You'll Be Okay

Chapter 12

After being released from the hospital on Monday, Kayley returned to school by the end of the week and insisted on going to the game. Knowing how stubborn she was, I didn't argue.

"Cheer up," said Kayley to Reid who sat on the benches in front of us. "Scores are level. Everything is fine. Want some crisps?"

Reid barely spared her a glance, much less at the bag of potato chips she offered him. The clock was ticking down to begin the second half and the group had just disbanded. Moodily, Reid chugged down his orange juice.

The siren sounded and Tyler, who just finished strapping up his hamstring, offered a hand to Reid to help him up. Reid ignored him and ran out onto the field for the kickoff.

"We meet again," said a voice behind me.

I turned to see Chase Anderson, swinging himself over the row of seats to the empty spot beside me, vacated by a girl who went to the restroom. He was wearing sunglasses and though it was a poor disguise, it was probably the reason why he hadn't caused a scene. Yet.

Kayley leaned around me to see who I was talking to. "Is that who I think it is?"

Chase held out a hand for her to shake, tone shifting flirtatiously. "Hey, I'm Chase."

I slapped his hand away. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged and settled back in his seat. "I was on my way home from visiting Savannah when I decided to stop by to assess the opposition."

Savannah Castellan?

"Who else?"

I didn't realise I had spoken out loud. "What do you mean?"

At this, Chase ripped off his shades and stared at me, light brown eyes narrowing. I stared blankly back at him and after a few seconds, his face lit up with a conspiratorial grin.

"Oh, you didn't know?" He leaned in as of to tell me a juicy secret, sliding his shades back on. "She's going to be declared brain dead by the state. We used to date, before her little brat brother decided to meddle."

"She - what?"

I didn't know much about Reid's older sister - only that she was adored by the cameras. Of course, there was also the speculation on her parentage and that she was the result of Valentina Castellan's alleged affair. The rumours were never acknowledged because they only existed on the basis that Savannah was the only strawberry blonde amongst her dark-haired siblings. When it came to the Castellan family, it was as if the entire world deserted all reason and forgot how recessive genes worked.

"Wait," I said hastily. "Are you - you're saying that Reid had something to do with his sister being... she's what? In a coma?"

"I know he did."

Kayley guffawed to herself, too immersed in the game to listen in.

My mind instantly went back to last week's community service, when the doctor mentioned the electroencephalogram for Savannah. But still, I let out a quiet, incredulous bark of laughter.

"Have you lost your mind?"

Chase's expression hardened. "She would never have gotten into that car if it weren't for him."

It happened in a car accident - I swallowed the bile in my throat. That hit too close to home.

"Anyway, I'm not here to start anything." Chase looked genuinely confused when I glanced at him. "I thought you knew but I must have misjudged the situation."

"Chase, seriously." I bit out, quickly glancing around us. "I don't know you and you should probably leave before people start noticing."

"Fine." He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his hoodie and heaved a sigh. "Tell Tyler Kypriano that he's a statpadder, Number 16 has dished out one assist in nine games and Castellan needs to work on his handles."