off into a peaceful slumber. "She hasn't shown you yet?" Renae gasped. I stirred and tried to sit up. I felt like I was stuck in glue. "Well I won't show you. It was all her. You'll just have to be patient," Renae chided.

"She does have us awfully curious as to what's been going on in that room. Her bed hasn't been moved back yet. Is she afraid of the mirrors?" Tyler asked.

"Unlikely. I think she's worked past that. Well when Annette finally let's you into that room, you'll see. I promise. She really has no problems with the mirrors. That room is amazing," Renae admitted.

"Good! That's great news that she has worked past her mirror issues," Jess insisted. "She's trying to wake up. Her hands keep moving. She's signing, well trying fingerspell; it's extreme shorthand. 'No tell. Can't see. Good friend.' I'm assuming it's for you." 

"Sounds about right. No worries, Net. I wouldn't ruin your surprise," Renae retorted.

"Glue," I fingerspelled. Jess translated. 

"Got it," Tyler remarked. I heard shuffling away from me, then footsteps approached again. Something was waved under my nose. "Smelling salts, 'Nettie," Tyler explained. "They should help you come out of your fog. Twenty seconds or less." After about twelve seconds, I was able to blink my eyes open and looked at him. He grinned. "How do you feel now?" I tried to talk but still couldn't move. I looked at Jess. 

"Still stuck," I signed, finally able to move my wrist at least and not just my fingers. She translated. Tyler pressed his lips together.

"I'll have to go back to the drawing board. It only worked partially. Ride it out. You'll be back with us in a moment," he stated as he sat down. I made a fist and followed by an open palm repeatedly trying to get some feeling back into my hand as it felt like pins and needles were being jabbed through it. I gave him a quizzical glance. "Pain?" I nodded slightly. "Not from me, Net." He looked over at Renae. "I love chemistry. I engineered the sleeping pills and no pain pill at the complex using completely natural ingredients that Net took. I also came up with a few other combinations. I left all my notes at home but I've been trying to come up with something that will help her out. She has this unfortunate side effect where her brain shuts down some major motor functions after when she pushes through her pain for too long," he explained. Renae nodded.

"Gotcha. So those salts were to help her overcome that, but it backfired?" She ventured.

"I wouldn't say it backfired," I replied; my voice was hoarse. "I could open my eyes, I just didn't have any other functions. Is that why you've been working so hard on your programming? Chemistry notes?" I asked Tyler. He nodded.

"I'm also emailing them to myself so I'll always have access to them. It's to an email I set up once we moved in here; it's safe," he replied. I nodded. 

"Why is my body shutting down again?" I asked Jess.

"Best guess, you overdid it today. You had a lot of upright sitting today, and it was a bit much for your lungs still," she replied. I nodded and grabbed my water off the table beside me. "When you see the doctor next week, we're going to help you build up your tolerance again so you can sit in school all day," Jess explained. I nodded again and leaned forward. "Pat being gone for a week has hurt you too. No more daily stretching. He seemed to know exactly what stretches you needed to do to stay limber. You've done remarkably going up and down the stairs. Crawling on the floor also helps your abs, but your movement has still been limited and much more restricted." I looked over at the coffee table where my cell was sitting. "Before you ask, no your phone hasn't rung today," Jess said apologetically. I nodded and leaned back.

"Thank you. I appreciate you all taking care of me." I looked over at Renae. "You sure you like hanging out with this messed up bunch?"

"Hell yeah! You guys are the coolest people I know. It's like you're my spirit family," she chuckled. I looked around. "Not to mention, NeNe, Mom loves me hanging out with someone besides the horses. You're a good friend and my parents love me hanging out with you all the time."

"NeNe. Ot-oh! Now we're getting serious," I teased as I looked back at her. She grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "Guess that's your way of saying your mom is concerned and loves getting some feedback?" I ventured. Renae grinned and nodded. I giggled. "Where'd Noah go?" 

"He headed to the field. It's only 4:30. Are you cooking dinner tonight, 'Nettie?" Tyler asked. I shook my head.

"Pretty sure there's no more room for me to put leftovers in the fridge," I countered. Everyone chuckled. I leaned back and stretched. "Were we going to the whole game or there in time for just halftime?" I asked to no one in particular as I relaxed back down.

"We were leaving that up to you," Renae offered. I nodded and pointed to the red jerseys on the couch. 

