The doctor recommends I stay home for a few days so I don't walk that much. I can go back to school on Wednesday, but only with crutches to keep pressure off my left leg. The doctor says because the scar is only on my left side, I keep my left leg elevated and don't step on it too much, and I get my stitches removed on Saturday.
The trip back home seemed to take longer with my parents and Cara with me. The ride was silent and ruthless. I kept my headphones in the entire time. Cara and I both look out our windows the entire time, too. I haven't talked to Cole since he walked out of my room in the hospital on Friday. I blew up at him when I found out my attacker was his brother. I regret that now, but should I?
~~~~~~~~~~
Cara heads off to school today and I get to stay home with Mom. I love my mother with all my heart, but staying home with her with an injury is torture. She will be at my side every single second of today. Glasses of water, food, books, magazines, anything I could ever want.
I'm staying in bed as late as I can, but a knock on my bedroom door comes early in the morning. I groan, as if to say to come in. The door bursts open and in walks Noah.
"Hey Princess. How are you doing? Talk to lover boy?" I raise my head from my pillow.
"What?" I say in my sleepy voice.
Noah sits down on the side of my bed and gives me a super quick kiss on the cheek. "Cole, stupid. Do you know how many times he has said to me in the past two days how badly he feels for not only his own brother attacking you last week but for not telling you that Devon was his brother? He loves you. Both as his best friend but in a way that I didn't know he could love. Since sixth grade, he was the player that just didn't want a girl for a long period of time. But the moment he met you, he's wanted you. Take my word for it. I would never do anything to hurt either of you. I would never lie to you or him". My heart melts. Did Cole actually like me? Do I like him?
"Can you stay here today? I don't want you to miss more school, since we missed Friday, but I can't stay here alone with my mother. I can't walk with both feet and I'm not going to be able to stand her checking on me up here every ten minutes. She is going to bring me useless things", Noah cuts me off as I almost start to cry.
"Yes, Princess, anything for you. But only if you promise to come to our game tonight. We play the Wolverines". Noah moves me over onto the other side of my bed and pushes himself under my sheet. I snuggle into his chest, his arms warp around me.
"I don't ever want to lose this, Noah. I love you, in that best friend sort of way of course. And I love the team. And Cole and Zac. I don't ever want this to change. Ever. This is too good to lose. A guy best friend who saved my life and two more best friends who helped me through my transition to a new school half way across the country. That's all I could ask for". I start to drift asleep.
"I love you too, Princess. I'm not going to let anything change. Ever" Those are the last words I hear before I fall asleep. Deep asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
What feels like hours later, I am awake again. I move away from Noah's side but he still lays next to me in bed. I check my clock to find it saying 11:25. I have slept for the past 4 hours. And I don't know how long Noah has been asleep. I move a little bit not trying to wake Noah. I grab my phone from my nightstand. Noah must feel the movement. He awakens.
"Hey Princess. How was your nap?" Now I know how cute guy's sleepy voices were. I'm not actually attracted to him, but the sleepy voice every single girl talks about is true. Holy crap.
"I feel better, even though I'm not sick. Naps always seem to make me feel better, no matter what. When did you fall asleep?" I sit up slowly, my incision aches a little from moving the muscle in my stomach.
"I think I fell asleep about two hours ago. I had a quick conversation with Cole on the phone, and your mother came in to check on us, being a mother, making sure one, you weren't on your feet, and two, to make sure we weren't doing anything we aren't supposed to". Noah sits up beside me.
"I'm hungry", I smile. "Can we go downstairs?"
"Yeah. I'm hungry too. Let's eat". Noah says with a smile, helping me to my feet from the bed.
We slowly make our way down the stairs and into the kitchen where mom sits watching her normal shows on our mini TV on the counter. She hears us walk in and jumps to her feet.
"Meredith. How are you feeling? Any pain? Do you need any pain meds or anything like that?" Mom says with her perfect mom smile that always seems to cheer me up.
"We're kind of hungry. I'm just gonna grab some cereal" Mom rushes to the cupboard and takes out my cinnamon toast crunch and then to the fridge for milk before I can even pick up a crutch. I grab 2 bowls from beside me in the cupboard and sit at the kitchen table. Noah follows me. We dig into our bowls of cereal, even though it's lunch time. While our lunch goes on all I can think about is one thing.
Does Cole really like me?
Edited: 3/3/22
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Just Another Goal (Counting on Hockey #1)
Romance*Book one of the Counting on Hockey series* To Meredith, watching hockey was torture. But her sister was a hockey player. She wanted nothing to do with hockey, even thinking about it made her angry. But she had her reasons. Starting 10th grade at a...
