Chapter 3

I dialed Amber’s number. The moment she picked up, I demanded, "Tell me the truth. Did you run away?"

There was a long silence on the other end. Then, she sobbed, "Chloe, I had to. I can't do this. I can’t spend the rest of my life bound to a cripple!"

Anger flared hot in my chest. I raised my voice, "Amber, I can't believe you! Austin has done nothing but love and care for you. Have you no conscience?"

Amber’s voice suddenly turned cold and detached. "A conscience doesn't pay the bills, Chloe. My parents would never let me marry a paralyzed man. I thought about it all night at the hospital. It’s better to rip the band-aid off now. Breaking up is the only choice."

I couldn't believe these cruel words were coming from my best friend.

She continued, "I'm only twenty-six. I have a whole life ahead of me. I don't want to spend the rest of my days tied down by a paralyzed man. If you were in my shoes, you'd make the same choice."

"He wouldn't even be in that wheelchair if you hadn't forced him to run that light! You ruined his life, and now you’re just going to walk away?"

"I am not you, Amber. Even if I were in your shoes, I would never do something so heartless."

I couldn't take it anymore and started screaming at her.

"Fine! I'm the heartless bitch, and you're the saint," Amber snapped. "Why don't you take care of Austin then?"

With that, she hung up.

When I tried to call back, I realized she had blocked my number on Snapchat and phone calls.

I took a few deep breaths, trying to steady my racing heart. I realized my loud argument with Amber had been fully heard by Austin. I peeked into his room. He was looking at me. His once bright eyes were hollow, filled with a painful mix of guilt, sorrow, and regret.

I sighed and walked back to his bedside. Neither of us spoke for a long time.

Finally, I broke the silence. "What do we do now? Should we call your family?"

Austin whispered, "I don't have any family."

"You're... an orphan?" I asked, stunned.

"Yeah," he nodded bitterly.

Looking at him like this, I knew I couldn't just abandon him. I had to step up and take care of him, at least for now.

"Hey, don't worry about it," I said, forcing a cheerful smile. "I'll take care of you from now on. Just tell me whenever you need anything."

"You need to stay positive to recover. The doctor said there’s still a chance. Don't give up hope."

I used a playful, bossy tone to lighten the heavy atmosphere, trying to spark some hope in him.

"Yeah. I will get better," he murmured.

My optimism seemed to reach him. For the first time since the accident, a faint smile appeared on his face.

Realizing he hadn't eaten all day, I went to the kitchen and made him a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Honestly, it was the only thing I knew how to cook.

I wasn't sure if it tasted any good, but Austin ate every last drop.

Afterward, we chatted for a bit. I started the conversation just to keep his mind off things.

I talked about my work as a TikTok content creator, and he shared stories about his dreams of coaching in the big leagues.

The conversation was easy and warm. The more I talked to Austin, the more I realized what a genuinely wonderful guy he was.

"Chloe, actually..."

Austin looked at me, hesitating.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I... need to use the bathroom," he said, his face flushing crimson.

"Could you just... hand me a plastic bottle?"

It took my brain a second to register what he meant. When it did, my face burned furiously. It hit me then what "taking care" of a grown man actually entailed.

I grabbed a bottle, handed it to him, and practically bolted out of the room, leaning against the door to catch my breath.

Once he was done, I emptied the bottle in the bathroom. Realizing he hadn't had a proper wash in days, I decided to go all the way and help him clean up.

I brought a basin of warm water to his bedside. In a voice barely louder than a whisper, I said, "Can you take off your shirt? I'll give you a sponge bath."