Skipping gym class was nothing new for me. Most physical activity caused flare-ups, and the school knew that. My teachers knew that. Even Spider knew that. But the new gym coach? He had no idea, and I wasn't exactly keen on explaining my medical history to some guy who'd probably just roll his eyes and tell me to "walk it off."
I sat on the benches, arms crossed, watching my classmates jog around the track. It was one of those days where my pain was manageable, not bad enough to keep me bedridden but still a dull ache that reminded me not to push it. My friends occasionally shot me sympathetic glances, knowing this was my routine.
That was until Coach Storm decided to make me his target.
"Hey, you!" his voice boomed across the gym. My stomach sank. "Why aren't you up and moving with everyone else?"
I swallowed, already dreading where this was going. "I'm not supposed to participate. I have—"
"Yeah, yeah, a flimsy excuse. Unless you're injured right now, you're running."
"Coach, she doesn't have to do gym. It's been approved," Malakai piped up, standing a little in front of me.
"Yeah, she's always excused," Darren added.
Coach scoffed, shaking his head. "I don't believe in excuses. You're young, you're fit, and you're in my class, so unless you want detention, you get up and move."
My fingers curled into a fist. I could feel Ant's eyes on me. He was one of the only ones who knew about my condition aside from Spider. I exhaled sharply. My pain wasn't bad today—I could do a few laps if it meant keeping my friends out of trouble.
So, I stood up.
"Fine," I muttered.
"Y/N—" Ant started, but I gave him a small shake of my head.
I jogged lightly, my muscles stiff but functioning. At first, I thought maybe I could handle this. Maybe today wasn't as bad as I feared. That thought barely lasted two minutes before a sharp, ripping pain shot through my abdomen. My vision blurred, my steps faltering as I pressed a hand against the wall for support.
The next thing I knew, my legs gave out.
Ant was at my side in an instant, catching me before I hit the floor. "Shit, Y/N, I got you," he muttered, helping me ease into a crouched position, supporting my back so I could curl into myself. My breath was shallow, my body trembling as I struggled against the overwhelming wave of pain. My ears rang, drowning out everything around me.
Tears blurred my vision as I whimpered, clutching my stomach, desperate for the agony to stop.
Then I heard him.
"Y/N!"
His voice was frantic, and within seconds, Spider was there, dropping to his knees in front of me. His hands grabbed my face gently, forcing me to focus on him.
"What the hell were you thinking?" he asked, his voice wavering. His thumb wiped at the tears streaking down my face, his expression a mix of anger, worry, and something deeper—something that made my stomach twist in a way that had nothing to do with pain.
"Coach—" Darren started, but Malakai interrupted. "It was the coach. He forced her."
Spider's jaw clenched, his entire body going rigid. Before he could explode, the principal arrived, stepping between him and Coach Storm. "What is going on here?" she demanded, eyes scanning the scene. Then she saw me. Her expression softened, concern replacing authority. "Y/N, darling, are you alright?"
I barely managed to nod, still unable to speak through the pain.
"Spider, take her to the medical room now," she ordered. "We'll deal with this."
Spider looked back at me. "Can you walk?"
I tried. I really did. But the second I put weight on my legs, they buckled. Spider caught me instantly, his arms wrapping around me before I could collapse. Without hesitation, he lifted me into his arms, carrying me bridal style as I whimpered softly against his chest.
"I got you, babe," he murmured, his voice softer than I'd ever heard it.
Time blurred after that. The school nurse gave me a hot water bottle and some painkillers, and the worst of the agony finally dulled into something bearable. I lay curled up on the medical cot, my body exhausted.
Spider hadn't said a word since we got here. He just sat next to me, gripping my hand tightly. I knew he was angry—angry at the coach, angry at the situation, but most of all, angry that he hadn't been there before it got bad.
I sighed, finally breaking the silence. "I know you're mad."
He shook his head. "Not at you."
I turned my head slightly to look at him. His expression was unreadable, but his grip on my hand tightened.
"Then what?" I whispered.
He exhaled sharply. "You don't get it, do you? When I saw you on the ground like that, when I saw the pain in your face, I felt my whole world fall apart." He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I've never felt like that before. Ever."
I blinked, taken aback by the raw emotion in his voice.
"I don't just care about you, Y/N," he continued. "I need you. Seeing you like that? It—it did something to me. And I hated it. I hated that I couldn't stop it. That I wasn't there sooner."
A lump formed in my throat. "Spider..."
He leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine. "You scare the shit out of me, babe," he murmured. "And I don't know what to do with that."
I let out a shaky breath, my heart pounding in my chest. "You don't have to do anything. Just... be here."
His lips brushed my forehead before he finally—finally—pressed them against mine. It wasn't hurried or desperate. It was slow, full of emotion, full of everything we had never said aloud but had always felt.
When he pulled back, he smirked, his usual cocky attitude slipping back into place. "You're mine, you know that, right?"
I chuckled weakly. "I think I've always been yours."
His grin softened, and he pressed another kiss to my temple. "Good. 'Cause I'm never letting you go."

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