White Crest

12

Nathan's POV:

It was a week since the football game and the school's medical facillity had given me passes to skip all of my sports classes. I couldn't play football or volleyball and my soccer coach was telling me to take it easy so I knew he wouldn't play me. I was getting frustrated because all of my friends were giving me the pity look in the halls as I walked past.

Adelaide was really nice and I think she liked babying me. I knew she couldn't really help it so I let her. I really hated that I couldn't play sports anymore. I couldn't even work out. They said the only sports facilities I could use would be the pool but since I wasn't much of a swimmer I hadn't tried it out yet.

During the day I just hung out in my room when I didn't have classes. Adelaide was pretty good about letting me be by myself if she saw I was in a terrible mood, which was most of the time. She came into my room while I was working on some math homework.

"Hey." I sighed.

"How are you? Logan said to check up on you." She sat down on my bed and kicked some shorts out of the way that were on the floor.

"Fine." I twirled a pencil between my fingers.

"Take off your shirt I want to look." She stood up.

"What!? Oh, at my shoulder." I laughed at her expression. "That was cute." I teased her as I carefully slipped my arm out of the sling and then my shirt. There was a big purple bruise and my whole shoulder was swollen. She carefully poked it with gentle fingers.

"Does that hurt?" Adelaide looked at me, trying to read my expression. I just nodded and clenched my fist. "Oh. Have you tried those excercise things that they gave you?"

"No. I don't want to."

"Is this because you can't play sports anymore?" She crossed her arms and gave me a look.

"Well, yeah! My whole scholarship is riding on my ability to play sports. If I can't do that I'm screwed!" I was pissed off and I hadn't meant to get mad at her.

"You could try!"

"You could try to fix your relationship with your brothers but you don't!" I knew I had hit a nerve and I immediatley regretted what I said.

"I'm sure that it'll get better Nathan." Adelaide left my room with a dejected look.

"Laidy! Shit..." I laid my head on my desk and sat there for a while.

*

I awoke to Logan shaking me. I lifted my head and saw a puddle of drool on my math textbook. I quickly shut the book and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Soccer practice started a half hour ago, why aren't you there? We have a game in an hour."

"I just assumed coach didn't need me anymore."

"Well, he needs you now. Jeremy sprained his ankle at practice and we need our best forward and team captain." He threw me my soccer uniform and cleats and waited for me to change. I sprinted onto the field and saw the team stare at me.

"Come on guys. I haven't got all day." I started a basic warm up and it felt good to be doing something other than sitting in my room. I caught a glimpse of Adelaide in the stands and she waved shyly. I ran over to where she was sitting. She was making excellent use of that pass I had given her.

"Hey. I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean what I said."

"I know. It's okay. Meet you after the game?"

"Sure." I jogged back to the middle of the field. Soccer season hadn't really started up yet so this was just a scrimmage game. I didn't play my hardest because I knew I was still recovering and I didn't want to make my shoulder worse than it already was. I had taped up my shoulder and kept it tight to my side but it still stung and ached when I ran faster than a jog. I did show off as much as I could just because Adelaide was on the sidelines though.