My lease was up, so I moved in with my best friend and her boyfriend. But not long after we started roommates, they got into a terrible car accident. Her boyfriend ended up paralyzed from the waist down after saving her life. Instead of staying, my best friend packed her bags, dumped him on me, and ran off in the middle of the night. Faced with a paralyzed, helpless man, I decided to stay and look after him for a while. But living alone together—especially having to help him use the bathroom—was enough to make my heart race and my face burn red... "Babe, why are you still stressing about finding a place? Just move in with me and my boyfriend!" Amber’s suggestion made me hesitate. While I loved the idea of living with my best friend so we could look out for each other, sharing an apartment with her boyfriend felt like it might be a bit awkward. My lease was ending, and I had spent two fruitless weeks searching for a decent apartment. When Amber found out, she told me they had a spare bedroom and practically begged me to move in. They rented a nice two-bedroom apartment. She had brought up the idea before, but I had declined, not wanting to be a third wheel. Now, backed into a corner by the rental market, I had no choice but to accept. When I agreed, both Amber and her boyfriend welcomed me with open arms. Her boyfriend, Austin, was tall, athletic, and incredibly handsome—he looked a bit like Jacob Elordi. He worked as a youth basketball coach at a local sports club. His hours were flexible, and he was an amazing cook. Whenever he was home, he’d always whip up delicious meals and invite me to eat with them. Amber worked as a receptionist at a local firm. The pay wasn't great, but the job was easy and stress-free. Although they had to budget carefully, they were happy and full of hope for the future. Seeing my best friend with such a great guy made me genuinely happy for her. I couldn't help but feel a little envious, wondering when I would find my own Mr. Right. But our peaceful life didn't last long. An unexpected tragedy completely derailed everything. About four months after I moved in, I was out shopping when my phone rang. It was Amber. "Chloe, Austin and I got into a car accident. We’re at the hospital right now!" My heart skipped a beat. I gripped my phone tightly, panic rising in my chest. "What? An accident? Which hospital? Are you guys okay?" "We're in the ER at Mercy Hospital. Our IDs and health insurance cards are in our bedroom drawer. The front door is unlocked. Can you please bring them over?" "Yes, yes, of course! I'm on my way." I hung up and rushed home as fast as I could. I ran into their bedroom, found their documents in the drawer, and dashed to the hospital. When I reached the ER, the nurse told me, "They’ve just been transferred to a ward. Since you're here, could you go to the front desk and help them with the admission paperwork?" "Sure, I'll go right now. Nurse, how bad is it?" The nurse stopped what she was doing and sighed. "The girl is fine. Just minor scrapes. We'll keep her for observation today, and she can go home tomorrow. The guy, however, is in bad shape. His legs took a severe impact. He has no sensation in them. There's serious nerve damage, and he'll likely be paralyzed from the waist down. He might spend the rest of his life in bed."
Paralyzed? My breath caught in my throat. For an active basketball coach who lived for sports, losing his legs was a fate worse than death. I couldn't fathom how he would handle such a devastating blow. With a heavy heart, I finished the paperwork and found their hospital room. The room was dead silent. Austin was lying flat on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Amber sat at the foot of the bed with her head down. Neither of them said a word. The atmosphere was suffocating. Seeing me walk in, Amber finally broke down, tears streaming down her face. "Chloe, it’s all my fault... I shouldn't have forced him to run that light..." Through her sobbing, I gradually put the pieces together. Amber had been studying for her real estate license and had weekend classes. That morning, Austin was dropping her off on his Vespa. Running late, she kept pressuring him to speed and run a red light. He did, and a SUV driving on a green light slammed right into them. Since Austin ran the light, he was fully at fault. To make matters worse, his moped only had basic liability insurance. No comprehensive coverage meant they had to pay every penny of the astronomical medical bills themselves. Their entire world had just collapsed. I rubbed my temples, frustrated. "Amber, what were you thinking? No matter how late you are, you don't run a red light! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" Amber was still trying to justify it. "How was I supposed to know a car would actually hit us? He ran red lights for me all the time before, and we were always fine." As her best friend, there were harsh words I wanted to say, but there was no point in arguing now. I offered what little comfort I could and handed her all the cash I had in my purse. I had rushed over so quickly I hadn't had time to stop at an ATM. I wanted to say something to Austin, but looking at his hollow expression, I knew nothing would register. With a sigh, I left the hospital. The next day, I went back to visit. The tension in the room was palpable. They weren't speaking to each other. It looked like they had a massive fight. I pulled Amber out into the hallway and urged her to be supportive. Austin was going through the darkest moment of his life. "I know, I know. Just go home, Chloe," she replied, her tone dripping with impatience. On the third day, before I could even make it to the hospital, Amber walked through our front door, pushing Austin in a wheelchair. "Why are you guys discharged so soon?" I asked, shocked. "His physical injuries are fine, it’s just the nerve damage in his legs," Amber said coldly. "Whether he stays in the hospital or not, he’s not going to walk again. Why waste money on a hospital bed?" She clearly didn't want to talk about it and wheeled Austin straight into their bedroom. Sensing their miserable mood, I kept to myself, staying in my room and working late into the night. The next morning, I was woke up by a phone call from Amber. "Chloe, I have some errands to run today. Can you please keep an eye on Austin for me?" I agreed without a second thought. "Of course. Go take care of what you need to." "Thank you, Chloe. I’m really glad I have you as a friend." Her voice sounded incredibly low and heavy. At the time, I didn't think much of it. I got out of bed and walked over to their room. The door was wide open. Austin was awake, lying motionless in bed, staring blankly into space. "Hey, Austin. Do you want something to eat?" I asked softly, stepping closer. "No, thank you," he mumbled, shaking his head. "How about some water?" This time, he didn't refuse. I filled a glass and held a straw to his lips. He drank the entire glass in one go. By lunchtime, Austin still refused to eat. He only accepted another glass of water, no matter how much I tried to persuade him to eat. As night fell, there was still no sign of Amber. She hadn't even called. A sickening feeling settled in my stomach. I walked into their bedroom and looked around. My heart sank. Amber’s suitcases were gone. Her makeup, her clothes—everything was completely cleared out. No way... A terrifying realization hit me.
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."
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