You never, ever could have imagined what your life had turned into.

It came back in your nightmares, that afternoon. The pop you swear you could hear from the stands, the way Art ran down, jumping over the net to soothe her, the way you felt stuck. If she hadn't called your name in pain from down on the court, you swear your feet might've been glued to the steel below forever.

Since, you'd been glued to her side, ready for whatever she needed. Though she would argue at first, even a girl as headstrong as Tashi needed comfort. Every day since that match had become proof that she needed somebody. Maybe you were just glad it was you.

Art and her physical therapists could worry about her knee's rehabilitation. Her head was what concerned you, with everything you already knew was going on inside of it.

"Your dad called me again. They just want to know you're okay, Tashi." You chastised gently, sitting at the foot of her bed as you worked on replacing the bandaids on her scars.

It only earned you a huff, the slight acknowledgement being enough to tell you that she wouldn't be reaching out any time soon. Sometimes it scared you, how unwilling she was to talk to anyone who wasn't face to face. You knew she loved her family, you knew she didn't want them to worry. But you also knew that she knew not answering any calls or texts was making them even more concerned.

Even you didn't get an answer to most of her texts, which was part of the reason why you were in her dorm right now. If you wanted to talk to her, you had to be there. More than that, if you weren't there, the laundry and trash would pile up. It was so unlike her. Christ, you even had to register for next semester for her.

It wasn't easy, not on anyone. But at the end of the day, you always knew it was hardest for her.

Finishing up on the bandages, you started to velcro her knee brace, her sitting up to help close the top strap. She got that look in her eyes again, her thumb running over the bandaids. "It's not the same as it was."