It had been 5 days since Troy's surgery and he finally gets to leave the hospital. He was in there for 3 weeks, and what a 3 long weeks it had been for him. Troy forgot he couldn't sleep in his bed because it was upstairs so he was stuck living in the guest room down stairs Even though he couldn't go to school for a while he was just happy to be out. Things have been going well for him. He has the girl of his dreams, he has all his friends still with him and he has the best family. He was just in time for the high school basketball season to start. The first week of November they play all the teams to get to the championship in the end. Troy was still considered on the basketball team at school, no one wanted to throw that dream away. Troy was happy he gets to watch the team play and support them after they had done so much. It was Tuesday and he had already been home for 4 days. He started his home tutoring for school and hasn't really done much. He was going to go see the guys play tonight. He was feeling pretty nervous because no one has seen him except his friends. He knew he was going to have an answer a lot of questions tonight. The team wanted Troy on the side lines with them tonight but Jack said no incase a ball hit his leg or if someone ran into the sidelines.

Lauren: "Are you ready to go?"

Troy took in a deep breath "Yeah, I think so."

Lauren: "Come on it will be ok."

They arrived 10 minutes before the game started. Lauren opened the gym door for Troy and Troy wheeled himself in. It was packed because it was the first game of the season. Everyone wanted to see how it was going to go without Troy on the team. As Troy came into the gym everyone started to notice and started to whisper to each other. Troy just looked around trying to find Gabi, Taylor and Ryan. He shook his head, he hated the attention.

Ryan: "Troy! Over here!" Ryan stood up and waved his hand so Troy could see him. They were at the very end of the bleachers.

'Great' Troy thought. 'I have to show myself to everyone in the matter of 30 seconds.'

As Troy wheeled passed the bleachers, everyone stared. It's like what they heard at school really came to life. Troy looked straight ahead trying not to make eye contact with anyone except Ryan. Troy finally parked himself at the end of the bleachers.

Troy: "Hey" and smiled he looked up a Gabriella and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Ryan: "What is up man? How does it feel to be back at school…well sort of?"

Troy leaned forward to look down the bleachers; almost everyone was looking at him.

"Well it would be good if everyone didn't have a staring problem."

Taylor, Gabi and Ryan all look at each other confused. They leaned forward; everyone was whispering and looking at them.

Taylor: "Don't worry about them, when the game starts they will forget you are even here."

The game started and the Wildcats were off to a good start. As Troy watched them play he began to feel sad. 'Man this should be me out there right now.' That was all he could think about. He missed basketball more than anything. He wanted to be a part of the team right then, right now. During the game a lot of the player's parents came and talked to Troy and asked him how things were going. Troy was zoned out the whole game just thinking; The game was over and the Wildcats won their first game of the season. Troy stayed after to talk to everyone and congratulate them. While Troy was talking to some team mates and parents, Jack looked over at him. The reality of Troy not being on the court was finally setting in. 'Troy shouldn't have to be cheering for them in the stands. I wish I knew why this had happened.' Jack was sad to see his son crippled and helpless at this point.

Later that night, Troy went into the back yard on the basketball court. He picked up the ball and shot it. He made it. He smiled to himself.

"Wow first shot in 3 weeks and you made it, I'm impressed. His dad said walking out of the house." He walked over, picked up the ball and gave it back to Troy. Troy shot it again. Made it.

"Missed you out there on the court tonight."

Troy sighed, "Yeah me too." He and his dad kept shooting.

"Do you think just because the doctor said I can't play means I really can't?"

"Well he is the doctor Troy, I am sure he knows what is best." As much as Jack did not want to say that, he had to.

"But if I can walk surly I can run. I might not be as fast as I was but I am sure it is possible."

"I am sure it is possible Troy but you just have to wait and see."

Troy took the ball and shot it. He was going to go against the odds no matter what anyone said. He was going to play basketball again.

