Never the Less
Chapter 1: Accidents Happen
A/N: I always write the stories in which someone falls in love with their best friend and once more I'm writing a story like that. I'm going to write it as if Savannah is a senior in high school in this time period. You know like 2012 not like 2022 or something like that. I'm also writing that Savannah and Aaron are the same age mainly because I can't remember how old Aaron was in relation with Savannah.
Bold is texts/notes Italics are thoughts/dreams
Disclaimer: I don't own anything involving 7th Heaven, except plot.
"I've known you forever Savannah." Aaron whispered, I wouldn't believed it if I didn't see his lips move.
"What's wrong?" I matched his whisper while leaning over and touching his head with mine.
"It's a secret." He glanced up and now our noses were inches from touching.
"I've always been a good listener. Something you learn from a minister mom." I laughed, the cold air causing splashes of vapor to populate the air around us. Aaron, however, did not laugh he instead dropped his head into his hands.
"I thought your mom was a reverend."
"That's her title, her job is a minister." I stroked his hand lightly and lifted his chin.
"We aren't here to talk about my crazy mom."
"I know."
"Why are you so upset?"
"Because I like you, a lot and I don't think you feel the same way." I couldn't speak, I could barely breath. "Savannah, Savannah. Savannah wake up." Did he just ask me to wake up? "Wake up." Wait he kind of sounds like my mom.
"Savannah, wake up." It definitely was my mom now. I guess that means I was dreaming. If I was dreaming then Aaron really didn't say that and he really does like another girl. "Savannah you're going to be late for school."
"I thought school got out three days ago." I mumbled back opening one eye and glancing at her.
"It did but I got you to wake up. C'mon Aunt Mary's downstairs and she wants to see you." My mom seemed a little agitated but that's probably because I wasn't in the listening mood and family was in town. "Don't go back to sleep 'Vannah." She yanked the curtains open and the room flooded with the sun's golden rays.
"The light burns." I groaned, covering my head with a pillow.
"It's natural light."
"Well it's naturally burning my eyes."
"Up. Now." Well, at least the agitated mood is gone. Now she's onto angry.
"Fine." I huffed, climbing out of the bed.
"Since when do you sleep in boxers and a sports bra?"
"Since it got hot in my room at night." My mom must have gotten tired of this conversation because she sighed and left to go back downstairs. I almost followed immediately after her but realization hit and I replaced boxers with shorts and a basketball t-shirt. After putting Nike socks on and my hair in a ponytail, I jumped down the stairs taking out my cousin, Charlie, in the process.
"Good Morning you too, Savannah." Charlie said pushing me off of him.
"It is a Good Morning." I laughed and pulled him to his feet.
"Want to play some basketball?" He asked as we walked into the living room.
"When don't I?" Suddenly I was in one of the best moods; I don't think anything could pull the smile off my face.
"Savannah, why are you in such a great mood?" Aaron asked appearing from thin air.
"I have no clue, but yeah. I really want to play some basketball right now. Where's your mom?" I asked Charlie when I finally realized we were sitting in a completely empty room.
"Took you long enough, she's in the kitchen with your parents." Charlie answered with a small laugh. "My dad couldn't get off work and the twins didn't want to fly all the way across the country so it's just my mom and me right now."
"Good Morning Everybody!" I yelled entering the room. Aunt Mary immediately jumped from her seat and wrapped me in a hug. I was only an inch smaller than her but times like these that I felt much shorter.
"I haven't seen you in forever." She laughed holding my face between her hands. Apparently everyone was in a good mood today.
"We just saw each other at Christmas." She helped me have the best outside shot in the state.
"Why is everyone so loud?" Corey, the twerp I called my brother, asked.
"Apparently everyone is in a good mood." My mom can read minds. I'm pretty sure I just thought that.
"So are we going or what? I heard we were going to the beach later and I want to get a game in before we go." Charlie said, a ball waiting to be bounced in his hands.
"Someone's anxious to lose." I taunted with a laugh.