"Guess we should support our class," I giggled. Renae followed my finger and grinned. "Where's my chair? I need to use the bathroom again. And I should put my sling back on. My hand's kinda numb," I explained. Jess nodded and dug my sling out of my bag. She tossed it to Tyler who hooked me up and carried me to the bathroom. I rolled up the dress and pinned it under the sling as I took care of my needs. Once I washed my hand, I hollered for Tyler. He opened the door and held the red #34 jersey. I sighed and put it on. He carried me back out the kitchen. Everyone was eating their choice of leftovers. I sighed. "I'm not hungry right now. It's warm right now, but the temperature drops quick. Any chance you can pack a long sleeve something for me, Jess?" I asked. She nodded and pointed to the chair. A heathered gray tunic was there. I grinned. "Thank you. Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Nope. How much do you love me? Tell me, 'Nettie," she teased. 

"More than words can express," I signed. She grinned and blew me a kiss. I grabbed a few of the baby carrots that were out and chomped down on them. I looked up at the clock. "Guess we should get going. Ten minutes until game time," I stated. Everyone nodded and cleaned up their dishes. Tyler scooped me up again, tucked my wheelchair under his arm, and carried me outside. Renae grabbed the tunic and my bag as she followed us out. Jess turned off all the lights and locked the door. Tyler put me in the backseat then walked around the car, put the wheelchair in the trunk, and got behind the wheel. Renae sat in front of me, Jess beside me. We made our way back to the high school. I offered to pay for everyone's admission, but only Jess heard me. Tyler and Renae walked off arm in arm. I grinned. "He likes her?"

"Really likes her," Jess confirmed as she wheeled me in. 

"Good. Renae deserves a good guy. Tyler's a great one. She likes him too," I replied. We passed the pep band and I stopped Jess. I waved Mr. Ravenitch over. He smiled and came over. "Any chance you have at least one spare chair? I can't make my pregnant sister walk up those bleachers," I asked. He smiled and pulled over a chair for her. "Thank you, Mr. Ravenitch," I said sincerely as he went back and directed the band.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Jess snickered as we set up by the fence near the end zone. I grinned and looked at her. She was sitting in the chair.

"Then you shouldn't sit in it," I teased. She giggled. The little girl I spotted in the crowd earlier passed us; she was still wearing the crown. "Good evening, your highness," I greeted her. Her eyes met me.

"It's you!" She beamed. Her mom stood behind her and smiled gratefully at me. The little girl used her crutches and made her way over to me. The last couple steps, she dropped one crutch. I reached out and steadied her. She held onto my hand and embraced me. "Thank you," she sobbed. I pat her back tenderly and grinned. She stood back and looked at me up and down. "Why are you in a wheelchair?" She asked. Her mother came over to take her off me. I held up my hand and shook it, but I kept my eyes on the little girl.

"Because I was hurt really bad about a month ago. I can't use my left arm at all so that means no crutches. You know what I thought when I saw you?" I asked. She shook her head. I bopped her nose. "I thought you were beautiful. I thought that you looked sad and that a beautiful princess shouldn't ever be sad. I know it's hard to stay happy when you're in pain. It made me sad that you weren't enjoying the parade," I stated. I straightened her crown and grinned. "Even when you are feeling sad, hold your head up high, princess. Your smile can change the world," I told her. She grinned. I returned it. She was missing her top right canine, and her front incisors seemed almost too big for her mouth, but her smile was truly radiant. "That is the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. What's your name?"

"Kirstie," she replied. 

"Well, Princess Kirstie, it has been a pleasure to meet you. I'm Annette," I replied and shook her hand.

"I hope you win the queen crown," she whispered and gave me another hug. Her mom came over and squeezed my hand.

"Thank you. This hasn't been easy for her. You were the only one who took time for her. The footballers behind you all stopped by and nodded at her. You made her feel special," the mom cried softly. I grinned and shook my head. I looked back at Kirstie.

"The only person who has the power to make you feel special is yourself, Kirstie. Remember that. No matter what anyone else thinks of you, if you believe you are special the world around will see it too. If you focus on the love of your mom and share that love, the world around you will change for the better. If you focus on that pain and bitterness that's easier to spot, the world becomes sad and gloomy. That's why I had to stop the parade today. I felt your sadness. Now I feel your joy and happiness," I told her. She grinned and looked up at her mom.

"Did you hear that, Mommy? I am special. If Annette can see, so can I," she stated proudly. Her mom embraced her warmly as tears trickled down her face.

"Thank you, Annette. You gave my baby back her confidence," she stated. I smiled.

"Kirstie found that on her own, I just gave her a crown," I replied with a grin. The two of them made their way into the crowd. I giggled and put my head down. "Pat's right. People are drawn to me."

