Through your eyes - Nico Hischier

Part 17 - Recovery

As we gathered around her bed, Amalia's eyelids fluttered open. For a moment, she looked disoriented, her blue eyes scanning the room, trying to piece together the reality. Then, her gaze settled on me, her closest teammate and friend.

"Hey," she whispered, her voice barely above a murmur.

"Hey, Amalia," I responded, trying to mask my worry with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

She attempted to shift, a slight grimace crossing her face due to the discomfort. "I'm okay, I guess. But..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced down at her cast.

"It's not too bad, right?" Her eyes, filled with a mix of fear and hope, locked onto mine. She was more than just a teammate; cheerleading was her passion, her dream. This injury meant more than just physical pain – it threatened the very essence of what she loved.

I took a deep breath, searching for the right words. "It's a setback, Amalia, but you're strong. You'll bounce back from this." My hand found hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We all are here for you. The team needs you, and we'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."

Seeing the worry etched on my face, Amalia's expression softened, a hint of understanding lighting up her eyes. "You're not very good at hiding your concern, are you?" she said with a weak chuckle. "It's that bad, huh?"

I hesitated, not wanting to feed her fears but also not willing to deceive her. "It's a serious injury, Amalia," I admitted softly. "But you know what? Serious doesn't mean impossible to overcome. We've seen you do incredible things on the field. This is just another challenge, and we have no doubt you'll conquer it."

Amalia nodded slowly, absorbing my words. "I guess I've got a new routine to master, huh? The recovery routine," she said, trying to inject a bit of her usual humor into the grim situation.

"That's the spirit!" John chimed in, his voice carrying his characteristic optimism. "And we'll be your most enthusiastic cheerleaders throughout it all."

Jack and Nico nodded in agreement, their faces brightening with smiles. We all knew the road to recovery would be long and possibly arduous, but in that moment, a bond of unspoken commitment was formed among us. We were a team, not just in cheerleading, but in life. And we were ready to support Amalia every step of the way.

Amalia's gaze, now more alert, fell upon my disheveled hair. A curious, almost mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. "You look like you've been in a bit of a scramble. Where were you before this?"

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, instantly aware of the knowing looks exchanged between Jack and John. Nico, standing beside me, shifted uncomfortably, his face also turning a shade of red.

"Not much," I mumbled, trying to smooth down my hair, which only seemed to make it more evident that I had been in, as Amalia put it, a 'scramble.'

Jack and John couldn't hold back their laughter, their chuckles filling the room. Amalia raised an eyebrow, her smile growing wider. "Looks like I missed some interesting developments," she teased, her tone light but filled with curiosity.

Nico coughed awkwardly, trying to change the subject. "Uh, Amalia, we should probably talk about the next steps for your recovery..."

But Amalia wasn't so easily diverted. "Oh, I'm sure we'll get to that, but first, I want to hear about this 'not much' that has got you two all flustered," she said, a playful challenge in her voice.

I shot Nico a glance, silently pleading for some help, but he just shrugged, equally at a loss. It was clear that Amalia, despite her condition, hadn't lost her knack for sensing when something was up.