"Such big talk for such a little girl." He taunted back. I opened my mouth to retort when I saw the look on my dad's face and quickly shut it.
"You guys going to play basketball?" Aunt Mary asked and I bit back a sarcastic 'no tennis'.
"Just one game so you guys can catch up a little more before you're stuck in a car load of kids for the day." I smiled and hoped she didn't ask to play. I really didn't feel like playing against my aunt.
"Have fun." Dear Lord, thank you.
"Aaron, you playing?" Charlie questioned a zoned out Aaron.
"Sure, why not."
"Corey, want to play with us?" I regrettably asked. My brother was better at just simply running then trying to add a ball to the equation.
"Okay." He seemed surprised by my asking.
"Let's play then." I hadn't touched a basketball in a week and my fingers craved thefeeling of the leather ball. Basketball has always been my passion; I'd probably go insane without it.
The game eventually got underway after slight arguments about who was on whose team. After stealing the ball from Charlie I sank a three pointer with a swish.
"Nothin' but net." I yelled with a laugh.
"How are you hitting these?" Charlie asked in frustration.
"What can I say? I'm on fire."
"Should we get you some water or a fire extinguisher or something?" My brother asked getting a laugh from an out-of-breath Aaron.
"Don't make me laugh, I can't breathe." Aaron wheezed. I was blocking Aaron after Charlie played the ball in once more. The score was 17-10: my team. I moved toward Charlie while keeping my arm extended towards Aaron. On a desperate attempt to get the ball out of his hands Charlie bounced the ball back towards Aaron. The ball found my hands and I brought it back to half court before finally looking for Corey. He was being blocked heavily by Charlie and Aaron was giving his attempt at blocking in front of me. I knew there wasn't going to be a way I could get the ball to Corey safely so I quickly decided it was time to take it by myself. Aaron's stance was loose and low so I pushed past him only to find him sticking right with me.
"Damn it Aaron, how the hell are you staying with me?" I huffed.
"Try hitting the shots now. I dare you." He laughed.
"I can't turn down a dare now can I?" I was getting cocky and nothing ever good happened when I was cocky. I turned my hips toward the hoop and immediately let the shot go before Aaron could make his move towards me. The only problem was Aaron did make his move toward me, late, and I was definitely going to feel it later. Or now.
Since I was in the air, Aaron was able to knock me off balance causing me to fall back on my right leg with all my weight. I must have had my leg twisted because as I landed something felt off. I don't know which sound that came first: the pop that my leg made or the strangled sound I made when the pain set in.
"What's wrong?" I heard Aaron ask. All I could do was keep my eyes closed and try to feel something, anything but the white hot pain that was shooting up my leg. I felt my hand slamming the ground repeatedly and heard my voice screaming, sobbing but nothing was dampening the pain. Charlie's hands were on me now: holding me down, trying to get me to calm down, doing everything possible to get me to stop thrashing from side to side.
"You have to calm down. You NEED to calm down." Charlie's voice was distant but I held onto it. If I didn't I would go insane. This pain continued to shoot up my leg and had now consumed every fraction of my body. If I even moved my fingers the pain would explode in angry waves.
"My knee. My knee." I sobbed trying everything to make it stop. I had Charlie's hand gripped tightly in both of mine and pressed them against my face in a weak attempt to stop the pain.
"What happened?" I heard my dad ask. His voice was fainter than Charlie's or maybe it was louder. I was starting to lose my voice and a new pain had set in but I would gladly take the new pain. Aaron was talking, saying something along the lines of 'she came down funny' and 'there was a really loud pop'. Charlie was trying to move his hands but let's be honest here, I had the tighter grip. "Savannah, hon, let go." I didn't let go. I couldn't let go. How could I let go if Charlie was the only why I was clinging to consciousness? My dad managed though to pry my hands from Charlie's but it was enough for me to lose it once more. Someone was talking to my dad; I think it was my Aunt Mary. I couldn't follow the conversation all I could hear was 'really swollen' and 'calm her down.' I'm guessing my knee was really swollen and I probably need to calm down.