"Of course they are. You said and did some of the things he does for you to make you feel special too. He's become a part of who you are. I'm glad that he's always on the back of your mind," Jess praised. "That was amazing. You're good at pep talks."

"I gave her the same speech I often gave myself. I haven't had to use that one in ages," I told her. "I can even surprise myself." I grinned. We chuckled together and went back to watching the game. When there was two minutes left of the second quarter, Jess wheeled me over to the gate; the other seven girls were there waiting in their formal dresses. I looked at Jess. She smiled and helped me stand up, take off the jersey, and arrange the dress. She looked me up and down before giving me a nod of approval.

"You look beautiful, 'Nettie. Not a wrinkle in the dress that doesn't belong or a smudge in your makeup," she praised as she pushed me back in my seat. I grinned and heard the buzzer ring signaling the end of the quarter and half time. The opposing team left the field first. An odd marching sound caught my attention. I turned towards it and gasped. 

"No way," I murmured. Jess clapped her hands excitedly. Our team was making their way off the field; some of them took two helmets with them. Part of the team stopped under the scoreboard and moved the fence. Eight football players remained in the center of field. I looked back at the thing that made the odd noise. Two horses pulled a large carriage with four wheels. "No way," I repeated in shock.

"Way," Dan confirmed as he and Mike made their way over to me. I watched as a third football player made his way over to the horses and pet them all affectionately. "Are you leaving your sling on, Annette?" Dan inquired; he was covered in sweat and panting. I shook my head and took it off. I stood up, gave it to Jess, and she sat down in my chair. Dan held my right arm so I wouldn't fall. "You get in first and out last. The guys on the field will make sure you get off the field safely," he promised.

"You guys didn't have to do this for me," I stated. 

"No we didn't, but we did. It was the best solution we had to keep you from hurting yourself," Mike replied with a grin. "Seriously, you're worth it. It's your senior year. Live it up." 

"What's the hold up?" Doug asked as he joined us and grinned at me. My mouth dropped as I realized he was the one who was petting the horses earlier. "Annette, are you afraid of Frieda and Riley? They're seriously the best horses. Bently is in the trailer still, I can saddle her up if you would rather take just a single horse out to center stage." I closed my mouth and shook my head. Mike chuckled.

"She's speechless. Doug's family has like ten horses; it was his suggestion. Mr. Nunez was all down for hooking up the carriage. Especially since Doug's younger brother Chris was nominated for the pep club. They hired a driver but donated the horse and carriage," he explained.

"But like I said, you have the option to ride out solo if you want. It'll take two minutes tops," Doug offered. I shook my head again. "Then get over there!" I nodded and looked down at my feet.

"No hopping. Like Adam said, we aren't planning on having you walk," Mike insisted. I nodded again.

"We know we're gross and sweaty, Annette, but we're going to help you in the carriage. I'm sure one of us could throw you over our shoulder and hoist you up, but this way, we actually touch you less. Do you mind?" Dan asked. I looked between them and the carriage before shaking my head. He grinned and nodded at Mike. They locked arms and made a seat for me. Doug came over and picked me up and set me in their arms. 

"Take care. Frieda and Riley will make it a smooth ride," Doug promised before running off towards the locker room.

"Ready, Annette?" Dan asked kindly. I nodded and wrapped my arm around Mike's neck. Together, they carried me over to the carriage and set me inside. Then helped the other girls climb in so they could take their seats. Dan met my eye and winked. "Have fun. You all look lovely. Sorry we can't take a minute to enjoy this with you all. Coach wants to run some plays."

"Thank you," I replied sincerely. They nodded and took off to the locker rooms. I looked around at the other girls. My eyes fell on the junior class nomination: head cheerleader, great basketball player, and most popular in her class - Nic. She was my pick to win. "Good luck, everyone," I told them and smiled. They all nodded and replied in the same way. Our driver moved the carriage out to centerfield. Principal Lane was in the announcer's booth introducing the nominations. One by one, the girls stood up and met with their football partner. After Nic was escorted out, Adam stood by the side of the carriage. I blushed as Principal Lane announced my name and Adam's name. Adam stood up in the carriage and pulled me to a standing position, supporting my back and holding me close to his side. The carriage shifted and bounced beneath us. I inhaled sharply and moved to hold onto his jersey to balance myself. I took several calming breaths as I looked down at my feet and blushed; I was not comfortable with all the attention on me. 

