Prone To Injury

Five: A Plan Gone Astray.

"So you had an honest conversation with your mom," said Issac, taking a sip of Mountain Dew.

"Mhm."

"And she literally said if you're fucking yourself up for a guy, it's not worth it..."

"Yep."

"And you're still gonna go through with your dumbass plan?!"

"I know, I know, but now I actually have a plan!"

Issac rolled his eyes with a snigger as Silvestre paced about his room.

Sure, the discussion with his mom struck a chord, but playing doctor was something he and Rayyan bonded over. So, in theory, he found a loophole in his mom's words. It was shitty, yes, but he wasn't going to keep playing doctor for long —his body could only take so many bumps and bruises.

"So, I'll hurt myself, something small and easy. Then, I go to the nurse and invite Rayyan out. Maybe to the skatepark or... never mind the skatepark is the only place we can go—"

"or y'know... let us in," said Issac with a laugh, knowing the two had done their fair share of shenanigans that cost them the welcome at the limited stores in their area.

"Then I'll pick him up, have a snack from the corner store, and talk for the rest of the night. It's a perfect plan and I'm pretty sure it'll work," said Silvestre, ignoring his friend.

"Okay. If it fails, then I get two I told you so's."

"Be optimistic. And why two?"

"One from me, one from your mom."

"Your mom."

There were times when Silvestre completely forgot why he did things, or what he was doing. Sometimes he'd stop to wash his hands while doing the dishes because he just forgot what he was doing, or sometimes he'd walk out of class with the excuse of a bathroom break, only to find himself in the gym.

Maybe it was an effect of all the concussions, or maybe he was just forgetful by nature, but he stood and watched the freshmen play basketball with his lavatory pass in his hand.

As he surveyed the rest of the sweaty room, he found himself staring at the one and only Silvia.

"Silvia, isn't that your brother?" said one of her friends, pointing towards Silvestre as he walked over to them.

"Silvia!" he shouted before frantically waving at his little sister.

"How's it hanging—" he managed to say before a basketball made its way to his left leg.

Hitting the side of his leg, he rolled his ankle as he toppled over, the sound of the bouncing ball looming behind him. He groaned as he rolled on the floor, holding his leg up to his chest.

"That's my brother, alright," she said, shaking her head and walking over to him.

Groaning, Silvestre lay on the cool wooden floor, his flustered cheek resting against it. He clung to his leg, soothing the ache in his ankle.

"I think pain is just attracted to you," said Silvia, helping him up.

"Well, pain is a hell of a masochist," said Silvestre, his words holding little meaning with how foggy his mind was.

"That made absolutely no sense. Are you sure it was just your leg that got hit? How many fingers am I holding up?"

Walking into the nurse's office with his sister was a bit of a change from Silvestre's usual frantic steps as he cupped whatever body part was in pain. Rayyan looked between the two with a small smile, noticing how similar the two looked even though Silvia's expression was as bored as ever and Silvestre's face flushed as a smile spread over his lips. With the same dark hair that curled at the ends, the same brown eyes (though Silvestre's were more lively and lustrous), and the same sharp nose, the two could easily pass as twins.