"Savannah, I want you to listen okay?" My dad spoke, his voice shaken. He was unnerved now. I don't think he's ever seen anyone in such pain before or he could've he was once a cop.
"Okay. Okay." I sobbed, shaking my head along with answering.
"Relax. I know it hurts. Babe you've got to calm down." Everything was clearer than before. I could understand the conversations around me and the fact that there were more people here now. I could see grandma and grandpa standing off to the side with Charlie, Aaron and Corey; almost comforting them. I could understand why though, I must be one hell of a sight to see. Matt and Sarah were now here, near my feet, where all the attention was. It occurred to me that the pain was diminished, slightly, but it was an improvement from the suffocating pain that threatened every fiber of my being. Maybe it was because my leg was straightened and people had stopped pushing on it. "There you go, relax. Slow deep breaths."
"Hi Savannah." Matt had appeared with a small smile on his face.
"Hi." The word was constricted and pained but the smile on Matt's face grew when I talked back.
"This is a definite improvement from screaming. That's why Mom and Dad are here. They heard the screaming from their house and came over." Grandma and Grandpa live where we used to live and we lived in the church house now. I find it interestingly ironic.
"What's the damage?" I asked through clinched teeth as the pain became more of a factor again.
"I haven't got a chance to look at the knee yet. We actually just got here. Lucy just got off the phone with us like five minutes ago."
"Where is mom?"
"Right here babe." My mom answered for me. It's funny, no matter how old you get, you can always find comfort from your mom. "How'd this happen exactly?" She wasn't asking me but rather the group. It's a long story.
"Aaron said she went up for a shot, he went to block, they collided and she fell wrong and started screaming." Okay, not a long story.
"Savannah, think you're okay to stand up?" Sarah asked this question. I took a deep breath and held it before shaking my head yes. "Alright, we're going to sit you up then, without putting weight on your right leg, we're going to pull you all the way up then we'll test it."
Sitting up was the easy part; the hard part was actually getting to my feet without bending my right leg. After about five minutes of four adults running in circles I succumbed to giggles, much to everyone's surprise.
My dad was giving me the weirdest look before finally asking "What's so funny?"
"You guys are going insane. Why don't you just try and pull me up? You all act as if you're the one in pain." I smiled slightly and was glad this laughter was causing the pain to die down. Maybe laughter is truly the best medicine.
No one seemed to understand my amusement but rather took my suggestion in consideration and eventually pulled me to my feet, supporting me on both sides.
"Think you can put weight on it?" Mary asked standing in front of me.
"Hell no." I replied.
"Savannah, language." My mom snapped, surprising Mary, who laughed at my reply.
"I'd gladly trade places." I was surprised my voice was still functioning after all that screaming.
"'Vannah, I know you're in pain but I still don't like that kind of language."
"Hell is stated in the bible." I can't believe I'm having this argument with my mom.
"Fine." Note to self: When in pain, Mom surrenders easily.
Everyone seemed to notice that this argument was over, seeing that people were now moving towards or away from us. "Now that this argument is over, let's take Savannah to the hospital shall we?" My dad was trying to be funny. It wasn't working.
Halfway towards the car the shot dawned on me. "Wait!" I yelled, startling everyone. "Where's Charlie?"
"Right next to you stupid." My cousin answered with a laugh.
"Don't call me stupid, stupid." Wow, good comeback Savannah.
After sticking his tongue out at me he finally answered. "What did you want?"
"Did I make the shot?"
"Hell yeah."
A/n: I know, I know. Author's note before AND after but I need to tell you readers' something. First, I'm glad you made it to the end of the chapter, it seemed pretty long when I wrote it. Second, please review but no flames, I know I need help with the writing so criticism helps loads just don't dog on me. And lastly, I know it ended weirdly but I couldn't think of another way to end it. I really love this show and I hope this chapter kind of matched the way the characters talked and interacted. I know Lucy would've been more emotional but for some reason I can't write her like that. I lack strong emotions. So if anyone could help, please and thank you.