"Wave, Annette. I won't let you fall," Adam promised as he removed my hand from his jersey. I grinned and waved at the cheering crowd. Ryan apologized to his partner and came over and helped Adam lower me from the carriage. We stood in the center of the group. Ryan headed back to his spot. Camera flashes seemed to be blinding me. Principal Lane began to go through the the formalities of how we got nominated and how we voted. I tuned him out and leaned into my partner as I began to feel light headed. "You're swaying," Adam noted softly. I nodded but kept grinning. "Do you feel off balance?" I nodded again. He moved to my right side and placed his hand on my left hip. I leaned into him as I cradled my left arm. "Told you, we wouldn't let you crash and burn tonight," he whispered. I ducked my head and blushed. I looked back up as the announcement was made that this homecoming wouldn't be traditional; the king would be named before the queen this year.

"Does it really matter? Just crown us already. I need to sit down," I thought.

"With 43% of all the votes, our homecoming king is," Principal Lane paused for dramatic effect. "Senior, nominated by the ski club Ryan Chesterston!" Ryan stepped forward -several paces in front of the junior nominations and Adam and I- and was crowned. I noticed with the exception of Adam, all of the guys removed themselves and stood back by the carriage. The girls all stepped closer together and Adam ducked behind me. Everyone cheered as Ryan was crowned, including those of us behind him. He waved at the crowd and stepped aside. "Ladies and gentleman. Normally the votes reflect approximately the same as the votes for the king. The highest voting percentage we have ever had was 51%, for either king or queen. For the first time in our homecoming history, our queen swept the board with a record shattering 82% of all the votes!" Principal Lane stated. I gasped and clapped. I looked to my left and grinned at Nic; she deserved this and clearly had the support of the student body. She was looking forward and had a small smirk on her face. "She was nominated by her class," Principal Lane continued. The four clubs took a step back. "She is an upperclassman." The freshman and sophomore classes stood back. Now Ryan was standing in the front of everyone, off to the left. Nic and I stood side by side, center stage. Adam continued to brace me so I wouldn't fall. Everyone else was behind us.

"Congratulations," I whispered excitedly to Nic. She smiled and continued to look forward.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your homecoming queen is represented by the senior class, Annette Gibson!" Principal Lane cheered. Wait. What? I gasped and fell to my knees.

"Congratulations, Annette," Nic told me as she knelt beside me and helped Adam stand me up again. "You deserve this more than anyone," Nic praised. I shook my head and looked at her. She smiled kindly. "I mean it. You deserve this," she repeated. I gave her a hug as Ryan came back and lifted me up. He carried me front and center and grinned at me as I was crowned and given a bouquet of roses that I tucked into the nook of my left elbow, my hand holding onto my dress for dear life. Ryan supported me on my right side as well, pulling on my left hip so I had no choice but to lean into him.

"This isn't real," I gasped as tears spilled over and I covered my mouth.

"Oh it's totally real," Ryan murmured. He looked down at me and smiled. "Smile. You're queen." I grinned and put my hand down. I chuckled and waved at the crowd. The noise coming from the crowd was deafening. Ryan leaned in. "Any chance you'll come to the dance now?" I shook my head.

"Lately, I'm in bed before nine usually," I confessed as I looked up at him. "This day is already too long. I can't. I'm sorry. I feel ready to collapse again. There's no way I can make it to the dance at 9:30." Ryan looked up at the stands, smiled, and shook his head subtly. 

Principal Lane bopped his microphone until the crowd quieted down. "What you folks may not know, but might have deduced, is that Annette is severely injured," he explained. I lifted my dress, showed off my cast better, and frowned at the crowd. I heard a few sympathetic sighs. I leaned into Ryan as I lowered my dress again and cradled my left arm, releasing my firm grasp on my dress. "She won't be able to make it to the dance tonight so we are going to give our king and queen their dance now." The crowd erupted in applause again. I gasped and looked up at Ryan. 

"Surprise," he chuckled. He nodded behind him. Nic came forward and grabbed the roses out of my hand. She went back and stood in front of the carriage. Ryan grabbed around my waist and turned me to face him. I picked up my left hand and rested it on his arm. He held my right hand up in the air as You and Me by Lifehouse blared on the PA system. I blushed as he began to sway. "Smile. These pictures will be going in the yearbook. Plus, I think you look radiant and you wearing that dress for a dance is better than dressing casual. Trust me, it's better than having me in blue jeans. Sorry, I'm not dressed for the occasion right now. You shine," Ryan remarked. I nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Did you do this?" I asked. He shook his head and grinned.

"Other than make sure you were on our roster, I didn't do anything," he swore. I nodded.

"How did I get 82% of the votes then if the most popular guy in school had nothing to do with it?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders, let go of my hand, and picked me up. I buried my head in his shoulder as he spun us around. "RYAN!" I warned. He chuckled and put me down.

