Crossing Hearts- A Maidstone Love Story

Chapter 30

Jasper lay in bed, the early morning sunlight creeping through the cracks in his curtains. He stared at the ceiling, already dreading the day ahead. His leg ached a bit beneath the cast, and he wondered when he would finally be able to walk without crutches again. His phone buzzed on the bedside table, but before he could reach for it, there was a knock at his door.

"Come in," he called, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

The door creaked open, and his mum, Kirsty, stepped inside with a gentle smile. "Morning, Jas. You're not going to school until lunchtime today."

Jasper blinked, confused. "Wait, why? What's going on?"

"You've got a check-up at the hospital this morning for your leg. They'll check how it's healing and change your cast. Shouldn't take too long," she explained, coming over to sit on the edge of his bed. "I'll drop Casper off at school first, then we'll head to the hospital."

Jasper let out a small sigh, feeling the weight of the day ahead. "Alright, thanks, Mum."

Kirsty gave his arm a squeeze before standing up. "Get dressed, and we'll head out in about half an hour. I'll make you some breakfast."

As soon as she left the room, Jasper grabbed his phone and sent a quick message to Alessia.

Jasper: Hey, I'm not gonna be at school until lunchtime. Got a check-up on my leg. See you then?

Alessia responded almost instantly.

Alessia: Okay, hope everything goes well at the hospital! I'll save you a seat at lunch :)

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he got out of bed and started getting dressed. He pulled on a comfortable pair of joggers and a hoodie, still struggling a bit with balancing on one leg. His crutches leaned against the wall, ready to go. After getting dressed, he made his way downstairs, where the smell of toast and scrambled eggs filled the air.

After a quick breakfast, Kirsty, Jasper, and Casper piled into the car. The ride to school was mostly quiet, with Casper playing something on his phone in the back seat and Jasper staring out the window, lost in thought.

When they arrived at school, Kirsty turned to Casper. "Alright, you're all set. We'll see you later."

Casper gave a small wave and hopped out of the car, heading toward the school gates.

As they pulled away, Kirsty glanced over at Jasper. "Nervous?"

"A little," Jasper admitted. "I just hope everything's healing okay. I really want this cast off soon."

Kirsty nodded, her face sympathetic. "Me too, love. Let's just see what the doctor says."

At the hospital, they checked in and waited in the orthopaedic department. The waiting room was sterile and quiet, save for the occasional murmurs of other patients and the soft hum of the air conditioning. Jasper shifted in his chair, the weight of his leg feeling heavier than usual.

After about an hour, a nurse called them in, and they were led to a small examination room. Moments later, a middle-aged doctor with glasses entered, introducing himself as Dr. Harding.

"Alright, Jasper," Dr. Harding said as he flipped through Jasper's file. "Let's have a look at how the leg is healing."

Jasper pulled up his joggers, revealing the cast. The doctor examined it carefully before removing the outer layer of the cast to inspect the injury beneath. Jasper watched him closely, his heart pounding with nervous anticipation.

After a few minutes, Dr. Harding sighed softly, turning to face them both. "Well, the good news is, your leg is healing, but it's a slow process. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the break, I'm afraid you won't be able to return to playing football—at least not at the level you were."