Wild Horses

Chapter 15

"What is it?" I asked Bryan as I walked into the living room.

"We need to talk." He said.

"If it's about earlier, count me out!" I said and shoved my hands in his face.

"No, it's not that, although I forgot to apologize. I'm sorry."

"It sounds like a pretty crappy apology, but I will accept it." I said and smiled.

"I need someone to take over my position on the team." He said.

"And you are telling me this, WHY?" I asked.

"I want YOU to fill in for me." He said.

"What?! ME? I'm a GIRL, in case you haven't noticed!" I screeched shaking my head incredulously.

"Why don't you ask Christian to do it or something?" I said, exasperated.

"He doesn't know the game like you do. You know all the positions, you know the plays by heart from when you helped me train, and you are our best hope."

"Don't you have a backup quarterback?" I asked, unease lacing my voice.

"Yeah, but he doesn't know the game as well as you do either." I sat and thought this for a minute.

"Are you completely serious about this?" I asked him. He nodded.

"One Hundred and Ten percent."

"I'll consider it." I said, honestly.

"You will?!" His voice sounded more enlightened, full of hope almost.

"It's not a yes." I warned him.

"Or a no!" He said.

What had I gotten myself into?

The rest of the week flew by without much talk about the whole football thing. Bryan never really brought it up. Caroline said I should do it, that I was kick-ass and could handle anything. Anything, maybe almost, just not a 6'4", 300-pound kid on top of me. Christian had a different take on things. We were alone in my room, Bryan was at practice, even though he couldn't play, and dad was working.

"I don't think you should do it." He said.

"You could get seriously hurt." He continued while rubbing circles on my hand in an attempt to soothe us both.

"I know; I still haven't made my decision yet."

"What does your dad think?" He asked.

"He is fine with whatever I do." I said.

"I still don't think you should, I love that you want to show some Indians spirit, but it's too dangerous. And what if you have the same Long QT gene, it is genetic ya know. You might be as lucky as Bryan and get revived." He said, a frown gracing his beautiful face.

"I know, and don't you think I have wondered about that myself?" I said, a little irritated.

"Then why are you still considering doing it?!" Christian yelled.

"Because Bryan is my brother! And I love him! And he needs me, the team needs me too!" I almost screamed back.

"Just because your brother wants you too, doesn't mean you have too!" He yelled back. Tears formed in my eyes.

"Get out." I said quietly with my head down to avert my gaze from his face while pointing at the door.

"Just go." He slammed the door behind him, and I heard the front door slam as well. I looked out the window and saw his car drive away, tires squealing.

Me, I cried.

It was Monday.

I walked to my locker with Caroline at my side. I hadn't seen her all weekend.

"Where's Chris?" She asked.

"Not here." I replied dryly.

"Why?" She asked, alarm evident in the tone of her voice.

"We fought, no big deal." I shrugged, as if it didn't matter and walked to chemistry, leaving her in my path.

The chemical lab that we had to do got my mind off things, and thankfully, Mr. Nolan gave us partners. I was grateful to be stuck with Casey Lockwood, Basketball center.

"So, what do we do with the Sodium Borate again?" Casey asked me.

"Mix it in with that Poly Vinyl Acetate," I said, a small smile teased the corners of my mouth up.

"So, I heard you and Chris are having a rough time, anything I can do?" His blue eyes sparkled, smoldering at me.

"How do you know?" I asked him, shocked word had gotten around so fast.

"Pretty easy to tell.""

"It's fine. I'm fine." The smiled I plastered across my face felt fake, and I could tell he wasn't buying it.

"If you need anything, gimme a jingle, you have my number." He said.

"Sure. But don't hold your breath waiting for a call that probably won't come." The bell rang.

"Sorry, I've got to go." I said, grateful for the bell as I pushed past him abruptly.

I sat with Caroline alone at a table and eyed Christian from across the cafeteria. He was sitting with the normal group.

"Are you guys ever going to make up?" Caroline asked me.

"I don't know." I answered truthfully.

"You guys are so cute; don't let one fight bring what you had down."

That should have cheered me up, but the only thing that did was the Premiere of The Hunger Games trailer on Good Morning America.

"Some people started to get up, and throw their food away. I did the same.

"I'll catch you later." I said to Caroline.

"I have important business to do." With that being said, I walked out of the lunchroom and into the hallway. I stopped at the coach's door and knocked.

"Coach, its Bryan's sister Haven, and I have something I want to talk to you about..."