"All you, Annie. Sorry. Annette," he whispered as he grabbed my hand and backed away. Then he bowed and kissed my hand. Once again the crowd cheered. "You good?" I nodded suddenly feeling nauseated. He scooped me up and carried me to the carriage. Everyone there was clapping and smiling. Adam climbed up into the carriage and took my hand and held me upright. Ryan stood beside me as Adam climbed down. Nic handed me back the flowers. "Wave," Ryan instructed. I looked back at the crowd and waved. 

"I need to sit," I stated, feeling like I was swaying again. I noticed the blackness creeping up on my peripheral vision too. Ryan helped me sit down then sat beside me. Adam offered his hand to the remaining ladies and helped them load up again. The other six football players ran to the locker room as soon as Ryan was done dancing with me. "Thank you," I murmured as the rest of the queen nominations sat down. I looked down at my roses and pulled two out for each girl. "You're all beautiful. Thank you," I stated as I gave them the flowers. I looked at Nic and gave her six roses. "You were my pick. Thank you." She grinned at me and smelled the flowers. I looked down at my bouquet. I was also down to six. Adam climbed up beside the driver and we were taken off the field. Once we were outside of the gate again, Adam and Ryan helped everyone unload. Once again I was last. Ryan scooped me up and handed me off to Adam. He kept me in his arms as Ryan stood beside us.  Both of them kissed my cheeks at the same time. Another camera flashed in front of us. I blushed, ducked my head, and tried to squirm away. "Stop!" I mumbled. They chuckled and pulled away. "Thanks," I repeated. Jess came over with my wheelchair and Adam lowered me into the seat. They took off to the locker room as she reattached my sling. I looked up at Jess. "82%," I gasped in wonder. She giggled.

"Close your eyes," she instructed as she held onto my flowers. I obeyed. Shortly afterwards, my hand was grabbed and pulled on. I bit my lip and stood up but kept my eyes shut.

"How about a real dance, your majesty?" A voice whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes and gasped.

"PAT!" I wrapped him in a warm embrace. "You're here!" I wept on his shoulder.

"I'm here, doll. You look beautiful. I'm going to kiss the queen too," he whispered as he kissed my cheek. I pulled back and looked at him. He grinned and adjusted the crown on my head. "They all finally see you how I do," he mused. 

"Did you say dance?" I teased. He grinned and grabbed my right hand, holding it by my shoulder. I put my leg around his left as I looked down and grinned. "You're on two legs again," I noted. His right hand rested on the small of my back. I stood up on my toes as he lifted my arm in the air. I looked in his eyes as I lifted my right leg out. He bent me to the left. Suddenly we were moving around, swaying, swooping,dipping, twisting and turning. I was breathless and fully stretched out. I wrapped my arm around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I missed you," I sighed. The crowd around us cheered. I blushed and buried my head.

"Chin up, doll. That's not the way royalty acts," he chided. I looked at him and grinned.

"Just don't let go," I begged as I turned around, looked at the crowd, and nodded politely to them. I leaned into Pat's shoulders as his arms held onto my waist tightly. I realized that our crowd also consisted of both football teams. Everyone was grinning at us. Jess, Tyler, Renae, and Josh stood in the front row with big grins. My wheelchair was in front of Jess with the flowers and my bag. The opposing team made their way back onto the field.

"You could have told me you could dance," Ryan teased. I blushed.

"That's all Pat. I was just stretching," I replied and sighed happily. I looked up at Pat again and collapsed as my head felt like it was drained of blood. His strong arms held onto me.

"Jess. The chair," he demanded, I was moved to it.

"Is she alright?" Ryan asked. My eyes were opened one at a time then my pulse taken.

"Last time she took pain meds?" Pat asked.

"3:45," Renae offered.

"Last time she ate?"

"Just before the game," Tyler replied. 

"What did she do today? Exertion wise?"

"She spent the whole day in school, was granted permission to nap. She stayed off her feet," Renae insisted. "She napped before and after the parade, but was tense and stressed the whole day; even more so than her usual amount. Several of the football players in our class made sure she didn't have the option to hurt herself."

"Yes, she was stressed. But like Renae said, there was no way we would let her get hurt. We encouraged her to have fun and rest. She was mostly smiles all day. She had one point of possible injury, but I was bracing her the whole time. During the parade, she stood for about three blocks," Adam added. Why couldn't I open my eyes yet?

"What about on the field? Anything seem off?"

