IDIOSYNCRASY // Soccer

Ch. 30

Tears. The hot water has been streaming down my face for the past few hours. Parker has and still is suffocating my mind to this day. A week has passed since the tragedy, and also the date. Nathan has been getting me in loads of trouble. By messing up our experiments in science, or us talking too much in our classes.

I pick up the phone before hearing the dial tone go off. "Pick up, please." I say, my throat was itchy and my voice was even worse.

After three rings, Nathan's groggy voice answered through the phone, "Hello?" he said.

"I'm sorry-"

"No, no. Don't be, sleep doesn't matter to me. Just, listen to my voice, okay? Try not to think of him. We both know he wouldn't want you to drown in your tears." Nathan says, in an effort to calm me down.

A hot tear escapes through my eye, rolling sideways due to my fetal position. "I love him- Oh my god. Did I just-" I pause, my words hitting me in the face.

"Babes, I think you've known that for a while now. Hell, even I know it and it is so hard to turn off your feelings for him." Nathan retorts.

"Hey, it isn't my fault he is so cute. Or, if you call him in the middle of the night, his voice is groggy and deep and its so," I pause before getting hit by realization. "Wait, didn't you tell me not to think about him?" I ask.

Nathan lets out a breathy chuckle. "Well, mi amore, if it helps you to talk about him. So be it. Just no, oh my god I want to kiss him so hard because he is so sexy." Nathan mimics in a high pitched voice.

Over the past week, I have grown accustom to the weird pet names Nathan uses. We both have been bickering over the nickname, but eventually he turned his lips into a smile. His smile was the reason the ladies are attracted to him. Nathan turns his charm on and suddenly everyone's underwear drops.

"Oh hush, my voice does not sound like that." I sass.

"Char, I think I am falling for you." Nathan gushes.

"No, Nathan, you know I cant-"

"I know, I just think you deserve to know." He cuts me off once again.

"Nathan, you better push those feelings down and suffocate them until they are gone because my heart is just for Parker. I'm sorry." I say in a flat tone.

"I know-"

"No! I do not think you understand. I will not date you, will not catch feelings for you, nor will I ever speak to you again if you keep bringing this up." I say, starting to get bitchy.

"Oh, well sorry my feelings are a joke to you." Nathan spits out.

"No, Nathan-"

My voice was cut off by the sound of him hanging up. I sigh heavily before calling on the Facetime button. Comon, pick up. I chant it in my head. You cannot fall back asleep that easily.

"What." Nathan says in a bitter tone.

"I am sorry." I repeat.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Nathan rolls his eyes.

I scoff, "I apologize to you and you sass me up again?"

"Listen here, Char. Parker will never wake up. I hope you realize that. You need to wake up out of your goddamn fantasy you have and listen very closely. Parker's parents are going to pull the plug and won't even invite you to the funeral. You know why? Because no one likes you. You honestly think someone will love you, nonetheless like you? You are wrong. Parker will not love you back because you are a spoiled little brat. His family hates you because you're the one who got him into this. Charlotte, you are absolutely toxic." Nathan bolts out.

I breath in deeply before calming saying, "Nice to know you feel that way, Nathan. However, you are in fact wrong. Parker will wake up, and he will love me back. I will not force him. But, he will love me because I am not a snake slithering their way to the top. If you truly think I am going to like you back after this, you are so wrong. I know I have strong feelings about Parker. I am assured that Parker will feel the same. Now, get your school girl crush out of here before I kick you off the team. Thanks!" I hit the end button.

I grab my keys and run out the door, I had a sudden gnawing feeling in my stomach. Something was wrong with Parker, I could feel it. I swerve out of my driveway and go in the direction of the hospital Parker is staying in. Since I was surpassing all speed limits, I get to the hospital in a few short moments. 

A nurse eyes me before walking up to me and grabbing my wrist. "Follow me." She hisses in my ear. The blonde nurse drags me into the elavator and smiles at whoever passed by. Her hand reaches for the level three button and the beeping noises start. 

I was beyond confused at this point. Who was this girl? Why did she pull me into this elevator? More importantly, why did I allow her to drag me into here? We have a moment of silence, just focusing on the ticking noises of the elevator.

"You come here almost daily, Charlotte. I'm Parker's nurse, Beth. I know you've been sneaking into Parker's room. Do you not know the visiting hours?" Beth says.

I only lift an eyebrow and turn to her. "How could you be asking me so many questions when you are taking me to his room?" I say in a flat tone. 

"I like to deal with problems without any hassle. I could get you into Parker's room without you being caught and not being able to even get close to his room. Plus, I am guessing by your daily visits he is your boyfriend?" Beth asks.

I shake my head no, this surprises her. "No, not that I don't want to but, I just... I couldn't tell him before he got into that accident." I say in a sad tone.

"Trouble in paradise, huh?" She rhetorically asks.

I only scoff in response, if only she knew. 

Eventually, our small conversation dies down and the beeping stops. Beth looks out the door before motioning me to follow. I slowly tip toe through the halls, scared of what she told me before. Beth opens the door to Parker's room, four hundred ten. 

I rush to Parker and hold his hand, "Hey." I softy say.

-/-/-/-/

Parker's P.O.V.

"Hey." She said.

Charlotte visited daily. It wasn't like I never noticed, nor never appreciated it. But, I feel guilty for her to spend every second of her free time here. She would hold my hand, or caress my check as I struggle to move my arms, legs, anything really. When Charlotte arrived, she would tell me endless stories about school, the guys, or even a weird thing she experienced. 

"I will leave you to it. Thirty minutes max." Another feminine voice says.

I had always wondered who or what that voice was. That mysterious voice would come in daily, more than Charlotte does. She would whisper encouraging words to me, or tell me how long I have been in a nightmare. 

It was like a dream I couldn't ever wake up from. Even if I tried my hardest to move, I couldn't. As a child, I would lucid dream. At the time, I never really knew the correct term for it. But, its just like that but longer. 

"Coach's son joined the team. I have never heard of him, have you? He is such a inconsiderate person. Nathan thinks you won't wake up, but I know you will. I will never lose faith in you, Parker. Never." Charlotte says.

I promise Charlotte, I will wake up for you and punch the living shit out of Nathan.