Chapter 1

After I was paralyzed from the waist down, my boyfriend, Julian, and my best friend, Chloe, dragged me out of the house, claiming I needed some fresh air.

Julian pushed my wheelchair right in front of a huge box of fireworks. Before I could even react, he lit the fuse.

The explosions erupted instantly. Sparks showered down, burning my hands.

I screamed in terror, "Julian, help me!"

But he didn't move.

I desperately tried to roll my wheelchair away, but the wheels just spun in place.

Panic consumed me. Suddenly, Chloe's voice drifted through the noise: "Sera, look at the camera! Let's capture your first trip outside since your accident!"

I looked up instinctively. Julian was holding his phone, pointing the camera right at my terrified, tear-streaked face.

Once the fireworks ended, I collapsed in my wheelchair, gasping for air. My palms were covered in painful blisters, and my entire body was shaking uncontrollably.

Julian knelt in front of me and gently rubbed my hair. "Did we scare you?"

I didn't say a word.

He sighed, wiping the ash off my face. "The doctor said there's still hope for your legs. He said a high-stress environment can trigger your survival instinct. It stimulates the nerves. It's for your own good, Sera."

My fingernails dug deep into my palms. I suddenly remembered last week when Chloe purposely moved my dinner plate six feet away, forcing me to roll my wheelchair over to reach it. She had said the exact same thing.

I closed my eyes. I was so tired.

This relationship I didn't want it anymore.