"Aside from her admitting that she felt off balance, nothing. I moved to her right side so she could grab my hand if she felt like she was going down; she didn't. I could feel her swaying on the field; I don't know if she was in the car though. She felt like she was steady and barely leaned unto me then. All I know is that she's in pain but won't tell us," Adam answered. 

"I agree; she seemed weak, but still pressing on. I just thought that she asked Adam to hold her on the right so I did too. She asked to sit and admitted to being tired," Ryan added as my left eye was opened again.

"Think you might be a little paranoid, Pat? Annette doesn't purposely hurt herself. I'm sure it's a total fluke. Look, her finger is twitching again," a new voice chipped in and the hand was removed from my face. I tried to focus. Who else was here? Josh! He was being unusually quiet, but throwing in that good word just when needed. A warm hand wrapped around my fingers and squeezed gently.

"She's not trying to say anything this time," Pat huffed soflty.

"She's fine. She just overdid it today. Her body isn't ready for her to be upright all the time," Jess stated.

"You sure?" Adam asked. "Told you we should have carried her! She was way off balance out there."

"We didn't let go of her," Ryan countered.

"Guess it's a good thing I didn't saddle up Bently then, huh?" Doug inquired.

"Please! We wouldn't have let her on that horse alone. Not when she only has one hand and leg that she can use to keep her balance. She would have passed out before she made it to center field," Mike countered. I felt like I could move again. I slowly opened my eyes. Pat was right in front of me with a furrowed brow and pursed lips.

"I'm fine," I slurred as I tried to sit up. Pat pushed on my shoulder so I fell back into the seat. "Besides feeling weak on the field, I felt my vision cloud on the field. I got too excited to tell you. I'm just happy to see you," I whispered as I tilted my head back, looking at the sky and blinking slowly.

"I know, doll. I'm happy to see you too," he said softly. He looked over his shoulder at the concerned football team. "She just fainted. She woke up which means she'll be just fine. The swaying you picked up on the field was just her first defense. You guys didn't cause this, if anything, you helped delay it. I caused this. She overdid it, but she'll be okay," he assured them. They nodded and headed back to the field; a select few stayed behind - all seniors. Pat turned his attention back to me. "It's time for you to go home and go to bed," he stated firmly. I nodded. I looked over at the football players. Pat directed my eyes back to him. "No more fighting. No more excuses. Just you and me, doll," he ordered softly. I nodded again and settled back into the seat. Pat looked at my family. "Are you staying for the game?"

"We can leave now. House is locked up. Take her there. We'll help you take care of her," Tyler insisted. Pat nodded and began to wheel me away. We still had quite the large crowd; they parted and let us through. Renae ran over to the football players. It looked like she had my bag; I don't know what she told them.

"Annette?" A voice called out. I sat up and tried to place it.

"Doll," Pat begged.

"Hey, Kirstie," Jess spoke up. "Like she told you, she's in a lot of pain. We're going to take care of her right now. She'll be okay," Jess promised. Kirstie nodded. I tried to smile and sit up again. 

"Hey, Princess," I stated. She looked at me as tears ran down her face. "You are my hero. Remember you share happiness or sadness based on how you feel. Which one will you share?" 

"Happiness," she replied as she fixed her crown and stood up tall. She smiled warmly at me. I grinned.

"I feel better already. I'll be okay, sweetie. I just need to sleep. It's up to you, Princess, to keep the crowd cheering tonight," I told her. Her smile grew and she waved goodbye. I sunk back into the chair. "Sorry," I apologized as I met Pat's eye. He smiled at me and played with the crown on my head.

"So selfless, doll," he whispered and leaned over and kissed my head. "I love you." I grinned.

"Love you too," I replied. Pat took me to his truck and placed me inside. "Can I sit by you?" I asked he grinned and lifted the middle seat.

"Like I would let you sit anywhere else," he teased as he slid me over and Josh sat beside me. 

"Hey. Thanks for keeping him in line. He's just an over paranoid fool," I said weakly. 

"Hey, Net. That's exactly what he is. Good to see you," he replied and squeezed my hand. I yawned as Pat entered the truck. He started the truck and put it in gear. Once we were driving he wrapped his arm around my waist. I snuggled into him. "How many times has she just collapsed like that?" Josh asked.

"She's fainted a few times because of pain. She's had only one other time where she didn't open her eyes immediately. 52 seconds isn't bad compared to the six hours from the last time," Pat replied. I looked up at him. He kissed my forehead. "I missed you."

