Beyond The Court

2. Elbow Pain

My love was always by my side

And I don't know why

You don't like to be with me
In a sunny day

And I don't know why

You don't call me right now

Don't know why

You don't like to be with me
In a sunny day

***

The clock on the wall of the hospital room ticked slowly, each second feeling like it stretched into eternity. The low hum of voices and the occasional distant beep of machines filled the sterile space. Paige sat stiffly in a wooden, padded chair, her back pressed against the uncomfortable seat as she tried to ignore the throbbing pain in her knee. She had been here for what felt like hours, waiting for answers she wasn't sure she wanted to hear.

Her little brother, Drew, was curled up on her lap, his small frame pressed against her chest, his breathing steady. He had insisted on sitting with her, and Paige hadn't objected. It was comforting, having him close, feeling his warmth against her when everything else felt cold and uncertain. She absently ran her fingers through his soft hair, trying to keep her mind from spiraling.

It had been over 24 hours since her knee had given out in that pickup game. A long, sleepless night of pain and fear had led to a long morning of waiting. She had already gone through the MRI, lying in that narrow, claustrophobic tube as the machine whirred and buzzed around her. The scan had been over for what felt like hours now, but the waiting for results felt like an entirely new form of torture.

Paige shifted slightly, wincing as the movement sent a sharp pang through her knee. The temporary brace she wore felt heavy and restrictive, a reminder of the fragility of her body, of what she stood to lose. She tried to stay still, not wanting to wake Drew, who had been a quiet, comforting presence since their family had arrived.

Her parents sat nearby, their anxious whispers barely audible as they spoke in low tones. Her mom had been hovering all day, constantly checking on Paige, fussing over her like she was still a child. Her dad had tried to keep things calm, offering small smiles of reassurance, but Paige could see the worry etched in his features too. The reality of her injury had settled over the family like a thick cloud, suffocating in its heaviness.

Paige's phone buzzed in her lap, and she glanced down at the screen. Another message from Azzi:

people's princess

Peanut Butter🩷
How are you feeling?
Heard anything yet?

She hadn't responded to the last few texts Azzi had sent. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to her—she did. But right now, she didn't know what to say. The truth was, Paige didn't want to talk to anyone about how scared she was. She didn't want to say out loud what she feared the most: that this was the same injury she'd seen so many fight so hard to come back from.

Drew stirred in her lap, shifting slightly to look up at her with sleepy eyes. "Paige?" he asked softly, his voice groggy. "Is it going to be okay?"

Paige forced a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah, buddy," she whispered, her voice betraying none of the anxiety twisting in her stomach. "We're just waiting for the doctor to tell us what's going on. But I'll be okay."

Drew studied her for a moment, his little face serious in a way that made him seem older than his eight years. He nodded but didn't say anything else, laying his head back against her chest.