Reckless

Twenty Three

*Theo*

Owen had gotten a call during practice today and had to rush off, leaving me to finish training with coach and all the usual captain shit that we normally split between us. No word, no nothing. Just up and gone. He'd been in a bitter mood when he came home as I was leaving. I'd told him I was staying at a girls. It was no different for the past few days but he didn't ask when I left. Just grunted. He'd tell me whatever it was when he was ready. Owen doesn't like being pressured into things, especially talking. He'd rather just deal with it himself. My thoughts were one of the girls he's been sleeping with had a pregnancy scare. Those always freak him out.

I'd left him at home, text Lil but she hadn't replied. I know she finished training at 5, gave her an hour to get home and showered before going over for dinner like we'd planned. She has her time planned out so intensely and is super strict on following them with herself too. She'd told me on a call when we first started talking that she studies when she gets home whilst her hair dries and before she eats so it's done and she has some motivation to do it quickly.

I tapped on the door of the unusually quiet apartment, waiting a few seconds before it was pulled open.

"Oh. Theo." Callie looked exhausted. "What are you- uh- what are you doing here?" She looked over her shoulder quickly and then back to me. "Does Lil know you were coming over?"

"That's what she asked me to do when I left this morning yeah. What's going on?" Callie let out a slow breath and turned, walking back into the apartment. I followed, closing the door behind me. "Callie." She moved to the kitchen, running hands through her long blonde hair and opening the freezer.

"Have you spoken to her or Owen today?"

"I just left Owen at ho- what's happened?" Callie turned back around, dropping a load of ice into a bag.

"Ben dropped her again. Owen just brought her back from the hospital. They can't see what's going on because of the swelling but she can't put any weight on her foot." I blinked slowly. She was hurt. Badly hurt. That Asswipe had talked her into another skate with him, promised her he wouldn't drop her again and then drops her. How I don't know because she weighs next to nothing. "If it's a break, she's off the ice for a minimum of 4 months. But try outs for Team Alamea are in 3. So, she wouldn't be able to get on the team and they only hold try outs once in a blue moon. This is her only real chance to do it and he's potentially fucked it up. Lil-"

"That for her?" I pointed at the ice bag and Callie nodded. I grabbed it, tossing it in the air and catching it with a thud.

"Theo she's not-"

"I've got it Callie." I tapped on the door quietly, pushing it open when there was no reply. I wish someone had told me. I'd have brought snacks and things to make her feel better. I could have planned it out better.

She was laid on her side in bed. Foot propped up on pillows with her laptop not far from her head. Just staring. Silently staring. Not even at the screen. Just straight ahead in the otherwise pitch black room.

"Lil?" She sniffed.

"Piss off Ben."

"Now that is potentially the worst insult I've ever had. And I have had my fair share of them." She turned her head to me and I gave her a soft smile, edging around the bed and getting down on my knees, taking off the melted ice pack and replacing it with the one I'd taken from Callie. "I wouldn't drop you."

"Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for Love?" I put my hand on her forehead, checking for a temperature or anything that would make her feel worse right now, wiping the tears off her cheeks, gently running my thumb over her damp lashes. "Nothing to apologize for."

"I didn't text you back."

"You were a busy Lilah. It's fine."

"We had plans."

"Mhm."

"You were expecti-"

"Don't finish that." I scowled at her. Moving the laptop and helping her move up in the bed. I pulled her head onto my stomach, setting the laptop on my knees. "I wasn't expecting anything Lilah. I don't come to see you only for sex. You have every right to say you don't want that whilst I'm here. Even if you'd promised it. Okay? I just want you to be okay right now so I'm going to look after you." She let out a choked whimper and I wrapped my arm around her a little tighter.

"It's going to be broken." I could tell that every word she was saying was bringing her closer to tears. She was fighting it. But it was built up so heavy in her chest it was suffocating her and it was physically hurting me to see her like this. "It's going to be broke and I'm going to be off the ice for months and I'll miss try outs-" The more she spoke the worse it got, eventually fading into sobs.

"I've got you Love." I moved the laptop to the floor, sinking down a little until I had a balling Lilah bundled into my chest, full smothered with both of my arms holding her tight. "Let it out. You're okay. We'll work it out okay? It might not be broken. We'll get the swelling down and we can go from there."

"It hurts." I nodded, kissing her forehead as she slowed down crying 20 minutes later.

"I know Darling. When did you take painkillers?"

"Owen gave me some at the hospital. He told Callie." She sniffed. "He was so mad."

"I bet he is. I want to rip Ben's head off and I don't know either of you like Owen does."

"Yeah but you didn't like Ben anyway."

"Bet your sweet ass I didn't. Now. Important questions. When did you eat last?"

"Breakfast."

"It's almost 7 Love."

"Well I had classes and then I got to the rink and I was going to eat but Ben was coming off and asked for just one run through and he'd sit with me for dinner but then I fell and I couldn't eat at the hospital because I felt sick and we got home like an hour ago and Owen called my parents so I had to sort that out and then he left and I just -"

"Didn't think about it?" She nodded, bloodshot green eyes looking up at me. "Okay. Here's the plan then beautiful. We'll order food, then I'm going to sit you up, get you changed out of these leggings and jumper and into a nice bubble bath and then we'll get you into something comfy for a movie night in bed. How does that sound?"

"Nice." Lilah's fingers traced softly on my hip bone. "Can you strip though?"

"Strip?"

"Mhm." She blushed a little. "I missed you today."

"So, you didn't fall in love with some doctor who was looking at your foot?"

"No. Didn't paint my toes before. He said basic toes were a turn off. Shame though."

"Why's that?"

"He wasn't wearing his shirt." She pulled at me again. "Come on. Take it off. I'm injured, I should be getting everything I want." I rolled my eyes, laughing at her and lifting my tee shirt up and tossing it to the floor.

"Better?"

"So much."