Broken Pieces

My Own Side Of Reality

Tobin's P.O.V:

I woke up in the hospital, and several people were around me. 

"Shit," I said loudly.

"It's okay, just relax, Tobin," I heard someone say.

"I won't unless someone tells me what is happening," I said with worry.

"It's okay, we're just making sure your heart beat is normal, and that your blood pressure is where it's supposed to be. You're getting you ready for discharge," a person in a white coat said.

"Oh. Sorry, I just thought I had another break."

"Very understandable. I'm glad that you understand now."

The doctor took some more measurements and then walked out of the room. I was wondering where Ashlyn and Ali were. They didn't tell me that they were going somewhere today. Were they in trouble?

I heard a knock on the door, and I told them that they could come in. Ashlyn and Ali walked in, and I exhaled.  

"You guys had me crazy. I woke up, and there were too many people around me. I didn't see you, and I freaked out. They wouldn;t tell me where you guys went or anything," I said in a fast manner.

"Slow down, Tiger. We're here. They doctors gave you a sedative to make you go to sleep. They wanted to make sure that your heart wasn't going to stop when you got discharged. They sent us out for a little while so they could do some work," Ashlyn said.

"I don't feel quite right, Ashlyn. Is that normal after what just happened," I asked?

"Yes, very. You basically were drugged, and it is slowly going to wear itself down. The doctor told us that we could take you whenever you were ready," Ali said.

I threw the covers off of me and hopped out of the bed onto the floor. I felt a little dizzy, but it went away. It felt good to stand for awhile. 

"That was fast, I thought you would sit and contemplate for awhile," Ashlyn said laughing. 

"Let's get out of this damn good for nothing place," I said.

"Hey, they helped you. Don't be hating on the hospital," Ashlyn said while jabbing her elbow into my side.

I just smiled and walked out into the lobby. They had some papers for Ashlyn and Ali to sign. I just tapped my fingers impatiently waiting for them to be done. 

"Impatient are we now? Patience, little one," Ashlyn said with a teasing manner.

"Shutup and sign," I said playfully.

She smiled at my remark, and I saw her purposely sign the last line very slowly to get on my nerves. I glared at her, while she finished. They finally were done, and I sprinted to the door and opened it.  

I could finally be myself. No one is around to poke needles into my vanes. Just me and the world. Just me Ashlyn, Ali, and my new soccer career ahead of me.

Ashlyn and Ali finally got out of the door. I was up in a tree just watching the cars. 

"Tobin! Come on, we're not that fast," Ali said.

"I'm up here," I say calmly.

I looked at Ashlyn and Ali from the tree, they both gave me smiles. 

Ashlyn must have known what I was doing because she asked, "What are you thinking about, Tiger?"

"The outside world," I say.

Ashlyn said something to Ali and they both climbed up the tree to me. Ashlyn was on my left and Ali was on my right.

"What about the outside world," Ashlyn asked.

I knew she would ask that. 

"The buildings. The trees. The birds. The people. The cars. Whatever I can see," I said.

"How did you get up this tree so fast," Ali asked changing the subject.

"Like I said, Ali. I can see the outside world differently. When I saw this tree, I didn't see the leaves first, but the branches. How do the branches work? How many different ways can you get up this tree? What's the fastest way," I said with determination.

"So, for example, what is the first thing you can see with people," Ashlyn asked curiously.

"I see their hearts. I see their gut, their soul, their attitude. I don't see their face at all. Not until I see their heart. I saw your heart the first time you spoke. Same goes with Ali. I was getting whipped, and you decided to meet with me instead of the other kids. I saw deep down that you cared for people who were in crisis. People that needed a hand to hold, and that's what my whole goal in life was. Try to give someone a hand. Not until recently, I realized that I was giving people a false hand to hold. A hand that wasn't mine. I wasn't myself back at the orphanage, and I still think I'm the same person who walked out of the orphanage," I said quietly.

I sat there thinking about how much I had changed. After my parents left me, I was confused. I didn't know who I was, so I made it up. It stuck. 

"I never planned to tell anyone about my past, but I saw that I had to. I saw that you two were deserving of that. I trusted you. I promised myself that if I ever got out that  I would trust no one. You taught me how to trust people," I said.

"That's normal, Tobin. I grew up with addiction in my family, and I could trust no one at one point in time. I had to learn to live on my own, and that was one of the hardest times. I couldn't get around on my own. I needed people. One of those people was you. Yes, I still do struggle to this day with depression, but I see that you are going to make my days worth living," Ashlyn said.

I put my head on Ashlyn's chest, and she held me tight. 

"I'm glad to be here. I'm glad to be a part of a legacy waiting to be told," I said.

"I'm ready to get down this tree. How about you, Tiger," Ashlyn asked.

"Yeah, follow me. One rule, any branch I don't step on, you don't step on," I said seriously.

"Okay, Tiger. Lead the way," Ashlyn said.

I went down the tree extra slow so that Ashlyn and Ali could maneuver their way down without getting hurt. 

I hoped out of the tree and turned around making sure that they weren't going to fall. 

They got out successfully, and Ali ruffled my hair. "How did you do that?"

"I've always been able to do that. It's in orphanage blood," I said with pride.

"Very impressive. I can see why you're a goalkeeper. You read well," Ashlyn said with excitement.

"Thanks. Reading PK's is different. I don't have time to think or inspect the whole situation, but when they stall it's a little less hard."

"Speaking of goalkeeping, we have practice in forty-five minutes," Ali said.

I smiled, and we walked to Ashlyn's car. 

We arrived at the field early, so Ashlyn wanted to see what I was made of. 

"I've already seen your games, and your performance is excellent," Ashlyn said.

"Thanks. Now enough about me. Shoot the ball," I said with excitement.

I see Ashlyn put the ball down and she's taking a right foot shot. I read the direction. She shoots and I extend my glove to the left upper corner. I block it.

"Wow! I've never seen a fourteen-year-old that was able to cover the whole goal," Ali said.

I get an awestruck gawk from Ashlyn.