Falling in Love

The Fastest I've Ever Run... Ever

Greyson's POV:

As soon as I'm in the end zone I see in my peripheral everyone in the bleachers jump to their feet. I throw my hands up and turn towards them, but my celebration falters when I see a group of cheerleaders and other people standing in a circle. No one in the stands are cheering. My arms fall to the sides. Everyone in on the field and off the field are standing still and dead silent. I think back to when Murphy was at my house and she had a huge bruise on her side. She mentions she fell from the top of the pyramid. My stomach drops.

I take off running, throwing my helmet off somewhere in the process. I'm running faster than I think I ever have in my entire life. I reach the circle and shove people out of the way. Getting to the center I see a cheerleader on the ground, but someone crouching in front of her blocks her face. I notice a floral tattoo sticking out from the bottom of her skirt. I feel like I'm gonna vomit. I move around so I can see her. Her head is turned to the side and there's a huge line running from almost the top of her forehead to her cheekbone. Some blood pools in her blonde hair. Her legs are bent and her arms are splayed out. I instantly feel bile rising in my throat. I go to squat down next to her, subconsciously drowning out all the screams. Some of the other cheerleaders are hugging and crying, others are complexly still and silent.

I hand slaps on my should pad and yanks me. Its my coach.

"Come on pal its halftime." He tries to pull me to the locker rooms. I rip my shoulder from his grip.

"Abso-fuckin-lutely not, Coach." My outburst startled him.

"Why the fuck not Hudson?" He's angry now. The sound of an ambulance fills my ears, I turn my head and see one pulling up to where Murphy is.

'I'm going with her." I start to walk toward her when he grabs y arm and flips me around. He shoves my helmet into my chest.

"No you're not. We have a meeting to get to." I hold my helmet in my hands, staring at it. I look up to the a small sophomore on the team. I throw the helmet at him.

"Butcher, you're officially tagged in." I nod to him and he fights a smile. I leave before Coach can say anything more.

They're loading her onto a stretcher. I come beside them and help push it into the ambulance. They don't say a word to me as I hop in and grab her hand. I gently pet her head carful of her gash. She had spoken to me earlier today about pulling the pyramid from the routine because she felt it wasn't ready. Why didn't she. Now I'm a little angry, not at her but at myself for not stopping her. Then I remember out time together in the empty classroom. A small smile graces my face and a single tear falls. She's always so bright and bubbly, I hate to she her so broken. On the drive to the hospital the EMT's put a temporary cast on her left arm. I should've told her I love her. I was going to in the classroom but then we had sex and I felt she would think I didn't mean anything. I does though. She means the world to me. God I love her so much.

When we arrive at the hospital everything goes so quickly. They take her back and I fight to go with her but they threaten to have me escorted out so I decide to bit my lip for now. A nurse leads me to the waiting room. I still have my pads on. After about a half hour my Dad shows up. He was at the game and had to drop my little sister off at a friends house before coming over. I stand up. His eyes are rimmed with red. My lip wavers. He throws his arms around my and I cry freely.

"I love her dad." He squeeze's tighter.

"I know son, I know." We both sit down in the waiting room and I realize someone should call her mom. I pull out my phone out and hold it up.

"I've gotta call her mom." I sniffle. Dad grabs the phone from me.

"No, I'll do it." I'm truly grateful for that. I sit back down and he takes a few steps away.