Me: Hello world! We have a temporary disclaimer replacement!

Adam: Yeah, Ali is sick so I'm filling in.

Me: Tell them your name Adam-sweetie!

Adam: You just did!

Me: Not your last name!

Adam: It's Adam Lambert.

Me: -Screams- Sorry, haven't gotten over that yet.

Adam: S'okay, I'm used to it.

Me: Well lets get along with this.

Adam: Cassie only owns the plot and the O/C's.

Dad hands me another present. "More?"

He chuckles. "You're almost done."

I groan and try to adjust on the recliner. Kind of hard when you can't move your legs. "But I already got eleven shirts, four pairs of jeans, three pairs of pajama pants, five tank tops, a hair dryer, make-up, an easel and paints, seven bottles of nail polish, two new pairs of earrings, a purse, a backpack, a leather jacket, sneakers, headphones, and six CD's!"

He rolls his eyes. "You are probably the only kid who doesn't like getting presents. This is the last one."

I unwrap the big box he threw at me. "And a stereo! Dad, I really don't need all of this!"

"Yes you do."

I look up and there's the band. Isaiah hands me a little box wrapped in green wrapping paper. "Merry Christmas."

I take off the paper and open the little velvet box. Nestled in the satin are little giraffe earrings. Their bodies are silver and have diamond spots. "Isaiah, please don't tell me these diamonds are real?"

He smiles at me. "It's nothing, really. You know my parents, they actually yelled at me because I didn't spend all of the money they gave me."

His eyes sparkle as I smile back. "Thank you, so much."

Hazel hands me a gigantic box. "This is from all of us, the band."

I set it in my lap and tear off the paper. "No way. Are you kidding me?"

Mabel takes off the rest of the paper and sets the guitar in my lap. "Well, yours got destroyed in the accident so we all pitched in to get you a new one."

David looks around the room. "And we…umm…" Hazel elbows him in the ribs. "We miss you in band practice, we need our leader."

Dad claps him on the back. "Now was that hard? Took you long enough to admit that you miss her."

David laughs nervously. "I never said I need her, I said the band needs her."

Dad sits on the couch. "But what you meant is that you love her and cried when you found out she got into the accident."

David walks out of the house. "Never have, never will."

Two days later

I flip the channel on the TV. Nothing is on! Just stupid Christmas specials. I flip to ABC Family. Nothing. Animal Planet. Nothing. I turn on the guide. Hey! I Shouldn't Be Alive! Kind of ironic, huh? I settle into my pillows and my phone goes off.

'Hey there Tali. Guess what? This is your boyfriend. You know, James? Yeah. And I would appreciate it if you'd pick up the phone and talk to me. Because I'm calling. Hello? Pick up! I'm waiting!'

I push speaker.

Hey Jamie.

Hello Tali. How are you?

I'm fine. How are you?

I'm fantastic.

James, you should try at not being so perky.

Well you should try at being perkier!

I'd rather not.

So guess where I am?

Hmmm, let me think. In a bar doing flips with a leprechaun?

No, wait, what?

Never mind. Where are you?

I am in a plane.

Whoopee! Would you like a certificate?

Why are you always so sarcastic?

Because it's fun.

I kind of want to do back-flips with a leprechaun now.

Don't, gingers don't have souls!

Natalie!

It's a joke, relax I'm not racist.

Yes you are! Remember-

My god it was that one time okay? And I was right, he ended up having a gun!

Still!

Fine, the next time an Israelite with a gun comes walking into Wal-mart you can call the police.

Racist!

I'm not!

What would you do if I was a ginger?

I would shave your head-

No!

-and claim you to be a blonde.

That's some pretty dark stuff!

Yeah baby!

Where did that come from?

I have absolutely no fricking idea.

Well I think we need to talk to you dad.

Why?

Because my family wants to meet you when we have break in February.

I don't know James, do they know anything about…you know.

Yup. Told them everything.

Even about me being…handicap?

You're not handicap.

James, yes I am. And I probably will be for the rest of my life.

Don't say that. You're getting better.

James! I don't have the fucking flu! I'm not just going to wake up one day and POOF! I can move my legs! No, life doesn't work that way.

Tali-

I have to go.

But-

Bye.

I hang up and slam my phone down on the bed. He just doesn't get it. I need to go for a run. I try to get up and only my toes twitch. Oh right. Forgot. Damn you god, damn you. I feel anger rising in my chest. I'll never be able to live on my own. I'll always have someone checking in on me, 'Hey Tali, just wanted to make sure you didn't fall and get hurt and not be able to get up!'. Maybe I need one of those stupid Life-alert necklace things for old people. My phone started ringing.

'Hey there-'

I picked up and threw it with all of my strength. It hit the wall and shattered. Who would have thought a phone could have so many pieces to it. I don't want to talk to him. I don't want to talk to anyone. I'd rather die than live another moment of this fucking screwed up thing I call my life.

I kind of feel her pain. I mean, I would die if I couldn't go out for runs. Let alone not be able to walk. But what do you guys think?