"Me too," I replied. "I must have overstretched. I heard everyone, I didn't leave. You didn't cause it. You feel guilty and shouldn't; not about this. I should feel guilty." Pat looked down at me and I bit my lip. "I broke my promise to you. I didn't stay ahead of my pain," I confessed. "It numbed the physical pain and made me think of you more. I couldn't do that. I needed a distraction; I needed the pain."

"Oh, doll," Pat whispered as we pulled into my brother's driveway. He turned off the ignition and stroked my cheek. "We need to get you healthier habits," he teased. I grinned. "You promised to keep fighting and that you'll do your best to stay safe. You did that. I understand why you didn't keep taking your pills. I'm not mad," he whispered tenderly.

"Will you kiss her already?" Josh asked. I giggled and looked down. Pat lifted my chin.

"You're in pain, doll. Do you want me to kiss you?" He asked as he peered into my eyes. I kissed his cheek.

"Better wait until I wake up. I don't want this dream to end. Besides, it's Annette, not doll," I replied with a wink. He grinned and kissed my forehead.

"Nope. You'll always be my doll. Besides, you were doll to me before I knew your name was Annette. Come on. Tyler opened the door. We can talk inside," he stated as he pulled me out of his truck. Josh led the way to the door and opened it for us.

"You never called," I accused. Pat chuckled.

"You never answered," he retorted. I smiled as he settled us on the couch with me in his lap. He leaned forward and picked up my phone off the coffee table. "I can see why you didn't answer; once again, you left it behind," he teased. He looked up at Tyler and Jess. "Full story," he demanded. I looked in his eyes. They were fierce and I needed them to be soft. I rested my hand on his cheek and he looked at me. Immediately his eyes lost their intimidation.

"You can ask me. There's no need to intimidate my family. You gave me 16 pills, 17 if you count the one I took before we left the cabin. I took just over half, most in the past 20 hours," I told him. "I cooked and was banned from the kitchen. I broke glass and made something really spectacular, but that's just my thoughts. Everything I did was to keep my mind off of you; I was running out of ideas and hope. With the exception of last night, I haven't been sleeping. Every time I tried, I just fought with my blankets and ended up hurting myself more. I woke up panicked and breathing became a chore. My family made sure I wasn't alone last night to see if it would help. They drugged me so I slept 11 hours. I thought your box was just pills. I didn't open it until yesterday. Your bear gave me the hope I needed. I had half of a serving of monkey bread today with six strawberries. Lunch was a third of a hamburger before I felt sick. Dinner was two baby carrots before the game. I didn't feel hungry. I tried to ignore the pain. I knew something was up, but nobody told me anything; I felt like maybe you were running away from me or hiding something from me because it's not the way it works. I know this and hate being lied to. That's the whole story. You never called," I repeated as my voice cracked. Pat wiped my eyes as the tears fell unwillingly.

"Doll! No wonder you fainted. You haven't been getting enough nutrients! If today is any indication of the meals you ate, you should've blacked out long before this. I thought you promised that you would take care of yourself," Pat chided.

"I did. I ate every time everyone else did. I stayed busy. I completed a project. I can look in the mirror without screaming. I worked on that damn bridge. I showered and brushed my teeth. I did take care of myself," I stated furiously as I sat up. I looked down at the dress I was wearing and stood up. "Excuse me. I need a few minutes." I began to hop away and Pat pulled me back into his arms.

"Why do you do that, 'Nettie?" He whispered in my ear. I gave him a confused look. "Every time you feel overwhelmed by your anger, you try to change the subject and or run."

"I can't give into my anger. I will not end up like my dad! I can't put you in the path of my rage. It's not safe," I replied as hot tears fell down my cheek and I stood up again, pushing his hands off me. "I don't want to fight with you. Can I please go change my clothes?" Jess threw the gray tunic in my direction as she shook her head. I sighed and took off my sling. I tried to get my jacket to follow but I had some issues getting it off. I glared at Josh. "Say one word and I will finally find myself a punching bag. Apparently I have a lot of pent up anger," I threatened as I turned around and looked down at Pat. I took a deep breath and sighed. Softly, I voiced my question, "would you like to help me take off my clothes? I need help." A shocked expression sat on his face but he stood up. I closed my eyes as he rested both hands on my shoulders and slid off my small jacket. I looked up at him as I picked up the tunic off the couch and handed it to him. He kept his eyes on my face as he helped me weave my arms through the sleeves. Then as he pulled the shirt down, he unzipped the dress in the back. Both items fell. He reached around me and picked up my sling. I held up a single finger then reached under my shirt to unhook my bra. I furrowed my brow in frustration; I couldn't do it one handed. "Pat," I begged. He reached around, and over my clothes, and gave me assistance. I pulled it out from the front as he reattached my sling. "Thank you," I whispered and dropped it at my feet. He nodded and sat back down. I took the ponytail out of my hair and set the ponytail and crown on the coffee table.