A MONTH AND A HALF LATER…December

At East High Christmas break was coming close, Troy and Gabi were still going strong. Troy tried going to school for a couple of days but it was just too hectic trying to wheel through everyone, he couldn't wait to go to the doctor and hopefully move to crutches. He hasn't been able to stand up in almost 3 months he was starting to go crazy. The Wildcats basketball team didn't make it to the finals of the season which was a bummer. Chad and Troy were just chilling at Troy's house trying to figure out what to do.

Troy: "I wish we could drive, this is so boring."

Chad: "Yeah I know, I hate relying on my parents to take me everywhere."

Troy: "But hey, we have early birthdays so we get to drive before everyone."

Troy and Chad were born in September they were 2 days apart, Troy was older.

Chad got excited, "Awe yeah I forgot about that. But that is if I even get a car."

Troy: "My dad said if I can keep my grade up I will probably get one." He said with a hopefully tone. "I have my permit but haven't been able to practice driving cause of this stupid thing so I don't know how that is going to turn out."

Chad: "I don't see why they won't let u drive, it's not your right leg." And gave him a weird looks.

"It's my parents, what do expect after what happened." Said in annoyance.

Chad: "True." "Hey I got an idea! Let cook Gabi and Taylor dinner tonight."

Troy gave Chad a look like he was crazy. "Chad, you don't even know how to cook."

"That's what the microwave is for."

Troy slapped his head, "The microwave is for heating up food moron. You have never had a cook utensil in your hand before."

Chad: "True, but I know someone who has." Chad grinned at Troy, they thought of the same person.

Troy texted Gabi and Taylor telling them to come over tonight because they were cooking dinner. Troy's parents were out for the night so they wouldn't be around. They ended up paying Zeke 40 dollars to cook a dinner. Even though Zeke baked he still knew how to cook simple things. The girls arrived and the night had started.

They walked with a surprised look on their face.

Taylor: "Wow guys this looks good! Did you make this all by yourself?"

Chad: "Oh yeah everything, we looked in the cook book, wasn't too hard." He looked at Troy with a grin. He was lying through his teeth.

Troy to Gabi, "You look so beautiful tonight." And gave her a smile.

Gabi smiled, "Why thank you, you don't look bad yourself." And giggled. They started to eat and have small talk.

Gabi: "Guys this is really good, I am very impressed."

Taylor: "Yes, I am very impressed too consider Chad had never picked up a cooking utensil before in his life." She said suspiciously.

Troy chuckled silently.

Dylan came down stairs rubbing his eyes like he just woke up.

"What are ya'll doing?"

Troy: "Uh what does it look like we're doing tard?"

Dylan was awake "Oh yeah Troy got jokes. Where did Zeke go?" he said walking to the fridge.

Troy and Chad looked at each other panicky.

Troy: "What are you talking about? Zeke left around 2 after we played Call of Duty." Troy said in a white lie hoping he saved it. How did his brother know Zeke was he here? It looks like he was sleeping.

Dylan looked confused, "I thought I heard ya'll down here like an hour ago."

Chad: "Well you didn't, you probably heard the pots and pans."

Troy gave Chad a look, 'How does pots and pans sound like someone's voice…except Shapay's?' he thought.

Dylan gave Chad the same look Troy gave him, "Wow whatever, enjoy your little dinner."

He walked passed Troy and hit him on the head being the little punk he is. Troy turned around to try and hit him back but missed.

"Ha-ha you missed crippled." With that Dylan ran back upstairs.

Gabi and Taylor gave each other mysterious smiles knowing that Zeke probably cooked the dinner.

"So anyways…" Troy said trying to get back to the conversation.

They started to talk again and eat some more.

Chad: "Man I'm stuffed; we did a pretty good job."

Taylor: "Yeah it was pretty good. Zeke did a good job."

Chad: "Whoa Zeke didn't cook this."

Gabi: "Chad it's ok. When Troy told us ya'll were going to cook we got suspicious. We asked Zeke if he was really cooking. We payed him 50 dollars to tell us."

Troy put his head down, "Man Zeke, we paid him 40 to do it." Then look at Chad.

Taylor: "You guys paid him to cook this meal?"

Chad and Troy said sat the same time "Yeah."

