My sister ruined my leg in a crash, so I walked out when my parents surprised me with her #storytime #reddit #redditstories #shorts #drama #story

My sister ruined my leg and a crash, so I walked out when my parents surprised me with it. My sister messed up my leg forever, and everyone keeps pushing me to forgive her like it's the polite thing to do. When I was 16, our parents were working late, so my older sister was supposed to drive me home from school. I got in the car and immediately smelled vodka. I asked if she'd been drinking and she promised she was fine. We were close to home, so I stayed quiet and just wanted the ride to end. Two blocks from our house, she sped into a big intersection. The light was red. I shouted her name. She didn't slow down, and she ran at it about 45 miles an hour. We slammed into another car. The airbags popped. Everything went loud and blurry, and my right leg took the hit. My sister climbed out with bruises and a few cuts on her arms. I couldn't move my leg. At the hospital, the doctor said I was lucky they could save it. Saved. Didn't mean normal. I had three surgeries, months on crutches, and eight months of physical therapy that made me shake and throw up from pain. The bills were around $180,000, and my parents are still paying them. The rest of my life changed, too. I quit soccer. The one thing I was actually good at, because I couldn't run anymore. I lost my college plans because I couldn't meet the physical requirements tied to my scholarship. Now I'm 22, and I walk with a cane. I can't stand for more than 20 minutes without pain shooting up my back. I avoid stairs. I plan outings around places to sit, and I've left stores early because my leg starts burning, and my knee gives out. People ask why I limp, and I have to decide if I'm lying to make it less awkward, or telling the truth and watching their face change. Meanwhile, my sister got to keep her normal life. A few years after the crash, she got sober. She goes to AA meetings, volunteers, and posts online about her journey. My mom talks about it like it cancels the past. My dad says she's a different person now. They say those lines like they're trying to talk me into forgetting my own body. At family stuff, they keep putting her near me like it's some kind of exposure therapy. Last Thanksgiving, they sat her right next to me without asking. I saw the place setting. Felt my grip, tightened on my cane, and I moved to the other end of the table. A minute later, she's little little note toward me that just said, "I'm sorry." And my aunt watched my hands like she expected a movie moment. I pushed the note back and kept eating. My mom followed me into the kitchen and told me I was making everyone uncomfortable. I asked her why nobody cares if I'm uncomfortable. She said I was "holding a grudge." I wanted to scream that it's not a grudge when I'm still paying for it every day. My sister goes hiking with her boyfriend and travels on weekends. I have to turn down plans because I know I won't keep up. I've watched friends my age dance at concerts while I sit down after a few songs. Then my college graduation happened. I worked twice as hard to finish because some days the pain was so bad I couldn't get out of bed. I showed up with my cane and tried to focus on my own moment. I glanced into the crowd and saw my sister sitting there crying. I didn't even know she'd be invited. After the ceremony, she walked straight up to me in front of everyone and tried to hug me. I stepped back. She said she was proud of me and that she knows how hard it's been. I just stood there, staring at her because I didn't know what to do with that. In the parking lot, my mom grabbed my arm and said I was being cruel. That my sister worked so hard to change and I was breaking her heart. I told my mom my sister broke my leg. My mom said that was years ago. Yesterday was my breaking point. My parents invited me to dinner for my birthday. I went because I wanted one normal night. I walked into the restaurant and there she was. Sitting at the table with a wrapped present like it was some sweet surprise. My chest tightened. I turned around and walked out without saying a word. My dad followed me into the parking lot already angry. He said I was tearing the family apart. He said my sister cries herself to sleep because I won't forgive her. He said everyone makes mistakes and I need to move on. I stopped by my car and turned around. I asked him if he remembered visiting me in the hospital when I was 16. He said yes. I asked if he remembered me screaming during physical therapy until I got sick. He said yes. I asked if he remembered telling me everything would be okay. That I'd recover. That life would go back to normal. He went quiet. I told him my sister chose to drink and drive and I wake up with that choice in my body every morning. I told him forgiveness isn't something you can demand because it makes dinner easier. I told him if my sister feels so bad she can try living one day in my leg and see what moving on actually feels like. My dad just stood there and I got in my car and drove away. Now my parents are calling me cruel for walking out. Was I wrong?