"Annette, you won't end up like your dad. Watching you get undressed proved that. It was a little awkward, but it wasn't weird. With the anger you say you're experiencing, you should have been throwing your clothes around the room or kicking them or just ripping them off. I know I would have. You could have flipped and just yelled once you got frustrated, but you didn't. Even though you told Josh not to make a comment in an angry tone, you weren't angry. If you end up like Brad, the world dies," Renae stated. In shock, I sat down and looked at her. "You are the most positive person I know. He's the most negative. That'll be quite the nasty fall for you; you'll take the world with you," she explained. She pointed to my cast. "That's why I put the lighthouse there. You're the brightest beacon." I nodded and looked at the cast again. I bent over to pick up my clothes but Jess beat me to it. She also took my shoe and disappeared down the hall. "It's just not possible for you to be negative," Renae praised. I was dumbfounded, speechless, and impressed. I nodded and looked back at Pat.

"Where are you, doll?" He asked kindly as he rubbed my back and met my eye. 

"I'm not dreaming?" I asked. He shook his head. "You're really here?" He nodded. "You left me," I accused, pushing on his chest. "You could go to any hospital. The VA would cover the replacement."

"You're right," he confirmed. 

"That means you lied to me," I whispered, looked down, and leaned away. "And that means that-" He covered my mouth with a single finger before he turned my head towards him.

"I had to, doll. They were having a trial for," Pat paused and tried to think of the right term. I sighed and nodded as I covered my chest. Pat nodded and scooted closer to me. "He had a twin. They tried to plant reasonable doubt. I had to testify. I didn't want you to face that again. I told you I wouldn't have my phone because I knew you would pick up on the resentment in my voice and know something was off. You would have just had to say please and I would have told you everything. I know that if you figured it out, you would want to come down and be there too. I promised you that you wouldn't have to face any more monsters; I was doing what I thought was in your best interest," Pat admitted. I bit my lip and looked over at his feet. I reached  across my body and grabbed his hand. I couldn't be mad at him; he was just protecting me. He rubbed his thumb over my hand. "He got 75 years, no chance of parole. He provoked me and I attacked him. I was arrested Monday morning," he spoke softly. I looked up at him in surprise. He wiped my tears as they fell. "No charges were filed. I'm free, no record still. They held me for 72 hours. I wasn't allowed to listen to your voicemail, so I didn't sleep. When I got out yesterday afternoon, I listened to it and got ready to come home to you. Instead, I sat down and slept until 1330 today. I really do feel guilty, doll. Not only for lying to you, but for not being here sooner. I'm sorry." Pat's eyes were brimming with tears.

"And that's all on me," Josh interjected. I looked over at him. "He won't let anyone drive his truck and I wouldn't let him get behind the wheel until he ate, slept, and showered. I just about clocked him across the face to get him to shut up and lay down yesterday. Once he woke up to his version of refreshed, I helped him pack up. Then we had to go meet with the guy who fixed his leg. We were leaving Great Falls when Noah sent the picture of you all dolled up." I nodded and put my head on Pat's shoulder. He pulled me into his chest and I took a deep breath.

"You still smell good," I whispered. He chuckled. I looked up at him. "There's three bedrooms up here. I refused to take one because I was a temporary guest. So I insisted on the one downstairs. Jess gave me permission to decorate however I'd like. Would you like to come see the project I've been working on?" Pat smiled.

"Later, doll. Right now, you need to sleep. I'll be here when you wake up," he promised.

"What did you tell the football players?" I asked Renae as I adjusted my head on Pat's shoulder. He shifted and scooted to the far side of the couch, keeping me in his arms. I rolled so we were chest to chest. He kissed my head as I looked over at Renae. She had inched her way under Tyler's arm and I grinned.

"I asked if we need to wash the jerseys. Mitch and Dan said no and ran them back to the locker room. I told them you were fine, just a long day. Everyone nodded and ran out to the field. I also ran into Lauren. She said you don't have to return the dress. You looked good in it, she never did," she admitted. I nodded and closed my eyes.

"It's very kind of her," I yawned. "No more excitement for a while, please. No more crowds. No more lectures. No more stares," I begged.  Pat pulled me in closer and kissed my cheek again.

"Silly girl; there's no way I can take my eyes off such a beautiful sight. No more gawking crowds. Even your friends and family have retreated. It's just you and me. I'm here for eternity, doll," he whispered softly. I grinned and drifted off.