Gabi: "Thanks for just now telling us." She looked at Taylor with a smile, they got them.

Troy: "What?" with a confused face.

Gabi: "We didn't ask Zeke or pay him. I said that to see what ya'll would say." She and Taylor were laughing. Troy and Chad were upset. They felt like failures as boyfriends.

Chad: "Were sorry. We just wanted it to be perfect."

Taylor: "its ok were not mad. It's cute. We know men are helpless. Except Zeke in this case."

They laughed about it and had a great rest of the night.

Christmas break was finally here. 2 weeks of doing nothing but eating and hanging with friends. Troy was going to the doctor today to get his leg checked out and possible move to crutches and hopefully start his physical therapy. Jack, Lauren and Troy sat in the room waiting for Dr. Roy. Troy was praying in his head hoping he will finally get out of his wheel chair. Dr. Roy came in.

Dr. Roy: "Well hello everyone, good to see you again." And shook their hands. "How have you been doing Troy? Ready to move to crutches?

Troy sighed, "I hope I am able to do that." They helped Troy on the table.

"Ok let's take a look here." He started to unwrapped all the bandages. When Troy started to see his leg, he couldn't believe it. It was all white and nasty. On the inside of his ankle you could see the lump of muscle that was put on top. They took muscle from the inside of his leg and put it on there. His calf muscle was skinnier than the other one, some of the muscle was gone that they couldn't put back. He now had skin on his leg where the 2 nig gaping holes were. He had scars from the road rash and still had the staples in his leg. It looked like something you would see in a movie.

Dr. Roy: "Well it looks good" He said with a smile on his face. The nurse started to wipe off and clean his leg since it had been wrapped up for so long. Troy now had feeling in his leg. He was smiling the whole time; it didn't look as bad as he thought he would.

"How are you feeling right now?" As he look at Troy.

"I am in shock. It is very unreal right now."Try sighed.

Troy parents were looking at his leg. They could believe it either.

Dr. Roy: "Well you have same a long way." "We are going to leave the staples in for a little while long since you skin is still tender. It is still very moist from being wrapped up. What is going to happen now is you are going to wear a boot. You will be on crutches but DO NOT put any pressure on your leg yet. It is still very weak. You will start going to therapy in 2 weeks. I will assign you someone and tell you what place it is at. I want to see you before you go though to make sure everything is set right."

Jack: "Ok. How are you feeling Troy?"

He was still in shock, "Fine, just can't believe this day is here already."

Dr. Roy: "You have come a very long way, we are all very proud." Dr. Roy went and got the boot for Troy. All Troy could do was stare at his leg. It was so nasty looking. Defiantly look different from the other one. Troy put the boot on.

Dr. Roy: "Ready to stand up finally?" Troy nodded and took in a deep breath. He swung his legs over ready to stand up.

"Remember no pressure, come down softly."

With that Troy slowly made his way down. He looked up and finally could see everyone eye to eye instead of look up at them. All he could do was stand there and smile. Jack and Lauren had the biggest smiles on their face. They saw their son was finally going to walk again and was getting closer to it. Troy took the crutches and did it a couple of times.

Lauren: "How do you feel?"

Troy: "Fine. Feels good to be right up again." He said with a smile.

They made Troy next appointment and went home. The first thing Troy did was crutch up to his room and layed down on his bed. 'Finally my comfy bed!' Troy wanted to surprised Gabi showing her he wasn't in wheelchair anymore. His dad went and dropped him off, she had no idea he was coming. Troy stood at the doorway and rang the doorbell. Gabi came to the door and opened it.

"Hell…" She stopped mid word and just stood there. A big smile came to her face.

"Hell? Is that how you great everyone who comes to your door?" Troy grinned. Gabi jumped into his arms. Troy crutches fell and he almost fell over.

"Whoa there easy! I still don't have full momentum." He stood there and hugged her tightly. He hasn't been able to do that in 3 months. It felt so right.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

Sorry it took so long. I had writer block so I don't know how well that was. Next chapter is about Troy on his way back to walking and the challenges he faces.