Daniel. A teenager with a passion for everything. He's already 19 years old and has describe his youth in spectacular terms. He still remember when he was in middle school, a well-known astronaut community came and provided new knowledge about the outer space world in an astronomical scientific approach. After learning that this space world has an infinite area and the planets rotate periodically. He became interested and dreamed of becoming an astronaut one day and promised to drink a bottle of whiskey in the rocket cabin without fear of spilling his drink due to the absence of gravity.
Everyone already knows his enthusiasm. But his world has now changed 180 degrees because of an accident four months ago, when he and his best friend Josh were riding a single motorbike and were hit by a giant truck on a suburban highway. He was declared totally paralyzed after suffering a comminuted fracture while Josh only had minor abrasions. Since that incident, he never looked at the blue sky again. That poor boy just sat frozen in his wheelchair all day long. He looked down at his leg which was still wrapped in bandages. His father, mother and best friend Josh never stopped encouraging Daniel to return to his normal life as usual.
"Come on dear! Stop looking gloomy and be happy in your own way! Despite your condition, there are still many things you can do to make you a happy person!”
Josh's mother rubbed Daniel's head and would become a mother who would not stop supporting her son who was drowning in a collapsed mental state.
“Your mother is right Daniel, there are many people out there with limited physical conditions, but things like that don't stop them from achieving their dreams! Don't lose to something like this!”
Daniel's father also tries to cheer Josh up. However, even though there were hundreds of encouragement sentences and motivation that they bestowed, Daniel still ignored them. He just froze in his wheelchair, expressionless and not even showing any signs of movement or interest. Daniel's father and mother began to worry about their son's mental condition. They try to always pay attention to their son's psychological condition apart from their physical condition because that is the main thing.
Next day. Daniel still looked gloomy. He still sat motionless on his room's balcony and stared at nothing but only his bandaged feet. Suddenly a knock sounded from outside.
“knock…knock”
Daniel didn't care. After several knocks, the door slowly opened. The person who came was Josh, Daniel's best friend. His cheeks and elbows were bruised from the injuries that he and Daniel had from that accident.
"Hello there! How are you? You look terrible, stop making that face! Everyone can be scared!” Josh tries to melt the lifeless atmosphere between Daniel.
Although Josh came with a positive vibe. Daniel was still frozen and only moved his pupil slightly towards Josh.
"How about take a short walk? It's very crowded outside and there will be a fireworks festival this night!” Josh caught up to Daniel and started pushing his wheelchair toward the exit. When outside, the neighborhood where Daniel lives is surprisingly lively just like Josh said. They walked casually and greeted everyone. Daniel's face began to move scanning all the views of the people he could catch.
"How was your eating? Is it regular? You eat nutritious food right?”
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Your presence on campus is really a lot of holes, I'm tired of giving permission about your condition to lecturers, I hope you can go to campus again soon!"
This time Daniel didn't nod. He tried to look at Josh who was behind him.
"You know what? In class I'm very lonely, on campus, at home and wherever it is. I am lonely without you. Seeing you like this is really torturous for me. I keep remembering the events of that accident. I am so guilty for asking you that day to accompany me through the highway and it has to end up like this!”
"I’m sorry!"
Josh said those words with a low tone and sad expression. Daniel turned his neck and stared at Josh. "This is not your fault!" Daniel suddenly spoke in a crisp voice. “Stop blaming yourself, at that time I was the one who was driving. You and I both know that my motorbike riding skills are still average and I insisted on being in control then!”
“This is all my fault and I'm sorry too! Maybe every night you are always haunted by feelings of guilt and events on the day of that accident!"
Daniel finally smiled with glazed eyes for the first time.
Josh could not hold back his tears and had fallen trickle down his cheeks.
"Thanks for today Josh, I think I'll go back to campus tomorrow and start replanting my dream of becoming an astronaut, that's something I can't just throw away!"
Josh wiped the tears off his cheeks and responded to Daniel's words with a cheerful nod.
"I'm also going to the fireworks festival this night, will you push me all night?" Daniel pleaded with a playful tone
"I'll push you until you feel like you don't need to be pushed anymore!"
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