Flat on the floor, pain ripped through my spine while everyone laughed it off as another one of Jason’s “jokes.” But this time, it wasn’t just my pride that broke—it was my body.
Through the blur, my friend Lia grabbed my hand and shouted, “Call 911!” Her urgency snapped everyone awake. Minutes later, I was in an ambulance, my parents’ pale faces fading as the sirens wailed.
At the hospital, the truth hit hard: a spinal fracture, months of recovery, no guarantees. Fear sank deep, but so did resolve.
I wouldn’t be the punchline anymore. I’d be the survivor.
